Thank You Elder Bednar!

I know hearing the prophets testifying of the divintiy of Christ and the everlasting and true doctrine found in the Book of Mormon and the life-saving prinicples found in the Plan of Salvation is always a pleasure every general conference. But one of my favourite talks this year was when Elder Bednar shared some of the more real moments of his child rearing days. If you are feeling a little discouraged about how your children behave during family prayer or family home evening . . .go have a listen to Elder Bednar.
HERE
(5th speaker Saturday morning session)

A Little Lesson
I'm not sure why hearing Elder Bednar's talk about his boys poking and giggling through family prayer made me feel better about the reverence level, or lack of it in our home. Oh but it did! Especially since the last time we had Family Home Evening two of our kids spent some quality time on the stairs, another one got a lecture, we didn't even make the youngest one stay in the room and we threatened the treat three times. . .

Butterfly Nets

As we drove past the school yard, a group of kids were learning how to play lacrosse.

Clara yells with all her might from the back seat
"Mom, LOOK they are pretending to catch butterflies!!!"

A Little Lesson

I didn't correct her or explain that she was wrong. It was just to wonderful.
Who knows, maybe they were pretending to catch butterflies.

Another Big Day

We don't have an English sign on our building, just Spanish.

It was a big day. One I had thought about many times. Craig had taken Jordan on many special "father and son" times to talk about receiving the priesthood. He had learned from thoughtful primary teachers, he had watched the deacons, priests and teachers in sacrament meeting and today was a big day. With the priesthood safely resting on the shoulders of my twelve year old, Jordan went to the front of the chapel and joined his fellow comrades to pass the sacrament to the ward. He insisted earlier that morning that I didn't sit in the pew and cry through all of this. There was no worry for that. Keeping Benjamin entertained for the few minutes during sacrament prevented any tender moments of motherhood to produce any form of tears. It was beautiful though. I felt so happy and so full of love for my boy.

A Little Lesson

These big moments in our lives come and go. I remember driving to the temple with Craig to be sealed on a beautiful sunny day, violins could be heard in my head but upon seeing on one of our forms we were missing an important signature we dashed off to city hall to take of it before the start of the ceremony. I remember when Emily was to be blessed, dressed in her beautiful white blessing dress grandma sewed out of my wedding gown, again, violins began to play in my head until seconds before she was put in the cradling hands of the priesthood circle she threw up 2-3 cups of formula all over her daddy's right shoulder. I remember when Craig received the phone call to come to the stake center to be interviewed to be in the stake presidency, we drove reverently to the chapel on a beautiful sunny day, beautiful violin melodies again could almost be heard in my head until I turned around to see the sad state of our car filled with wrappers, lunch kits, library books, a few solo shoes and food particles I didn't know what food group they came from, forced me to tell Craig to park a little ways away from the stake office doors, in case the general authority walked us to our car! The big moments are always laced with a little dose of reality. Benjamin's behavior was right on cue. Keeping it real. One day I will hear those violins play, but I am not holding my breath.

I never thought . . .part two

Never did I EVER believe we would feel prompted to do this . . .

but we were. . .



and so we did.

I never thought. . .

I wrote one little song

gave it away to the world

and . . .


http://singpeacearoundtheworld.blogspot.com/

Home

I have spent most of the summer away.
Jordan's Historica Nationals in Ottawa,
Camping with Colleen in Kelowna,
Craig's gettaway gift from Telus in Victoria,
Our family reunion in Whistler,
Our family reunion in Fairmont Hotsprings
They were all so fun, so exciting and so relaxing and so enjoyable.
It is so good to be home.
I missed my garden, our routine, my flowers, our routine, my bed, and my routine.

Don't get me wrong. . .
I am not complaining.
Some summers our only exodus is to 7-11 to get slurpees.

With all the travel it meant some of the basics went out the minivan window . . .
sitting together as a family for breakfast studying scriptures
replaced with grabbing muffins at ferry terminals and early morning drive-through windows in small towns
bedtime routine with stories and checking in
replaced with late nights and sleep overs with cousins and buddies every night
blogging
replaced with swims at hotel and resort pools
going to church in our ward
replaced with attending foreign wards and lots of driving.

