Emerson: "nah" = yeah
"Obby"= Adam
"Bah-pa"= grandpa/grandma
"Aee-yuh"= Aila
"Ay-muh"= Abram
"Bapple"= apple
"Wah-wo"=water
Anytime he sees a bball hoop: "hi backa-hoo!!" (We hear this constantly in the car!)
Abram told me that "chef" at school said they picked the apples for lunch just the day before--so cool!
Abram: today we went to Stinson beach during a heat wave with some friends and borrowed boogie boards. You watched mommy and daddy boogie board and wanted to try...so you stood in knee deep water, observing and watching all the boogie boarders around you, while shivering and clutching your boogie board....once in a while, straddling the board on a wave to test it out...and then the last hour or so we were there, it just clicked. You figured it out and did it!! We were so proud of you for being brave and trying it and working so hard at it. When we walked back to the car after 7 hours at Stinson, you said, "that was the best day ever!!"
Went out for ice cream today (Labor Day) and Aila "LOOOOVED" her ice cream. "Mom, I just love it so much and I can't stop! *lick* I'm just going to keep licking and licking and licking! *lick* and I'm not going to stop--ONLY for talking!"
Aila, "daddy, you're the goodest boy story-teller in our family!!"
Aila, "mom, bub's getting SO along with me!"
Family morning at the high school track--Aila stopped running suddenly, "my cheeks are shaking!"
Emerson turned two! Two years ago today I remember walking the halls at the hospital with Ben (and my IV pole) in early labor. My OB passed us a few times and I remember her saying, "you are just glowing!" And I really felt like I was. I felt so blessed for the relatively easy pregnancy I had with Emerson (a tender mercy during a stressful time in my life) and so excited to welcome another precious child into our family. The induction and delivery went smoothly and we were so happy to have a healthy Emerson with us. And then that night was one of the most sleepless nights I've ever had. I was up with a fresh baby boy who screamed (literally) for what seemed the entire night. I was so worried he'd be a hard, fussy baby! ...but he never had another night like that and ended up being our easiest baby! So grateful for our sweet Emerson. We love him so and were so happy to celebrate him today! 
️️️
Birthday oatmeal with "bapples" and "see-na" (apples and raisins)
Emerson, "uh pay gee-go ay-muh." Translation: “I'm playing legos with Abram."
Fire: as we drove out of our neighborhood following Ben in his car, I told the kids we should say a prayer. Abram said, "I already said one in my mind."
When the kids realized that everything was gone, Abram said, "well good thing we made a fort last night with all those blankets one last time!"
All of Aila's dress ups were lost in the fire. Someone from Cess's ward donated an Anna dress for her: when she saw it she literally jaw dropped and then couldn't stop beaming. This morning Abram really wanted to wear shorts but we only had pants. Today someone gave Cess sports shorts for him--his favorite. Aila had a favorite pair of Jammies lost in the fire. Today someone dropped a bag off at cess's that has the same exact pair in her size. "Coincidences"....
When looking at our possible rental home (vacant without the landlord who left us a key), Ben and I were looking at the kitchen downstairs, and the kids were just running around...when all of a sudden we hear from upstairs, “Daddeeeeeee!!! Come wipe meeee!!!" Ben and I look at each other like oh no...there's no TP. Here we are, homeless people using random bathrooms without TP. Hahaha. No worries...we did end up finding some! Gave us a good laugh.
Fire thoughts...Your future is as bright as your faith. Life/beauty rising out of the ashes.
Sharing our story including God’s influence. He is involved in the details of our lives. Rebirth. No "coincidences".
Mattress....we had been talking about getting a new one. I remember wondering how we'd get rid of our old one....check(!).
10/27/17
We got to sit in the third row at a special mtg with elder rasband and sister Joy Jones tonight. Elder rasbands wife spoke and sister Jones husband spoke as well. The spirit was incredible and they all brought so much of the saviors love with them. Scriptures shared: "beauty from the ashes" (Isaiah) "the lord thy God doth visit his people in their afflictions" Elder rasband shared pres monsons 3 things: tell them I love them, tell them we're praying for them, and thank those that are helping. It was an incredible meeting. Elder rasband said that just yesterday he and the rest of the 12 and first pres were in the upper room of the temple praying for us. This group was scheduled 6 months ago to be out here this weekend for the freedom of religion meeting in Sacramento tomorrow. Elder Rasband says it was not a coincidence but that he was sent to minister to us by The Prince of Peace. We got to meet sister Jones after. We hugged her and she hugged and kissed all the kids. It was really neat. It was an emotional meeting. Elder rasband was emotional as he spoke of the saviors love for us. Strong feelings I felt: the savior’s love for me individually, stronger testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel and that Christ is at the head of this church, pres monson is the prophet and the apostles are true witnesses of Jesus Christ. I again felt so incredibly blessed for the wonderful friends and family we have and how they have been Christ’s hands to us throughout this and their acts of service have given us peace and hope. I felt that the peace and hope I experienced at the meeting tonight didn't just address the affliction of the fire, but other difficult trials I currently face in my life. I felt that I have the responsibility to be a light to others and share that love with others; to testify of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and how I have found true inner peace and hope only through them. I pray to remember that and do it.
