Last night I got to hold an angel.
I have never seen such a teeny tiny nose. Her hair was thick and black. She looked just like her mother with a chin that was undeniably like her dad.
My sisters and I shared this time with our niece (the mother) and her husband. Holding and loving this precious little one.
Her birth certificate says that she came into the world on Tuesday July 29th around 3 pm. Her death certificate says the same thing.
My dear niece was due to give birth on Monday July 28th. When she went in for a check up she was told the baby had died. She had been to the doctor on the Friday and all was well. Little M. Rose was delivered by cesarean on Tuesday surrounded by much love.
There is beauty and happiness through all this sadness. One of the beautiful things is the understanding that babies/children are perfect and pure. When you look at a precious little one you can't help but know that. But there is scripture to back it up. Moroni 8
Another beautiful thing comes from the blessings of being bound (sealed) as a family forever. We read in the scriptures about this also in Matthew 16:19 and again in Matthew 18:18.
Those who have the correct authority (Hebrews 5:4) on earth today, meaning, those who have been given the 'keys' to 'bind on earth' can seal families for eternity.
What a kind and loving Heavenly Father who blesses us in so many ways that even through our sorrow we can find peace, and joy. There are 'tender mercies' all around us (1 Nephi 1:20) if we just take the time to notice them.
Joseph and Emma Smith felt the pains of losing a baby. Kenneth Cope wrote a song about it called "Tiny Hands"
So last night I held an angel and the next time that I see this little angel, she will be smiling and the tears we shed will be tears of GREAT JOY!
July 30, 2008
July 23, 2008
Miracles
It is a sad thing indeed that people believe the heavens are closed and that miracles no longer happen. Miracles happen in my life constantly. One of the most beautiful miracles in my life are my children. I don't understand how anyone can look at a little baby and not believe there is a God.
My children bless my life....I could fairly throttle them at times as well....but thankfully those times are few and far between. :o)
Someone sent me a link to a beautiful song by Amy Sky. It's entitled 'Ordinary Miracles'. I hope that you enjoy it also.
My children bless my life....I could fairly throttle them at times as well....but thankfully those times are few and far between. :o)
Someone sent me a link to a beautiful song by Amy Sky. It's entitled 'Ordinary Miracles'. I hope that you enjoy it also.
July 21, 2008
Cinnamon Rolls
Every Christmas morning, while living in Utah, the children would wake us up early to share the exciting things that Santa had brought. I decided that while they were playing I would make cinnamon rolls to have with/for breakfast.
(Side note: My children have always had two stockings. One for their bed where Santa places any toys etc, and the other one is a smaller one that is hung in the living room or placed under the tree. The stocking under the tree has a small box of cereal, a tetra juice or milk and some fun candies. The cereal and the juice/milk take care of Christmas breakfast.)
It was so lovely to have fresh cinnamon rolls. The smell of cinnamon has ever since been associated with Christmas.
We moved back to Australia in 1999. As Christmas got closer the children were all excited and said "YAY!!! That means SNOW!!!" Ohhhhh dear. Christmas time is SUMMER TIME here in Australia and snow at Christmas time is like saying "it will be a cold day in hell".
To try and keep things as normal as possible for them at Christmas time, even tho it was over 100 degree F temperatures and no air conditioning, I started cooking our breakfast cinnamon rolls while the children discovered what Santa had brought everyone.
Needless to say it was the LAST time I made cinnamon rolls for Christmas. Whew it was HOT.
My daughter was visiting with us on her break from uni this past month. She said to me last week "You know what I'd really like? Cinnamon rolls!"
With it being WINTER (July) I agreed to make some for her. Todays batch of rolls will make the second time in the past seven days that I've made them for my family. My husband picked up the baking dish this morning and said "It would be nice if this was full of yummy stuff this evening". DONE.
(Side note: My children have always had two stockings. One for their bed where Santa places any toys etc, and the other one is a smaller one that is hung in the living room or placed under the tree. The stocking under the tree has a small box of cereal, a tetra juice or milk and some fun candies. The cereal and the juice/milk take care of Christmas breakfast.)