It will be nice to do these things again.
I am not complaining.

A Little Lesson:
You know when you are surfing on the internet
and you are on a favourite website
and you click on a link and it takes you somewhere cool
and then another link
somewhere cool
another link
another cool place
another link
another cool page
another link . . .
eventually you feel a little lost and all you want to do is press
H O M E.
That is how I feel.

I thought I Knew

A Little Lesson:
I thought I knew . . .

I thought everything fell into place at the last minute for a trip to Ottawa
so that I could be there for my son,
who incidentally got a 2nd degree sunburn three days before he was to leave.
Nope.
He was fine. He was so ready to immerse himself in this
once-and-a-lifetime national camp, mom was not needed.
Once I was there, I realized very quickly,
in order for me to compose the music I needed to compose and write the script I needed to write
I needed to see the history that makes up this great country. . .live and in 3 dimensions.
Ottawa provided that in a way that no other place on earth could.

A Gift

I phoned her about something completely different.

I mentioned, in passing, about how I was working on trying to find

a reasonable plane ticket to Ottawa.

She interjected without blinking and said I am going to give you some points.

I have lots and I want to give you some, she said casually.

I quickly refused her generous offer.

She didn't accept my refusal and told me to hang up so she could go and book them.

Tami Lynn, just like that, gave me a gift.

That's just how she is.

She doesn't think about being generous.

She just is.

This is not the first time she has given away thousands of

points and I can bet my life on the fact it will not be the last.

And so two days ago I got home from a trip to Ottawa,

where my son presented his Pine Beetle Social Studies project in our nation's capital.

A Little Lesson:

How does one repay someone who gives such a generous gift?

You can't.

You bring her a souvenir, some flowers

and try to live your life just a little bit more the way she lives hers.

Love ya Tam.

Recovered

I am happy to say my computer crashing ordeal is over and 98.9 % of my data was recovered. It took a chunk out of my emotional reserves as I really faced the reality that I might have lost so much of what I cared so much about. It was difficult as the computer hospital would phone and we would discuss what felt like my life in terms of just one word . . .data. They would say "well it looks like we were able to access most of your data, however there was some damage in some regions. . ." My mind would drift away thinking about the Mac commercial on TV that has the goofy PC guy with all the problems and the cool MAc guy who I swore used to say in the commercials "when you buy a mac you never experience problems again, ever, ever, ever, and you don't even need to worry about backing things up because Macs never get viruses or break down or have technical issues, really. Buy a Mac." I swear that is what cool Mac guy used to say so I believed him. These days cool Mac guy is not looking so cool. I don't think the computer doctor had ever had so many prayers said on his behalf to be skillfull in finding all of my lost data. My beautiful Mac is home safe and sound and life has returned to normal. I must say I still love my Mac and would never want to live without one.

A Little Lesson:
The obvious lesson: back up your computer.

The less obvious lesson: it is the things we value most in life - our children, our memories, our families, our companions, our testimonies, our health, our friendships, that have to sit side by side with the mindless daily tasks that take up our time day in day out. They sit together on the To Do list and wait to be picked. Neglect of these precious things in the name of b u s y n e s s can leave us with sorrow and pain that can be deep and life altering. Neglect of these precious things can leave us with a phone call that might end up saying. . .it just wasn't able to be recovered.

Back Up

The morning started with my indestructible Mac crashing.

The threat of losing

my pictures...my documents...my videos...25,000 Peace Project registrations

my valuable emails...our itunes...and every song I ever composed

took the air out of my lungs and left my brain in a thick fog.

The computer hospital asked if I had backed up my data,

I hung my head in shame and sorrow and replied...no.

The day continued as Jordan comes running announcing

that his Pine Beetle project which will be presented in Ottawa

in exactly one week, from this very moment

had been attacked by a short one-and-a-half-year-old

carrying a deadly Sharpe.

It was indeed a crime scene to behold.

I explained it was in the hallway

because I was going to take it

back up the stairs where it would be safer

then it's temporary home in the den. . .

I just hadn't taken it up yet.

Finally, evening came and I left for a meeting I had in Langley.

I decided to drive by our beloved temple.

As I drove up,

sun pouring down on this sacred building...

