'Tis the season to...

GRADUATE!!!

I just got my official certificate of completion for my independent study class--my last class of my undergraduate career. Bittersweet moment (as you can see from my face.) Actually, mostly just pretty darn sweet! It was a close call. Two whole weeks of sweat and tears went into that blasted class, making me one sweaty, happy college graduate. Just one more thing to celebrate! Life is good.

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In other news, Chace will also be 'graduating' from Dow's Commercial Development Program next week, after which we will probably be graduating from from being Michiganders to being Chicagoans, and from apartment rentership to home ownership. Unfortunately, I will probably be graduating from my regular wardrobe to maternity clothing and, I'm certain, after several holiday feasts in the coming weeks, from the 150 lbs and under category! But I suppose it's all worth it for our graduation from childlessness to parenthood! We sure like this little lady already--even if she does wake up her mammy in the wee hours of the morning with her squirming...

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P.S. Little Cricket's mugshots to come. And for those who've requested belly pictures: don't worry-- there hasn't been much to see till recently. I'll see if I can bring myself to post a picture of my jolly self one of these days... no promises!

A Word On Motherhood

I first saw this on a handout announcing a mother's group activity. My sisters and I laughed heartily. What makes it so funny? Is it the fact that it's true? I'm not sure, but it has been very thought provoking for me.

*Disclaimer: I am not, and have never been, a mother. That is, unless you count my brief stint as a tomato mother this summer, which ended in my being forced to give up my precious tomato plant baby for adoption when we moved to NJ. Or unless you count my numerous childhood attempts as a parakeet mother, all of which ended with a little heap of stiff, starved feathers at the bottom of a cage, followed by another tearful placement of a large rock in the corner of the yard surrounded by an awkward planting of woodland hyacinths and other flowers stolen from various flowerbeds. (Mom! Dad! Why did you keep letting me get parakeets!?)

However, I have had the privilege of observing many mothers, none of them perfect, but some better than others.

Recently I had the misfortune to be lazing by our pool in New Jersey one fine day, enjoying the glorious sunshine and a good book, when my peace was interrupted by a mother. I repeat, by a mother, not by her children who were, granted, making all kinds of noise. But their noise was not offensive to me. Hers was. At intervals of about 3 minutes, this mother would take a break from her conversation with another mother (which must have been a real sacrifice for her, as they were discussing with relish their favorite late-night reality t.v. show). She would then proceed to bark at her three children for a period of about 5 minutes, after which she would resume her conversation, apparently satisfied that she adequately demonstrated--to the entire neighborhood-- what a conscientious parent she was. These are the kinds of things I heard:

"Barney! BARNEY! Get out of that pool this INSTANT!"

"Why, Mom?"

"Barneeeeeeeey! Don't make me count to 3! One... Two..."

"I'm coming! What is it?"

"Take a drink of water!)

"But I'm not thirsty..." (Barney reluctantly drinks)

"More... MORE! Three more gulps! THAT wasn't even a gulp! C'mon Barney, three big gulps... NOW! Don't MAKE me count..."

"Mavis! If I have to tell you one more time to get your thumb out of your mouth, you're gonna be sorry! Who do you think's gonna pay for your braces when you look like some kind of circus freak! Huh? HUH?!?"

"But Mom, I think I got stung by a bee..."
"Don't give me your excuses! Did I raise you to talk back to me?"

"Elbert! ELBERT!!! Get over here this minute and tell my why you splashed water on your sister!"

"Because... we're at a pool. We're just playing around. See? Look, she's laughing. Everyone's splashing..."

"OH YEAH?! If everyone decided to jump in front of a train, would you do it too? Huh? Sit down over there in the scorching sun and shut up until you can behave yourself. And TAKE THREE GULPS OF WATER!!!"

*Names changed to protect childrens' identities. And okay, I may have exaggerated the outrageousness of this mothers' demands a little--but not much!

I'm a realist. I know that mothers don't always like their children, but I think they sometimes have more choice in the matter than they care to claim. I mean, seriously, what's one more gulp of water? Maybe it's a matter of choosing one's battles a little more carefully. And I'm always interested to see how different parents go about it. This is an area in which I think my parents excelled, and that my siblings are good at too. We always knew that our parents loved us, and maybe more importantly that they liked us (there's a big difference), even when we were naughty. And now it's such a delight to see how my siblings genuinely enjoy their kids. Not that they're always angelic. Kids aren't supposed to be! But their parents have commented to me that, often, the characteristics in their children that drive them the most crazy are also the things that they most enjoy and admire about them. Maybe that's the trick. Remembering that they're children, and remembering to admire them.