Elder rasband blessed us--"as if my hands were placed upon your heads" and said that on the darkest nights to remember that Christ is the bright morning light.
Sister Jones talked about rebuilding homes and to remember the "true home" that we seek. She shared her recent experience of watching her son die of cancer the last three years and how after much fasting and prayer, they were able to see the blessings of his cancer and be grateful for it and see the eternal perspective. She mentioned how in councils with the brethren, they experience shock and disappointment but never fear.
We were invited, along with all in our stake who lost homes, to have a special lunch with elder rasband and other church leaders. We got to shake hands with and hug elder rasband. We talked about how blessed we've been and have even felt guilty for so many giving to us...
He said to ben and me, "don't feel guilty. Now is the time to be the receiver (then he got emotional and he stood closer)...you will be together a long time and your time will come to be the givers." Looking into his eyes I could feel the saviors love so strongly. How grateful I am for his service. I know that he is a true disciple of Christ.
Abram: "when I was little, I used to think everything was a painting. I would just look out the window and gaze up at the sky and just think it was a painting that someone threw up there."
I'm sitting here in the ped dentist office with Emerson while Abram and Aila get their teeth cleaned...I can hardly hear Abram but Aila is back there chatting up a storm with the hygienist! ;)
Tonight at dinner we got a 20-min explanation of what Abram has been learning about Vincent Van Gogh (pronounced the french way) in his class. Of course I showed him Cessiley's Halloween costume and he thought it was pretty cool. 
🏻
Fire: beauty for ashes; the more you give, the more you have (things we lent out to people still remained in the end), nothing we have is really ours in the first place (god gives us everything)...going through our house and seeing closets and drawers full of clothing, books, and toys that were lovingly given to us, and I’m sure sacrificed in giving to us.
A sweet mom at Abram's school made "wellness baskets" for moms whose homes burned. So so sweet of her and others who donated to the basket....and the "Sonoma County-ness" of it is making me smile 
️...lots of stress relieving teas and immune support capsules and sprays...acupuncture coupon...
So many people and businesses supporting the community. Another from this week--a lady in our stake was friends with a non-member growing up, who now lives out of state and sells Lularoe. She sent dresses and leggings to this woman in our stake to be given to LDS women specifically because she "loves the way that LDS women serve and they've inspired her and taught her how to serve" 
Aila goes to preschool at a Presbyterian church. Members of the church have given gift cards to families of the preschool who lost homes, and in addition, another Presbyterian preschool from San Jose sent cards up to our preschool. Also, a couple of french schools down in the east bay sent up toys and french books for families up here. So we now have a little shelf with french books on it. It was all organized by the french consulate.
Oceanside--watching the peaceful waves....continuous, constant, always there, everlasting...just like the saviors love and presence in our lives. Life keeps going and happening....up to us if we will join in and ride with the waves...Watched them in conjunction with the laughter of children in the background...
Abram, in Oceanside: "I'm just so excited. We're going to have a BBQ, roast marshmallows, and go in the hot tub. I'm so excited, my heart is beating so fast!" (Then he had mika feel his beating heart)
Yesterday I just felt like driving “home” after picking up Abram from school. Still makes my heart stop when I see it. But it felt good to get out and stand on the driveway for a minute. Felt like I was home.
Feeling fine today. Sometimes the sad hits me at random times. I told Ben I feel like we've been on a really long vacation and I'm ready to go home and take a nap on our couch with my quilt. But overall good.
I'm so grateful for good/happy/peaceful moments that far outweigh the bad/hard. Today's violin practice: Abram played silent night the most beautifully he's ever played it. So soft and carefully and meaningfully. It brought tears to my eyes. When he finished, I said, "Abram, that was so beautiful." He said, "I loved it too." Then I hugged him for a long time. And he let me.
Aila, while painting: sigh "someday I'm gonna be an artist. Because I'm so careful."
I’m washing dishes and Emerson comes up with a measuring tape in hand. “Uh measure Mama.” (He proceeds to measure my rear end.) I say, “how big is mama?” He replies, “Big!!”
Aila has never seen a princess movie, yet she is obsessed with weddings lately. I blame all of her uncles ;). She came out of her room this morning in a church dress, beaming and saying she was going to her wedding reception. She then begged Abram to marry her (he wouldn’t) and so she convinced Emerson to walk down the stairs with her and then gave him a kiss on the cheek.
When I asked Aila about her multi-yellow watercolor painting—“this was in Utah when mommy and daddy were at dinner and we looked outside and saw a beaUUtiful yellow sky!”
We were walking at the zoo and I reached down to grab bub’s hand but Abram tricked me and grabbed it...and happily held it for a few minutes. Made my day! He’s seeming so old and mature these days so I will take all the hand-holds I can get. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment