Happy Birthday Jessica

Meet my life long friend, Jessica G*. She and I have palled around since we were in playschool (actually and arguably since the premortal life). Jessica is family to me. She is Aunt Jessica to Gracie. She knows me better than most people. Jessica is thoughtful, and selfless to a fault. She takes care of everyone around her. She is hard working and fun loving. I love this girl. Our life paths have kept us in different places. We were roommates in college for only two brief semesters. Her family is now in Oregon, and mine in Nevada. She was a missionary in Germany, while I was in D.C.. She is working and living in UT right now, as I'm in Cali. But no matter the distance of time or location, our relationship has always been a constant. Spending this week with her has been a total luxury for me. This has been made even better by the fact that Jess celebrated her birthday on Friday, and I got to be a part of it. Here's a peek at what we've been up to this week.

A day trip to the San Diego Zoo

Jessica and the reclusive Panda

A chilly afternoon at the beach. We couldn't keep Gracie out the water this time.

Not one, but two days at Disneyland and California Adventure park. One day on Jessica's birthday, so she got to wear a special birthday button and all the people at Disneyland kept saying, "Happy Birthday Princess." I love it.

Remember this parade? They do at at Cali. Adv. now on the weekends.

I've got one more day with Jessica before she heads home. Happy birthday Jess, and thanks for spending it with us.

My Piece of Foreign Sky

Mother's Day was fantastic. This was due in large part to 1) my hubby 2) my darling girl Gracie and 3) my BFF Jessica G* who is in town visiting for the week. (My blogs may be a bit sparse)Cori got up extra early to make all the girls breakfast. Then, he gave a wonderful talk in Sacrament Mtg. that made us all feel like a million bucks. After church, Jess and I were asked to hang out in our room while Cori and Gracie laid out our Mother's Day dinner. The table was beautiful, and the food delish. We spoke with loved ones far and near. The evening was topped off with a victory for the Jazz over Golden State.

The day, though marvelous, had one little misshap. During a small debacle regarding Sunday shoes, Gracie stumbled and fell on her laundry basket. As you can see, her chin broke her fall. Tough little bug.

For you, Grace:

You are the trip I did not take;

You are the pearls I cannot buy;

You are my blue Italian lake;

You are my piece of foreign sky.

"To My Child," Anne Campbell

I am a lucky girl. I have everything because of the people I love.

Happy Mother's Day

What I've Learned From My Mother

- Remember the eternal perspective

- Everything is a little easier after you've found a way to laugh at it

- The power of open communication

- There's nothing that a big embrace can't fix

- Reverence for Dr. Pepper, good hamburgers, and cherry cordial kisses

- The Lord loves me

- How to stand up for myself

- Life is supposed to stink once in a while

- To expect fantastic things

- The sacrifice that motherhood requires

- To let go of little things

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What I've Learned From Motherhood

- That my mom has been right about everything

- Joy

- Children understand "I'm sorry" as well as they understand "I love you"

- Patience

- A deep love for all sanitizing and disinfecting products

- It is easier to have a little helper than to keep little hands busy doing something else

- I have a very important job- day, swing, and graveyard shifts together

- To treasure my friends

- The value of taking a day at a time

- Its okay to ask for help

- I need the Lord everyday

- I'm happier when I've spent the day putting others first

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Thank you Mom. Happy Mother's Day!

Thank you Gracie (and our little Lindstrom man), for making mine so special.

For One More Day

For One More Day
I just finished this last week. It has been a wonderful read to have before Mother's Day. In the introduction, Albom begins the novel:

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This is a story about a family and, as there is a ghost involved, you might call it a ghost story. But every family is a ghost story. The dead sit at our tables long after they have gone.

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So true. I won't say much about the plot. In a nut shell, Chick Benetto, who has hit absolute rock bottom in his life, is given one more day with his dead mother. In the 24 hours they spend together, Albom explores the complexities of family relationships, and the way they influence life for life.

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The charming thing about the book is that it isn't complex. (Aside from the fact that there is a guy hanging out with his dead mother.) I found I was nodding and seeing little pieces of myself and people who are close to me in the pages.

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I have so many thoughts about the book, but I don't want to give anything away. So if any of y'all pick it up, we'll chat. All said, it is bitter-sweet story, with an interesting ending that is stuffed with life wisdom. Its a fast read, and I'd recommend it.

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I'll never know exactly how much my mother has done for me--and continues to do for me, but I do know that I've taken it for granted. The good news... and I'm so grateful... I still have the opportunity to express my thanks to her.

