Patience, Patience, Patience, Patience, Patience, Patience, Patience.

We have a FHE lesson (with visuals, thanks to my FHE group from 20+ years ago) called Tom the Turkey Learns Patience. It was a favorite of my kids' for many years. Whenever Tom would feel mad or sad or frustrated or jealous, the wise old owl had told him to say the "magic word" - patience - seven times.

When we headed to Utah for a long weekend (5/21 - 5/26) in hopes of gathering together in celebration of our newest family member, I had no idea that I would need constant reminders about patience. Britt's due date was the 24th. I know that most babies (only 5%) come on their actual due date (that's still 5 out of every hundred, in case you're not a math wiz, so certainly not impossible), but since Britt had started dilating and having on-and-off contractions, and because I delivered all 5 of my babies a little early (2 were induced, but I was dilated to at least a 3), and since we had asked for the timing to work out in most of our prayers for the two months prior, I thought we had a good chance of hitting on one of those 5 days we planned to stay in UT. I was confident as we approached and planned each new day that THAT would be the day.

We arrived at Bill's parents house at 3am Thursday morning, and promptly hit the sack. We were so anxious to be there, to not miss it (it could happen anytime, you know), that we had packed up the car and headed out late Wednesday after school and work rather than risk leaving the next morning.

Once we were up and going, Bill, the girls and I headed over to Britt's house to visit and give her a couple of gifts.

We picked up Lex from the airport, then we all met at Brian and Robyn's house for a Syddall family BBQ.

Cecelia loves Tay - so cute!

That night I hoped the baby would come. Nope.

Patience, patience, patience, patience, patience, patience, patience.

The next day the girls and I headed to City Creek Mall and Temple Square. I figured some good old-fashioned walking might do the trick.

Nope.

Patience, patience, patience, patience, patience, patience, patience.

We started the day Saturday with some bowling,

then we stopped for some Mexican food,

(delish)

then did some massive outlet shopping. More walking. More bending. Spicy food. I worked hard to plan things that could possibly get the ball rolling (hah).

After another long day on our feet, we stopped by Rita's on our way home. Yum!

As we climbed into bed, exhausted and tired from the long day, we hoped to be awakened in the middle of the night by a phone call informing us the baby was on her way. Nope.

Patience, patience, patience, patience, patience, patience, patience.

We went to Grandma and Grandpa Goldsberry's for the afternoon/evening on Sunday.

We ate more Mexican food.

Some croqueted.

Then we all walked down to the park at a nearby school. We chatted about the how the park had changed, as we had frequented it numerous times over the past 24 years. There used to be a wood play set in this very spot (below), which is right next to the hill I slipped down 16+ years ago, breaking Shilo's leg.
Ouch. That memory is painful.

Austin tried bouncing the bridge in hopes of Britt's water breaking. Nope.

It was a beautiful evening and we had a great time enjoying each other's company.

Again, as we went to bed that evening, I hoped for a call in the middle of the night. Nope.

Patience, patience, patience, patience, patience, patience, patience.

Monday was Memorial Day.

We planned a long, winding drive up American Fork Canyon to Cascade Springs. We hoped the elevation change, along with a little hiking, might get something going. We had determined that if there was no change by later that day, Bill and the girls would drive back to CO.

I had asked Bill several times if he was sure there were picnicking areas there. He assured me there were. Nope. We ended up tailgating in the packed parking lot on the hot black asphalt, vying for the shade from our lift gates. 

Once we were done eating, we headed to the shady benches and hiking trails marked with signs that clearly stated "no picnicking."

Hike, Britt, hike.

I got a great picture of a baby moose...

Afterwards we dropped Lex off at her designated spot for her ride back to ID, and headed back to WVC. Bill and the girls started packing up, but not before trying to rescue a baby robin or two that had fallen out of their overcrowded nest. (I thought how Baby A must be feeling quite cramped in her tiny living quarters, too.)

Then they finished packing up and set off on the lengthy drive home. Bill needed to be back for work, Shilo had graduation festivities, and Mar was still in school. They mentioned willingness to turn around if they were up to halfway home if Britt happened to go into labor. Nope.

Patience, patience, patience, patience, patience, patience, patience.

Britt had a doctor appointment and ultrasound on Tuesday, and I waited oh-so-unpatiently to hear what her doctor had to say. I was elated to hear that she would induce her the following day. She told Britt to call the hospital at 6am to see if they had space for her. To celebrate that evening, Grandma and Grandpa S. treated us to dinner. Britt wasn't supposed to eat the following morning, so we wanted to get her nice and stuffed.

Wednesday the 28th was Bill's parent's 49th wedding anniversary. We talked about how perfect it would be to have their first great grandchild born on that day. I told Britt to call me when she had an idea of when she would be going to the hospital.

She called the hospital at 6, then at 7:30, then at 9... I'm not sure how many times she called after that. Each time she was told they were too busy to admit her, but they would get her in that day. I went with my FIL to purchase some beautiful roses for my MIL.

We waited and waited. I was starting to panic, since I had a flight scheduled at 8:40 the following morning. Our parents were all flying out a little later that morning to CO for Shi's graduation on Friday. Things were getting very VERY tight.

Patience, patience, patience, patience, patience, patience, patience.

I cried a few tears as my FIL and I ran a couple errands and drove through the cemetery near his home decked out for Memorial Day.
I felt like I was going to have a meltdown when I called Bill to share my anxiety but he had someone in his office and couldn't talk.
I called my sister Jill to express my anxiety and finally found some sweet relief in her empathy and encouragement.

At 4:47pm I texted Britt, asking if I could call the hospital. I felt sure that if they understood our situation, they might try a little harder to squeeze her in. Her response: "If you want to :) just don't be too too harsh so they really don't want to let me in haha"

I called. I found compassion in a fellow grandma as I cried tears of discouragement and explained my predicament. 20 minutes later, Britt got the call to come in. Finally.

The End.

Seminary Graduation

05.18.14

4 long years of rising early EARLY in the morning to attend are at an end.

Shilo has been the first of our otherwise amazing children to get herself up consistently.

She rarely missed a day.

She often mentioned how lucky she felt to have 4 years of great teachers.

 It is my belief that the sacrifice made by kids who attend early morning Seminary is well worth it, even if you have to rouse them every day and push them out the door. (cough)

"You will come to know that what appears today to be a sacrifice will prove instead to be the greatest investment that you will ever make." (President Gordon B. Hinckley)

As a released-time student, I viewed Seminary as another class. I enjoyed scripture chasing, devotionals, and socializing, but I didn't put much effort into learning (it wasn't included on my GPA anyway). I skipped class enough over my 4 years, that a couple months before graduation I was told that I wouldn't graduate from Seminary without some serious make-up work. 40+ hours worth.

After my mom told me that she would rather have me graduate from Seminary than from high school, I dutifully set about making it up, hour for hour.

Although my kids have occasionally talked wistfully about released-time Seminary, I wouldn't change having them go to early morning, and am grateful that we didn't have the option (I'm pretty sure we would have taken it). The sacrifice our whole family has made together has definitely brought forth the blessings of heaven. 

Shi's Seminary class. Bro. Denby is to the left of Shi - he almost looks like one of the kids.

Here are the Seminary graduates from our ward (minus one, who graduated from another high school and participated in their Seminary graduation):

 We get a little reprieve before starting back in to another 4 years. 

Last day of high school... ever.

05.20.14

This momentous occasion calls for a stroll down memory lane.

First day of Kindergarten at Cedar Ridge 09.04.01:

First day of elementary school at Frontier Valley 07.31.02:

First day of middle school at Cimarron 08.11.08:

First day of high school at Legend 08.10.10

Time flies on wings of lightning.

The end.

Blessings.

There is oh-so-much to share.

This is the absolute first moment I have sat still to reflect and to remember. To structure my thoughts and memories into sentences. To put things in their proper order and perspective.

This

and this

happened.

I was there for both.

Prayers answered.

That doesn't mean there wasn't a whole lot o' work and effort that went into it.

And not just for those sweet daughters of mine... for this tired mamita who feels like taking a little nap at 9:30 in the morning because she's actually sitting down, taking a moment to reflect on the craziness of the past couple weeks. 

It also doesn't mean it all went according to my well-thought-out and desired plan.

There was plenty of anxiety, stress, sweat and tears thrown in.

For today, I will count my blessings.

I will thank my Heavenly Father once again that my prayers were answered:

• for a healthy delivery for mom and baby

• for the safety of my family hurtling through the blackness at 80mph in the wee hours of the morning

• for the gift of being present

• for the blessing of having everyone's needs and schedules met

• for stamina and endurance

And I will thank those angels-on-earth who assisted along the way.
I couldn't have done it without them.