To China with Love

I hate goodbyes.

This morning we took my in-laws to the airport to begin their China teaching adventure.  Saying goodbye to them was much harder than I anticipated, and I have spent most of the morning crying.  As soon as I start to pull myself together, something will trigger new tears.  Like noticing that Ezra had grandma's lipstick kisses on his cheeks.  Or walking past the dark and quiet basement stairwell, which, over the last few days, had been the China-packing-Grand-Central-Station.  Or setting the kitchen table for two, not four. 

I said a ten-month goodbye, and the time will certainly go by faster than I expect.  Ten-months isn't so long, and there will be plenty of electronically-facilitated interactions in the meantime.  But, I will miss the daily face-to-face interactions.  The sociality between parents and children and grandparents and grandchild have been precious.  Ezra has been especially keen to the extra love and attention.

I am grateful for this special house-sitting opportunity.  I am grateful for my in-law's generosity.  And, I am grateful that in ten months we can see each other again.  

  

Vegetable Garden Update

Our backyard vegetable garden has been a great success this summer.  I cannot claim any horticulture genius; the prize goes to my mother-in-law and her years of attentive soil amending, and to a good husband who waters faithfully.

The fruits of our labors, thus far, have been:

• Spinach and Asian Mesclun salad mix (sprouted quickly and faded quickly)
• Swiss chard was a marginal success, I fought the leafminers and they won.  I did get one good harvest, though (pictured above)
• Snow peas, which produced into late July, to my great surprise
• Butterhead lettuce and Red Sails lettuce, which also exceeded my expectations by remaining bolt-free into early August 
• Basil and green onions.  I am clipping the greens on the latter as fast as they can grow up
• Yellow squash and yellow crookneck squash: one to two a week
• Zucchini squash: one a week
• Cucumbers: six a week, sometimes more
• Super cherry tomato: produced about 12-15 for several weeks through July, but is now dormant
• Heirloom Roma and Big Boy tomato plants are happy and productive, but we have yet to harvest a single red tomato.  Currently, we have easily 40 tomatoes, all quite green.
• Pumpkin (intentional, cultivated type): at least one (the size of a large grapefruit).  We also have a rogue pumpkin that plant itself.  It has made 30' feet of vine, and no fruit to speak of.
• Strawberries almost died twice, have made a recovery, and are fighting with the weeds to claim good ground.  Four of the six strawberry plants are healthy and have sent out runners.

Lifelong Migration

At day's end, more often than not, I have not accomplished many tasks.  Rarely can I look back over the day with a satisfied smile and see the evidence of finished projects.  I do not often cross off a daily to-do list item as completely done.  It has been rather disconcerting to see my apparent lack of productive, measurable activity.  I have found myself questioning my ability to complete anything.

Last night, after some pondering and processing, I realize that this dilemma has much to do with my stage in life.  I think I am beginning to understand (and accept) that accomplished, and finished, and done are not the only measure of success.  I have found comfort in recognizing my progress, and appreciating the process.  For me, the words desire, and attitude, and direction are more meaningful and encouraging in my daily efforts, especially as a wife and mother.  My days are filled with teaching, playing, talking, and trying to build more meaningful human relationships.  These efforts are never done.  Prayer and scripture study are the bookends to each day; they are the long-term never-finished habits that are more about righteous desire and consistency than completion.   

In my pondering, I found great encouragement in several comments from the May 2012 (General Conference) Ensign magazine.  Elder Quentin L. Cook gave an outstanding address titled, "In Tune with the Music of Faith."  I love the idea of being "in tune."  As I watch Dallin warm-up and prepare for a violin performance, he always tunes his instrument.  Most of the time, his instrument is not too far off from the piano note, but some minor tweaking is usually required.  In my daily efforts, I also need minor tweaking to stay "in tune"; and my tuning is a constant endeavor.  Every day I need to refresh my efforts in order to stay in tune with the music of faith.  I appreciate the idea of daily course corrections as a measure of success.  Elder Cook emphasizes maintenance and diligence rather than accomplishment and arrival.

Elder Neil L. Andersen taught, "Jesus's call 'Come, follow me' is not only for those prepared to compete in a spiritual Olympics.  In fact, discipleship is not a competition at all but an invitation for all.  Our journey of discipleship is not a dash around the track, nor is it fully comparable to a lengthy marathon.  In truth, it is a lifelong migration toward a more celestial world." 

Busy Boy

Quick run-down of Ezra's new discoveries/adventures:

• Eating a big handful of mud.  (I was weeding a flower bed and turned my back for two seconds!)
• Climbing the staircase solo.  (I was talking to husband in the kitchen, Ezra was playing on the floor.  While we continued to talk, for another minute or two, he took off.  We found him upstairs playing with books on the bookcase.)  I was proud and freaked out at the same time.
• Cruising on all fours over all manner of surfaces.  (The texture of grass used to make him cringe, and extinguish all mobility efforts.  No more!  If he wants to get somewhere, grass or no grass, he is going.)
• Airplanes.  (We have been outside a fair bit lately and he perks up at the sound of an airplane and will point up to the sky.)
• Pointing, in general.  (Neurons are flying in his little developing brain, and in the absence of words to vocalize his observations, he points at anything and everything that catches his attention.)
• Verbalizing 101.  (Ezra can say "uh-oh", and uses the word often.  He loves to go and understands that anytime we go, we must wear a hat, so his latest word development is "ha", meaning hat, and the exciting prospect of getting to go somewhere.  He can also say "hi" and "bye-bye", but this is rare.) 

Do you see what I see?

