Ready for kindergarten

Last week while we were moving, I spent about 10 minutes inside the local burger joint waiting on our dinner while Greg sat in the car with the boys. When I came out, Ethan announced his newest accomplishment. He could spell "missionary." I thought to myself, awesome - i'll bet he needs a little prompting, but that's a great start. I was wrong. He spelled it out for me with NO help, 2 letters at a time. While I was inside, he told Greg he wanted to know how to spell it, so Greg told him. It took a couple of minutes, but now, a week later, he can still recall and spell it on command. In fact, he knows it well enough that he can put it on paper. Yup, I'm pretty sure Ethan and kindergarten are going to get along just fine.

proof:

Moving again

Sigh. We're moving again. Truth: We are thrilled to be getting out of this house with its chronic leaks, faulty furnace, freezing floors and foreclosure status. Yep. You heard right, folks. The owner signed our lease when the house was already in foreclosure. BUT . . . the bank has been pretty accommodating. We've got a new place . . . back in town! I'm thrilled to be closer to girlfriends and summer fun. Greg is already counting the days until we move back into the outskirts of town with land for roaming. But for now, I'm determined to make the most of my time in town. And with 5 bedrooms, there's still PLENTY of space for visitors!

Gospel Perspective

During our trip to Utah, Lincoln went running towards the end of the driveway and nearly into oncoming traffic. I snatched him back (he's giggling, of course) and told him frantically: "Link, if those cars hit you, they'll smash you and you won't be alive anymore!" Lincoln looked at my sweetly and said, "Yes huh, mom. When Jesus comes again, he will fix me so I can be alive again." Perspective . . . check.

Boys will be boys

So . . . this isn't really new news, but I'm a little behind.

At the end of February, Porter was running around like a chicken with his head cut off (which is so normal) when he tripped on our terra cotta style kitchen floor. The tiles are old, rustic and not entirely flush. He face-planted and caught the 1/2" raised edge of one of the tiles. I stood to help him and saw that his nose was split wide open. Luckily, one of my girlfriends was over for dinner and she was able to help me roundup the bigger boys and get everyone down to the little clinic in town (where you have to call 911 after hours to make sure someone will be there to meet you).

After a quick assessment and Greg's arrival from work, we bundled Porter in a sheet like a burrito and held him while he screamed. He got 4 stitches and handled it like a champ.

THEN . . . 5 days later when the nurse was pulling them out one by one and his nose split open again. They applied Steri-Strip tape to his nose and told me it would stay in place for 5-7 days. Porter had other plans. He pulled 7 strips off in 2 hours. The doctor who met me at the clinic later that night was less than helpful and suggested knocking him out with anesthesia to restitch or driving to Jackson the next day for a plastic surgery consult. Seriously?

Instead, we had a brief phone consultation with a plastics doctor in Jackson who said to just watch the scar and keep ointment on it. I'm not sure if Porter's future will hold any kind of laser treatment for scarring or not, but his nose seems, at least for the time being, to be healing nicely. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Testimony: Take 2

Fast and testimony meeting came around again today . . but we were ready this time! We've been reading every day in the illustrated Book of Mormon together and talking about what a testimony is . . . and Ethan has been practicing a LOT! I told him just to say the things that he KNOWS are true. The only intervention I had to do during his practice runs was in response to his knowledge "that monsers aren't real." Try to keep it aimed towards church, kiddo.

From the moment we arrived at church, he was itching to get up for round 2. Finally, when it was time (any after I made him put his shoes back on), off he went . . . solo again.

"I'd like to bear my testimony. I know this church is true. I know President Monson is a real prophet and Joseph Smith was a real prophet and Nephi was a real prophet, and I'm trying to be like Nephi. I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus can do anything in the world. I know that my mommy and daddy love me. InthenameofJesusChristamen."

Beautiful! All it takes is a little discussion and understanding. I'm so proud.

Love like Crazy

So there's a relatively new song out by Lee Brice that I absolutely LOVE. Yes, I am a hopeless romantic at heart, but I try my best not to let it get the best of me. This song, however, I couldn't pass up. I don't always - or even often - get things right, but I do try. I'm officially adopting these lyrics as my new personal motto:

Be a best friend

Tell the truth

Over use "I love you"

Go to work

Do your Best

Don't outsmart your common sense

Never let your prayin' knees get lazy

And love like crazy