The more things change, the more they stay the same...

This week, I read an entry from my journal in October 2004 (when this picture was taken), and I made an interesting discovery. Interesting to me anyway. Among my scribbles about funny things things my kids said and did at the time, I read this:
"Jacob continues to grow and mature into a fine young boy...his interests seem to be expanding...Jacob likes Star Wars and Spy Kids, even if I have to sit with him to watch because they are so intense for his active imagination. A good day to Jacob is when he has memorable fun and he doesn't get yelled at. He still can and does act impulsively and is obnoxious a lot of the time, but at least it's not ALL the time...and he takes a consequence for a wrong choice better than he used to...
"Katelyn loves clothes (and fashion). Is the first one dressed every AM and has changed 3 or 4 times before I am dressed! Lately, in this (cooler) weather, she doesn't even want to put a coat on so that "people will see my pretty...(whatever clothing article...) She even does this on school mornings when we are only gone for a grand total of 8 min and she doesn't get out of her car seat either!
"Madelyn loves to help...esp. in the kitchen-dishes, stirring, cracking eggs...she loves to cook. To keep her feeling like a helper, she will pull a chair beside me and the stove, hold my arm, and 'help' me stir---she says, 'Look, I'm not burning my arm!' Another thing is that she love to play w/toys (the other 2 don't so much.) AND, she will play by herself w/her toys...wow!

"Yelling, fighting, and not handling frustration seem to be the bigger issues these days. If a situation escalates to that point, it's all over! But, we seem to be having more even-keeled times than not lately, and those times are so heavenly that I wish I could capture them and put them away safe. I LOVE watching the children display loving affections to each other. I love it when they discover something new. Like, Katelyn surprising us by cleaning every inch of the bedroom without being told. Or, Jacob wanting to learn something new with his hands...even sewing with a needle and thread. Or, Madelyn acting silly and making us laugh. I love learning and growing along beside them. I love being at a point where the overall condition of my house doesn't keep me from enjoying THEM. I'm glad to have finally learned that we will all survive day to day living even if every detail of that day is not perfect. This knowledge has eased my life up in the most surprising ways. It makes my life more peaceful on the inside and I am starting to notice small changes on the outside because of it...."

So my observation is... that this journal entry could have been written TODAY! Wow, am I surprised to see that the personalities and characters and even the little quirks about each one of my toddlers-at-the-time AND our daily life-at-that-time have not changed much. Naturally there has been tons of learning, growth and maturity since then, but I think the marvel of this is the evidence that we each have an eternal nature, indeed! And by eternal, I mean "has been and always will be." How blessed I am to have children with strong spirits to teach me and help me to grow! How blessed I am to have been taught the gospel principle of pre-existence(Jeremiah 1:5) and to know (especially now) that many things in this life are eternal. I have been reminded that even though this physical life is certainly full of challenges, I've taken note of some patterns and seasons, and even some predictability, and that makes it seem more manageable somehow (especially on days when "balance" seems to be teetering)....Further evidence that I have a very wise Heavenly Father who is in control and who loves me very much.

The Finish Line? I Hope Not!

The GOOD news is: I participated in my first-ever 5K!!!

About two months ago, I began to exercise in earnest. I have about 10 lbs. of Post-11 pound Baby Stuff to get rid of around my middle, and if I'm getting up at 4:30am with the fussy-teeth er, I'd might as well head to the gym at 5:30am, right? And if I'm going to the gym at that god-awful hour, then why not shoot for a goal, like a 5K or something? Seemed attainable. I had the best motivating friend, who provided just the right amount of push to keep me moving (thanks, Heidi!) After a couple of good weeks, we decided to sign up for a local 5K. I have always wanted to take up Running, and I was so excited to do this 5K. Not ready to run the entire thing, yet, but excited AND dedicated just the same. So, when the big event started, I felt ready. I pushed myself as hard as I could as I did intervals of power-walking and running. I was surprised on how challenging it was, (er, uh....maybe how out of shape I am?) but it was great to actually be going for it, finally! As I pushed forward, I calculated all the things I will try to do the next time, for I fully intend to RUN the ENTIRE course next year. Well, by the time I hit the final leg of the course(about 1/4mi.) I thought my lower abs and hip/pelvis area and legs were going to actually ignite. It was painful. But, I didn't care, because it was great to FINISH and to not be LAST! (I won't tell you where I placed....just know I wasn't last!) Okay, so I know I have a lot to learn and a long way to go before I'm in the league of competitors, or any athlete for that matter, but it was a personal triumph for me.

