I Want My Daughters To Be Proud of Me

A pretty lady said the bit in the title (less the "s" after "daughter") to me the other day. She gave this as her reason for spending 3 hours to get going each day (makeup and other high maintenance self-care rituals). The way she said it, combined with the way she looked at me, contained the between-the-lines implied reproach of, "And you should take better care of yourself so your daughters can be proud of you". And no, I was not being over-sensitive. Yes, I admit that I may have a tendancy toward that problem, but this was, indeed, not an instance of it. I know I was not being over-sensitive because she specifically said that her daughter compared her to women in her Hispanics' fashion magazine and then looked at me to share a similar experience or excuse myself. I didn't. I just nodded my head, smiled a little too tightly, and said that I thought what she'd shared was nice and I was glad she felt good that he daughter was proud of her.

I didn't have the energy or ability to focus on my own thoughts at that time because of stretching my awareness over my three daughters at Ria's Dance class (Tea in my lap and Ria and Kat playing before Ria's class started). My conversation with the pretty lady stretched into Ria's dance class period so I only had Tea and Kat to mind, but I still didn't feel up to expressing my thoughts and feelings about her reproach. Also, I felt it was appropriate to simply let her talk because she obviously needed someone to talk to and I was relatively available. However, this topic and my reaction to it have been much on my mind. So I want to address the issue. I hope you don't mind reading along.

I, too, do want my daughters to be proud of me. I hope that they will think of my appearance (at least during these years of their lives, I do hope it will improve) with tolerance and forgiveness as well as understanding that Mama was trying to get her exercise and eating habits in order. Something, admittedly, that I should have done while single. And I did... a few times. Food and I just have issues! I like it too much and it sticks to me like super glue. *sigh*

I think the above should (and hopefully DOES) lead one to realize that my fondest hope is not for my daughters' approval and pride in my appearance. Looks fade. Eventually, they droop and sag and wrinkle. It's inevitable. Unless, of course, you hope to die young. I honestly hope to live to be at least 100... so wrinkles, drooping, sagging, parchment-paper skin, and other signs of agedness are likely a BIG part of my future! I'm really okay with it and, in a way, welcome it because it means I will have MADE it at least a good portion of the way to my life expectancy goal. Yes, I have a goal for that! Don't you!??

So, in what way DO I want my daughters to be proud of me? It's in the title. It must be applicable somehow. I will add the caveat that I hope their pride in me is the Godly kind, not the prideful BAD kind that includes some form of idolatry or whatever. :) Hopefully the previous would be assumed, but I just had to put it out there, just in case.

If I accomplish some of my goals, my daughters will be proud that I really truly TRIED HARD. They will see in all of my lame mistakes, a person striving. They will recognize, in all my poor excuses of effort, a Mama who LOVES her girls and wanted to give them her VERY best. A Mama who wanted to give them THE very best out of life and the greatest opportunities, but didn't know how lots of times, yet was always ALWAYS trying! They will see in my sometimes painstaking efforts, a woman trying to learn every bit of anything that could have to do with MamaING and applying it as well as I could at any given time. They will be proud to see in my actions a woman who didn't have an easy time loving being a Mama, but who strove and endured and WORKED to love being their Mama!

My girls will be proud that I made my best effort to fulfill my callingS in the very best way I knew how with a strident effort to listen to and follow the promtings of the Spirit at all times. This, if I accomplish it, will overlap the previously mentioned bit as well as extend out into the world - probably most heavily into our Ward family.

They will be proud that I tried to love everyone. Even those who hurt me out of ignorance, misguided impressions, or spite. They will recognize my efforts to meet people everywhere I went and my subsequent efforts to pull those newly met people into any given group. They will know these were some of my efforts to comfort those that stand in need of comfort. My daughters will be proud that I always tried to increase unity in the groups and among the people I found myself - regardless of how difficult it often was for me to reach out.