It was so lovely to have fresh cinnamon rolls. The smell of cinnamon has ever since been associated with Christmas.
We moved back to Australia in 1999. As Christmas got closer the children were all excited and said "YAY!!! That means SNOW!!!" Ohhhhh dear. Christmas time is SUMMER TIME here in Australia and snow at Christmas time is like saying "it will be a cold day in hell".
To try and keep things as normal as possible for them at Christmas time, even tho it was over 100 degree F temperatures and no air conditioning, I started cooking our breakfast cinnamon rolls while the children discovered what Santa had brought everyone.
Needless to say it was the LAST time I made cinnamon rolls for Christmas. Whew it was HOT.
My daughter was visiting with us on her break from uni this past month. She said to me last week "You know what I'd really like? Cinnamon rolls!"
With it being WINTER (July) I agreed to make some for her. Todays batch of rolls will make the second time in the past seven days that I've made them for my family. My husband picked up the baking dish this morning and said "It would be nice if this was full of yummy stuff this evening". DONE.
Jumping the gun
I have a wonderful friend who came to me yesterday not knowing how to handle a situation she'd had that morning with her teenage daughter.
Here's what happened: Daughter had bought some mascara that came with blue eyeshadow. The proviso for the purchase is that the eyeshadow was not to be worn. WELL...Sunday morning ready for church, the daughter walks out with the blue eyeshadow on. Mum 'made' the daughter go back and take the eyeshadow off...daughter called mum a not so nice name (let's just say it rhymes with switch) Mum then grounded her daughter for life....OK...so maybe not life but for a month.
So my friend asked me "How would you handle it?"
I went one better and asked her "How would Heavenly Father handle it?"
My friend was quick to point out that anyone who called Heavenly Father a name would be 'zapped' or 'flattened'.
I pointed out that Heavenly Father gets called names, 'damned', verbally abused, and spoken of in the most awful ways constantly and does not 'zap' the offenders.
We spoke about how to deal with what happened in the morning and how to deal with a month of 'grounding'. (I've always tried to avoid grounding children because it can end up being a punishment for ME.) Here's what we came up with: When we over react to what our children do, I think it's important to be able to go and talk to the child/ren involved and let them know that we realize we jumped the gun. This is what I suggested for my friend to do.
I also think it's OK to tell our children that we are learning as we go. I remember my mother or father telling me that they were new to 'this' too. Although I was their 5th child in 'teenage-hood' I was their first 'Wendy' teenager therefore it was a whole new experience for them. Every child is different as is dealing with them in their teenage years.
As for the grounding, it's best to take a deep breath before making 'punishments' so that what is chosen will fit the 'crime' and will be one that you can follow through with. Sometimes after talking with your child you can tell that the child realizes what they did was inappropriate and you see a contrite heart. At these times you can actually ask your child what punishment they think is appropriate. Most of the time you will find that what they come up with IS perfect. If they suggest that maybe a bowl of ice cream is the best punishment then of course it means they have a good sense of humour and that you can work out a compromise.
One of last things we spoke about was 'choosing your battles'. Her daughter looking like a 'blue ringed octopus' was not going to ruin their chances of being a 'forever family'. It was not going to cause accidents or financial stress on the family. The worst that could come out of it is embarrassment for the daughter.
Finally we spoke about an important roll as a parent and that is that we should not be MAKING our children make good choices but rather helping them to learn to make good choices. The worst thing a parent can do is make all the choices for the child as they grow and then when they reach 18 the child is let 'loose', so to speak, they act on their 'I'll show her' instinct and make poor choices. So please parents...don't force your children into making the right choice (you and I both voted against that kind of plan before even coming to this world) but rather assist them in learning to make their own good choices. Just like the Prophet Joseph Smith said: “I teach them correct principles and they govern themselves.” (Messages of the First Presidency, comp. James R. Clark, 6 vols., Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965–75, 3:54.)
As always in parenting...GOOD LUCK to us all.
Here's what happened: Daughter had bought some mascara that came with blue eyeshadow. The proviso for the purchase is that the eyeshadow was not to be worn. WELL...Sunday morning ready for church, the daughter walks out with the blue eyeshadow on. Mum 'made' the daughter go back and take the eyeshadow off...daughter called mum a not so nice name (let's just say it rhymes with switch) Mum then grounded her daughter for life....OK...so maybe not life but for a month.
So my friend asked me "How would you handle it?"
I went one better and asked her "How would Heavenly Father handle it?"
My friend was quick to point out that anyone who called Heavenly Father a name would be 'zapped' or 'flattened'.
I pointed out that Heavenly Father gets called names, 'damned', verbally abused, and spoken of in the most awful ways constantly and does not 'zap' the offenders.
We spoke about how to deal with what happened in the morning and how to deal with a month of 'grounding'. (I've always tried to avoid grounding children because it can end up being a punishment for ME.) Here's what we came up with: When we over react to what our children do, I think it's important to be able to go and talk to the child/ren involved and let them know that we realize we jumped the gun. This is what I suggested for my friend to do.
I also think it's OK to tell our children that we are learning as we go. I remember my mother or father telling me that they were new to 'this' too. Although I was their 5th child in 'teenage-hood' I was their first 'Wendy' teenager therefore it was a whole new experience for them. Every child is different as is dealing with them in their teenage years.
As for the grounding, it's best to take a deep breath before making 'punishments' so that what is chosen will fit the 'crime' and will be one that you can follow through with. Sometimes after talking with your child you can tell that the child realizes what they did was inappropriate and you see a contrite heart. At these times you can actually ask your child what punishment they think is appropriate. Most of the time you will find that what they come up with IS perfect. If they suggest that maybe a bowl of ice cream is the best punishment then of course it means they have a good sense of humour and that you can work out a compromise.
One of last things we spoke about was 'choosing your battles'. Her daughter looking like a 'blue ringed octopus' was not going to ruin their chances of being a 'forever family'. It was not going to cause accidents or financial stress on the family. The worst that could come out of it is embarrassment for the daughter.
Finally we spoke about an important roll as a parent and that is that we should not be MAKING our children make good choices but rather helping them to learn to make good choices. The worst thing a parent can do is make all the choices for the child as they grow and then when they reach 18 the child is let 'loose', so to speak, they act on their 'I'll show her' instinct and make poor choices. So please parents...don't force your children into making the right choice (you and I both voted against that kind of plan before even coming to this world) but rather assist them in learning to make their own good choices. Just like the Prophet Joseph Smith said: “I teach them correct principles and they govern themselves.” (Messages of the First Presidency, comp. James R. Clark, 6 vols., Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965–75, 3:54.)
As always in parenting...GOOD LUCK to us all.
July 15, 2008
Womanhood
I get a kick out of the Helen Reddy song "I am woman". When I do something that surprises my husband...that I could do it or that I actually did it....I break into song "I am woman hear me ROAR..."
As I was growing up we had a cassette that I enjoyed listening to. One of the songs on it was about growing up to be a mother. "When I grow up I want to be a mother how happy I will be. One little, two little babies of my own. And I will love them all day long and give them cookies and milk and yellow balloons and cuddle them when things go wrong...." Whoa....off track but now I'm back. Anyway...I loved that song.
I did look forward to be a mother. I loved to play house and cook.
I may not have the "seven little blessings from above" as I use to sing in the song but I do have four of them. There is little in this world that makes you feel as good as when a little child runs up to you, for no reason at all, throws their arms around you and says "I love you".
I was reading about a woman who I've seen in the news quite a bit. Her name is Germaine Greer. Everything I've read about this woman or from this woman has been bitter and angry. I have never heard her say or read anything about her, that suggests she's happy or pleasant to be around. I wonder how motherhood might have changed her. Would it have softened her heart? Would she have become what I believe a REAL feminist is?
