Mother's Day 2008

May 2006
From the first year that I celebrated Mother's Day as a mother, Mother's Day became my favorite holiday. There are numerous reasons for this. For one, I don't have to really be involved in any stressful preparations (like Thanksgiving or Christmas - great holidays, but have mercy, the stress is ridiculous). It is a day specifically intended to give me recognition and appreciation for the job that I do, which occasionally is considered to be all easy and fun by someone whose name I won't mention. And, this is big, it is the one day that I actually feel justified in relaxing a little. Maybe letting someone else make the food and do the dishes, things like that.

May 2007
Fast forward to Mother's Day 2008. Eric is horribly sick with a lingering illness, and cranky about it (the true meaning of sick and tired). To his credit, he made a pancake breakfast for the company at our house. Unfortunately, much to his annoyance, I'm on this blasted gluten-free diet right now (doctor's orders) and couldn't have any pancakes. So I had to make my own gluten-free pancakes. Eric also made a roast for dinner (incidentally, no rolls or gravy for me either). And there were roses and cards on the table downstairs (Eric helped Christian write his name and mine on the card - I loved that sooo much) when I woke up, which was very sweet. But otherwise, the day was interesting, with Eric being sick and not up to his usual good-guy Mother's day treatment.

May 2008
Eric was too sick to go to church, so Eric's mom and I ended up wrestling Christian all by ourselves - not my idea of a relaxing mother's day, but what can you do? And I won't say how the rest of the day shook down, but suffice it to say, I was somewhat frustrated.

And then I put Christian to bed at night. We had just read the scripture story about Jesus' death and the beginning of what happened after. But it was getting long for a two-year old, so I decided to save the rest of it for the next day.

Christian talked me into lying down next to him on the floor in the dark (I guess he was just in the mood for that?). While we cuddled, he let me tell him the whole entire story from Joseph of Arimathea asking for the body of Jesus through His resurrection. And the whole time he listened so attentively, and whispered, "Yeah. Yeah," after each sentence. It was so sweet. And then we said a prayer together thanking Jesus for suffering and dying for us so we could repent and be forgiven of our bad choices and live with Him again someday, and that He conquered death so that we could be resurrected also. And that Jesus did it because He loves us so much. It was just such an incredible attention span for a "two-a-half" year old (as Christian says). It makes me so happy to see him learn about Jesus and actually listen and absorb it.

So after our prayer, I held him a while longer and whispered, " You make me so happy, buddy." Christian whispered, "You make me so happy too." Chuckling to myself at his adorable reciprocity, I said, "I'm so proud of you." He whispered, "I'm so proud of you too." I said, "Thanks, buddy!" He said, "You're welcome." I said, "Where did you learn to be so polite?" He said, "I don't know!" I said, "I love you so much, Christian." And before I was even done, "I love you so much too." I said, "You're the the best boy."

And Christian said, "You're the best mudder."

What better Mother's Day gift could I ask for?

Funeral for Eric's Uncle Dave

On Saturday, we attended the funeral for Eric's uncle, David Brode, in Carson City. Eric was actually talking to Dave in the very moment that he passed away. It was kind of a sacred experience for Eric, and I hope I can get him to write more about it, since I wasn't there. Pretty amazing, though.

Eric's parents came to stay with us, as well as his sisters, Christie and Jenny, and Jenny's friend Catherine. It was great to see everyone. Catherine is an incredible musician, and was asked to provide a musical number for the funeral service (one of Uncle David's favorite songs, "Somewhere My Love") So she brought her guitar, and we benefited from it during her all-too-short stay with us. Eric's dad is also very musically talented (both he and Catherine actually play in bluegrass groups in their spare time), and he brought his fiddle and his ukulele.

Early Morning Jam Session

First thing this morning, we had the greatest jam session right in our den! The bluegrass pros plus the budding talent, Christian, on the bugle (watch out for his musical talent in the future - he has the genes and the interest) It was incredible! I wish it could have gone on all day!




Anyway, the funeral service was nice, but I spent the whole time in the lobby of the funeral home trying to wrangle Christian and keep him from being a distraction in any way, so I'm the least qualified to comment on it. Eric said the closing prayer, and did a really good job. The family said repeatedly to me what a blessing Eric had been to them in the last week of Uncle Dave's life.


I think they relied on Eric partly because they looked to him as a
proxy for his dad, who, as I see it, is revered by pretty much everyone in his family, and partly because they looked to Eric as a spiritual leader, something that possibly has been missing in their lives. I'm really glad he was listening to the Spirit and was able to help them at such an important time.