I stopped.

I no longer felt the grim circumstances of my present

nor the bleak what if's of my future

instead, I backed up and remembered.

Remembered all the good I enjoy in my life.

It was easy to do standing alone in the evening sun

marveling at the beautiful dark blue stain glass that adorned

the front of this Holy House.

A Little Lesson:

I think we must endure and embrace the present,

have faith and believe in the the future,

and frequently remember and learn from our past.

Don't Fall!

Where did it come from?
She likes to get up on top of things.
She hangs from things in precarious ways.
She maneuvers around high places as if she were made of rubber.
She climbs up on things that if she were to fall she would break her back.
Craig and I are both cautious, calculated and conservative.
Does God throw foreign DNA into our kids to keep us on our toes?

A Little Lesson:

The expression "He gets that from you","She gets that from me" can be heard regularly in our home. As we watch our children grow, it is so amazing to see the different characteristics that make up who they are. Some, they have learned from being around us and genetically makes sense and clearly some they have brought here all on their own. I think the exercise of recognizing these qualities and characteristics is valuable. It reminds us that we don't own our children. We don't just feed them and dress them and mold them into versions of ourselves. Instead, we are stewards over them while they are here on earth. I think understanding this stewardship, takes some of the pressure off. We still have to walk the tightrope of parenting but there is a platform behind us, a platform in front of us, a big long rod to keep our balance and a safety net 50 feet below us. We may look like we are alone and even feel alone, but we are not. We are covered. We will not fall.

Brothers

Jordan stops to tie his shoe.
Benjamin stops to watch.

A Little Lesson:
One is so big.
One is so small.
That doesn't matter when you adore one another.

Carefree Concerns

I took the kids to the park next the church

while Craig took care of an interview.
On the way there, Clara yells,
"Mom! What will my name be when I grow up and become a mommy???
It wont be Clara Murley!!!"

Emily explains,
"It's okay Clara, once you find your husband, you take his last name."

She responds more settled,
"okay"

A Little Lesson:
They are so little.
They play like maniacs.
They run and scream like
they don't have a care in the world.
Don't be fooled.

Daddy's Shoulders

A Little Lesson

He carries the. . .

weighty issues at work

heavy matters of our stake

complicated dynamics of four children

the rigamoroll of being married to me

life stresses of fatherhood, priesthood and manhood

on his shoulders.

Sometimes he takes a break,

when taking long walks on the beach,

and trades those in for 30-40 pounds of love.

Job Description

A Little Lesson:
Sometimes I think of things
I hope my girls will understand
when they become moms.
When life becomes a little overwhelming. . .
and it will.

r e m e m b e r


Before we came here to earth...

we had one role

c h i l d o f G o d

and then we get here. . .

and with each passing year the job description gets longer and longer and longer.

Wife, mother, friend, sister, aunt, daughter, teacher, cousin, niece, cook, referee, gardener, scholar, beautician, financier, confident, chauffeur, fashion consultant, arbitrator, coach, executive assistant, leader, psychologist, crafter, house keeper, story teller, composer,
nurse, actor, carpenter, nutritionist, entrepreneur, receptionist, historian,
pharmacist, flower arranger, quick order chef, entertainer,
traveler, security guard, photographer,
counselor, artist
musician.

Go easy on yourself.

SummerTime

Summer started 4 days ago.
Every prayer Clara has given in our family, she has asked that when the kids go
back to school tomorrow, that they will go safely.

A Little Lesson:
Clara would like time to speed up so she can
return to blissful days of being practically an only child.

I want time to slow down so I can savor these finite
days of little fingers and little toes.

Emily would like time to stand still so that
her carefree summer could last forever.

Craig would like to find more time to balance
his work, his family and his church responsibilities and perhaps start a hobby.

Jordan would like to take a time-out from piano and chores and
play Wii, basketball and hockey until his hearts content.

Benjamin thinks he's having the time of his life
now that there is an endless supply of jumbo freezies waiting for him in the freezer.

We All Go

Some of us play with our shoes

some of us squawk and have to be taken out of the room
some of us slouch in our chair
some of us sit at the piano and accompany
some of us try to listen over the squawking

but we all go
to hear Emily play in her end-of-the-year violin concert.
It's just what we do.