I met this green meatball on a walk with baby; he seems a bit peckish.  In fact, I think the meatball is teething on the fence post!  Give this little guy googly eyes and a few teeth and he could be a potential Muppet or Sesame Street puppet candidate.  He he, got a good laugh.     

Hoping for Ice Cream

I have this illusive dream of being a great writer.  Unfortunately, like most of my (many) hobbies, they are shelved for long periods of time, pulled out for occasional dabbles, and then re-shelved.

Recently, I dusted off the creative writer box, thanks to a new friend and kindred spirit who just moved to the area.  The bad news: she and her family are just here for the summer.  The good news: she has a masters in English, and loves creative non-fiction writing like me.  In fact, she teaches an independent study course through BYU on the subject.  Just talking to her gets me excited about words, the creative process, and self-expression.  We bounce ideas off each other, in between flying Cheerios, tike bike rides, and toy-sharing squabbles.  (She has two boys under 3, who adore Ezra; Ezra returns the love).

Anyway, I am reading and brainstorming, pulling out old rough drafts, and trying to cultivate all those good writer qualities like introspection, and fluidity, and curiosity.  In my writing revival I stumbled upon this great quote:

"I love revisions.  Where else in life can spilled milk be transformed into ice cream" --Katherine Patterson

There's my new goal: good editing = ice cream.  Can I take that literally?

Happy Puppy Dog, Part 2

The arrival of Ezra's first tooth caused physical, emotional, and mental catastrophe; for all he knew his world was crumbling to pieces.  Subsequent teeth have caused some degree of agitation, drooling, and biting, but nothing terribly dramatic.  I found myself thinking, "Teething isn't so bad after all.  Great."  (That was me, the naive mommy thinking).  Turns out I just have a passive-aggressive child (huh...I wonder where that comes from).

Teething, as it turns out, is quite painful, but Ezra, independent little dude, has found ways to solve his own problems.  On his crib.  Sometime between yesterday and today, my charming teeth-er has striped the crib vanish down to bare wood in a dozen inch-long swathes across two sides of his crib.  (Oh yea, new trick: pulling to a stand inside crib).  I guess I should have remembered my mother's words sooner, "It's too quiet; where's the baby?"  I give you Ezra, the happy (stealthy) puppy dog.  

Happy Puppy Dog...

...is a good description for my little Ezra of late.  He has figured out crawling (three cheers for Ezra!) and follows me around, nuzzling my ankles, and climbing up my legs.  He continues to teeth, and bites anything in sight.  (I have baby teeth marks on my fingers and arms to prove it.)  He has started climbing on furniture and up-and-over couch cushions, which he also bites.  He frequently protests his cage--er, crib at nap time, and bites that too.  He loves going for walks, or any outdoor excursion.  And, he seems more interested in socializing with other babies and small children.

All of this growth and new development adds up to Ezra being a much more content baby.  Ezra seems to relish in his mobility because he has so many more choices and greater independence.

In addition to greater control over his body movements, his desire for greater variety in food choices is expanding too.  Here's an example: Ezra had been enjoying fruits, such as blueberries and pieces of grape, but now seems to be getting bored with those options.  On a whim, I shared some of my lentil soup with Ezra, and he loved it, completely ignoring all the sweeter food on his tray.  Similar story with breakfast: bits of my toast with almond butter (a recent introduction) are gobbled up, and boring old pieces of banana are thrown overboard.       

Reason no. 93

Dear Dallin,

Our move has meant some adjustments for all of us, especially you.  You commute 50-minutes each way in a car that runs best without using the air conditioning.  In these last few weeks, the 90-100 degree days mean you come home sweaty and tired, but I never hear you complain.  You are up earlier and home later than normal, but I never hear you complain.  You have a new, demanding calling at church that eats up additional time in your shorter-than-usual evening, but I never hear you complain. 

Sweetie, thank you for being my example in choosing to focus on the good.  Thank you for choosing to be a wonderful husband and father even after a full work day and a long commute.  Thank you continually exceeding my expectations.  I am so lucky to have you.

All my love, Liezel     

A Good Beginning

In an effort to introduce some more creativity into my culinary efforts, I have tried a new dinner recipe for the last fourteen nights (minus our vacation).  Some of the recipes have turned out better than others, but it has been a fun experiment.  My project is not done; I am still on the look-out for fresh ideas, and intend to continue for the foreseeable future.   

For a number of reasons, I am also currently interested in adding vegetarian meals to the mix.  My experience with anything vegetarian is almost nil; my understanding of a vegetarian diet doesn't go much beyond beans and tofu.  So, I consulted the expertise of several friends and was given (amongst others) two recommendations.  First, a comprehensive 996-page behemoth of a book, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, by Mark Bittman.  Second, an award-winning food blog authored by Heidi Swanson called 101 Cookbooks that features an encyclopedic collection of flavorful vegetarian meals using only whole, natural foods.

Needless to say, I was (am) intimidated, but not turned off.  I determined to start with my go-to food and start nibbling away.  Quinoa is one of my favorites (Dallin and Ezra feel the same way), and as a complete protein, and one of the healthiest grains on the market, I figured it was a good beginning point.

Naturally, I found a plethora of quinoa creations, but began with this one from the food blog: baked quinoa patties.  They were delectable--soft and chewy, fresh, and flavorful.  I put our kitchen garden to good use too, as the recipe calls for fresh chives, dill, and kale.  The cumin and feta were perfect companions to all the fresh greens.  I also tried the ultimate veggie burger the same night, which has a garbanzo bean base and lots of fresh lemon zest.

Next on my list, Mark Bittman's vegan lunch, (Indian style): rice salad, red lentils with Chaat Masala, and Chapati flatbread.  Yum!   

Autonomy: Exercise 1

In the last week or so mealtime had turned into a fight between Ezra and me.  Ezra didn't want what I feed him, and hollering was his modus operandi.  The problem, though, was with me; I wasn't understanding his communication.

He isn't a little bird anymore.  Pureed foods on a spoon is old hat.  Ezra wants his independence.  He wants control over some part of his world, and meal time is at the top of his list.  I have caught unto his message, and baby and mommy have made peace again with food.

Ezra has three teeth (and another on the way) and he craves opportunity to use them.  Ezra is perfecting his thumb-pointer finger grasp, and he needs essential practice time to develop this new skill.  Now, instead of pureed foods, he eats baby bites of the whole food.  I put things like blueberries, watermelon, pears, cheese bits, cooked peas and carrots on his tray, and he feeds himself at his own pace.    

Lesson from the Garden

Good and bad exist side-by-side.  There must be opposition, even in the garden.  Take for example, our spinach leaves that have been sorely afflicted with spinach leafminer.  The eggs of said pest look innocent enough, but the insect that comes later ravages the leaves, making them inedible.  

Aphids, another common (voracious) pest, have started feasting on our dill.  But, never fear, alongside the pests, the beneficial insects have taken up residence too.  These tiny orange eggs are future lady bugs, who have arrived as a natural control for the undesirable aphids.

 

I am in awe of the intricate workings in the small ecosystem of our backyard vegetable garden!    

Nurture

Shortly before we moved out of our apartment community, I met our new upstairs neighbors--a beautiful family: mother, father, and two-year old daughter.  The husband worked at a company within walking distance and came home for lunch everyday.  The mother and daughter went on walks around the apartment community regularly.  One day, we happened to bump into each other, both out for walks with our little ones.  We shared some information about our children and our status as stay-at-home mothers.  From all face-value observations, it seemed that this was an incredibly loving, gentle, educated, stable mother.  Her next comment, though, really surprised me.  After summing up her role as mother, she added, "But really, I am just a babysitter."

I didn't know what to say.  How do you respond to that?  In fact, I have been mulling on it of and on ever since.

I started babysitting when I was eleven, and I think I did a pretty good job.  I brought games and books with me.  I was attentive and aware.  I followed bed-time regimens, and tried to leave the house cleaner than I found it.  Over the years, I had a few regular babysitting jobs, ones where I was called several times a month, sometimes every Friday night.  I suppose I had some attachment to those children.  But, it was still just a job, and not my full-time responsibility.

It could be very easy for me to think of myself in terms of babysitter.  I could, if I let myself, see my mothering as just mechanical fulfillment of needs.  Change diaper.  Feed baby.  Go on walk.  Read books.  Nap.  (start over)....The routine could become monotony, drudgery, and obligation.

As I have pondered my neighbor's comment, the word that keeps coming to mind is perspective.  Especially a long-term perspective, a wide-angle view, the big picture.  The answer is in The Plan of Happiness, which is a plan for families.  The Plan of Happiness is our long-term perspective.  It is how we understand where we came from, and why we are here, and where we are going.   With an understanding of those critical questions, family becomes infinitely more meaningful.  We can appreciate that we are created in the image of God, and have divine potential, and so do our children.  We can appreciate that we made a choice to come here for a season of testing with a physical body, and our children made the same choice.  We can appreciate that we are stewards and partners with God in loving and leading them.

I am impressed with this statement in The Family: A Proclamation to the World:

"Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children."  

That single sentence is the only thing that is directed specifically to mothers.  Other parental guidelines are outlined, but only this one sentence for the role of mother.  Honestly, I don't exactly understand the how of nurturing.  I do appreciate a definition by Julie B. Beck, former Relief Society General President.  She defined nurturing as, "to help to make grow."  Nurture is ever so much more than a checklist.  Nurture goes beyond task, chore, or duty.  What does seem apparent is that to nurture requires time, patience, consistency, and diligence.

Nurture also implies that you have a vision of future potential.  If you nurture a plant, to help it to grow, then you must first believe in its potential to grow.  Why give careful attention to something that you doubt will become better?  Mothers who nurture their children believe in their children's divine worth.  They anticipate their greatness and future potential.  They seek inspiration in encouraging that potential.  Nurturing children is best accomplished in partnership with God; He who knows us best and loves us most.        

In all the rush, I forgot my brain

Here's the scenario:

Sunday morning.  I am running late for church.  Come bounding down the stairs with my scriptures in hand.  Husband and baby are patiently waiting outside.  I put my scriptures on top the car, and put baby in the car.  I get in the car.  We drive to church.  It isn't until we are at church that I remember why I can't find my scriptures.  We go in, husband and mother-in-law have a pow-wow and determine to leave part way through the meeting to go looking for lost scriptures.  They come back...empty-handed.  No luck, they looked everywhere.  The meeting ends and I am feeling incredibly stupid and sad for my carelessness.  Someone taps me on the shoulder, and hands me my scriptures, with hardly a scratch or speck of dust!  It turns out that this family lives in the same neighborhood as us, and they were running slightly more tardy than we were.  They came out of the neighborhood, turned onto the frontage road and were approaching the first stoplight when they spotted a set of scriptures in the middle of the road.  So, they did what any scripture-rescuing Good Samaritan family might do--they pulled a quick U-turn, and elected their eldest son to dodge traffic and nab the lost scriptures.  

