Hyrum moved downstairs after the Shetkas’ visit ended, so he could have a little more calm and quiet for doing missionary study. We took advantage of the change to move rooms around. At first, the only solid move was to have Eli move up into the bunk room with Xai. I have honestly LOVED having them up their together. One of the first nights, I could hear the boys happily chatting in their new room. We moved a bunch of furniture out, moved in a new bookshelf and Xai happily gathered his favorite books from around the house and organized them on the shelves. He also went through and organized all the clothes in his drawers. It is a simple set-up and really seems to fit them.
One of the fun adjustments that occurred without my planning was that Liesl came striding across the room, announcing that she was going to be sleeping up in Maia’s room. Liesl's bravery has really been remarkable. That doesn’t mean there haven’t been some hard nights. Having Hyrum leave has been really hard on her, so last night was pretty brutal. Both she and I were raw and needing (her-me, me-space) so it wasn’t the prettiest night, but we both survived. Hopefully I will be able to fill my cup better earlier in the day so I can give a little more at times like that.
We actually got some snow! While the nation around us is getting plastered with extreme moisture and low temps, we are enjoying a very balmy winter. Who knows? March isn’t over yet. It has come in like a lamb and a couple of years ago it sure enjoyed a lion-like middle with two weeks of blustery blizzards keeping us trapped at home. There was enough for the younger ones to enjoy some snow and syrup, a tradition started by Tova.
The other night was excited with the kids driving back and forth with Xai navigating for Piper. Apparently at one point he turned off the GPS guidance and they ended up wandering. At one point, Piper asked if someone had responded to a text. Xai said, “Nope! I haven’t heard any farts!” I have kept my “gas-passing” notification setting because it really does grab my attention. I just try to make sure it is off in places like church, the temple and other more sensitive gatherings.
Piper has really enjoyed driving more. I may have mentioned it, how she miraculously passed just days before Hyrum started his online MTC. She has been such a blessing, running people hither and yon to track, music lessons or just to a fun gallavant in town, like last weekend when she took all the kiddos rock climbing.
Speaking of track, Havala, Piper and Maia are all participating this season and that meant that Havala and Maia had to get new physicals. We are blessed to have a clinic at the school that takes care of them for free. When we went to the office, Maia went back first and apologized profusely to the nurse for not being able to read the bottom line of the vision chart. Overachiever ;). Havala will be doing the discus and shotput, Piper is running the 800, the 4x8 and the mile, maybe and Maia is going the 400, the 100, and the 100 hurdles. I am happy for them! We have arranged our Lightside Performing Arts groups so that they are over by 2:30 so the kids can participate more easily. Win-win for everyone!.
Last Wednesday, Hyrum decided to go out with a bang in family basketball and helped Quinn hyper-extend his leg his last Wednesday with us at the FVRC. That meant that Quinn was out of commission for the next several days from organized sports. We have group volleyball and basketball every Friday night at the church so that meant I was going to do it without Quinn. Pulling up my big girl pants, I drove over with the older girls to volleyball to find a room packed full of youth…Lance Ausserresses had been heavily recruiting, in addition to Greta Meyer bringing a friend. It was eight on eight, a challenging number, as anyone who has played volleyball knows.
It was fun, though, and when it was almost time for basketball to start, a few more youth walked in. Whew, I thought. I hope another adult shows up soon! Well, technically, some of the youth were barely eighteen but as they were new to the building, I didn’t want them to be the responsible ones. We divided up–Havala and I were picked on the same team by Danny, a guy who knows his Biesingers–and had four teams. I was lucky to play on the first team that played and it was super fun! Most of Lance’s friends hadn’t played basketball very much, so I didn’t feel out of place. Brother Balli showed up partway through the first game and I sighed with relief that I could ditch the b-ball game and go have my girl party that I had planned with my younger three girls and a friend who lived nearby. But then, when the game was over, Brother Balli was nowhere to be seen! What?? Apparently he didn’t want to take a spot from one of the youth but what was I going to do? Fortunately, the elders showed up shortly thereafter and I said a fond farewell to the gang. It is super cool having all those youth at our church playing sports. The teams are friendly and fun. It was just a kind of strange thing to be the only adult!.
Recently, Kel and Reka made a deal: if he dropped the Christmas tree off the balcony, she would go poop in a whole. Kel thinks the deal is still on; Reka says it was a one day deal…now in the past. Those two are adorable!
Ben and Tova made our day! Ben sent us a whole case of Milka bars and Tova sent some math stamps for the kiddos. They know us well ;). We are looking forward to visiting them soon. We were going to go down this week, but it was going to be super cold and we are camping so we are going next week, throwing all sorts of problems into the schedule for Piper and Havala and their track schedule.
Quinn just summoned everyone in for a quick “leftover” feast. (Until I size my portions down, we will be doing similar feasts every 2-3 days.) The girls had to be to youth group 30 minutes early, as did Quinn for a Bishopric meeting, so we rushed things along a little quickly, not bothering to round up the two boys for our song and prayer.
When we asked–about halfway through the “meal”--if anyone knew where the boys were, Liesl knowledgeably informed us that the boys were probably in the “all the games we like to play” hole. It is an oddly specific game. She has corrected and clarified the name of it several times for me so I could record it accurately here. Maia explained that in this “new dimension” they are able to pretend to be all sorts of characters from their favorite shows and movies. Love it!
Hyrum traveled yesterday to the MTC, after a weekend full of missionary stuff and some last minute yummy meals and hugs. We are sure going to miss him! My momma heart is a little heavy, I must admit, with so many of my darlings so far away. I know that eventually they will all probably spread out, but so many so fast? I found out that other people could take the missionaries to the MTC once they fly into Utah, so he was able to meet up with some of his Utah Buchanan family that lived in the Salt Lake valley: Nathan picked him up, Mark joined the two of them for dinner and Aaron and Niesha let him sleep over there and then took him to the MTC the next day. Niesha said she gave him a momma hug, sweet woman. I guess I had mine on Monday. Hyrum and I went on a walk with the dogs together, jogged a bit, chatted a bit and I got a really great hug. I am going to miss that guy.
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Lily has been enjoying her district and has done a lot of patient loving to her companions. It is fun to see her having so many great interactions with peers, especially during p-day. It is also cool to see the Australians take to her loving spirit so much. She took a cool video last week of some pretty quick jumping spiders, too. The Australian wildlife has been fun for her!
Drew–on literally the other side of the planet–spent part of his last p-day making snow angels wearing his t-shirt!! Crazy. He loves the cold and his new companion is pretty fab. I am happy that he is getting at least one meal a week from two of the four regular members of their branch. (They’re married, and have the meal over “branch presidency meeting” each week.) I am happy for him. He is having some cool experiences in this area with people that are ready to hear more about their Savior Jesus Christ.
We had a cool miracle this last week. Quinn has been crazy busy lately with everything and hasn’t had time to do all his balancing, paying of tithing and paying our missionary payments with finances. He sat down to do that on Monday and got six orders that day! Orders have been more and more scarce, so that was distinctly a tender mercy.
I did a YouTube video on my take on the commandment, “be ye perfect.” I have a friend who wanted me to do it, and it was fun! Now I am going to go and work on my children’s books. I discontinued working with my therapist. I feel that she has given me a lot of tools to help find clarity and emotional stability. I still have a long way to go before I am healed and healthy, but I feel perfect, now. A blend of imperfection, grace and trying again and again…trying to learn what I can along the way. Right now, I am kind of sad, cranky and maxed out. So I am feasting on carbs and trying to take a breath before making a choice
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