Plants and Babies

My Big Tomato plants

Big zucchini Plant too 

We have had some interesting conversations with Lydia lately like today after dinner.  We were talking about our garden and how we started the tomato and Zucchini  plants from seeds in little containers in March and how we put them in the kitchen window.  We had to water them and move them so they would get even sunlight every day.  She made a wonderful connection about our plants and little babies.  She said that when babies are first born and they are new they need lots of care just like our plants when we first planted them.   As they grew they were easier to take care for and so are children.   I'd say that's an astute observation.  

The other day she asked an insightful but awkward question, however very age appropriate.  First she asked Bill on the way to the church for an activity and he responded with I think we better talk about this later when we have more time and when mom is here.  So here's her great question " Dad,  how does Jesus put babies in mom's tummies and how do mommies know they are there?"   In our family Bill is five for five for the the birds and bees questions. Remember it's the answer that counts and we have always given the answer together.  

Starting to harvest

Only one thing is nicer than fresh picked ripe homegrown tomatoes and that is a beautiful rare 75 degree day in late July.  The windows are open the fans are on and the AC is off and it feels just right.  It was so awesome to take a run with Emily this morning.  As we came home we noticed how the front flower beds needed some attention.  The weeds have been ignored because of the heat, so we worked together to weed and trim back some over grown trees and bushes.  It felt so good to play in the dirt again.
    We have been enjoying zucchinis and summer squash for a week or so.  Lydia has been keeping an eye out for red tomatoes and she found these today.  There are so many green ones I'm sure I'll be making some salsa this year.  This is the first year I have ever attempted planting tomatoes from seed.  Lydia planted the seeds indoors in March.  I have wanted to teach her about the law of the harvest so I thought no better way then by experiencing the whole process.  I have learned so much and have tried to teach about patience and care, weeding, water, and more patience.  It takes along time for the plant to produce fully ripe tomatoes.   Once we planted the seedlings outside we visited them everyday.  In the life of an eight year old 4 months is a long time.  Now the harvest has started and it is fun to talk about all the fruit that is coming from one little seed.  There is so many lessons to learn and teach from watching our tomatoes grow.  So glad we started those seeds in the kitchen window so many months ago.

So Long Farewell

It will be 18 months at least before we have dinner all together.
 Chillis was a fun place to give advice and say goodbye.

Saying goodbye is hard to do.   Chilis was the hot spot for our family farewell dinner.  We all took turns giving advise to Jessy about being a great missionary.  As we were all together I thought about how much our family is changing and growing.  I asked myself what will we look like next time we meet all together?  Will we meet together in 18 months or will Emily be out on a mission when Jessica gets home? We ate, chatted and sat on the veranda passing time. The weather was beautiful not too hot and sticky.  Lydia and Emily played a game following the different bricks.  And the silence grew a little awkward as we awaited going to President Dion's Home.

There are so many words of advice given at the time a missionary leaves.  President Dion shared a wonderful section in the Doctrine and Covenants that was given to Orson Hyde.  I loved the part that he read that said "Be of good cheer and fear not."  What wonderful advice given from the Lord through a prophet to our ancestor Orson Hyde and then read by a stake president to Jessica just as she is leaving on a mission.  She was set apart as a full time missionary for the church of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints.  A wonderful blessing was given to help and comfort her through out her mission and beyond.
                                                         
                                                            THE NEXT DAY
3:30 AM comes pretty early no matter how late one stays up. We loaded up the car with her two big lime green suitcases a back pack and a purse.  All of our family gathered in the kitchen for our last family prayer with everyone before  leaving our home at 4:00 to get to the Baltimore airport by 5:30.  Getting there was smooth sailing.  It's good to have proper goodbyes before you get to the airport because you don't have much time at the curb as you unload the suitcases.  Tears flowed as we watched the back of our missionary dragging her two suitcases into the airport.  We climb into the car, shut the doors, found the Kleenex  and made our way home.

So Long Farewell our missionary.
 Can't wait to hug you again.

Willy Trekking On

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Wily really enjoyed trek!   He loved his family at trek.  He had fun starting the camp fires, walking, and working.  Here's a few of the pictures his trek parents took.  I say thank you to all the leaders for their hard work in the heat of the summer.  I felt blessed to have witnessed the sharing of testimonies.  The spirit was strong and I felt that I had stepped onto higher ground, a holy place.  Thank you

Sunday Wrap Up

I love Sunday afternoons.  I love sitting around the table after we have eaten our Sunday meal and chatting.  We seem to start talking about the talks in sacrament meeting.  Then about each of the classes that each of us attended.  It's so awesome as each recalls something about the church meetings.  I love how the others chime in about about the various topics and by the end it turns into laughing and teasing.  We tend to linger longer together then at any other meal during the week.
  Today Willy made some wonderful BBQ'd chicken breasts mashed potatoes and corn.  He really knows his way around the grill.    I think it's so awesome that he just stepped up and began lunch.

It was a day full of goodbyes for Jessy.  I loved hearing from others how excited they are to see Jessy leave on her mission.  I am grateful for the words of wisdom given to me especially that the next eighteen months will go by quickly and that the Lord will take good care of her.  We have packed and unpacked her suitcases so many times.  50 lbs is not that much stuff we have found out as we have weighed and weighed the luggage.  We'll have to keep working on this luckily we have two more days.  She will have a great flight early early from Baltimore and arrive in SLC about 10:00am and then catch a shuttle from there directly to the MTC in Provo.    She is still waiting for her visa to come and pray that it will come in a timely manner.

The next couple of days are full of happy events!

Less Than A Week

Jessy Beautiful Missionary 

New Family Picture 

It's a momentous occasion when your son or daughter give their farewell talk to leave on a mission.  It's a time of excitement, panic, questioning, and packing.   (and a new commitment to blog so that she can see what is going on in our family)   To be honest I think I've felt every emotion possible for a mother to feel towards and about her child.  I thought that sending her on her mission would feel the same as sending her to college, but it's more.  It goes from elation to depression and back.  I question myself about what we have and have not taught, what we have done and haven't done, and then I realize that she has made good choices and all that is good comes from God.  I feel reassured that Jessy is in his hands and she will make good decisions and she has so much to give.  At father's day Jessy made a plaque and gave it to us that says " A missionary leaves her family for a short time so that those she teaches may be with their family forever." That's what it's all about.  She will leave here bright and early July 24th arrive at SLC at 10:06am and report to the MTC about noon.  On Sept 3rd she will leave to Barcelona Spain, if all goes well with her visa.  

Trek

Here comes Willy!!! Trek is calling his name.  I think Willy is game for all types of activities and I think Willy would have made a great pioneer.  I think of all the types of youth conferences trek is the most difficult one to send your youth on.  I don't know if it's the heat or the hard work or the opportunities that Willy might have to stand up and deliver that makes me consider what he knows and what he will do .  Oh I know that he will be awesome but, it makes you wonder if each of us could of done what was done for us by our pioneer forefathers.
 I think about what the pioneers did and how the Lord used their experiences to help them turn to him.  He knows that when we are at the lowest or at the most difficult moment that we turn to Him with the most desire, need, want, and at that moment we are most willing to give Him everything, our heart soul, and actions.  I think that at that moment we let the spirit in and we connect with heaven in a way that speaks loudly to our heart.  The experience of trek is planned so that each participant can feel and connect with the spirit so they can receive the message Heavenly Father has for them.  So I pray for Willy and the other youth of our stake that each of them with there individual challenges and spiritual journeys that they will connect with heaven and feel the fire of the covenant and truly live.