So, it helps to have Mormon neighbors.  And God is in the details, and He is exceedingly merciful.  And I am very, very grateful. 

Singing in the Rain

Dear Colorado,

Thank you for the rain last night.  Granted, rain isn't really your forte, but thanks just the same.

Oh, you do a lot of other things well, like mountain vistas--very impressive.  And picturesque winter scenes--nice job.  Big sky sunsets, cool evenings, undiluted sunshine year-round, yes, kudos, you do it all well.

I must admit, though, for a dry Rocky Mountain state, the rainstorm wasn't half bad; I give it 7 out of 10 stars.  What?  Too harsh, you say?  Do you remember my roots?  I grew up with Houston downpours that are the poster child for "raining cats and dogs."  Don't forget my exposure to Iowa Tornado Alley hail, lightning and thunder storms, with green sky, and the works.  Atlanta knows rain: all-day long drenching flash flood-type rain.  Perhaps you could learn a lesson or two from your sister states to the east.

But, it was rain just the same, and a nice refreshing one at that; long enough to do some good, but not so harsh that it washed the flower beds away.  And, for what it's worth, this girl-in-love-with-the-rain went to bed with a happy heart.

Yours respectfully,
 Liezel

Tetris Success

One of the goals for our move-in was to store all of our unused stuff upstairs in the bedroom that Ezra is using.  We were trying to avoid adding clutter to the newly tidied basement or having to rent a storage unit.  

The organization was easier said than done, but it was done!  

Ezra's room is now one-half nursery...

 ...and one-half storage room.  

Luckily his room is just for sleeping and getting dressed, so I think the set-up will work fine for the next year.   

Story-time Conversations

One of my favorite times with Ezra is story-time.  Typically, he sits on my lap and I set a little pile of books on one side of me; finished books go in a little pile on the other side of me.  Our "little pile" is usually about four quick books, appropriate for the attention span of an almost nine-month old.  Story-time regularly includes mommy/baby conversations that go something like this:

Mommy: (finishing a book) "The end.  That's the end of the story."  (Book closed and put in the done pile).

Ezra: (looking earnestly at the completed book).  "Um."

Mommy:  "We finished the book; it's all done."

Ezra:  "Um." (somewhat anxious, pats the book, looks at me).

Mommy:  "Do you want to read a new book?"  (I pat a new book in the other pile).

Ezra: "Um."  (reaches for a new book, pats it, looks at me).

Mommy:  "We'll read this one, okay?"  (I pick up a new book).

Ezra: "Um." (settles back into my lap and waits expectantly).

This little conversation pattern repeats for each finished book and each new book started.  Precious!

Bright spots amidst the boxes

The month of May has slipped through my fingers.  Packing, organizing, cleaning, and then unpacking, organizing and cleaning again pretty well sums up my month.  Aside from that monotony, here are a few of the other activities (happy, new, and/or rewarding):

•  The park near our apartment hosted half a dozen food trucks several weeknights in May.  We took advantage of food coming to us and had a picnic.  
• My friend from church, a Wisconsin transplant, asked me to design a little garden space in her backyard.  I drew up a plan, she loved the design, and wanted to implement it immediately.  We went to the plant nursery together (should have seen us...giddy as school girls) and picked out all her plants.  Before I moved she had finished the installation.  I bust a button or two seeing the plan on paper become a real garden space that she can love.
• The physical therapist made weekly visits right up until our move day.  Progress is slow, but there is progress.  Ezra can lift his torso off the ground now, pivot some, and scoot backwards.  I appreciate having help from the therapist, and recognize Ezra's good efforts!
• My sweetheart and I were asked to speak in church on Mother's Day (gulp...)  But, despite the potential emotional whirlpool on that day, I think we did alright.  The next Sunday, the choir sang one last time, a difficult arrangement of "Praise to the Man", and I have never been so relieved as when we finished that piece!  It was our swan song, albeit dramatic and fortissimo.  
• We moved the same week as two other families in our ward, but the good news is, not everyone was burned out, and helpers showed up to assist.  Dallin had originally reserved a 20' truck, but at the last minute we decided that maybe something bigger would be better.  We upgraded to a 26' truck--and filled it!
• We moved to my in-law's house (we will be surrogate care-takers for the next year while they are in China) on a very rainy morning.  The good news is, we had taken special care to put down sticky plastic carpet protector, so the newly cleaned carpet stayed nice. 
• One of our first dinners after moving in was courtesy of the garden!  The Asian Mesclun salad mix that I planted in late March is up and beautiful!  I can't tell you how wonderful it was to walk out the back door and harvest veggies!  The greens were picked, made into a lovely Asian salmon salad, and thoroughly enjoyed.  
• Our first post-move-in date night was spent at a local plant nursery where we bought summer vegetables for the backyard raised beds, and annuals for the decorative pots on the front porch.  I was most pleased with getting to play in the dirt again, and feel like a very lucky Liezel to have such a terrific bit of earth to tend for the next year.    

Relocation

This has been home for the last two years.  We are moving on, and in the process of relocating, I realize how much I have loved living here, and how leaving will be hard.  I have lived in enough places, however, to know that there are always plenty of goodies around the next corner, but have felt extra nostalgic about leaving this place.  I have felt nostalgic because this was our first home together as a married couple and because our first baby was born here.  There are so many important and meaningful memories that give this place a special spirit.  I suppose I am also nostalgic because it has been such a good beginning for our family and a certain amount of looking back in gratitude gives me faith and courage for the next leg of the journey.

He's Back!