If I accomplish, even in small measure, any of these goals (and many I'm not specifying), my daughters will be proud of me because they will see in my words and deeds a VERY human woman striving to be like our Savior. They will know that I failed miserably too many times and in too many important ways, but they will see in their mind's eye picture: my lame nape-of-the-neck-mousy-brown-pony tail, my make-up-less face, and too many pounds per square inch a woman who tried VERY hard to avoid pride (a problem I have huge issues with because even as fat as I am I have a really very symmetrical face, which symmetry is the basis of physical beauty) and who, in her efforts tried to help others (including and most especially her own family) instead of making sure she was always perfectly coiffed.

Women who wear make-up and do their hair nicely are definitely not bad. I certainly know that they are good and can do just as much (or more) good than I. I will also readily admit that I enjoy looking at the women around me who are perfectly made up with hair in place at all times. They are a joy to behold. I have nothing against women who take time to beautify themselves. My priorities simply lie elsewhere and I cannot apologize for it. My thoughts expressed here are simply my effort to convey to you, if you think poorly of women like me based on our seemingly un-kept (or less fiddled with) appearance, is that I just don't care or can't let myself care about what is so important to you. I'm not bad either! That's all.

A Link Up

I hadn't heard about this sort of thing until just recently when I started to seriously look into couponing (inspired by my sis C and an enrichment talk by Sister A.M.). I'm sure lots of different kinds of blogs do it. I think most people do it to increase traffic to their monetized blogs. Mine is not one of those, so I'm just doing it for the fun of it (just like the rest of my blogging, I suppose).

The one link up I'm participating in asks us to answer the question:

I want to know how you
have cut back on your grocery budget.
Share your tips and tricks!

If you want to participate, too, feel free. It seems to be open to anyone interested. Just visit the awesome Cents To Get Debt-Free blog and input the necessary info! :) I certainly would love to win the prize (YEP, a PRIZE just for participating!) as I've asked our landlord to consider allowing us to garden. I haven't had a garden since we moved here (TWO years!) and I'm SERIOUSLY hankerin' for work in some nice, clean, dirt! Anyway....

We've just recently returned to buying our own groceries (we were on Church assistance for a good 6+ months). This return is a pleasant one, but not easy as we haven't had quite enough money to purchase the necessary items all around. So, we've been supplementing our purchases with grocery store food storage items (they expire MUCH more quickly than long-term bulk food storage items).

To answer the above question, though:

I've been striving to use more bulk items (like rice, wheat, and beans much more). We've been trying to keep beans in our daily diet so that we won't have a difficult acclimation period if we NEED to use them more often. Beans really DO make you fart!!! And where there are farts there is gas in the belly and that, my friends, can be SUPER painful!!!

I've given up my Nestles Quick and cow's milk. (Right, I KNOW!!!) If you know me, the chocolate milk sacrifice is huge. I mean, not as huge as ME, for instance, BUT pretty darn close. ^_^ I haven't had any Quick for at least 2 weeks. It has not been easy and, honestly, I miss it EVERY day. I could make chocolate syrup from the cocoa we have, but I've decided not to use our cocoa and sugar for now. I do hope to some day feel financially secure enough to return to purchasing Quick. Cow's milk isn't as tremendous a sacrifice. It's really just not so great in general. The only reason I'd been drinking it is because I was, honestly, worried about my protein intake during my pregnancy AND cow's milk is the only milk my Church provides when you need food assistance. They don't yet know the evils there-in. However, I have to say that the milk we received from the Church had a sticker that said it didn't have any growth hormones, which made it a LITTLE easier for me to consume.