But, again, what do I know? I may eat these words someday. For as I said, I'm not a mother. At least, not until April 7th... ish!

So, apparently we should not reproduce...

...at least, not if our offspring are gonna look like this:

Can you tell how bored I've been without Chace?

Ni hao & Guten tag!

My sister Anna compiled this little collection of quotes from our missionary brothers. Here's what she said (with a few additions)--If you don't have time to read the whole thing, skip to ones with asterisks; they're my favorites!: "I enjoy getting letters from my brothers (both serving their missions in Taiwan) oh so much. They are so them! I was just reading one from Adam and the brilliant idea came to me to post bits of their letters for the enjoyment of all. With that, introducing:

Elder Pietr Mikkelsen
3/16: "Time is strange here in the MTC. Chace was dead on when he said 'a day seems like a week, and a week seems like a day.'"

*3/30: "My companions and I were teaching a little family, a father, a mother and their teenage boy. We were in the process of explaining what the Holy Ghost was, and what the Spirit felt like, when my companion (Elder C, he's odd but a cool guy) says to the mother, "The spirit is like a warm calmness, like.., like.., How did you feel when Mark was born?" It took all I had to contain my laughter. The father and mother just looked at us like 'What did you just ask?' I'm sure whatever that mother was feeling when she passed her 9.5 pound kid it wasn't the spirit."

"I love to tell the MTC kitchen workers to make me giant plates of meat, to disgust of all the sisters."

4/13: "This week we had a Grape Nut challenge. To see who could go the longest eating nothing but water, & Grape Nuts. I went the longest at 3 days, of the 8 that started the challenge everyone washed out."

*5/25: "Our apartment [in Taiwan] is quaint, we don't have any cockroaches, which is good because they won't be crawling on me as I sleep, but bad because we won't be able to have competitions with them..."

*8/16: "I survived the typhoon here, it wasn't very bad in Taibei. But the southern part of Taiwan (Kaoshung namely) didn't do so well. There were some towns in the south that got completely covered by giant mudslides & a lot of people died. The missionaries in the Taichung mission having been doing a lot of service digging mud out of homes. It was the worst typhoon in 50 years. It's a good thing Yard-Work-Adam got there when he did, with his countless hours of horse-stall cleaning experience he will be a HUGE asset to relief efforts, doubtless to become "Mudder Teresa" of Taiwan."

9/29: "We're working with a lot of investigators, a couple of them around my age. It is a struggle to keep them progressing & continually applying the gospel to their life. The BOM is difficult for them to understand often. Try explaining "circumsized of heart," which is very directly translated in the Chinese version, as they read with a mix of fear & bewilderment. The last transfer just ended - I will have been in the same area for 6 months at the end of this one. We continue to search for Bruce Lee..."

Elder Adam Mikkelsen

*6/1: "PIETR ("Man Beast") IS A LEGEND HERE [in the MTC]! I am not kidding in the least. Within minutes of getting to my room I heard "little MAN BEAST?" shouted from the door...all the older elders came to see what Pietr's little brother was like. He said good things about me fortunately. I will list some of the things he is legendary for: 1) His 4-square skills...a game they play in the gym, talk to Pug. He was really good at it and everyone knew it. When he got someone out he would run at them with arms outstretched like Wolverine and shout "FORGET ABOUT IT!" 2) His chinese...they all say he had some of the best chinese of any of the elders... 3) His crazy diet. The first meal all the older missionaries came to check my plate and and see if I was a patron of the legendary "Meat Salad"...a plate stacked with nothing but meat. Then days of nothing but Grape Nuts...the fiber cleanse. 4)His work in the referral center which he wrote about so much. Last night two of the sisters went on and on about how great he was in there... They said he had pages of investigators that he found and that he called and taught each week..."