For the last week Ezra's personality has been altogether different.  He slept poorly.  He refused all baby food.  He nursed grudgingly and fitfully.  He cried constantly, whether he was being held or not.  He wouldn't play, he wouldn't talk.  And he wouldn't laugh or smile.  (A baby without a smile is incredibly depressing!)  The lost smile was especially noticeable; our friends at church noticed, family noticed, even strangers in the grocery store noticed.  The cause?  Baby's first tooth.

Today, the old Ezra came back!  He smiled all day long, and he laughed!  He played with his toys and started to verbalize and coo again.  Hallelujah!    

I thought I was a fairly patient and charitable mommy, until this last week, and learned that I have a long way to go.  But, for better or for worse (gulp..) Ezra has a lot more teeth yet to come, so I will get another go at patience.

p.s.--and today Ezra is eight months old!

Reason no. 139

Dear Dallin,

You know what I love about you?  You are focused.  You are not easily distracted from something important.  You are consistent and attentive.  And, because of you and your lovely qualities, our little indoor vegetable plot is thriving.  Our happy tomato plants thank you for being so diligent a water-er, and so do I.

Love always, Liezel 

Guilty Pleasure

I went to a garden center today to do some research for a little landscape design I am working on, and left with very itchy (figuratively-speaking) fingers.  I was touching and smelling everything in sight, all ga-ga with the plant pretties.  It was all I could do not to gather up a whole armful of 4" pots and race gleefully to the cashier.  With great restraint, I left empty-handed, though I might have salivated on a few perennials on the way out.  Supposing I had a yard, and supposing there were discretionary income (and time...) I could be a garden center junkie, no problem.   

Learning Together

My sweet little Ezra had a developmental evaluation recently, and it was determined that he has some gross motor delays.  During the evaluation, an early childhood educator commented on one of Ezra's behaviors.  She noted that at least seven times during the evaluation he would grunt and then look at me if he had a need, such as a toy that was out of reach.  Apparently, he has learned that I can solve his problems, and I probably have, unknowingly, responded to his simple communication pattern many times.  The early childhood educator didn't have to do anything more than bring up the observed behavior; I got the message.  Over the past few days I have thought of that little experience at least a dozen times.  I am impressed with Ezra's desire to communicate, with his understanding that I can meet his needs.  I am also more cognizant of my interactions with him, seeing now how observant and interactive he is with me.  I recognize that, even as a baby, he needs to develop certain "self-help" behaviors, and his primary means of learning that is from me.  It is very humbling.  Everything I do teaches him how to approach his world.
It is a fine line that I walk as a good parent.  I need to help without hovering.  I need to guide without smothering.  I need to give him room to grow.  I recognize that he is a happy little sponge, absorbing from me emotions, skills, mannerisms, and stimuli.  I feel so grateful to be a full-time mom and help shape his world in the best ways.  

Moon Gate Revisited

We are members of the botanic garden and visit many times a year. On those occasions when we are visiting the garden with other family members, we make it a point to have our picture taken at the moon gate in the Chinese garden. And, in the past two years, those pictures have captured various stages in our family progression. Here is our latest from the week before Easter when my mom and sister were visiting us. I think a family tradition is born!

When a thing is wick...

it has a life inside it...and it makes the advent of spring magical! She's here--spring that is--early and unseasonably warm, but most welcome. My sweetheart started our summer seedlings indoors, and the basil (pictured above) is going gain-busters. Some others are starting to come up now as well. We purchased a special T5 light this season for the seedlings, and it seems to be helping a lot.

On Monday, I planted an early spring garden at some neighbor friend's in our ward. They own an acre (or more?), and offered a "bit of earth" to us for planting. The best part? Thanks to their neighbors (who own several horses) the beds are seasoned with all the fresh manure they care to shovel. So, basically, my little seeds are growing in black gold. I planted spinach, 'Red Sails' leaf lettuce, arugula, chives, cilantro, green onions, Swiss chard, and snow peas.

Tomorrow I am planting a similar early spring garden at my mother-in-law's house. Bring on the leafy greens!

Tender Mercies

This past Monday it was my turn to prepare the lesson for our family home evening. I felt impressed to share a talk given by Elder David A. Bednar in the April 2005 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints called The Tender Mercies of the Lord.

Several times in this talk, Elder Bednar testifies to the following:

"The Lord’s tender mercies do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Faithfulness, obedience, and humility invite tender mercies into our lives, and it is often the Lord’s timing that enables us to recognize and treasure these important blessings."

With his words newly imprinted on our minds, the events of this weekend were most interesting.
On Friday, Dallin and I went to the temple for date night and Ezra went to Grandma's house. After our evening at the temple, we went to dinner at a mall area just a few minutes from Grandma's house. As we were leaving the parking lot, our car showed signs of serious distress. We had just gotten into Grandma's neighborhood when the car died. It came back on one more time, choked, sputtered, and then died again. We were just a block or so from the house and so we walked the rest of the way.

Let me interrupt for a moment to say that earlier that day I had been out and about with Ezra twenty miles from home doing errands; the car performed perfectly normal. We drove 50 minutes to Grandma's house that evening; the car performed perfectly normal. We continued on to the temple, another 35 minutes; the car performed perfectly normal. Only when were were minutes from Grandma's house--walking distance!--did the car have problems. I am humbled to think of all the things that could have gone wrong that didn't. I am humbled to consider how we were protected from harm's way throughout the evening. I am humbled to recognize the tender mercies of the Lord.

"The Lord’s tender mercies do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Faithfulness, obedience, and humility invite tender mercies into our lives, and it is often the Lord’s timing that enables us to recognize and treasure these important blessings."