What do I think a 'real feminist' is? Well I believe it is one who embraces EVERYTHING that makes being female WONDROUS. Part of which is motherhood or the nurturing of others.
"Motherhood is more than bearing children, though it is certainly that. It is the essence of who we are as women." (Sheri Dew...Are We Not All Mothers)
ROAR!!!
As I was growing up we had a cassette that I enjoyed listening to. One of the songs on it was about growing up to be a mother. "When I grow up I want to be a mother how happy I will be. One little, two little babies of my own. And I will love them all day long and give them cookies and milk and yellow balloons and cuddle them when things go wrong...." Whoa....off track but now I'm back. Anyway...I loved that song.
I did look forward to be a mother. I loved to play house and cook.
I may not have the "seven little blessings from above" as I use to sing in the song but I do have four of them. There is little in this world that makes you feel as good as when a little child runs up to you, for no reason at all, throws their arms around you and says "I love you".
I was reading about a woman who I've seen in the news quite a bit. Her name is Germaine Greer. Everything I've read about this woman or from this woman has been bitter and angry. I have never heard her say or read anything about her, that suggests she's happy or pleasant to be around. I wonder how motherhood might have changed her. Would it have softened her heart? Would she have become what I believe a REAL feminist is?
What do I think a 'real feminist' is? Well I believe it is one who embraces EVERYTHING that makes being female WONDROUS. Part of which is motherhood or the nurturing of others.
"Motherhood is more than bearing children, though it is certainly that. It is the essence of who we are as women." (Sheri Dew...Are We Not All Mothers)
 | ||
| Sheri Dew CEO Deseret Book. | Photo from Deseret News |
July 14, 2008
World's oldest Blogger dies
I open up the headlines today and find that the world's oldest blogger died. She was 108. When I read this a few things crossed my mind.
First was, "Good for her!!" How many people, young (OK youngish) and old, are too scared to even turn on a computer let alone BLOG.
I read where her grandson said that she was communicating with people from Russia and America. I thought about this incredible technology and how it has brought the world closer or even made it feel smaller.
I remember when I first moved to Utah and I would call my family back in Australia, there wasn't a call where one of my parents didn't say "This is so clear. You'd never know you were so far away", or something to that affect.
I also thought about the changes that have taken place in technology in my very short life (OK...OK...not so short anymore). I remember when they started advertising the fax machine. It was an incredible idea. I couldn't imagine how they could send a piece of paper to another part of the world within a few seconds. How incredible a fax machine was. My mind would never have wrapped around the thought of a COMPUTER in the home, accessing gobs of information within seconds. Or being able to communicate instantly with people on every continent in the form of 'chatting'. It still boggles the mind.
I was about 10 or 11 when we first got a phone. We had a great deal of instruction from mum as to how we were to answer the phone. When the phone would ring all us (the children) would RUN to be the one to answer the phone. It was such a novelty. After many months it was a different story. The phone would ring a few times and then someone would yell "Is someone going to get that?!"
I am so grateful to live in a day and age where such wonderful technology exists. I love having a computer and a dvd player. Goodness...I even enjoy our Wii.
My children have no clue what a 'walkman' and think that a 'record' belongs in the Guinness Book.
If you would like to read more about Olive, aka the world's oldest blogger, you can head to this site: World's Oldest Blogger Dies
First was, "Good for her!!" How many people, young (OK youngish) and old, are too scared to even turn on a computer let alone BLOG.
I read where her grandson said that she was communicating with people from Russia and America. I thought about this incredible technology and how it has brought the world closer or even made it feel smaller.
I remember when I first moved to Utah and I would call my family back in Australia, there wasn't a call where one of my parents didn't say "This is so clear. You'd never know you were so far away", or something to that affect.