6/29: "Once agian I find myself on a getto keyboard so forgive my bad spelling...it isn't totally my fault. We had a special fireside and seven of the twelve were there!!! I sat close enough that I didn't need to watch the screen. It was amazing and as intense as ever. Elders Bednar and Oaks gave some of the elders chest bumps as they came in but I didn't get one. This week I broke Pietr's fiber cleanse record of three days and went a solid four, of which I am very proud! Being as how it is coming up on the halfway mark it is expedient that my system be cleansed in preparation for going to the island."

8/19: "The second night [in Taiwan] we went to a night market and all the new missionaries took turns getting on a box and preaching as loud as they could, then going with a senior missionary and contacting people and setting them up for appointments. I yelled pretty darn loud and turned a lot of heads and got got 6 people to meet with us."

*9/9: "I got some pot stickers for dinner on Sunday but left them out and ants got into them, but I can't afford to buy new ones and there are a lot in there so I just refroze them and am eating them with ants on them, mmm."

10/22: "My comp is starting the "Return With Honor" diet and trying to eat healthy before going home since this is his second to last move call, not htat you gain much if any weight here. The food here is just so greasy it is hard to be cut. So we started a subway only diet this week. Subway is comparatively expensive here so we eat less and more healthy..."

10/27: "The subway fast was great, we are finishing it today. I recked more food this week; I left out a bag of brown sugar and it was defiled by ants within 10 minutes. Coagulated pig blood is grose. Nutella costs its weight in gold around here... Good luck to those who are heavy laden with child: Miriam, I hope to hear of a new record, how about an 11 pounder, I know you've got it in you...literally. Liz, I hope you have a good medicine man around there. I hear crushed rattle snake rattles helps, that is what Sacagawia used at least..."

Then there's Chace's brother, Scott, who is serving in the Germany-Munich mission. His letters are so funny to read after my brothers'. They are so long and emotional and very heart-felt, whereas we're lucky to get a couple solid paragraphs from Pietr--certainly no talk of feelings. Adam is a little better! But we take what we get! How we love these missionaries! We're so fortunate and so very proud to be related to them.

Elder Scott Wilcoxson

4/4: "This week had alot of up and downs. For example Monday I bought my lederhosen, Big up! The next day we were dooring in a city about 20 mins away by bike. I was so tired and for some reason we had like 30 doors in a row slammed in our faces. Some people are just jerks! That did not help my energy levels at all. Finally about an hour of absolutely nothing we decided to head home. While we were riding home (this ride is so pretty, its right along the riverside and its lined with trees and bushes) I was falling alseep on my bike. I ran of the path a couple of times and i could not wake myself up. Finally Elder F noticed what was going on so he slowed down and started riding behind me to make sure I didnt ride into the river and die."

5/11: "We got a letter for a missionary who got transferred 2 months ago so Elder F and I steamed opened it and stuck a bunch of random pictures of us in there and then sent it to buro. lol I cant wait until I see him and hes just like It was you!!! HAHA!!!"

*6/2: "Today is a members birthday so we're all taking her to lunch. And we're going to wear our Lederhosen."

7/27: "So last P day we went up to the top of the Alps in our Lederhosen. There was still snow up there and so of course we had an Alpine snowball fight. Elder K and I went hiking a little bit and came across a heard of sheep. They were afraid at first but after like 3 minutess they came to us. Maybe they smelt our leather and thought we were one of them. "

*8/10: "Most of Elder B's and my conversations are about how we can help [other missionaries] and what we should do. One night while we were talking he looked over at me and said, "Man its like we have kids, like we're an old gay married couple who are worried about our kids." It was so funny but its completely true. I feel like that a lot. Not the gay part, but the fact that I'm doing well and so is my companion so we just focus on others and trying to help them."

What to do in NYC when you have no money:

Or when you spend all your money at the beginning of your day buying train tickets, when you should just have driven into the city and found the free parking... we'll know for next time. But the train has its perks, as you'll see. This is where our day began: the New Brunswick station.

The tourists getting an early start, complete with sleepy eyes and bed head.

Why the train tickets were worth every cent (my face--priceless!):

If you couldn't hear, the man in the seat across from us is loudly whistling some version of "Blowin' In The Wind," while the man in front of us looks back angrily and then asks the ticket master if he could do something about the whistling. All the poor ticket master could do was confirm that the whistler was getting off at the next stop. We loved it. Chace even gave him a supportive 'thumbs up' after he was reprimanded.