David Brode served in the Navy, so there was a Navy Honor Guard at the burial site. Amazingly, Christian watched it all reverently, which was perfect.

After the funeral, there was a family luncheon at Eric's cousin, Tina's, house. I don't know that side of the family really well, but they were just all so sweet and wonderful. We had even more amazing music there at the house with LeAnn's talented daughter and her fiddle, coupled with Eric's dad's and Catherine's guitar. It was amazing, and so fun. Too bad I spent most of the time in the backyard making sure Christian didn't get himself killed while having the time of his life on a trampoline with 3 big kids. He got filthy, but the fun was worth it.

Christian also met a little friend his age, Trevor. They just had a blast once they got to know each other. Here they shared a refreshing glass of water (notice how flushed they look from playing so hard). Christian was even clinking cups together and saying, "Cheers!" I'm not sure where he learned that.

It was a nice day with the family.

One of These Days: To all our friends from Omaha

At the end of April, Eric took a trip back to Nebraska for continuing education at Creighton (where he attended dental school). We really loved Omaha, so I was crushed that I wasn't able to go with him. Unfortunately, his trip was kind of a let-down in general because none of his friends from school attended the Spring Dental Assembly this year. And as most of our friends have graduated and moved away, there aren't many people to visit. Even our favorite, favorite frozen custard place, Sheridan's, (a true staple of my, or should I say, our diet when I was pregnant) had tragically shut down. It just wasn't the same. And that's bad, because that means I will never get to go back.

It's three years this month that Eric graduated from dental school. It's hard to believe. Our life has changed so much. And yet, we haven't forgotten that special time that we spent in Omaha. When we moved there, I was so sad to leave all of our dear friends in Las Vegas, but I knew that at the end of four years we would be just as sad to leave Omaha. I just still have so much love for the people we knew there, even for the city itself. It was truly a magical time.

While Eric was in Omaha, I was visiting my family in Utah. I was lucky enough to hook up with our dear friends, Zach and Mary, just weeks before they will head off to Canada for Zach's orthodontic residency (hooray Zach!). They were some of our closest friends from dental school. Zach and Eric were often mistaken for each other, probably because of their choice of hairstyle. Mary was called to be Relief Society President right after me, which just cemented a bond between us that was begun by an uncanny similarity in the movies we love. Anyway, the visit reminded me of how much I miss them, and how much we miss that special time we had when we all lived next door to each other and shared so much.

This is a video that Eric made just months after we moved away from Omaha. He was feeling kind of nostalgic (and a tad lonely in our new city). I guess we both were. It features a sample of pictures from the last couple of years of dental school through graduation. It represents some funny times and good memories, but by no means does it capture all of our dear friends from dental school. To all of you (and you know who you are): We love you. We miss you. And you are not forgotten.

I Love Sir Percival Blakeney

We just watched "The Scarlet Pimpernel" (starring the amazing Anthony Andrews and the exquisitely beautiful Jane Seymour) with Eric's mom who is visiting. It is one of my favorite movies of all time. It has everything. Comedy, action, drama, suspense, and, of course, romance.

Now, it's kind of my policy to refrain from discussing what imaginary (and unfortunately unrealistic people) I am in love with in my dreams, but since only girls are reading this at this point, I have a confession. I am in love with Sir Percy. Sigh.

If you watch the video, the funny part is at the beginning - well more like the middle (but it only makes sense if you know the plot), and the romance is toward the end of the clip. It was the best clip I could find with actual dialogue.

Have any of you seen this? If not, I decree that a girls night is in order. Actually, Eric likes this movie too because it's funny, has a good plot, and great script. So I guess guys could come too. I just won't sigh out loud.

Can anyone tell me how to personalize the look of this blog?

You all have such sassy looking blogs....how?

The Luckiest Girl in the World

Okay, so I'm feeling more than a little self-conscious about all of the people that are checking my anemic blog. Last week at a church function, no fewer than 5 people told me I needed to post more on my blog - and I had only decided the day before to actually do it (in addition to the family website I was already doing). Baby steps, people!:)

Also, I am really trying to concentrate on getting more sleep, and getting to bed early so that my waking up at 5 am to work out doesn't actually drive me over the edge of insanity that I regularly walk...or kill me. It's really messing up my journaling time, which is usually too late at night. So have patience with me.

