Sure. Why not?

This small simple phrase can get you into loads of trouble. And that's all I'm going to say about that.

On better, happier (and obviously, clearer) notes, we are on the cusp of fall. Not that we experience anything close to the much-envied crunchy piles of leaves, brisk evening air, blazing trees of color that I long for (sigh), but the holidays still come to Texas, even if it is our "second spring".

Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas ... October, November, December, my favorite months of the year. I am an anticipation junkie, so it is fun to have so much to look forward to, especially while the kids are young and so excited about it, too. The kids are pretty well decided on their costumes for this year.

I just finished reading "Catching Fire", the sequel to "The Hunger Games". Love, love, love these books.

And that's it for me for today. A few random thoughts. But I do random, oh so well.

I'm sleeping with the Scout Master

Well, he is my husband, so it's all legal. I just had to make a headline out of it, because it looks hilariously scandalous in print.

Chris has just taken off to Six Flags with Harrison (who earned a free day pass from his school for a scholastic achievement). It is going to be 100 degrees today, but I think they'll still make the most of it. I am interested to hear what rides they venture on.

I will be taking Christian and Emma to a nearby bounce house for a few hours. Sabrina will come too, but she won't be running and jumping herself silly. It is worth the $$ to have a change of scenery, and to have them worn-out at the day's end.

We are having Christian's b-day party on Monday - a backyard water fun (sprinklers, water guns, water bombs, etc.) party. We invited 7 little friends. I still need to get goody bag fillers and some snack foods. I may make cupcakes this year to save some money. There is a HUGE party store nearby, that I need to explore to see if they have cupcake toppers - its amazing what the grocery store bakeries charge for those little pieces of plastic!

Harrison will be celebrating by taking 3 friends to a Fort Worth Cats game on Friday the 21st - our local minor league baseball team. There are fireworks at the end of the game. Chris will be the chaperone for the evening, and will probably be smuggling in some treats for the boys. Emma will get to tag along, too, since she has been promised a baseball game before summer's over.

We are within days of hitting many "year" marks - a year since we moved, and a year since we welcomed Sabrina to our family. I am amazed - and thankful - that we've made it. A year ago, it was so daunting to think of managing a school year, a new home, a new ward, and a new baby's needs, yet here we are. We were definitely blessed - many tender mercies all along the way.

I am looking forward to school starting. Harrison and Emma are definitely ready to be back among friends and peers, and to be busy. They've begrudged the pages of summer bridging schoolwork I've had them do each weekday morning, but they'll be glad when they're sharp and ready to roll. Harrison has been taking piano lessons this summer and is doing well (grumbling all the way, but nonetheless progessing).

Christian will also return to his 2-day a week preschool. He is only there from 9AM - noon, but we can opt to leave him until 2:30 for a small extra fee. They have a great little curriculum, but when I ask Christian what the best part of his preschool days were, he inevitably says, "playing outside". Honest!

I am looking forward to returning to my gym. It is easier to be regular without all the kids to keep happy, and the ladies in my daycare love Sabrina. I am going to try to train to complete a Thanksgiving Day 5K/10K here in Fort Worth. http://www.fwtrot.org/

Our babysitter is slowly growing out of babysitting - she's hit the magical age of 16, and her life is getting full of many great activities. Our kids adore her - she's been sitting for us for 3 years! We've been through this transition before with another beloved sitter, so we know we need to scan our options for a new babysitter to "cultivate", who will hopefully be around for a few years. Now that we have 4 kids, it is a challenging assignment (we probably need to pay more, too!). We try to leave on dates either during Sabrina's nap, or after her bedtime at night, so that the babysitter really only has 3 for most of her time. By next year, when Sabrina is nearly 2, she will be much less "needy".

That's it. Nothing momentous. But that's sometimes a very good sign.

Saturday, is indeed, a special day

I am simultaneously roasting chicken for casseroles, washing dishing, sterilizing baby cups, doing laudry, clearing drains, boiling water to mop the floor, and finalizing a meal plan for the week (this rarely happens) and drafting a grocery shopping list. It must be Saturday!!!

I am thankful for the many, many appliances that make it seem like I have 5 pairs of hands, and for running hot water ... and a sleeping little toddler, and my super husband who is doing all the driving and cheering at Emma and Harrison's basketball games today.

I think there is nothing better for the soul than to be peacefully productive. The last two weekends have been more of a full-out sprint (for good things that had to be done). Today is a better, more balanced pace. Ah yes! Sharing time plans still need tweaking, but they're pretty well done. I'm glad to be back in Primary. It is my cup of tea, at the moment.