We were stranded, but conveniently so! We stayed the night at Grandma's house where there are beds and food to spare. On Saturday, Dallin used his time and resources, and some mechanical grit I didn't know was in him, to diagnose and fix the car himself. My sweetheart put in a new fuel pump and fuel filter, and with some timely help from a mechanic friend, the car was up and running again.

We have been so blessed by the Lord's tender mercies!

Happy Birthday!

My sweetheart is celebrating a milestone birthday today (...rhymes with dirty). Perhaps the years have played a dirty trick, but baby and I are determined to make it his best birthday yet!

We love you!

An Irish Blessing

I think a wee bit of the Irish luck be with us this evening. The little one rolled over (from back to tummy) for the first time! It isn't just a passing fancy lads and lassies, for he's done it now several times in a row. A pat on the back for the little one; 'tis harder than it looks.

Time flies...

...whether you having fun or not!

So, I guess it has been a busy month, or I am just head-in-the-sand focused on doing daily life.

Here is a quick run-down of the goodies from this last month:

• My sweetie added two more orchids to our collection, of the Dendrobium genus. All three are currently blooming and on warm, sunny days, the fragrance is very nice.
• A new "health miles challenge" started through husband's employer, so we wear our respective pedometers religiously. Daily goal: 7000 + steps.
  
• Relief Society Women's Conference featuring Sister Barbara Thompson of the General Relief Society Presidency, who is quick to laugh at life and herself. A jolly woman with wonderful counsel.
• New efforts at better recipe planning/shopping is helping the budget! The other week I bought enough produce for almost every letter in the alphabet (apple, avocado, beet, banana, cilantro, celery...)
  
• A trip to the Denver Temple (& a baby switch-off) to do family names. Hooray!
• Ezra turned six-months old! He likes to grunt, bang his fists on the floor, verbalize, and clap his hands. Oh, and he is now eating baby food (officially). The pea puree is a big hit.
  
• Ward choir (sixteen member strong!) sang for our ward conference.
  

We Love You Daddy

While I was trying to catch some cute pictures of Ezra (and not having any luck), daddy came home from work. Enter daddy, hello smiles! We love you daddy!

Year 2012, Day 44

• Ezra had two pooped diaper/outfit blow-outs and he peed on me BEFORE 9 a.m. The good news? He has a good working system and (thankfully) we were still at home.
• Baby and I got cleaned up and went to run four errands at four different stores. Errand # 1: didn't have the color I needed. Errand #2: didn't have the size or quantity I needed. Errand # 3: didn't have the item at all; they were completely sold out (this is at a grocery store, mind you). Errand # 4: I needed to return something and even though I double-checked before leaving that I had the receipt, when I got to the store, it had somehow vanished (sigh.) The good news? I am developing some serious arm muscles with all of this baby-in-the-car, baby-out-of-the-car and Ezra was either asleep or content in his car seat for the entire escapade. And, I remembered to wear the pedometer today and my steps are racking up!
  
• The public library is having a children's book sale today--25 cents each or five books for $1.00. The good news? I went to the sale and found an armful of goodies, including one of my favorites, The Gardener by Sarah Stewart.
• And did I mention that the weather is gorgeous? Sunny, clear, a balmy 42 degrees. All things considered, it has been a good day.
  

Compelling Reason

A number of years ago, one of my co-workers discovered I was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He had heard a little about the Mormons from his Baptist preacher and asked what we believed. I was a little unsure of his level of genuine interest after that kind of introduction, so I began with some basic things. I told him that we pay 10% of our income annually as tithing to the church. I explained that we abstain from coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. I told him about the law of chastity, our Sabbath day observance, and our humanitarian and missionary efforts around the world.

When I finished, he replied matter-of-factly, "Oh, so you are just good people."

And, by that brief definition, he was exactly right. Unfortunately, he and I never finished our conversation. He was called away to another work assignment, and shortly thereafter left the company. The fact is, a great majority of people across the globe are "good people", by that definition. I have had friends of other faiths who--for religious or personal reasons--paid tithes, abstained from harmful, addictive substances, lived the law of chastity, worshiped on the Sabbath, and were charitable and compassionate to their neighbors.

I have been bothered by that conversation all these years because, in my view, it was an unfinished conversation. If given the opportunity again, I would have started with The Book of Mormon. As "another testament of Jesus Christ" and a companion book of scripture to the Bible, it is the compelling reason we are unique among all other religions. The Book of Mormon is a record of holy scripture that chronicles the dealings of God with the people in the Americas over a period of roughly 1000 years. It clarifies the doctrine of Christ, the plan of salvation, and our purpose in mortality. It is additional evidence that God continues to speak to his children. The Book of Mormon is filled with references to Jesus Christ as received through his ordained prophets on the earth.

"Good people" is certainly nothing to be ashamed of, in fact, I am grateful to be seen in that light. But, there is more to the story. Along with being good people, we are also covenant-keeping people. The Book of Mormon contains, in clear terms, the nature of the covenants we make. Faith in Jesus Christ, who is so plainly revealed in The Book of Mormon, is the reason we desire to make and keep our covenants. My personal testimony of the truthfulness of The Book of Mormon reinforces my efforts to honor my covenants.

The Taste of Lebanon

I just stumbled across this food blog http://arabic-food.blogspot.com/with recipes from all over the Arabic world. If you like the tastes of these foods (or LOVE them, like me), this is definitely an amazing collection. We tried something simple tonight: a Lebanese-style lentil soup and chicken marinade. The flavor combinations were wonderful!