We are using coupons! We've made some good purchases. One included just over $30 out of pocket and I saved over $25 in manufacturers' coupons and in store coupons. Additionally I'll receive $6 back from a rebate. Another purchase, probably my best one: I made one dollar! YES! You read that right! I ACTUALLY made $1 on a purchase! I could've made more, but Jess doesn't want to get our money back on a gift card, he wants a paper check. Next time I might not ask because I REALLY like the idea of getting MORE money back even if it means I have to spend it in the store I'm using, since I plan to do this regularly! On another purchase at a big grocery store in the area we spent $8 and saved $23!!!! Isn't that amazing!?!?! Much of these items are going into our food storage to replace what we've used. I'm SO happy!!!! Jess is pretty impressed, too. Feels SO good!!!

I'm feeding my family from scratch a LOT more. My girls LOVE meatballs. And thankfully so since we've had them VERY often as of late. :) I haven't yet returned to bread making. I still don't have a functioning oven. That's just an excuse, really. I HAVE thought about making bread in my toaster oven... though they would be SUPER small loaves. It could work! Everything else has!!!! I haven't felt up to adding that particular endeavor to my TO DOs as yet, though.

I think that about covers it. At least, for what I can think of off the top of my head right now.

What are you doing?

Contact Your Senators ASAP If You Care About Your Parental Rights!

My knowledge of politics is limited, but I'm striving to learn and improve in MANY ways (politics being one). The CPSIA "string" fiasco is one thing about which I've tried to involve myself. This newest issue, at least new to me, is MUCH more upsetting. It's Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury versus 1984 by George Orwell. I would prefer neither come to pass, but will kick and scream with all my might against the latter (even more than the former!) and can imagine myself living in the woods striving to recite a text I've been assigned! Seriously. I LOVE literature!

So, what's the issue I'm all turned around about? Well, apparently the U.N. has this thing called the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child and the guy Obama wants to put (is putting?) into the position of Deputy Attorney General: David W. Ogden will push for the US to ratify this law, which seems quite good, but, in reality is a nightmare of our country losing/handing over authority to act for itself according to the beliefs of its citizens in TOO many ways. Please read about this subject and then call your Senators! The blog through which I learned about this issue is more eloquent about it. Please read HERE and HERE for the sources I've read. The author is AMAZING in general and I recommend her blog all around.

You can also read here for a VERY helpful summary of 20 things you need to know about this issue. You can also read generally about the subject HERE.

THEY VOTE ON THURSDAY!!!

This is really upon us! Please make a CALL as soon as you are able.

AND in a completely different direction:

If you haven't voted for the cool blog I told you about before (or you haven't voted in the last 24 hours), pop on over there to help her win $50, would ya? It's down to the wire now and she's in 3rd place. But she COULD totally win if we all help her!!! ^_^ It's only a click away.
THANK YOU for helping with a click!

Hilarious!

If you're related to me or know my sister, you may have already read this. If not, it's worth a few moments. It's not a long tale and there ARE pictures to help get the full feeling of the situation.

Check out The Saga of the Missing Key, which may have well been named: Adventures with Baby When Mama is Out and Daddy Without... heeheehee ^_^

Of course, this may be SO funny to me because it's my sister, after-all. But I honestly think anyone would find it quite entertaining! DO tell me what you think!

Two Stories You May Enjoy

I feel compelled to share both of these stories. The first is a Dr. Seuss-type tale. It's ALSO social commentary and VERY good. The working title is The Trouble With String. If you know anything about the CPSIA (I've mentioned it a couple of times), please keep that issue/bungled legislation in mind! Oh, and I did NOT write either story. I wish I could say I had (about either of them)!

Click HERE for the String Story.

Forgive me if you received this from Mom. I wanted others who are not on her mailing list to have the opportunity to read it. I think it's AWEsome!! ^_^

Brenda was almost halfway to the top of the tremendous granite cliff. She was
standing on a ledge where she was taking a breather during this, her first
rock climb.  As she rested there, the safety rope snapped against her eye and
knocked out her contact lens. "Great", she thought. "Here I am on a rock ledge,
hundreds of feet from the bottom and hundreds of feet to the top of this cliff,
and now my sight is blurry." She looked and looked, hoping that somehow it had
landed on the ledge. But it just wasn't there. She felt the panic rising in her,
so she began praying. She prayed for calm, and she prayed that she may find
her contact lens.  When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her
clothing for the lens, but it was not to be found. Although she was calm now
that she was at the top, she was saddened because she could not clearly see
across the range of mountains. She thought of the bible verse "The eyes of
the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth." She thought, "Lord, You
can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know
exactly where my contact lens is.  Please help me."

Later, when they had hiked down the trail to the bottom of the cliff they met
another party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them
shouted out, "Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?"

Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it?
An ant was moving slowly across a twig on the face of the rock, carrying it!
The story doesn't end there. Brenda's father is a cartoonist. When she told
him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he
drew a cartoon of an ant lugging that contact lens with the caption, "Lord,
I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's
awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I'll carry it for
You." I think it would do all of us some good to say, "God, I don't know
why You want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's
awfully heavy. But, if You want me to carry it, I will."

God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

....I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.
(Phil. 4:13)

I hope you enjoy them both as much as I did!!!

Amazing Daughters

Theresa
Tea is sitting up at every opportunity! Can you believe it? She's 3.5 months old and she started to sit up and sway a couple weeks ago. She's been sitting up steadily for the last week, but I wasn't sure if it was a fluke or not. Definitely not.

She's also grasping things with her thumb and forefinger still. AND holding things with one hand and then changing it to the other without putting it down. She's amazing. She knows it, too. :)

Kathryn
She shines bright in counting lately. Kat can count to 12 VERY well (she only misses #3). The other numbers between 12 and 19 sound pretty much the same. But she's really REALLY good at counting to 12!

She's said she wants to learn how to read, too, which is awesome because her attention span is rather short, so it'd be a good thing to start earlier with her because I believe the whole process may take longer. But it's totally worth it!

Victoria
Our eldest is a wonderful example of the enjoyment and joy of reading that even young children can experience. She still reads to Kat regularly. She's even started reading to Tea. And Tea actually REALLY likes it! Ria just read Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentine which her Mimi sent and declared, "I want to read every one of these books (because she found the list of the series titles at the front of the book)." And then she continued, "I want to read every book in the children's section at the library!" I said something about that being a good goal. Then she added, "I'm going to read every book in the library!" She actually could because our library is good, but not huge... so, any bets on how long it'll take her? hehehehe

Ria continues to do very well at her piano lessons and practice. She'll be moving into playing some simple songs with chords really soon. How exciting, right!? I'm excited because I'm learning right along with her. I would REALLY love to be able to play basic primary songs soon. Wouldn't that be lovely?

Everything
We're pretty well here. Still some congestion from the cough stuff the girls have had. If you think to pray for us concerning Tea, specifically, but our family's health, in general, that would be really wonderful! Thank you!

Want to Help?

I recently found this really great blog. It's listed in my Saving Moolah blog list. I try to read it whenever I get a moment and see she's got a new post. The author has money saving ideas, shares couponing suggestions (I'm very new to this and have felt inspired to pursue it after an enrichment meeting (Sister M taught a lesson on it) and my sister-in-love, C, mentioned she's doing it!), and even has recipes!

My point here is to ask you to check out her blog and then vote a thumbs up for her. She can win some moolah, which is ALWAYS awesome and totally welcome in our frugal households!!!! I hope you will vote!!!!!!

Baby Giggles

Today my very best Valentine's gift was to hear my Tea laugh out loud for the first time, full on! She's been sort of giggling for a while with these funny little intakes of breath, but today it was actual and total laughter! About what? you might ask. I have not a clue. She was watching Ria eat and started laughing for some reason only known to her, more than once!

About a week ago I heard a baby laughing in Wal-Mart. I was walking around a few isles away from the sweet event. When I heard it I felt my mouth spreading into an uncontrollable and hugely goofy grin. As I passed a couple of people I'd been seeing for the duration of my quick trip, I commented, "Don't you hear the baby laughing? This was my effort to explain my goofiness whilst walking alone. Doesn't it make you feel all warm and happy, like you just have to smile!?" When their attention was drawn to it, I immediately saw my goofy smile spread across their faces. (Glad it wasn't just me!) I wondered, at that time, when my own baby would start to laugh and giggle like that.