So the BAD news is: I broke my ankle!!!

The day after the race, the post-run pain became all about my ankle. After a few weeks of enduring the pain and swelling, (I really thought it would get better sooner than this) I went to the doc today and X-rays made it official. Waaaah! He said no running! Not that I've been able to use it much since the 5K anyway, but an actual verdict?! Dang. Okay, Dr. Ormond is not here to cure what ails me, so does anyone have any realistic advice for this athlete wannabe?

Let the Games Begin.....

Thanks to a new neighbor, we found out that we were eligible for some great scholarships through a local recreati0n department! So, to get the party started, Jacob gets to participate in Fencing....AKA Getting to Sword Fight "For Real"! This will keep him occupied until wrestling season starts. Our darling daughter duo will "work" at developing skills, and hopefully a little confident proficiency in Gymnastics. You should have seen Maddie trying to learn to cartwheel in her first class...It's classic. And Katie has been doing"Ice cream Scoops" on imaginary balance beams since last week. And lastly, I can't leave out today's picture of Little Man...tackling a few more feats of his own. See the teeth? That's #8 popping out there on the bottom! Champion Teether, no doubt. (How old do you have to be to participate in the Olympics?! Is there a category for Super Baby, yet?) Hmmmm.....

Summer Daze to School Days

Well, the switch has been made. We've traded our Summer Daze for School Days. Our first day of school could not have been better. Jacob was happy to get started with his laptop...Katelyn was happy that her entire outfit was perfectly coordinated... and Maddie had a little anxiety in the morning, but by the time I picked her up, she was BEAMING and exclaimed, "I LOOOOVE school!" (Oh, the power of priesthood blessings AND prayer!) Hooray! And by the way, if it looks like Maddie's blue school bag is big enough for her to fit it---it is! She HAD to have this one! (All parents of Hannah Montana fans can sympathize, I'm sure!) I suppose it was my bad for letting her choose it herself! SO! If summer HAS to end, then I'm thankful the new season has started on a good note! So...here's to all you school people out there! Have a happy, new school year---full of learning adventures!

Oh, What did we do with our summertime?

Well, I informed the kiddos that tomorrow is their last day of freedom. Jacob wants to know if we are doing anything spectacular to mark the occasion, and is moping because he is SURE that I will not invite Cody to join us. Katie is worrying about what to wear on her first day, and is digging her High School Musical shirt out of the hamper. Maddie is ...well...panicking. "Is it the real, real, real school?" she sobs through tears. Whatever does she mean? She tries to explain, "Are the mean lunch ladies going to be there?!" Oh-no! PLEEEEASE don't let there be a relapse and a repeat of last year's drama! (It took her 6 weeks to get fully adjusted!) Nonetheless, during Family Prayer this evening, both Jake and Katie prayed for Maddie with words sweet and comforting. I'm sure they are trying to keep the impending crisis at bay! Sweet children. So---as we head into a crazy start of a new school year, it's time to reflect on the crazy days of our summer, and remember why this has always been my favorite time of the year! (click word bubble on slideshow for captions)

Like father, like son

This was waaaay too cute to keep from posting!

Courage

C is for COURAGE...we got to learn this summer about the importance of overcoming our fears and having courage. Our kids have taken their time revving up the nerve to go off the high dive at the pool. (Maybe due in part to the fact that we always go in the evening, and their friends are not around to push them?) Anyhoo, after lots and lots of prodding, it was our Katie-bug who took the first leap! Then, not to be outdone by her little sister, Jake tried to work up some nerve. It took quite a bit of work for him to get over that last little hump of fear, (tears and everything-he wanted it soooo badly). Then--- he did it! Everyone at that end of the pool was shouting for joy! It was great---when he leaped off the board, his expression was that of panic. When he came up out of the water, he was thrilled, and he did a happy dance all the way back up to the board again. By the time our evening at the pool was over, we had lost track of how many times they had gone! Hooray! And then, when I wasn't looking, Maddie went down the slide for the first time! We took the opportunity to have the kids think about how hard that was, and how they work to get over it, and it was all about COURAGE. It was great to have a tangible experience to learn from...and have them be old and mature enough to "get it"! When we got home, they got to have Candy for Courage! We were so excited and proud.