Thank Heavens for 1/2 Birthdays!

I'm finally at a good place mentally to write about my 40th. I'm still more than fine with turning 40, but the actual date was something else....

We have a standing tradition that there is some flexibility as to when we celebrate. Sometimes we've spread out celebrating over a week due to work schedules, trips, etc. In the case of my 40th, someone was sick in the house nearly every day that week. As I've already mentioned, things were messy around here.

So, my birthday came up and it started off great. Lots of birthday notes, wishes, a couple surprise visits, cannoli (chocolate covered mini's are my new favorite treat---better than cake!)...so fun! After Wayne got home from work, our family went out to dinner and the kids all behaved; it was wonderful....no messy kitchen, no dishes to wash, no coaxing kids to eat, etc.

We pulled in the driveway and Wayne said, "Everyone go to the family room!" The kids gathered 'round, and as I walked in the room, Thomas threw up---in a huge way. I hurried him to the bathroom where he threw up all over the floor, all the while apologizing for getting sick on my birthday. I felt so bad for him. We were all gagging, so I cancelled any dessert party. Wayne was busy cleaning up the front room while I was on my knees cleaning the bathroom thinking, "This is what I signed up for." ...and as gross as that moment was, right there I felt completely satisfied with my choice to be a part of this family through thick and thin. (Although I saved my birthday cannoli for breakfast)

Although he wasn't feeling great, Wayne took me out on a birthday date on Saturday. As we sat there reviewing the week and my birthday, the barf toll was at about 35, including locations like the grocery store floor and all over Christina. Clearly there was no party at our house, so I asked, "Can we just scratch that celebration and do something fun like go to the beach on my 1/2 birthday?" Wayne was on board (& I sensed relief too).

The moral of this gross story is, sometimes the pressure of making YOUR day full of celebration is just not going to happen for one reason or another. Sometimes your birthday week may be out of the question as well. Sometimes it's best to pick another date all together when the sun will be shining and it's not the middle of stomach virus season. I'm starting a new family tradition of celebrating my birthday in July from now on....and now my future grandkids will know why.

Healthy Wishes to all,

Rebecca

Celebrating 40

Most birthdays seem to come and go, but this one, my 40th, has brought lots of reflection and fresh perspective.....

No doubt about it, I may wear the same size clothes I wore before having kids, but they don't fit the same. I wake up in the morning to dark circles and extra cargo under my eyes. Even short jogs test my bladder control. Let's not get started about the belly that refuses to tone....SO stubborn. Aging is no picnic. I know that. However, something changed in my soul recently in church when a young 13 year old, David, gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting. He shared that just the other day he was sitting in school and glanced at his hand, and appreciating the miracle of his body, he was reminded of the reality of God. I wondered how often I look at my body as evidence of God's existence. I'll continue to look after my health, but the aging microscope seems to have softened, bringing the aging process into a healthy, spiritual perspective. I'm thankful that David shared this simple, profound experience. I've taken it to heart.

This morning as I was showered with birthday kindness, Grace said, "The best birthday gift in the whole wide world is LOVE." My heart feels like it could burst when I contemplate the love I have in my life within the walls of my home, among my extended family, and my dear friends. I'm looking forward to going out to dinner with the family tonight and sporting my birthday down coat, but Grace is right on....Love is the greatest gift.

(Photo Credit: Macy Robison Photography)

While for just over a decade I've loved welcoming our 5 beautiful babes into the world and mothering them, this coming decade will bring mothering changes.....I'll have 2 kids in college! I love every day I have to mother my children. My mom died at 49, and I just know that each day is a gift.

I'm excited to fulfill a personal dream of going back to school once my kids are all in school---this is the year! I'll get started once Wesley enters pre-school in the fall. I'm thankful for my family's support. I have no idea what I'll study, but I'm hoping to find an avenue I love.

So, here's to 40---to more hopes, dreams, blessings, hugs & kisses, & lots of love! I don't care if 40 is the new 30....I simply and deeply appreciate being in a good place for this birthday. I know that the good in my soul and in my life comes from a loving and merciful Savior. The path He has blessed me with is far richer than any I would have made on my own.

Sick Days

The washing machine and carpet shampooer have been getting heavy use over the last 2 days. A crazy stomach bug has gone from kid to kid and it's been unbelievably MESSY. After a rough night, Wesley woke up at about 10am, and has been sluggish all day.

He fell asleep on the couch like this....