To me, baby giggles are THE most wonderful, joyful, and precious sound I can imagine. And if a baby I don't know is like that to me, I'm sure you can imagine hearing it from one of my own darlings is all that and more! (It IS!) I almost cried today from the joy of it.

Chocolate and an Activity

Jess and I finished up the Truffles Thursday night for the party tonight. It went well. We finally had a REALLY great system down and it took very little time to whip out the last 31 of them. It was nice to work together with Ria and Kat asleep, too. I was holding Tea in one arm and putting chocolate balls into the chocolate coating while Jess ensured even coating and then spilled them out on the wax paper. He's a good man, my Jessie... even when I'm annoyed with him I DO know that.

Tonight was my Ward Valentine's Social. I think it went well. Of course, the main reason for that is that the Relief Society Presidency is TOTALLY on the ball and really wonderful. They had things up and BEAUTIFUL! Additionally, they made sure we had plenty of food for everyone. We actually had more than enough, which is far better than having NOT enough, I think! I even took the dinner I made for the night home... which is all right by me because it was a really great recipe (given to us so that we would have the same main meal for everyone).

I have a greater understanding of the whole: the greatest shall be the least and the least shall be the greatest. I've always known that, for instance, the Bishop had the most responsibilities in the Ward and, thus, was the greatest servant of the Ward family. What I didn't know (and definitely felt tonight) was the feeling of internally being compelled to serve... yearning to serve because of my feeling of responsibility for the event. And I think that many/most must feel that way.

When I counted the number of people present at our Social, I laid my eyes and a number on 60 people (kids and adults) and I know I missed at least 5 who came after I counted... and I probably missed others who were not in the room when I counted. I think that's a pretty good turn out. I'm so impressed and pleased with the work of the Relief Society Presidency as well as the dessert turnout for the Boy Scouts' Dessert Fundraiser, which was part of the Social. They did pretty well on that front, too, I think, which feels REALLY wonderful!

And today is my niece's birthday! I can hardly believe she's 5. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to K!!! That means Ria will be 5 in just a few short weeks and I'm feeling a bit flustered about having a 5 year old. Does this mean I'll feel odd every time she reaches a number divisible by 5? I don't know. I guess only time will tell!

Percolating

Yesterday the announcements for the Valentine's Family Pot Luck Dinner with Boy Scouts' Dessert Fundraiser were made. I did something wrong in the flier about it, which is upsetting that I should already have had to be chastised, but I'm sure it'll happen again. (Just because I don't know what I'm doing, not because I'm purposefully being a rebel or anything. At least, I don't think I'm trying to be a rebel! I honestly feel like I'm trying to bring to pass the Will of our Father.)

As part of the announcement (in Relief Society), it was mentioned that Jessie was making the Truffles as the 'creme de la creme' of the desserts that would be available. I shared that there would be a regular chocolate, a nut topped, and a white chocolate drizzled trio. There were a few comments after this info (and even more when I shared that there was a limited supply so if interested they'd better get there early!). Some of the comments that were particularly nice to hear were: "Oh, can we place orders?" and, "You need to tell the guys so they can get THAT instead of going to Wal-Mart to buy chocolates for their sweethearts!" So nice, right? There was one comment, however, that has stuck in my head, not because of it's sweetness. I'm not angry about it. But it has been STUCK and so I wanted to share it and some of my thoughts about it.

This comment was similar to (but perhaps not exactly): "Oh, Jessie just has all kinds of time, huh?" I demured and assured the person that he didn't have all kinds of time, but that he was MAKING time.

