Sunday, July 26, 2009

The Old Lady


In the past, I would hesitate to call anyone "old" out loud, but with the Warlock's Baba I feel like I can for she introduces herself as "The Old Lady." She says it not in a self-deprecating way, but as reality. And old is beautiful on her. I like her ways and was glad to have her in my home for a few days. What a blessing it is to place Noel in Baba's arms, to hear Bardo talk about her, to see Pippi and Baba together working on a puzzle, to have her help me with my house work, and after she returned home, to hear her voice on my machine telling me to give Pippi a kiss for her.

Gathering


Mission never quite accomplished...

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Music

I'm sitting at my computer, alone in my home, though not really alone because the Warlock has a bunch of guys over for UFC fight night. I'm preparing my lesson for the few young women in my ward that will show up for church tomorrow. I remember so clearly being a young woman in the church. My ward had fantastic leaders, and the things they said, I got. I absorbed their words like a sponge. Seriously.

As I go through these lessons, I can see how they helped me and patterned my life. And they have blessed me. Tomorrow my lesson will be on music. Once, at my in-laws house, my bro-in-law (Yeah, that's you Lex.) remarked that the only music I seemed to know anything about was church music. While not entirely true (I know lots of children's songs, choral music, and Disney soundtracks. :-)), I do have quite the repertoire of hymns and primary songs that I can sing or play on the piano at any moment (with music).

This is what Elder Packer says in his powerful, no-nonsense way about music.

I have countless "emergency channels." I used to sing as I walked to class in college. I remember making up songs and singing them on the playing ground in elementary school. I used to sing to Stacy constantly. She really never like anything except her primary songs. I guess she knew what the good stuff was. Just like Elder Packer said, the music I've been learning all my life, during family home evening, on my Dad's knee, from my Mom's boom box, at my piano, from my Young Women leaders, from my church and school choir directors, has created worthy "channels" for my thoughts.

So I don't know the most prominent artists of my highschool years. It drives the Warlock crazy. I guess the young men don't get the same lessons as the young women.

Sunday, July 05, 2009

My Sourdough Sweetheart




I think the Warlock has spent more time nourishing and playing with his sourdough start, made from scratch, than he's spent with me! Nevertheless, his pancakes were very good this 4th of July.

Uncle Ivan Left Today...







...and we are sad.

It takes three adults to keep this house going, so now that Ivan's gone, we're all going to have to kick it up a notch.

Here are a list of pictures I wish I would have taken: the contents of Ivan's wallet scattered all over Bardo's room, Ivan playing in the pool with Pippi, Ivan at the piano, Ivan asleep from staying up too late, on the couch, Ivan trying to take an LSAT prep test at the kitchen table while the children are playing with whistles.

So who's coming next?