11:11

11 candles on one cupcake.

When Everett was five years old, he noticed the numbers on the digital clock in our bedroom and asked, "Mommy, what in the world time is one, one, one, one?"

It was a delightful teaching moment.

The next day he noticed the clock at the same time.

"Look, Mommy, it's 11:11," he informed me.

Coincidentally, it happened again the following day.

11:11 has become a very special time for our family. For years, the numbers represented the four of us. We even created the 11:11 dance. Actually, it's more like a chant where we clap and say the time over and over to a silly tune. Whoever notices the time 11:11 first, starts chanting really loud so everyone in the house can hear it. The tradition has been that we stop whatever it is we're doing, to join in the dance. When the clock turns 11:12, we immediately stop the chant and dance to say, "OK, the party is over."

Then we continue on as normal.

I have mentioned to Kayleigh and Everett that when they leave to go to college, they will have to call home at 11:11. Once, I found a pair of pants on sale for Everett and the total amount was $11.11.

He thought that was really cool.

I have been anticipating the day when Everett turns 11 years old. I will wake him up in the morning by doing the 11:11 chant.

Where has the time gone?

Everett is a good boy. Today, he spent time with handicapped children who would like to play baseball. He told me he loved running the bases with them. "I really like spending time with these children." His words are simple, yet it means so much to me knowing that he is able to appreciate his blessings and understand the value of service at a young age.

He brings joy to my heart.

We celebrated his birthday a day early.

Here are some favorite quotes of the evening:

"Oh...the table looks beau-tee-ful, Mommy."
~Cozette

She redecorated the birthday table quite a bit today!

"Blue and brown is en vogue. I see these colors together every where."
~Papa

"These are very stylish cupcakes."
~Nikki

I made homemade pizza tonight.

"This looks like professional pizza."
~Kayleigh

"This pizza is pretty good."
~Brad

(*note: When Brad says something is "pretty good" then I know I've done good!)

"I can't find one fault with this pizza.
It's absolutely delicious."

~Mommom

I told Mommom that I'd have to quote her on that one!

The birthday boy with Mommom and Papa.

Think of us the next time you notice it's 11:11.

We'll be dancing.

Happy Birthday to my 11 year old boy.

Birds and Beehives

My heart skipped a beat when I heard the sound of birds chirping the other day. It was the first promise of Spring I have noticed. I immediately called for everyone to come upstairs to hear the chirping birds outside. Brad said he believed they were on our rooftop. We paused for a few moments to hear their song. Cozette was the most excited and kept talking about the baby birdies.

Cozette and I were delighted when we learned that we would be making a bird's nest for the craft at the library today. It was not easy getting her to sit still to pose for a picture of her holding her bird's nest.

"Cozette, do you love birds?" I asked her.

"Yes," she answered.

"Why do you love birds?"

"Because they say tweet-tweet."

"What do birds eat?" I asked to see how she would answer.

"Worms," she replied like she knew everything.

"Do you eat worms?" I asked to be silly.

"Yes."

"You do not," I assured her.

"I eat gummy worms!"

Well, she told me!

We are learning that she has a quick wit.

Cozette recently declared her love for the entire family:

"I love Mommy. I love Daddy. I love Kay-lay. I love Everett. Oh... I love each other."




The Beehives decided that they were not going to let Saturday's basketball game be forfeited. The older girls had testing and other commitments. We had a team of five girls.

Five little Beehives.

They understood that they were not going to get a break and would be required to play the entire game. I have never seen a game played with such determination and heart. These little girls ran that court like their lives depended on it. Kayleigh even scored four of the points. She is an excellent defensive player. The final score was 12-26. The other ward won.

But, we did not lose.

The Beehives walked off that court victorious. They were recognized at church on Sunday for their efforts.

Give them a couple of years, and they will be unstoppable.
.

I love my girls.

Compass

Portrait of Elijah
March 15, 2007- June 30, 2007

Dear Elijah,

The days that followed your funeral are blurry to me, yet there are moments in my mind that are so vivid, it seems like it was yesterday. One such memory was when your Mama, Aunt Nikki, and I were in the bathroom talking to Mommom as she was getting dressed. Your Mama was sharing some of her insights with us. We were talking about our testimonies. As we continued talking, Mommom very solemnly declared that she would never bear her testimony again, and the thought of doing so made her want to go get an axe and chop down the pulpit.

I remember looking at my sisters and the three of us practically fell to the floor in hysterics. We laughed and laughed. The thought of Mommom doing something like that was more than we could possibly visualize. Her comment symbolized the depth of our pain, and our laughter was in direct proportion to our grief. Mommom's steadfast testimony has always been a compass for us.

Two months later, she stood at the pulpit and bore the strongest testimony of enduring trials, the importance of faith, and the beauty of the atonement, I have ever heard.

And so dearest Elijah, on this special day of your birth, I find myself reflecting on the lonely road I have traveled with out you. Your little life, as short as it was, and your passing has been a compass for me. There have been times, I believed I did not have the faith to continue on this road; but your loving memory and a bright hope in Christ guides me. Your mother's example has taught me the importance of not only enduring, but enduring this road well.

I wonder sometimes, if you can hear us praying. Kayleigh and Everett faithfully express their love and gratitude for you. We have not forgotten you.