My thoughts: Isn't that what we're supposed to do? MAKE time for service, I mean. It's not convenient to do things for others most of the time, but it is necessary for our growth and well-being. Jess has been frustrated by the chocolate any number of times... check out one of his recent Facebook comments to see that. But he's really happy to be doing the work to help the Boys! Heck, for all we know these boys are the only ones we'll ever have! (By that I mean boys in the Church and Scouts, not necessarily the ones in our Ward RIGHT now.) Anyway....

I think I'm saddened. I know I'm not mad, but the way I feel about that comment is not exactly a good feeling. I feel a bit better for having relieved some of the pressure from this percolating. ^_^ Thanks for reading!

Connections and Hope

I've been thinking a lot about how totally connected we are on this planet. Part of that is just a train of thought that circles the track in my mind and comes center-stage (the track runs across the stage of my mind, of course) sometimes. It's coming round again and it feels that Father wants it there, too. I say this because a just read a story I found in one of the blogs I read. You could go to that blog, but I decided to link to it right here because it was really THAT wonderful!

The Awesome Story

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did (still do as I'm pondering some of the ideas in it even now)! I like the symbol of a woven blanket or tapestry as the "fates" are often illustrated. But the images the author uses work really well for me, too. I think the 6 degrees of separation and the idea of cycles and circles in experience are real and really fascinating. I also feel hopeful and somehow brighter (not as in smart, but as in a way of feeling hope sort of IN me) for reading it! I hope you will, too. Please let me know what you think after you read it!

Focus on My Family

Jessie
Jess is working 2 jobs still. The part-time job is REALLY part-time right now. And the full-time job is pretty much part-time. UGH! But, amazingly, we're doing better financially. I have even greater hope now that we'll be able to make it without food assistance from the Church. It's been around 6 months now. That's not terribly long, in the scheme of things, but I've been feeling the urge to be fully independent once more for a couple months. I hope it will truly happen!

Ria
Ria is still reading wonderfully well. She's definitely a solid second-grade reader. I would wager she's more a 3rd grader in that regard. Her comprehension is amazing, too. So, she's not just decoding! YEAY! Mary Kay says she's doing really well with piano, too. I'm so happy about that. She's been practicing on her own all morning today. While this is a bit unusual, it's definitely a pleasure for me! Her Math is coming along nicely - though slowly. She's having a bit of difficulty with the 'teens', but seems to totally get the higher numbers (at least through the 100s!). I LOVE MATH-U-SEE! We're going to be moving into some addition either today or Monday... AWESOME, right? I'm excited. ^_^ Ria writes pretty well (penmanship). If you haven't received a letter from her and would like one, let me know. Her spelling ability is right at Kindergarten level, but I'm sure that will improve quickly as we focus on it more. She's still loving Dance, too. They are working on the recital pieces now, which is totally exciting. For ballet she will be dancing to "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" from Cinderella. Tap will be something different, but the costume is a two-in-one pink number. SO cute! I'm excited to see it and Ria is SUPER excited to be on stage again. What a pleasure to me that she's so happy to be there again!! I hope Kat will have such a proclivity (and Tea for that matter)! ^_^

Kat
Kat is sweet and wonderful, too. She's very compassionate and tries really hard to make people feel better when they don't feel well. She's also protective of her big sister! Funny, right? But she is. It's SO sweet to see and hear. Kat is just barely over 2 and we've started some reading lessons. She's VERY into music and enjoys playing the piano (especially when Ria is supposed to be playing). She enjoys playing with the Math-U-See blocks and counting to 5. She especially loves Dance. I would say Ria enjoys having her hair done more than Kat, but Kat LOVES to have her hair put in a bun for Dance class. Of course, she's still not TAKING a class, but she gets dressed up each Thursday, just the same. I'm so excited to put her in a class this summer. I already have permission (even though she'll only be 2.5 and they normally don't accept girls under 3).