This morning we had our Music Makers class (some of the girls at church - six of us - each teach a 10 minute portion of a really cute music class for our young children). It's really fun, at least in theory. But sometimes it's just insanely chaotic (which is, in truth, still fun for the kids, but not exactly what it's intended to be), and I sing and dance around like a crazy person with hardly anyone else paying attention. And of course, getting us fed and dressed and dishes done and all of our puppets, musical instruments, Cd's, CD players, bubbles, and props, lunch or snacks packed for the gym or errands afterward, and out the door on time is for some reason one of my life's greatest obstacles. Those of you who know me well know that I can't be on time to anything to save my life. If anyone finds out the secret to getting an ounce of an internal sense of time, please let me know and save me an entire lifetime of humiliation. But until then, I beg you, tell me I need to be there 10-20 minutes before I actually do. It will work, I promise.

After Music Makers, we had an impromptu lunch at a friend's house. But just getting Christian out of the church parking lot where there is oh so much to explore and into the car was a battle of epic proportions. Christian is just so independent now, and he just WILL NOT COME when I call him. I am at my wit's end, not to mention my patience, because it is frequently dangerous, we are frequently in a hurry (what does Christian care that we are running late?) and always exasperating. I don't know if it's my realization that I have no control over him, or the realization that I have no plan or parenting philosophy to adequately deal with this disobedience that is so frustrating. My pre-parenting plan that I cling to is to only ask once and then the consequences come. But sometimes he's running away, and I can't reach him after the first warning, plus he is so strong now that I have a hard time physically controlling him. And I don't want to spank him, since I'm desperately trying to teach him not to hit me when he's frustrated. Sitting on a chair works well (for the moment) when we are at home, but what about when we are out? What do I threaten? Ahhhhggh!

Anyway, Christian wouldn't come when I called, in spite of the promise of a play date. I got him all the way to the car, and then while searching for my keys, he ran off again toward a the little drainage ditch by the parking lot, and WOULD NOT COME BACK. I actually bellowed at him to come back, but he just kept running. So I got in the car, and started to drive over to him (faster than me running after him). Well, Christian came running out of the drainage ditch, yelling for me to wait for him. The look of true terror on his face I can say I have never seen before, and it was heartbreaking. I felt so bad. I mean, happy that he actually got in the car, but sad that he thought I might leave him.

Anyway, at our friend's house, Christian, in his usual fashion, played HARD, and had so much fun that he screamed and kicked when I picked him up to leave. Big surprise.

I was planning on going home, but decided to go to the grocery store quickly for a few things I really needed right away. Well, Christian must have really been worn out from playing hard, because he actually fell asleep in the shopping cart. That has NEVER happened before. I picked him up and he just nestled into my shoulder and slept in my arms through the checkout lane. I so rarely get a chance to just hold him without resistance (he is always on the move), that I couldn't help but just nuzzle and kiss him repeatedly on his soft little cheek.

As we were walking out of the grocery store, and I thought of how big (and heavy) he's grown, we passed an elderly couple on their way in, slow, and bent with age. I smiled at them, and they smiled back. I thought of how often older people will stop me and look wistfully at Christian, and tell me to enjoy every minute. That they grow up so fast.

At that moment, holding my precious boy in my arms, I was struck with the thought that I am the luckiest girl in the whole world. Yeah, things haven't always gone the way I would have chosen if I was in control of the world. Yeah we didn't get to have a baby until we had been married for ten long years. Yeah, I wish we had already had another one before Christian was too old for them to be playmates. And yeah, I wish we could have another one soon so that I have time to ever have any more before my time runs out. Yeah, I'm a total stress case and sometimes feel so overwhelmed with my daily trials and challenges that I just feel like running away or at least hiding my head under the covers (yes... a bed... sleep sounds nice). But if I never had any other children, or any other blessings besides the unbelievable, amazing blessing of getting to be Christian's mom, I would still be the luckiest girl in the world.

P.S. How long can I get away with calling myself a girl?

Christian's Quips

I just had to record a few recent favorite Christian quotes:

"Christians have hair, and daddy's have heads.­" For future posterity, the explanation of this is that Eric shaves his head completely smooth every other day or so.­ Christian would have no indication that Eric has anything other than just a head (and a very nicely shaped head it is).­ Anyway, it my mom and I were cracking up.­

While looking at Eric's leg, "Capillaries are like driveways.­ Veins and arteries are like freeways.­" I think I mentioned that he's been watching Bill Nye the Science Guy.­

Another long-­time favorite that Christian cooperatively repeated for my Grandma and Grandpa Simons and my mom who were all visiting us in Reno last week (so fun and way too short!), "The Phillipines are a group of islands off the coast of Southeast Asia.­" He got that one from Veggie Tales.­ I am really careful about what I let him listen to, because I know he will repeat it.­

What a kid.­