Then we got off the train and onto a subway, where we obviously looked like tourists, because a buxom black woman leaned over to me, and in a fine New Yorker accent, grunted, "You know where you're goin'?"

"Uh, yeah, I think we've got it. Is it so obvious that we're out-of-towners!?"

"Whe' you from?"

"The northwest--Oregon and Washington."

"Mmm hmm. Well, when you go back home, you tell them that here in New York, we're nice, friendly people. We ain't gon' rob you or mug you or steal yo' purse."

"Okay, we sure will! Thanks!"

We spent a few leisurely morning hours strolling through Central Park, which was lovely. Though with all the runners and dog walkers about, I felt like I needed either a poodle or something spandex to quite fit in. Above is Belvedere Castle, from which New York and her neighbors get their meteorological report each day. When you're listening to WNYC and they say, "It's 87 degrees in Central Park" this is where they get that read.

My Troll in Central Park.

We took a detour from the Park to see if we could find the temple. And it snuck right up on us!

Then we got back to the Park and followed it down to Times Square.

About this time we were ready for a little sit. Fortunately there were all these lovely chair scattered around, and we took a minute to relax and indulge in my favorite NY activity: people-watching. Then we were hungry, so we moved on to Chace's favorite part of the day: Little Italy. He followed his nose to his own personal Street of Dreams as his mannerisms became increasingly more Italian!

He got ample opportunity to speak Italian with real Italians (versus BYU freshmen), which he always loves. Unfortunately, most of them lost interest the moment they realized that we would not be eating at their restaurant. We wandered around, looking for the most 'authentic' looking place, and finally collapsed at some table and had a very mediocre lunch. Apparently, after talking to coworkers, there's only one restaurant in Little Italy worth eating at. Now we know!

Brooklyn Bridge

Ground Zero


Then, we pulled a Wilcoxson move, and took the Staten Island Ferry across the water, only to turn right around and ride it straight back. These Wilcoxsons just like ferry rides. This one was especially nice because it was free! And we got to see Ellis Island and Lady Liberty pretty close.

We walked around a bit more until we had had enough of the Big Apple for one day, and we headed to the nearest subway and made our way back to our train. So, New York was fun. But the real point of this whole post was actually to introduce this little gem of a video Chace took in the subway station. This moment will be with us forever, just like the memory of the man, nay, the legend who made it all possible. Hope you have a kleenex handy. MJ FOREVER!

About a boy

Today's post is about a boy. A boy who is selfless, thoughtful and sweet in every way. A boy who loves his silly little wife more than she deserves. And he shows her each day, in many ways, big and small. Like by going to work, even when he would rather not. By going out of his way to stop by home en route to a meeting, just to check on her and make sure she's having a good day. By being willing to work hard and happily live with less so that his wife can stay home and, someday, raise her own kids. By letting her put her icey cold little feet against his warm skin at night. By perfectly maintaining that delicate balance of helping her to be better, while never making her feel that she's not good enough. By making delicious gourmet meals appear on the table when she's sure there isn't a thing to eat in the house (yes, even though she has been home all day!) By bringing home treats for her when he travels (she hates when he travels, and she loves treats!)--sometimes a complimentary cookie from the plane, sometimes a shirt he has thoughtfully picked out. By putting the toothpaste on her toothbrush for her (well... that could just be a hint?!) By hiding sweet little sticky-note messages between the pages of her book or the cards in her wallet. By showing her each day that home, by her side, is where he most wants to be. Most recently, by rubbing her feet, tickling her arms and scratching her back for over an hour, just to help her get to sleep last night when she wasn't feeling well.

I could go on indefinitely. But I have one or two other things to do today, so I'll end here.

Oh, and did I mention that he's also a total fox?

A Perfect Judge

This filled me with gratitude and hope today:

“Jacob, in 2 Nephi 9:41 [of the Book of Mormon], in speaking of the straight and narrow, reminds us that ‘the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel’ and that Jesus ‘employeth no servant there.’ The emphasis rightly is on the fact that Jesus ‘cannot be deceived.’ There is another dimension of reassurance, too: not only will the ultimate judgment not be delegated in order to serve the purposes of divine justice, but also divine mercy can best be applied by him who knows these things what only he can know––the quiet moments of courage in the lives of his flock, the un-noticed acts of Christian service, the unspoken thoughts which can be ‘credited’ in no other way, except through perfect judgment” (Neal A. Maxwell, For the Power Is in Them . . . [1970], 37).