We travel a hard road, but it is not without the compass of our testimonies, and a sure knowledge of knowing that you're at the end-- waiting for us to arrive home.


Happy Birthday darling Elijah.

Love,

Pressing Forward

This has been the coldest and wettest winter I can ever remember. The weather has been a huge obstacle in my training to run a 5k. There have been days at a time that I have not been able to run. When the sun does come out, it has been freezing and windy, and then when the weather warms a little, it's raining outside.

There have been other obstacles, too. I recently discovered that I have unknowingly been taking a short cut on the trail equal to the distance of a quarter of a mile that I have not been running. So, all of my documented times have been based on running two and three quarters miles and not the full three like I had thought.

This was a major set back for me.

The realization caused me to stay home for a day, to do nothing but mope. For years now, I have been running and walking a trail the wrong way. I truly considered quitting. Running has never been easy for me. The thought of having to take one more step is overwhelming and the thought of running an additional quarter of a mile seems impossible to achieve.

But, I haven't quit.

I go to the park as much as the weather permits. I still have not accomplished running the entire trail without taking breaks. It seems like I am always starting over with my training. I will accomplishment a goal and then have to wait days before I can go out again. On Friday, I was pleased with my time since I had not been out in a while, I beat it on Saturday, and then had a major set back on Monday morning because of cramping in my leg. I wanted to cry. I believe that attempting to run three miles is the most challenging goal I have ever attempted.

I still am not convinced that I will achieve this goal in time for my races next month.

On Monday evening, we had the missionaries over for dinner. It is a tradition in our family to have them over once a month on Monday evening to share Family Home Evening with us. I always look forward to the messages the Elders share with my children. When we sat down to have our lesson, they asked if they could share a scripture with us. I love this scripture and have read it many times.

2 Nephi 31:20:

"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of Gad and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."

After a disappointing day, this scripture struck me in a way it never had before. For the rest of the evening, I pondered the importance of pressing forward in all aspects of my life. I have endured many obstacles and have always pressed forward with faith.

Running is not any different.

I need to press forward.

Have faith in Christ.

And He will take care of the rest.

On Tuesday morning, I had a personal victory. I ran my two and thee quarters miles in 30 minutes and 54 seconds. I no longer concern myself with the distance. I run the trail like I always have knowing that as I press forward, I will eventually reach my goal.


I will simply press forward.

The Happy House

The last few weeks have been thrilling for our family. Nikki purchased her first home. When Kayleigh and Everett heard Nikki's big news, they both responded by saying they were going to move in with her. Even Mommom and Papa said they would sleep over at Nikki's. Everett is constantly asking to go over there. Kayleigh announced that she would have her 14th birthday party over there too!

Needless to say, Nikki having her own home means one thing for us.

PARTY.

Today, we had our first family dinner together. Nikki greeted us with love and kindness as a true hostess with the mostess would.

"Oh, I can't wait!" Cozette shouted when we told her that we were going to Nikki's for dinner.

Bye-bye. Y'all come back now, you hear!

Thank you, sister, for dinner.

It was the best taco salad I have ever tasted.

Trust me.

We'll be back!

I Never Saw Another Butterfly

I consider it a great blessing that both Kayleigh and Everett have had the opportunity to learn about and participate in singing beautiful spiritual music through our school system. Everett had a special opportunity this year to sing with the Gwinnett County Honor Chorus. This was a choice experience for him.

A highlight of this year's concert was hearing the Atlanta Young Singers of Callanwolde. One of their selections was The Butterfly arranged by Charles Davidson based on the children's poem, I Never Saw Another Butterfly:

The last, the very last,

So richly, brightly, dazzling yellow.
Perhaps if the sun's tears would sing
against a white stone...

Such, such a yellow
Is carried lightly 'way up high
It went away, I'm sure because it wished to
kiss the world good-bye.

For seven weeks I've lived in here,
Penned up inside this ghetto.
But I have found what I love here.
The dandelions call to me
And the white chestnut branches in the court.
Only I never saw another butterfly

That butterfly was the last one.
Butterflies don't live in here,
in the ghetto.

~Pavel Friedman

Pavel Friedman was born in Prague on January 7, 1921. He was transported to the Terezin concentration camp in 1942. He was later transported to Auschwitz where he died on September 29, 1944. I Never Saw Another Butterfly is a collection of poems written by some of the children who lived there. (I consider him to be an adult). Most of the young authors died before the camp was liberated at the end of WWII.

I cannot describe in words the impact this music had on me.

The Honor Chorus sang spiritual music such as No Time, Allunde Alluia, a Swahili spiritual, All for Love of One, and a medley of songs based on American Folk Dances. Some of the children performed the different dances.

It was amazing.

Everett was excited to report that he was interviewed by the Gwinnett County School's station. He is a man of few words but managed to tell them he "really enjoyed singing in the chorus."

Hopefully, we will see the interview when the concert is aired next month.

A view of about half of the chorus.

We were delighted to have Grandma and Grandpa join us for this special occasion.

Papa spent the entire concert taking pictures of Everett. I will have to post more pictures of all of us later.

Everett said he felt really special that Mommom and Papa and Grandma and Grandpa could attend his concert!