A Little Lesson:
I always entertain the idea of just getting in the car and taking Emily to her concert on my own, there would be no arguing in the car, no asking to go out for lunch after wards, no trying to find a row with six empty seats, no asking when it's over or how much longer, no squawking from little people under three feet, just quiet concert going bliss.
But then I remember life is short...and off we go.

Going South

A Little Lesson:

Some temple trips we leave early in the morning,
drive for 3 hours
Craig goes into the temple for a session
kids play in the park
I go in for two hours
kids still play the park
we all get back in the car
drive for 3 more hours until we get home.

This temple trip
felt like the
Rolls Royce of temple trips.

There is nothing like hanging out with friends
who you've known for almost 2 decades
have kids the same ages as yours
and loves the gospel as much as you do.

Say Cheese

More often than not when I unload my pictures from my camera onto my computer in the early hours of the morning, waiting for me are a few pictures that were taken by my camera snatcher, otherwise known as Clara. I will say she is is pretty consistent. There is always a picture of her adorable brother . . .

She can't resist taking a picture of one of her body parts. . .

And of course the classic super zoom self portrait of the face . . .

No wait I can get even closer (she says to herself)


A Little Lesson:
It is one of the highlights of my morning.

One More Piece

Emily comes to me Wednesday night and asks if I could help her do a puzzle for

her buddy Jenna who LOVES deers and fawns.
I agreed to get her started.
The pieces were really small.
After an hour past Emily's bedtime, we called it a night and went to bed.

She looked at me with all the sincereity she could muster.
"Mom, while I'm at school today could you work on the puzzle.
If not, I don't think it will be done in enough time to give to Jenna on Friday!"

"Sweetheart, I'll see what I can do. . . I have so many things to get done today. . ."
I had several loads of laundry to do . . .

I'll just put in one more piece. . .
I have to mail 2 packages before noon . . .

I have to get the car insurance renewed . . .
Just a few more pieces . . .

I have to pack for our little weekend gettaway with the Looses. . .
I'll just finish the head . . .

The tree trunk is almost done . . .
I have 25 emails waiting for my response . . .

Home stretch just a little more bark . . .
Dishes, bathrooms, library books, phone Christine, pick up dry cleaning. . .

What' s this?
One more piece?
I'd better leave it for Emily to put in. . .


A Little Lesson:
If somehow the computer doesn't fully represent how small and similar the
pieces of this puzzle are in real life I am here to say - this 750 piece puzzle was no picnic.
This could be a post about procrastinating. But that would be looking at the glass as
half empty. Instead the moral of this lesson will be about the little projects our kids say "Mom can we . . ." and everything inside of you says "not today there just isn't time", but once and a while you surprise them and say "okay let's do it!"

Eleven

Last week I didn't do too much blogging.

Craig went out of town for business and I decided wouldn't it be fun if . . .

I turned my out of control messy basement from this to this.

Transform the side of my house from this to this.

Overhaul the lawn shed and take it from this to this.

Turn the kids playhouse into a groovin potting shed that has a place for everything!
(It was the girls idea, they like to plant things and pretend they are horticulturists)

These are the ones I remembered to take before and after pictures.
I also tackled. . .
my craft room
the carport
the garage
the sports closet
painted my bed
hung a picture rail full of pictures in the living room
all to make up 11 surprises for Craig to celebrate his 11 years of being a dad!


The kids greeted his taxi from the airport with cards and a blindfold

as he was taken to surprise after surprise after surprise


most of the time his face looked something like this. . .


Sometimes he gasped, sometimes he laughed and sometimes he tried not to cry.


It all finished with cards and stories of why we love dad so much.

A Little Lesson:
What little lesson did I learn in this marathon week?

I learned that cleanliness is next to Godliness.
When you bite off more than you can chew sometimes you just have to swallow.
When you serve the ones you love, your love for them grows exponentially.
Staining wood is harder than it looks.
Big and little surprises make life so much fun.
Things don't feel as expensive when you are buying them for a surprise.
Shovelling and carrying 1/2 a yard of river rock can give you tendinitis.
My kids can keep a secret.
Love isn't something we have but something we must share.