I also thought about the changes that have taken place in technology in my very short life (OK...OK...not so short anymore). I remember when they started advertising the fax machine. It was an incredible idea. I couldn't imagine how they could send a piece of paper to another part of the world within a few seconds. How incredible a fax machine was. My mind would never have wrapped around the thought of a COMPUTER in the home, accessing gobs of information within seconds. Or being able to communicate instantly with people on every continent in the form of 'chatting'. It still boggles the mind.
I was about 10 or 11 when we first got a phone. We had a great deal of instruction from mum as to how we were to answer the phone. When the phone would ring all us (the children) would RUN to be the one to answer the phone. It was such a novelty. After many months it was a different story. The phone would ring a few times and then someone would yell "Is someone going to get that?!"
I am so grateful to live in a day and age where such wonderful technology exists. I love having a computer and a dvd player. Goodness...I even enjoy our Wii.
My children have no clue what a 'walkman' and think that a 'record' belongs in the Guinness Book.
If you would like to read more about Olive, aka the world's oldest blogger, you can head to this site: World's Oldest Blogger Dies
July 7, 2008
Beginnings
G'day all, and welcome to my attempt at blogging.
Yesterday (Sunday 6th July, 2008) started out as any other Sunday. I LOVE Sunday's. Church starts at 1:30pm so it is the only morning in the week that there is nothing to get done early. I love to stay in my jammies as long as I can. It is my way of blowing a raspberry at the world of 'must dos'. Yesterday I got to do a wasgij with my two youngest sons, Aaron 12 and Christian 11.
A wasgij is jigsaw backwards. The picture that you're putting together is not the picture on the box but rather what the picture on the box would be facing. So you really have no clue what it is until you put it together. If you like a challenge or enjoy puzzles then you should find one and give it a try. They come in different sizes. I'm such a puzzle wuss so we only have the 250 piece AND I have to have helpers. If it can't be done in 30 mins then I'm not interested.
Come 12 I always start chasing kids to shower and get ready so we can leave at 1pm. Aaron and Christian were fooling around and had been told to stop their behaviour inside the house. Next thing I know Aaron is coming to me with his face signaling all is not well. He is holding his right hand with his left. I asked him "What have you done?" He told me that Christian, in their final 'battle' had just kicked his finger.
Aaron has a high tolerance of pain so when he complains then I pay attention. It was his hand that he had broken once before so we were cautious. I couldn't find the finger splint that we have used (ALOT) in the past....which is of course not surprising. So I grab a couple of popsicle/craft sticks and bandaids and splint his fingers. We have no slings that fit so I grab an apron becomes a DIY sling.
Rob takes the kids to church and then drives us to the children's hospital. I'm prepared for a 5 hour stay. I even pack a sandwich for AJ. Turns out that even though the waiting room was full and people were arriving in a steady flow, we only spent 2 hours there. Their x-ray machine simply stores the images digitally and the doctor views them on the screen at the doctor gathering area (I don't know what else to call it). What a great idea and what an incredible time saver. Gosh I love technology.
Anyway...it turns out it is not broken but rather a bad sprain. The doctor loved my splint and said even though it looks daggy it does the same job one of theirs would do. I asked if Aaron could have a non-daggy one.
When we got home we were met by the wonder smells of dinner. I threw dinner in the crockpot before we left so it was well and truly ready when we got home. All I had to do was cook some rice.
I am a crockpot NUT. If I can think of it early enough in the day I will throw dinner in the crockpot and be done with it. Last nights dinner was a recipe I found called "Dump it and run chicken'. Dump it and run was exactly what I did.
Dump it and run chicken
Chicken.....I have used tenderloins, whole chickens (kids are old enough to pick out or eat around the bones), and yesterday I used 4 chicken breasts. You can cut them up or dump 'em in whole.
Carrots...I used 1 per family member because we love carrots.
Onion (optional)
2 cans of Cream of mushroom soup
1 can of mushrooms
Salt and pepper (optional)
Dump it into the crockpot. Cook on low 7 hours or high for around 4 hours. If the chicken is cooked through then the dinner is DONE.