Grandpa Green

I recently discovered a new (2011) children's book called Grandpa Green, written and illustrated by Lane Smith. The concept is genius; he pairs horticulture and family history. I wish I had thought of that!
The story is told through the eyes of one of Grandpa Green's great-grandsons. We are given a living tour of Grandpa's defining life experiences as recorded in his topiary garden. The illustrations are simple: black-and-white pencil drawn caricatures and the green topiary creations. Clever details are sprinkled in that give this book a fun character. A great find!

A Macaroni Triumph

When I got married, I was cooking (for the most part) dairy-free and gluten-free. It made for some very interesting substitutions, especially with husband's favorite comfort food: homemade macaroni and cheese. My original macaroni and "cheese" recipe used sesame tahini, nutritional yeast, dijon mustard, and balsamic vinegar as the cheese substitute. We have slowly evolved from strict dairy-free and gluten-free to some gluten, and dairy sparingly. During said transition, I have continued to make macaroni and cheese, but with some minor substitutions, like soy milk instead of cow's milk or gluten-free flour rather than regular white flour. Results have been sadly flawed: soupy or curdled cheese sauce (or part soupy and part curdled sauce in the same batch--eek!) or completely bland tasteless paste for cheese sauce. I have finally realized that some things just have to be made perfectly by the book to work. Last week I bought a half gallon of real cow's milk for the first time in almost eight years. I also bought extra sharp cheddar cheese and real butter. I found this recipe http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/04/macaroni-cheese/and followed it exactly. And, after half a dozen attempts in the last several months, I have finally made a good macaroni and cheese. Hallelujah.

Tidy Tommy was here

As much as I like to be organized, some things just aren't on my radar. At such times, it sure is nice when handsome husband (aka Tidy Tommy) steps in when I just don't have the mental energy. He didn't just organize the pantry, like a good engineer he:

• analyzed the existing system
• identified the system's deficiencies
  
• outlined improvements for said system
• categorized the system's components and
  
• implemented defined system improvements
  

Basically, he made it look good enough for a retail display. (All the cans are facing forward with easily read labels!) And, like a good engineer, it is all in the name of efficiency, which translates into making my life just a little bit easier.

Variety Show

Along with music time, tummy time, story time, play time, bath time, walks, and errands, I have added (unintentionally) a nightly cooking show to the mix.

I host my own show and Ezra is my captive audience. He has grown out of his bouncy chair and now uses his high chair daily. It comes in handy when I need to cook dinner. He watches me intently as I chop, measure, stir, and simmer all manner of foods. He is fascinated by steam from boiling pots, dish washing, and the refrigerator. He will sit in his high chair, with an army of toys, for nearly an hour, content, as long as I am hosting a good enough "show." And by "show" I mean we have an intellectual conversation about my culinary doings. I tell him about chopping bell peppers, the importance of disinfecting the counter top after working with raw meat, how to tell when the pasta is ready, and the art of seasoning to taste. Chances are high I am raising a foodie.

One of my other hats is circus performer. Ezra, darling boy, has yet to figure out the entertain yourself bit. So, mommy is a singing dancing spectacle. I have been known to bark like a dog in order to produce giggles. All in a day's work; I love it.

O Remember, Remember

My parents gave my siblings and me a great treasure for Christmas. We each received a small leather-bound 3-ring binder with the "large and small plates" for our family. The "large plate" section of the book has records of our temporal or secular history. These include (as of right now) four archival quality compact discs of genealogy life sketches and ancestral photos.

The "small plate" section contains the sacred, spiritual records that are specific to our family. This part of the book contains a dozen or so faith-building personal stories transcribed from journals or written from memory. The small plate section is, of course, an unfinished record that will be added upon over the years.

This gift from my parents comes at an interesting time for me. I have, for about four months, felt a strong compulsion to record my own personal and family history in a more meaningful way. I think it has something to do with the new Relief Society book, Daughters in My Kingdom, and its emphasis on the organization's history. An understanding of where we came from, and who has gone before really can be an inspiration for good. I think it has something to do with the talk from David A. Bednar in the October 2011 General Conference, "The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn". I heard and felt in that particular talk my marching orders in regards to how I can bless my children. I think it has something to do with having a child and feeling a responsibility to the next generation.

Henry B. Eyring gave a talk in the October 2007 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and said the following:

When our children were very small, I started to write down a few things about what happened every day. Let me tell you how that got started. I came home late from a Church assignment. It was after dark. My father-in-law, who lived near us, surprised me as I walked toward the front door of my house. He was carrying a load of pipes over his shoulder, walking very fast and dressed in his work clothes. I knew that he had been building a system to pump water from a stream below us up to our property.

He smiled, spoke softly, and then rushed past me into the darkness to go on with his work. I took a few steps toward the house, thinking of what he was doing for us, and just as I got to the door, I heard in my mind—not in my own voice—these words: “I’m not giving you these experiences for yourself. Write them down.”

I honor my parents who have taken that thought to heart and are doing something about it. I express my gratitude to parents who have the righteous desire to inspire faith in the next generation. I thank my Father in Heaven for parents who "...talk of Christ, ...rejoice in Christ, ...[and] preach of Christ...that [we their] children may know to what source [we] may look for a remission of [our] sins" (2 Nephi 25:26).