Tea
Tea is still a sweet baby. She's a bit more demanding lately. I've been thinking that maybe she's come out of a sort of newborn coma - sort of. She is 3 months old, after-all. Perhaps, since the first 3 months are sort of like the missing trimester (so some say), she's actually coming alive to the world she's in now. I don't know. I'm trying to understand why my sweet, sleepy, quiet, happy girl is not as much of those things any more. *sigh* She's still sweet as long as she's held and often has a focused amount of attention. I think she's going to be in the Moby a bit more than she has been. Thankfully my back/body are a bit stronger than they were a couple months ago.

sitting

This baby. Please remember that she did just turn 3 months on January 25th. She sat up last night! No, seriously! She was sort of laying back in a basket I have in the bathroom in my room while I used the toilet and she pulled herself up into a sitting position. She swayed there for a moment and I just got so excited I said something to her about it, in an excited and congratulatory manner and she lost her focus and plopped right back into the position I put her in - in the basket. OH, what a pleasure. She just got this self-satisfied joyful smile on her face and started gooing and giggled at me! Even in her greater difficulty, there is the other side of the "coin" that she is even more responsive and interactive - which, of course, is joyous!

rolling

She's rolling over confidently. Her first manouver was about a month ago (when she was 2 months old), but she didn't repeat it much, so I wasn't sure it was on purpose. Well, she's definitely rolling purposefully now. And it's none of this tummy, lean the heavy head and flip... she went for the physical, the REALLY hard work way: lift the legs into some crazy muscle-bound reverse sit up, lean them over to the side (like a Yoga stretch), lift with the obliques and gently swing the free arm while lifting the head, just so... to end up on the tummy. I know... I have to watch out for this one! Yes, she also goes from the position to the head flop right back onto her back. She's not happy with going through both positions once... she keeps going until she almost rolls off my bed. Poor girl isn't allowed on the FREEZING floor as yet (BECAUSE it's freezing!), so she can only roll as far as the edge of the bed. She LOVES it, though! I'll try to get some video. I haven't had my camera back there with me thus far, though.

grabbing

Have I mentioned that she's grabbing things really well. She loves to hold dolls and other things and feel the textures of things with her tongue. Often enough she does simply stuff things in her mouth, but she also thoughtfully feels things with her tongue. It's amazing to watch! It's like I can actually SEE the little gears turning in her head as she tries to categorize and understand what she's experiencing. I've tried to define things for her when I see this very thoughtful experiencing of her surroundings. I feel so attached to words and desire for my children to have a grasp of them, but I think Tea will speak earlier because she seems SO much to want to understand (already!).

pincer

Along with the grabbing... Tea has already done the hand exchange thing! She also uses the pincer grasp periodically. Sometimes she grabs full-fisted. But when she's wants to work (and she gets REALLY fussy if she wants to work and I'm not giving her something to focus on: like grabbing for something!) she often grabs with the pincers (index finger and thumb... this is a big deal because, they say, this is what separates us from the animals because it enables much greater range of motion, dexterity with tools, and so forth). The pincer grasp is usually associated with 6 month olds and Tea has been doing this for a couple of weeks now! I know, right!!!!

comparing my girls

For some comparison... I know they say you shouldn't do that, but I find it helpful to know them as individuals. I can see similarities and differences and better understand how to deal with them. If that makes any sense. Anyway... Kat was much more of an observer. (Believe it or not. If you know her, you might not beleive me because she's such an ACTIVE part of things now.) She didn't care to do "work" the way I've described Tea wanting. However, Kat did start walking 1/2 a month earlier than Ria, at 8.5 months. Tea and Ria could almost be twins (strange how that works out AND they have rhyming names, right?) with regard to their focused desire to work and efforts. I've already observed Tea watching her sisters the same way Kat used to watch Ria... which, I believe, led to walking earlier than Ria's 9 months. So, I think Tea will beat Kat's early walk. And I'm REALLY okay with that. Contrary to many Mothers, my children feel easier in MANY ways once they take to their own two feet! I enjoy their independence... perhaps that's because THEY enjoy it so much. I'm not sure. I am sure I'll let you know how it goes. To that end I should share that Tea already REALLY likes standing up. Her legs are pretty darn strong (especially considering how chubbers they are/she is!). AND she's pretty stead when I hold her loosely under her arms. She's happiest standing when I can let her do it.

