Inevitable

I am grateful to have the understanding of this gospel and know that death isn't the end, but I have always had difficulty with the inevitability of death. Sister Kirksel Pugh, my neighbor since I was 8 years old, passed away this morning at the age of 98. We knew this day had been coming for a long time, but I don't even think the certainty of death makes it any easier. Growing up, she and her husband had a profound impact on my life. They had been married for 72 years and somehow grew to love each other more everyday. I can't imagine the loneliness one feels when that is taken away. They were the prime examples of love, charity, kindness, faith, and enduring to the end. Their only child was taken from them at the age of 21 so they had always been a grandparent figure in our lives. As a child, and even now, I believe they are as close to what our Heavenly Parents are like as anyone living on this earth could be. It brings me to tears every time I think of them and President Pugh fianlly having to be separated from her. Talk about a love that endures as he has taken care of his ailing wife for the past couple of years. I have many fond memories of them and feel blessed to have known them and been able to witness their example. My dear dad is taking this one pretty hard I think because he has been serving them for the past couple of years and has grown extremely close: picking them up for church, fixing their cable tv constantly, delivering their yearly apple crate gifts, taking out their garbage cans and just looking out for their overall well being. He helped carry her body out of the room after she had passed and spent much of the morning with them. It has been a wonderful testimony strengthener to me to watch him lovingly, quietly and faithfully serve but I will publically boast about what a great man his is and what a wonderful example he has been.
Not to cheapen the tone of this post, but going along with the title, the last English ferret passed away today as well.
For those that are stumbling across my blog, Sister Pugh's funeral will on Monday at 12:00 am at 5450 S. Holladay Blvd.

Woozle Hunting

Porter's imagination cracks me up! I am astonished at his memory and imagination at such a young age. The other day we went to visit my dad while Tommy was at school. Porter drug him upstairs to his closet so they could each get special hats and then he proceeded to take my dad Woozle Hunting. (the term woozle from Winnie the Pooh, ya know, "Heffalumps and Woozles", or more recently from the children's television show "My Friends Tigger and Pooh" in which the characters go to find the Woozle Wizard who will grant you one wish) My dad didn't have a clue what they were actually doing, but Porter was determined that they were on a hunt and needed to look throughout the house in every cabinet and cupboard and even outside. Trent came home from school and took over hunting for my dad and even created a voice for the Woozle Wizard. As of now, Porter believes that he lives in the cabinet next to the t.v. I love that little boy and the way he can entertain himself. (I did have pictures but my stupid new camera that is suppose to be so great malfunctioned and took all my pictures of the last month with it, awesome!) His memory freaks me out sometimes, you can't get anything past this kid, its almost rainman-ish. And don't make any promises you don't think you can keep because he will remember. . .

We haven't been up to much else lately. Just working and playing and trying to keep my mind off the fact that I still have two long months left. We have started Mall Walking with some friends in our ward. Yes I sure did say mall walking. A bunch of moms with strollers racing around a bunch of old people. But it is great exercise, especially for someone in my state, and I can take Porter in the stroller. If only I could take Miko it would be perfect.

Porter has moved into his big boy bed even though his mama hasn't quite finished his bedding, but we are getting there. So when I do finish I'll post pictures. I think Miko loves the bed more than Porter and we keep finding that she has wandered in there in the middle of the night to sleep next to him with her head on his stomach. Pretty cute if you ask me. Tommy has been busy with work and school and right now we don't see much of him, but we'll survive. Not much else to report but life keeps moving forward.

Check Out Tommy on Studio Five Tomorrow!!

Tom is going on Studio Five for Mr. Sandless tomorrow. It starts at 11 but I'm not sure when his segment will be. Wish us luck!

A New Year

Well, holidays like New Years are never worth the hype. I had told Porter earlier that we were going to have a New Years party (ie go out to dinner with friends was more of my interpretation) Well, our plans changed and we were joined by Bobby at Goodwood for dinner. After dinner, all Porter could talk about was when we were going to have his party. Feeling guilty, we stopped by Walgreens on the way home and he ran right in and found New Years hats for all of us (too lazy to upload the pic right now). We bought the hats and a couple of noise makers and some gummy worms and headed home. We put on our hats, did a couple rounds of ring around the rosies did some poppers and called it goo. Porter was completely satisfied that we had been successful at our partying and went to bed at 8:00, with his mommy soon to follow. (I'm pregnant so it is totally legal right?)
So as this New Year begins, I have a couple of goals and hopes in mind that I would like to concentrate on and will document them for memories sake.
1) PATIENCE is a virtue and one that I will forever be lacking. I will try to be more patient with Porter, with drivers on the road, with my husband, with family, with my dog, and with myself.
2) This year Porter will transistion into a big boy. He will become potty trained (More like this month. He is soo ready and I am not, diapers are so easy. But he is now pooping in the tub daily because then he doesn't have to sit in his own filth as he then watches his fat mommy bend over to clean the tub, being ever so helpful pointing out all the spots and specks. He tells me he needs to be changed and he is dry every morning. I'll say again, he is ready and I am not!) He will give up his sippy cup and he will sleep in a big boy bed, all before the new baby comes I hope. (Although the child is severely challenged in the drinking department and can't use a normal cup to save his life)
3) I will be more diligent in saying my prayers, especially family prayers with Portie, and reading my scriptures daily. I am also going for the goal of completing the Young Women's Personal Progress Program. (can't be the advisor helping them and not have done this new one yet)
4) Hold FHE weekly (even if it will have to be without Tom since he is never home)
5) I will also embrace my old eating habits, the healthier ones. Gotta kick the diet coke addiction. Is it wrong when you are at a restaurant and your two year old asks the waitress for a diet coke? I think yes! I need to try my hand at some more of those deceptively delicious recipes to get Porter and Tommy eating healthier.