We are looking forward to going on a double-date, mid-week, with the Murphys to see HP6 (Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince). We have seen the last few Harry Potter movies with them - it has become a little tradition. We are all readers of the books, so it is fun to chat afterwards over a later dinner or dessert at a restaurant. In fact, I reread the book earlier this summer, so I had my head on straight for the storyline. I got completely lost during "Order of the Phoenix" because it had been so long since I'd read it.

The next two weeks are brimming with activities. Harrison and Emma start a second 2-week round of swimming lessons, and Christian will be in a part-time 2-week summer camp (space-themed! He is so excited about it!) at his nearby preschool. We also have Harrison's piano lessons, my presidency meetings and various dr. appts.

In August, all scheduled activities (except piano) are overwith. Lots of free swim at our YMCA and our community pool is all that's on the agenda. Of course, there is the small issue of TWO birthday parties for our two boys. Harrison is turning 10, and we think the age of big at-home parties has ended for him. Last year's outing to the movies (Star Wars Clone Wars) with 7 friends went perfectly, but I don't think there are any terribly relevant movies that we could tie into. Maybe bowling or something.

Sabrina is on the verge of being moved upstairs into Emma's room - we will then officially have the "boys room" and the "girls room". Emma will be delighted. She has wanted Sabrina with her from the day we brought Sabrina home from the hospital. We will probably use all of August to get Sabrina in a good sleeping pattern in her new space before school start (and sleep becomes a premium for everyone).

Got to run - the appliances are all beeping or blaring at me!

Each day a blessing

This won't be long ... the laundry needs folding, we have groceries to snag (with all 4 kids in tow since school is out) before dinner guests come tonight, and, gee, I need a shower somewhere in that too.

The events of the last week have made me grateful for the most basic things of life. My friend Wendi, who is only one year older than me, had a stroke last week Sunday. She is our ward's Primary president, and mother to a 5-year old, and a near 3-year old. She is also a teacher, wife, and all-around gem. My friend Kirsten and I went together to see Wendi at the hospital Wednesday night. To see someone you truly know, incapacitated like that, is life-altering. It took me about a full day to wrap my mind around the full impact this is having on her individually, her marriage and her family. And then I wept and wept for her. The prognosis is very hopeful, but to think about how frightening it would be to have your speech, your mobility, your physical agency suddenly taken; to think of not being able to hug, squeeze or talk to your kids; to not be able to tell anyone what your full thoughts or feelings, or even to tell your husband how to pay this week's bills; not to be able to swallow food without help, change channels, go to the bathroom, turn out the lights, anything!

We - and many others - prayed and fasted for Wendi and her family this weekend. She is a very strong person, in all respects. She will come out conqueror from this.

Her circumstances have made me thankful. Thankful that I can roll out of bed in the morning and brush my own teeth and take a shower. Thankful that I can rotate the laundry, mop the floor and change Sabrina's diapers. Thankful to talk to my sweet husband, hold a book and read it, put gas in my car and drive it. Thankful to be able to watch over my kids, go to the library, EVERYTHING! My mind and my body work! So do my children's and my husband's! What an immense daily miracle.

You don't need the details, but we know that our little Sabrina experienced a miracle of protection this weekend. We are so thankful. I cannot imagine life without her.

Nothing is constant but change

An odd week. My grandfather passed way, and that was alright. His funeral services are today, which would've been his 90th birthday. I'd say that's a good span of time for mortality. My thoughts are mostly on my Mom, and her siblings as they make it through an emotionally arduous day. I'm hoping she will do alright without having any of her six kids there - Canada is just too far away in the middle of the school year, and the middle of the work week. She has Dad.

My eyes are aching again, which leads to some near-migraine headaches. I feel like I'm in a bit of a medicinal fog when I take the antihistamines and pain killers, but I've got to get relief. I wonder if Lasik (getting rid of my contacts since I developed an allergic condition to some component of the lens make-up) would really be the answer, or if its just something in the Texas air ... anyway, I'm glad for Zyrtec.

Here's my musing for today. I've heard other people talk about an aching gap, or unfillable hole that everyone carries in their souls. In the past I've attributed it to divine discontent; we miss being in heaven, where we came from. Mortality can't fill that up. We don't know (or perhaps "remember" is a better term) the specifics of what we left behind, but, we're always searching for more, for better, or for different, for our lives. What will make us feel content or complete, or perhaps, just sustainably happy? Or, sometimes we give up searching, and just put ourselves on auto-pilot, and accept the ache. Some of my dearest are aching right now. I'm praying for heavenly help for them, and to know if I can help fill the gap in some small mortal way.

But right now, I need a quick nap. Dentist appts for kids this afternoon, Pinewood Derby tomorrow night, and vacuuming and laundry to boot.