Nina's down. Grace & Caroline are recovered, but won't entirely admit it since the sick ones get Gatorade.

Hopefully we're on the mend. There's just so much that the senses can take.

Preview of a family meeting on Haiti Service

"It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount

of love that is put into them that matters."

-Mother Teresa

There's nothing like viewing stark poverty and disaster to awaken one's self to deep compassion for the suffering, and gratitude for the comfortable life we have. The night after the quake in Haiti, I was watching Anderson Cooper report on the damages that were just coming to light. He spoke about areas of Haiti that already were in deep poverty which he'd visited and seen first hand- children selling mudcakes (which are exactly that- dirt/water) for FOOD. Mothers would feed mudcakes to their little ones because they were desperate to give them a full feeling in their empty stomachs. So, I'm feeling a little guilty that here I am spending hundreds of dollars a month on food for our family. I know that guilt isn't necessary, but the sorrow of the Haitians' plight has stirred up compassion in my heart and I know that as a family, we can and should help in some way. This is what our family meeting will be about when Wayne gets back tomorrow from his business trip..... What will we do as a family to help?

One thing we'll discuss is how we can help humanitarian relief long term. Our church works with the American Red Cross to offer humanitarian service wherever needed. They began sending relief supplies to Haiti soon after the earthquake (news report found HERE). Go HERE on our church website if you want to donate money to the humanitarian emergency response. You can set it up to donate any amount of $ each month. This reminded me of our monthly fast offering where we fast two meals each 1st Sunday of the month and donate the $ we would spend on those meals as a fast offering to help those in need. A couple ideas that have come to my mind to relate this to helping the people in Haiti....

• Fast a meal another time during the month & donate the money we would have spent on that meal to the Humanitarian Fund
• Have PB & J for Sunday dinner and donate the cost of a family pot roast dinner with all of the fixings.

I think we can do something along these lines to help not just one time in reaction to the earthquake, but long term to continually remind us of those in need & the opportunity we have to give. What makes this so powerful in my eyes is that this is our choice. I've talked with my kids a little about the earthquake and they are up for action, in fact Thomas' reaction was, "I want to go there and help!" I felt the same way, although we obviously will need to help, and can help from where we are in meaningful ways.

Our hearts and prayers are with the people in Haiti.

Beautiful Courage

We knew for some time that a new family was moving to our town. They would be attending our church and the same schools as some of our children. When Christina found out that this family had a girl her age, she took initiative and emailed her principal asking if this girl could be on her team at school. She then started spreading the word that a new girl was coming to the school. Christina was thrilled to find out that in fact this girl would be on her team and Christina's enthusiasm rubbed off on her classmates who all became excited for the "new girl" to arrive and it was natural to befriend her right away.

I told Christina that this act of kindness was no small thing. From a mother's perspective it is SO hard to know that a decision such as moving that may be best for the family, will also bring difficult transitions for your children. We went through that just a couple years ago, and my prayers were for my children that they would have at least one truly good friend, and a good teacher. In talking with the mother of this family, she said that their last move was hard on her daughter who is Christina's age. It took a while to make friends, and she was grateful and relieved that the move here was so much easier for their daughter because she was able to make friends right away.

I told Christina that many times the Lord answers our prayers through other people and in this case, she was an answer to this mother's prayer for a smooth transition for her daughter. Christina replied by saying, "I thought of Nicole. (a friend who moved away last summer) Nicole had a hard time making friends when she first moved, and she said, 'If you ever see someone sitting alone in the back of a classroom, go talk to them and be their friend.'"

"In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness, but the number of prayers we answer may be of even greater importance. Let us open our eyes and see the heavy hearts, notice the loneliness and despair; let us feel the silent prayers of others around us, and let us be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to answer those prayers.”

-President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Christina,

When you courageously share your beautiful spirit, you truly radiate happiness and real beauty. Thank you for your shining example of goodness. What makes this experience even sweeter to me is that you offered this girl more than others offered you when we first moved here and you first attended this school. You courageously followed your heart. I am so very proud of you.

With my love,

Dad's Snowboarding School

Santa brought new (to them) snowboards for Christina and Thomas. Today was DAY 1 of Dad's Snowboarding School. Christina and Thomas are skiers and weren't sure if they'd like snowboarding, but ended up having a blast. Thomas said he thinks snowboarding is "even more awesome" than skiing.

Grace & Caroline whirled and twirled on saucers.

Oh, what fun!