So there you have it. Welcome 2010 and may the financial burdens start to lighten and not hold the pattern of the last month (new tires for my car, new battery for my car, new vaccuum, new car seat, need new bed for Porter) Yes I realize not all of those are complete necessities, but if you car won't start and your vaccuum is spewing crap at you then you have to do something right?

Christmas

Christmas was crazy and hectic and full of fun and Porter enjoyed every second of it! Unfortunately for us, Tommy had to work half day Christmas Eve, but was able to meet us at 1:00 for the annual Christmas Eve movie which was "The Princess and the Frog". After that we hurried home to help Ruth Ann prepare for the giant Adams Family Christmas Party that would host upwards of 70 plus people! Pure craziness!

After dinner, we were able to participate in one of my favorite traditions, taking our Sub-for-Santa to the family. We headed over to my mom's to do jammies with Porter and then loaded up the car with the gifts. We caught the tail end of their festivities with the Nativity and Christmas Program which Porter enthusiastically wanted to participate in requesting various songs (although Book of Mormon Stories and Popcorn Popping aren't traditonally Christmas, we humored him) Although we were exhausted by this time, my mom was overjoyed that we stopped by since Christmas Eve is the only real celebration in my family. Oh the complications of switching off and being fair to our families!
We like to stay anonymous with the Sub for Santa because it could be awkward especially because sometimes the family may know us, but I love the little glimpses you see into the family's Christmas. Sometimes you hear squeals of excitement, but I love the feeling of giving up some of what we have to help someone much less fortunate. It is very humbling to do your Christmas shopping after you have seen their list and they are requesting basic things like beds. It is hard to always work this drop off in on Christmas Eve and poor little Porter fell asleep before we got home, but I couldn't give it up.

We were "fortunate" (yes notice the quotations) enough to sleep at my parents Christmas Eve because it was pretty crowded at the LeBarons. So we tucked Porter in and went back upstairs to open the traditional one Christmas gift. And finally, we headed to bed to wait for Santa. After a rough night, we woke to find that Santa had indeed come! Porter was thrilled with every aspect of Christmas morning and insisted that he get to enjoy each gift for a good 10 minutes before we moved on. I love that little boy!After we finished opening gifts, we headed back to the LeBarons to help prepare for brunch, gifts, and finally dinner. Porter was down for a nap for most of it, but was excited to make his way up later to still find some cousins there. Christmas was wonderful but especially being pregnant, all the preparations and cleaning and festivities have left me feeling exhausted. Christmas was truly magical for Porter this year and I can't wait to have another child to share the magic of the season with.

Santa Claus

So to respond to a question posed by some bloggers out there (you know who you are), here is my short but concise defense of Santa Claus:

"Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus.. . Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see."
(Take time to read the most reprinted editorial ever to run in any newspaper in the English language.)

I think adults need Santa Claus more than children do. He gives us an excuse to enter into the magic of Christmas and see it through a child's eyes. There is nothing more magical than watching a child get caught up in the magic of Christmas.

And from Miracle on 34th Street:
Dorey Walker: "I don't think that there's any harm in not believing in a figure that many do acknowledge to be fiction."
Kris Kringle: "Oh, but there is. I'm not just a whimsical figure who wears a charming suit and affects a jolly demeanor. I'm a symbol of the human ability to be able to suppress the selfish and hateful tendencies that rule the major part of our lives. If... you can't believe, if you can't accept anything on faith, then you're doomed for a life dominated by doubt. "

David O. McKay said, "It is glorious thing to have Old St. Nicholas in our hearts and in our homes today, whether he enters the latter through open door or creeps down the chimney on Christmas Eve. To bring happiness to others without seeking personal honor or praise by publishing it is a most commendable virtue."

One of the most memorable figurines I remember growing up is that of Santa Clause, hat in hand, leaning over the manger of baby Jesus. Could there be a more perfect depiction of what Christmas is all about?

In our family, we will forever celebrate the magic of Christmas and Santa, never forgetting the true meaning of Christmas which is the birth of our Savior.

Christmas Is Upon Us. . .

Here we go full swing into the Christmas Holidays! Porter is so much fun this year so we are trying to do everything we can to help him enjoy every part of Christmas. He thinks he understands all about Santa and that he says "ho ho ho" and brings presents. He adores nativity scenes where he gets to play with Mary, Jesus, "Joe", the Kings and "donkey boy". His favorite set is at my mom's which is of course the most expensive one. The baby Jesus can be put in the manger or in Mary's arms and he insists on playing with it for hours, closely monitored of course. We set up a train around our tree and he has a small train in his room to go with his tree and that also occupies lots of our time. We went to Zoo Lights on Thursday which he absolutely loved! (it was like 10 degrees so we didn't get good pictures and walked a quite a rapid pace through the lights, but he loved every second of it) We also made the trek down to see the Lights on Temple Square (that almost didn't happen because the freeway was closed and it took us almost an hour to find parking) Porter loved the lights, but in the end this was his favorite part: walking in the snow on the way back to the car. In the words of Porter, "Snow is CRAZY!"