fun at the library {9/25}

We hadn't hung out at the library in quite a while. For the hour or so that we were there, Shboogoo had a blast. In the kids' bathroom there are tiles painted by children. We saw one with a hand about Shboogoo's size, and that 3-year-old has the same name as her, too! L liked looking at the model aircrafts that hang from the ceiling in the children's area. Two 7-year-old girls befriended us and were very interested in the baby.

This is a little blurry, but only because she was putting the blanket on her sister, which was the reason I wanted to take the picture.

She (Shboogoo) makes this face a lot, and I love it.

L looked so small sitting here (she isn't able to sit yet without leaning against something).

Getting ready to check out; she needed all of these and wanted to carry them. Right after this we saw Melanie, my last visiting teacher partner, with her 11-year-old and her 3-year-old. She helped me get my kids in the car. She is such a sweetheart.

three months

First, some photos of L at age two months and 3-4 weeks:

(I keep uploading this one, but Blogger will not recognize that I rotated it.)

These are from the exact Monthday (the day L turned 3 months old -- that sounds so much older to me than 2 months!) She's getting chubbier and has more of a personality. We're so glad she is in our family! Her dad's dad's mom, who lives a few hours away, finally got to meet her.

The four generations, minus D (and this is his dad, not mine).

voice mail

I tend to forget about my saved voice mail messages. Later I listen again and re-save the especially nice ones. I still have some from a couple of months ago. (How long I can keep them there? Do you do this, too?)

Well, last weekend I was feeling like I didn't have any really close friends. But as I listened to the old messages I cried happy tears because of all the people who, after L was born, wanted to let me know they cared about me:

• Hi, it's me [my mom]. Just wonderin' how things are goin'. I'm in church but I'm gonna leave at 12. I was gonna come over there if that's okay. But I wanted [D] to know he can eat with us today. I don't know what you guys have got planned. I hope you're feelin' okay and had a good rest. I love you sooo much and I'll see you in a little while. Okay, bye.
• Hi, Amanda. This is Dad ****. How are ya? We're just getting home from church. Just want to know how you're feeling and how your day's gone. Several members of the ward were just curious about ya and asked about ya. Anyways, give us a call when you get a chance. Just wanna know how you kids are doin'. Love you guys. Buh-bye.
• Hi, Amanda, it's Sarah [my doula]. Just calling to see how you're doing and how your night went. I hope you've been able to, you know, be up and walking around and feelin' a little more like yourself. I got a chance to visit with your mom just briefly after sacrament meeting today, and she was real happy for ya. And, yeah, I look forward to talking to ya. Once again, I think you did an amazing job yesterday [L's birth day] and I'm excited for ya. I love the name [L], and she couldn't be more cute. I'll talk to you later. Okay, buh-bye.
• Hi, it's me, Ursula, giving you a call. . . . I didn't hear that phone number I could call you at . . . but call me back. I'm excited to hear from you and everything that's going on. I hope all is going well!
• Hey, Amanda, it's Michelle ****. I'm calling to check in on you and see how things are going. I don't even know if you've had your baby yet! I'm assuming you have, but I don't know. But I was wondering if you wanted me to take [S], uh, so that you could get some rest. Or, even if you haven't had the baby, maybe you want some rest! So, anyway, I'd love to come take her some time and have her come play with Siena. . . . Hope you're doing well! Talk to you later.
  
• Hey, Amanda, it's Katie. I am returning your call. . . . We should have talked before now; it's been a while since we've talked to each other. . . . We're looking forward to seeing [L] and seeing how big she's getting, and Robbie wants to play with [S] and stuff . . . and I hope you're feeling good. You should be getting up and about post-surgery . . .
  

I realize I have "collected" tons of cool individuals (if you actually know me, this means you!) throughout my life. I have learned from them. Being with them makes me happy. Also, just this morning, the best husband in the world left me a message:

Hey, Manda, it's your husband. Hey, uh, it's 9:30 at night and I'm getting up in like 7 hours. I'm conducting our company PT. But, uh, so I gotta go to sleep. But I wanted to call you and tell you I love you and tell you what's going on. Sorry I haven't called sooner; I didn't know where my phone was. But I promise you I will call you in the morning -- which will be later tonight for you -- and, uh, we'll talk then. I love you, sweetheart. I miss you. And talk to you soon. Bye.

pioneer trek

"Whenever I think about pioneers,
I think of brave women and men . . ."

A few weeks ago, close to Pioneer Day, someone in church said that although going on a pioneer trek was not easy for her, she would do it again in a heartbeat. She said it was one of the greatest experiences of her entire life. I definitely agree.

I went on a trek as a 14-year-old, and then two years ago; I learned a lot both times. I cannot deny that the Holy Ghost was with us. I was humbled. I served and others served me. Both times, my love increased: for people (the pioneers of the 1800s as well as those I was with), for God's creations, for the hymns, and for the scriptures. I did not miss technology while we were there. Sometimes it was silent, but even when it wasn't there were plenty of moments to think and to feel. The trail the early Saints traveled on is holy ground, and I can't fully express what I gained spiritually from the physical work of pushing a handcart along that path for up to 13 miles a day.

When I went as a Ma it was hard to be away from 8-month-old Shboogoo and to have to keep finding a private place to pump and dump my milk. But when it was over, D and I returned to her. How could women quickly bury their babies or other loved ones, and then move on? I guess they did it because the gospel of Jesus Christ is true and is worth dying for.

~~~~~~~

I have only one photo from my first pioneer trek. I don't have it scanned in, but I like it so I'll go ahead and describe it. It's of me bearing my testimony in front of everyone. One of the leaders told the whole group that four people had been chosen to share their testimonies before we would split up for family testimony meetings. I knew, before they said my name, that I would be one of the four. That was just one of several aspects of the trek which helped me become less shy. Oh, yeah, and D -- who was also 14 at the time -- was assigned to the same family as me. I actually remember feeling back then that I was supposed to get to know him better and that that was why he was my trek brother.

These are my personal favorite photos (we have over a thousand!) from the trek in 2007. (I still look 14, don't I.) We had a photographer and a videographer who came with us, so each participant received CDs of photos and a DVD.

Here we are on the first day:

The next four were taken at Independence Rock:

Women's Pull:

Our family:

I didn't have any of these problems:

The appropriately-named Rocky Ridge: