SUNRISE, SUNSET

It is a hard thing to let go of a child. It really is true..."quickly go the years". I think too fast. I sometimes ache as I wish I had a portion of that time back. I think fondly of the years that Melissa was a baby, child and teenager. I think back to her beautiful bouncing blonde hair and beautiful eyes. I remember her humor in mimicing with perfect accuracy the crows from dumbo. She was so smart and quick and good. I can see all of this again in Evelyn who is the image of her mom. I guess I will not let Melissa go...I will just enjoy the additions of love she brings to our family with Lance and Evelyn. I guess I will hold them all within me and let their beautiful souls warm my soul. I'll need that warmth as the cold season comes. I'll remember as a mom of a feisty teenager, sweet fith grader, gruff voiced fourth grader and wide-eyed kindergartner that we only have these spirits for a little while until they soar into independent lives. I almost cried today reading Brynna's kindergarten class "Skeleton Hiccups"as Brynna looked up into my eyes with a sense of supreme joy and specialness at being "star of the week" and having her mom share it with her. I was so grateful to be able to share it. It reminds to make the most of all these moments of childhood, even the hard ones.

HOUSE FOR SALE BLUES

I woke up this morning..duhduhdum...the house was for sale...duhduhdum...again had to clean it and change the smell...oooohhohh I got the house for sale blues..duhduhdum. OK it really doesn't "smell". However, it is a very hard thing for me to have this house up for sale. First of all I love this neighborhood and I love this house. Second of all I have a hard time keeping the house clean all the time. I feel like it is going to make me crazy focusing on each room's organization, cleanliness and "depersonalization", especially while living in the house with four kids. Soooo if anyone reads this....please save me. Find someone who wants a very well build house that has had lots of love. Recently installed handscraped walnut floors on the main level and beautiful new carpet in the upstairs bedrooms and wood floors in the downstairs bedrooms. A great kid friendly yard with a built in swingset. Close to Barratt elementary and closer still to the best friends and neighbors ever to be found. Oh...and a freshly painted laundry room (thanks to lance and melissa). Very negotiable on price. Open to all offers. I can't do it much longer. The constant cleaning is killing me. Seems like I spend 14 hours one day cleaning like a freak and the next day....disaster. Oh and anyone wanting to organize a garage this weekend?........

AUTUMN

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~George Eliot

We took a fall fling into the canyon today. A much needed trip away from the house and back into nature. The leaves were beautiful and vibrant in hues of red, yellow, and green. The air was crisp and fresh and smelled of pine-trees and campfires. All was right with the world for a little while. Especially with melissa, lance and evelyn there.

EVELYN AND MELISSA ARRIVE IN UTAH

The exciting day has finally arrived. Evelyn and Melissa flew in at 9:35 and got to our house at around 10:00. They get to visit because Lance has finals. He will join them over LDS conference. You can't tell the kids are excited can you! There has been a flurry of excitement and jostling about who would hold evelyn first. Turns out she likes to walk and not be held all that much anyway. So much wasted contention.

They get to stay for 2 weeks. Should be lots of fun. It seems like we will also be spending a lot of time cooking with peaches. I just made a peach cobbler which was quite ambitious for me. We are going to try jam...we will see how it goes....so so so many peaches. Thanks to esther for her delicious peach cobbler recipe.

QUOTES OF THE DAY

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me; fluttering from the autumn tree" Emily Bronte.

"Our deepest fear isnot that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant,...talented, fabulous? Actually who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you...We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us...As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.(Williamson 90-91).

I remember sister boyle sharing this quote in relief society and was recently reminded of it. I love it and strive to be able to emulate it. In young women's yesterday the lesson was on every soul's eternal and infinate worth. I hope that I can remember that in all my dealing with others.