More than Coincidental

For my birthday (2010) my sweetheart bought me an orchid. It bloomed for the first time nine months later, the week of our first anniversary. It bloomed for the second time the week of Christmas. Just coincidental? Yea, most likely, but fantastic timing, nonetheless.As I think about this last year and look forward to year 2012, I recognize with gratitude blessings received that are so much more than serendipity or coincidence. I acknowledge a merciful Father in Heaven and His gifts to our family in the following:

• January 2011 kicked off with wonderful news: I am expecting!
  
• Participation in the stake Relief Society choir for our February women's conference during the height of my pregnancy nausea. Somehow, the singing was a distraction and a spiritual boost through a difficult time.
• My brother and sister-in-law welcomed their first child in April, a perfect little red-headed girl.
• My sweetheart completed his rotation in June with a successful work campaign (the summation of months of round-the-clock preparation).
• My sweetheart began another year-long work rotation that meant we didn't have to move.
  
• I attended the Atlanta Temple re-dedication and cultural celebration in May.
• The privilege of serving for eight months of 2011 as a temple ordinance worker.
• Kuzmich 3 became 3 +1 adding their own sweet little boy in late August.
  
• Our sweet baby boy joined our family in a miraculous way in September. I thank extremely competent and inspired doctors for his safe arrival.
  
• A wonderful blessing weekend with many family members in town for the occasion.
  
• Thanksgiving and sushi night with all of my sweetheart's family in town.
• Christmas with most of my family in Utah.
  

Genealogy Fan Chart

I was looking at the new youth and family history site (https://lds.org/youth/family-history?lang=eng) on the lds.org home page and found this nifty nine generation genealogy fan chart. If you have an lds account it will create this chart for you automatically. Give it a try!

Genealogy Fan Chart

My Patient Patient

Ezra and I have been sick, and Ezra has been an angel of a patient. Even when I do mean mommy things like suck out his snot with a nose bulb or spray saline drops up his nasal passages, he is still so loving. Several times in recent days, he has given me a look that seems to communicate his gratitude for my efforts and his trust in my ability as a mother. I have really needed his non-verbal vote of confidence lately. I marvel at his happy ways even when he is obviously uncomfortable. He is such a sweet example to me of patience and understanding. I feel so grateful to be his mother.

E is for Ermine, don't you know...

During story time yesterday baby and I read an animal ABC book. The book, first published in 1954, was rather drab...A is for Alligator, B is for Bear, C is for Cat, D is for Deer, E is for Ermine...Eh? The letter E was apparently the curve-ball, the "are-you still-awake-out there?" page. Considering the previous four letters I was anticipating something mainstream and generic, like elephant or eagle or elk or earthworm or ewe.
But, curious George that I am, page 5 and this mystery animal prompted a little zoological exploration. (Perhaps this was the author's intention?) After a little research I have learned that an ermine is in fact a short-tailed weasel, also known as a stoat and lives in mostly northern climes, like Canada and Alaska.
The letter X animal was another interesting page; X is (obviously!) for Xenurus, as in Xenurus unicintus, the Latin name for armadillo. Right, I bet your three-year old will make a connection with that one. (***Note to self, share this story with your child the next time you drive through west Texas and carefully help him identify the Xenurus roadkill).
I guess I am a children's book snob, but I am not terribly motivated to read that particular ABC book again. I could, on the other hand, read Dr. Seuss's ABC book every day to my little boy. Dr. Seuss, who published his ABC book in 1963, not only understands his audience, he understands how important it is to educate AND entertain his audience. The variety, repetition, and word combination patterns are fantastic--bursting with creativity and fun. B isn't just for Bear, it is for barber, baby, bubbles, and a bumblebee. What little kid wouldn't giggle at the feast for the ears in "four fluffy feathers on a fiffer-feeffer-feff" or "the quick Queen of Quincy and her quacking quaker-oo"?! Y isn't just for Yak, it is a yawning, yellow yak with Yolanda on his back! I love it! Now that is a story time to look forward to!

p.s.--for older kids I love Graeme Base's Animalia, another alliterative alphabet book with stunning illustrations.

Music Man

It is never very productive to pine over bygone days, but I must admit I feel a bit cheated by the timing of my dating relationship with Dallin. I didn't meet him until after his music glory days in college, after his concerto competitions, after his time as concert master, after his recitals, and gigs for campus elites. Sometimes I wish I could have been a fly on the wall or a mouse in the corner during those days to see Dallin in first chair in the orchestra, Dallin wowing the crowds, Dallin in the spotlight.
This past week I got a small glimpse of that Dallin, and Dallin had a walk down memory lane as he was invited to sub in the city symphony orchestra where he attended college. I got quite the thrill attending an orchestra concert, which I am always game for. Even better, though, my sweetheart was in the orchestra all dressed up, and playing with professionals. I couldn't have been prouder. I love being married to a musician. I am sure there will be other orchestra invitations in the years to come. And, in the meantime, I can enjoy his fiddling from the comfort of our living room couch in pajamas. How did I get so lucky?

Collecting

Ezra and I took a lovely fall walk and while he slept, oblivious to all the beauty, mommy collected a whole slew of colorful flora. I was in a creative mood and came home and made a quick horticulture collage of my plant samples:

Categorizing is always fun, so I made a group for everything red:


And everything yellow:


For all the fruits, pods, and seed heads:


And because I am a plant nerd, how about alphabetically by Latin name? (arranged from bottom to top: Acer, Baptisia, Calamagrostis, Caryopteris, Catalpa, Chrysanthemum, Cornus, Fraxinus, Gaillardia, Geranium, Gleditisia, Juniperus, Lavandula, Malus...)


I won't bore you with all the other ways I thought to subdivide my collection, but suffice it to say, I am easily entertained.