Serve over rice.
After dinner and dishes were done, we played a game of LIFE. When I say 'we' I don't include my 16yr old son who refuses to join in with us as a family. Heaven forbid that he actually enjoyed himself. He's a good kid just not into playing games.
We had some bananas that were a little overripe which can only mean one thing.....Rob/dad gets to make us banana shakes. YUMMO.
After shakes it's off to bed. What a wonderful Sabbath day.
PS: If I say anything that you don't understand because I may be using Aussie terms, just let me know and I'll 'translate'.
Yesterday (Sunday 6th July, 2008) started out as any other Sunday. I LOVE Sunday's. Church starts at 1:30pm so it is the only morning in the week that there is nothing to get done early. I love to stay in my jammies as long as I can. It is my way of blowing a raspberry at the world of 'must dos'. Yesterday I got to do a wasgij with my two youngest sons, Aaron 12 and Christian 11.
A wasgij is jigsaw backwards. The picture that you're putting together is not the picture on the box but rather what the picture on the box would be facing. So you really have no clue what it is until you put it together. If you like a challenge or enjoy puzzles then you should find one and give it a try. They come in different sizes. I'm such a puzzle wuss so we only have the 250 piece AND I have to have helpers. If it can't be done in 30 mins then I'm not interested.
Come 12 I always start chasing kids to shower and get ready so we can leave at 1pm. Aaron and Christian were fooling around and had been told to stop their behaviour inside the house. Next thing I know Aaron is coming to me with his face signaling all is not well. He is holding his right hand with his left. I asked him "What have you done?" He told me that Christian, in their final 'battle' had just kicked his finger.
Aaron has a high tolerance of pain so when he complains then I pay attention. It was his hand that he had broken once before so we were cautious. I couldn't find the finger splint that we have used (ALOT) in the past....which is of course not surprising. So I grab a couple of popsicle/craft sticks and bandaids and splint his fingers. We have no slings that fit so I grab an apron becomes a DIY sling.
Rob takes the kids to church and then drives us to the children's hospital. I'm prepared for a 5 hour stay. I even pack a sandwich for AJ. Turns out that even though the waiting room was full and people were arriving in a steady flow, we only spent 2 hours there. Their x-ray machine simply stores the images digitally and the doctor views them on the screen at the doctor gathering area (I don't know what else to call it). What a great idea and what an incredible time saver. Gosh I love technology.
Anyway...it turns out it is not broken but rather a bad sprain. The doctor loved my splint and said even though it looks daggy it does the same job one of theirs would do. I asked if Aaron could have a non-daggy one.
When we got home we were met by the wonder smells of dinner. I threw dinner in the crockpot before we left so it was well and truly ready when we got home. All I had to do was cook some rice.
I am a crockpot NUT. If I can think of it early enough in the day I will throw dinner in the crockpot and be done with it. Last nights dinner was a recipe I found called "Dump it and run chicken'. Dump it and run was exactly what I did.
Dump it and run chicken
Chicken.....I have used tenderloins, whole chickens (kids are old enough to pick out or eat around the bones), and yesterday I used 4 chicken breasts. You can cut them up or dump 'em in whole.
Carrots...I used 1 per family member because we love carrots.
Onion (optional)
2 cans of Cream of mushroom soup
1 can of mushrooms
Salt and pepper (optional)
Dump it into the crockpot. Cook on low 7 hours or high for around 4 hours. If the chicken is cooked through then the dinner is DONE.
Serve over rice.
After dinner and dishes were done, we played a game of LIFE. When I say 'we' I don't include my 16yr old son who refuses to join in with us as a family. Heaven forbid that he actually enjoyed himself. He's a good kid just not into playing games.
We had some bananas that were a little overripe which can only mean one thing.....Rob/dad gets to make us banana shakes. YUMMO.
After shakes it's off to bed. What a wonderful Sabbath day.
PS: If I say anything that you don't understand because I may be using Aussie terms, just let me know and I'll 'translate'.
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