MAN, I love my girls!!!

Oh. And then there's me. Hmmm...

Me, Myself, and I: Tori
Did I tell you about the ongoing service progject with Relief Society? We've been asked to quilt, crochet, and/or knit lap blankets and shawls for a nursing home (and we might keep some in the closet at church). I've completed 1 Mobious Shawl. It's REALLY cool. It was neat and SUPER easy to make. If you crochet an can read directions at all, it's really easy and wonderful to have a finished project in a short time...unless, of course, you're a heavy girl like me and then you have to make a larger one, which take a LOT more time. But still cool.

I'm ever-so-slowly working to finish Tea's things (blanket, jacket, hat, and Tigger stuffed animal) that I didn't complete before she was born. I made those things for Ria and Kat except that I made an Eyeore for Ria and a Pooh for Kat. Many excuse me because of already having 2 children, but the reason I didn't complete it was chasing after missing money since Jess quit his part-time job.... ahwell

Homeschooling is still goind pretty well. Ria has seemed, this week, to be entering a critical period with her piano playing... it's like she's clearing the top of the first mountain. When this happened with reading she went from a K level to 2nd in a matter of months. So, I'm excited to see what happens with piano! I'm still busy with keeping that going, but Jess is helping a lot more with implementation. That's SUCH a blessing... I've read about women whose hubbies feel it's none of thier job to keep homeschooling going (even when there's a new baby in the house). I do not even want to imagine the stress of that kind of situation. Thankfully we don't even have to BE schooling either Ria or Kat yet since they haven't yet turned 6. ^_^ I'm stilly researching and reading on the subject, but it's not my main focus right now... I'm more focused on getting the Calling squared up.

And there is, of course, the Calling. We're having our first Activity with me as facilitator on the 13th (Valentine's Dinner), which means that I've had to do all my facilitating this week so that we can get the word out tomorrow. Exhausting. But, I hope, rewarding. I hope to stay in the WAY background during my time in this Calling... I loved my secretary calling for that.... We'll see.

P.S.
I walked away. While thinking about my daughters and the BIG difference I kind of focused on in this post, I realized in a sort of "light bulb" moment that the internal motivation to work OR not is very much like Jess and me. One of us has an almost ceaseless internal push to DO while the other's is almost absent in comparison. Can YOU guess which is which? DO tell me what you think! I'm totally curious.

Will You Do It? Please DO!

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The New Calling

I didn't update you on the new calling yesterday because I was, honestly, too busy with it and an ongoing service project with Relief Society to even sit in front of the computer. I KNOW, amazing, right!?

Yesterday I was sustained and set-apart as my Ward's Activity's Committee Chairperson. Neat, huh? Well, maybe that's not the best way to describe: exciting, nerve wracking, tense, fun, and anxiety ridden. But, I think that understatement is sometimes the only way to go! ;)

In the calling and a V-Day dinner/fund-raiser for our Boy Scouts to plan. Yeah. See above for thoughts. Actually, though... the Lord has been VERY merciful. I'm ACTUALLY feeling very calm and happy about it all, thus far. I'll let you know more after the dinner (either the 13th or 14th, I'm not really clear on that yet).

I almost forgot to mention the interesting part about Jess. They didn't ask him to accept a calling - since he's not a member. But they did ask him to be an official support for my calling (part of the committee without the call? After Bro. McLaughlin went through the process of sustaining me he also mentioned that "Brother Jessie, even though he isn't actually brother" is going to be assisting me with the calling. AND after I was set-apart, Jess was asked if he would like a blessing. Jess accepted. Interesting, huh?

Neat.