Real Simple Interview

With questions courtesy of Natalie's Real Simple mag., here's a little bit (more) about me.
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What makes you laugh? The people in my life. Gracie at least 3-5 times a day-- the real belly laugh kind of laughing. Cori-- he is adorable. My sister Sara-- one of the cleverest people I know. My mom-- who can find a way to laugh at just about anything.
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My first kiss was... Behind the gym after school. (Mom? Dad? Are you reading this?) A guy I had the warmies for asked me to meet him back there before getting on the bus. Anticlimactic for sure.
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What celebrity crushes did you have as a teenager? I was such a nerd. I don't think I had celeb. crushes until I was in college. I certainly had Broadway character crushes though. In my tween years, Joseph from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolored Dreamcoat. And in high school, Raoul from Phantom, and Marius from Les Miserables.
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Fill in the blanks: "I cannot leave a _______ store without spending less than $_______." The grocery store, $20. Costco, $50. Target, $10. Every place else, I can exercise a lot of self control. Hmmm. Food and bulk items are obviously weaknesses. I'm making a mental note about that.
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Name three things you have survived. 1.) Graduate school- vicariously through my husband, but being the wifie through something like that takes some skill too. 2.) Two miscarriages. 3.)Being a lactose intolerant person who loves dairy products (Exept straight milk, yuk).
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The big decision I'm currently wrestling with is... whether I should just go along with this doctor's plan to deliver 'Lil Bronco via C-section or to change doctors and fight to deliver VBAC. I really don't want to recover from another cesarean procedure. Opinions?

Meet George Rester

Life confirmed to me, once again, that one should always put on a little makeup before leaving the house. You never know who you are going to meet.

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Take for example, Mr. George Rester, who Gracie and I met over the orange stand at our grocery store. Gracie was helping me pick oranges and put them into the sack when she and Mr. Rester first caught one another's eye. Grace is extremely flirty with older gentlemen (older ='s 65-80's). He was immediately drawn to our cart and after some interaction with Grace, turned his attention to the oranges we had picked. He shook his head and preceded to instruct me in the finer ways of produce selection. We ended up replacing every orange in my bag. I thanked him for the little tutorial, wished him a lovely day, and Gracie blew him about 15 kisses.

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About 90 seconds later, we found ourselves together again in front of the apples. "I'd like to give you another lesson." said he. Four perfect Fuji's and a whole lot of Gracie flirts later, he turned to me and in a very serious fatherly tone said, "You know, you have a very special opportunity to teach your little girl to seek after excellence in everything." He gestured at the produce. "Even apples and oranges." I smiled and nodded, though I'm ashamed to admit that in my mind, I was thinking, "she isn't crying yet, she's learning to help me, and we just finished our list. Today was an excellent shopping day, Sir."

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"Let me tell you a little bit about myself" he continued. This is the part where I knew to get comfy, and take quick inventory of what frozen foods I had waiting in the cart. I soon forgot about all of this as he unfolded his life story. Mr. Rester was born and raised in the swamps of Louisiana. He began working as a logger at the age of 12. It was hard work. He asked a special mentor if she knew of anyone who was able to rise out of their life situation and make more of themselves. She replied that this was the quest of the Renaissance men. So at the age of 15, Mr. Rester decided he would be a Renaissance man. He educated himself in everything, always maintaining his quest for excellence, and found that he was good at drawing. He studied architecture and design. Later in the 60's, he found himself at the World Fair where one Walt Disney also had a few exhibitions. After some interaction with Walt (as Mr. Rester called him) he was invited to join the Disney team. Mr. Rester would work with Disney as the chief architect and designer for several projects including Space Mountain, parts of the Epcot center and Disneyland Tokyo. (You can look him up online. This stuff checks out)

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"Teach her at a young age," he concluded, "a quest for excellence in everything she does." He pointed again at my oranges. "Who could have thought that a poor logger from the swamps would do what I have done."

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Later, I had to smile as I unpacked the groceries. 4 perfect oranges laid alongside 4 perfect apples. But I had come home with more than perfect produce.

When a sonographer says,

"I've got a pretty good view here, and I can tell you... that's not the umbilical chord."

It's a boy!

We are beyond thrilled. We are also taking recommendations for names. For the time being, I am affectionately referring to him as " lil' Bronco" (after Coach Mendenhall, of course) in tribute to the BYU football fan he will inevitably become. Any suggestions?