“The self-assigned gatekeeper is Jesus Christ, who awaits us out of a deep divine desire to welcome us as much as to certify us; hence, ‘He employeth no servant there.’ (2 Nephi 9:41.) If we acknowledge Him now, He will lovingly acknowledge and gladly admit us then!” (Neal A. Maxwell, Notwithstanding My Weakness [1981], 124).

Chief Scarlett

I had to post this picture I took of my niece in Wamic last month.

I love her!

To Be A Rock

My Dad posted the following several months ago, part of a talk by Chauncey Riddle, a man whom I was privileged to work for during school. As I try to overcome my faults and weaknesses, and live a life that "conform[s] to all that I know," close to the Spirit of the Lord, I keep coming back to this quote. Perhaps you'll find it helpful or inspiring as I do.

"To be a rock, a bastion of surety, revelation must be something on which one can count and receive in every occasion of real need. I began to seek for it actively. I prayed, I fasted, I lived the gospel as best I knew. I was faithful in my church duties. I tried to live up to every scruple which my conscience enjoined upon me. And dependable revelation did come. Intermittently, haltingly at first, then steadily, over some years it finally came to be a mighty stream of experience. I came to know that any time of day or night, in any circumstance, for any real need, I could get help. That help came in the form of feelings of encouragement when things seemed hopeless. It came in ideas to unravel puzzles that blocked my accomplishment. It came in priesthood blessings which were fully realized. It came in whisperings of prophecy which were fulfilled. It came in support and even anticipation of what the General Authorities of the Church would say and do in general conference. It came in the gifts of the Spirit, as the wonders of eternity were opened to the eyes of my understanding. That stream of spiritual experience is today for me a river of living water that nourishes my soul in every situation. It is the most important factor of my life. If it were taken away, all that I have and am would be dust and ashes. It is the basis of my love, life, understanding, hope, and progress. My only regret is that though this river is so wonderful, I have not been able to take full advantage of it as yet. My life does not yet conform to all that I know. But now I do know; I do not just believe."

-Chauncey C. Riddle, Sunstone Symposium IX

Happy Anniversary, Darling!

I can't wait to come home to you. Thanks for making the last three years so wonderful.

"It is not good for man to be alone..."

(Adam and Eve, 1493 Nuremberg Chronicles)

“And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which God had taken from man, made he a woman. And brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh.” – Genesis 2:21-24

Rivka has been gone for nearly two weeks and I have truly learned that it is not good for man to be alone. How I ever got by without her before is perplexing. Wednesday couldn't get here fast enough as far as I'm concerned! COME ON HOME BABY!

What's all the fuss about?

I think I need to find and study this little book, now that I've entered the world of homemaking.

I found it on a blog, accompanied by some comment about how funny and outdated the quote was and how much has changed since the 1960s when the book was published. However, I don't think there's anything outdated about it, except for maybe the the dust jacket!

Call me repressed, but I like being a homemaker. And what's wrong with striving to be lovely to look at and lovely to be around?And I even agree with most of this (most of it, mind you!):

This little article is often cited as evidence of how far we've come, but I can't help but think that if many of these ideas were implemented in every home that we would all be much happier. While I never intend to keep my mouth shut if Chace is "out all night" without explanation, I wonder why he would choose to stay away from home if it were, indeed, such a haven.

I submit that he would not.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd better go freshen up! Chace comes home from Houston tonight, and I want the house to be spic and span when he arrives. I think I may even slip into my vintage apron and make him an apple pie. Heck! I think I'll make me an apple pie! (Who wouldn't enjoy a clean house and an apple pie?!)

* Just for your information: The above Good Wife's Guide, allegedly published as part of a '50s home economics textbook, is believed to be a fabrication.

*And Anna, I LOVE my apron! Thanks again.

* It also occurs to me to add that in Julie B. Beck's conference talk Mothers Who Know, she states that "another word for nurturing is homemaking." If you haven't read/seen this, or if it's been a while, take a look. It always gives me fresh focus, resolve and encouragement!