Vivien's Birthday

Vivien had only been with us for five weeks when her birthday came. It had been a very stressful month for her trying to adjust to the language, a large family, the school, and trying to do homework in another language. She was still very quiet, kept to herself, and didn't eat much. Knowing her birthday was coming up, I made an even bigger effort to get to know what she DID like. I found in that month that she loves purple, fuzzy blankets, socks, Superman, strawberry ice cream and Peanut MnM's, and cheese pizza. I figured we could work up a party around that and really hoped that it would help her feel more a part of the family and for her to know that we were glad she was with us.

During the day, Hyrum and I went to the school to decorate her locker. Erika and Derek skipped out of class for a few minutes to help and leave her notes.

When she walked in after school I could see that something was different. She thanked me for doing the locker and was happy to toss around a couple of the balloons that were decorating the kitchen for her. We all enjoyed the cheese pizza. I enjoyed seeing her finally eat something.

I didn't know if she even liked cake but we stuck to American tradition and I tried to make one with things that I knew she liked. Rather than just to cake I layered cake with strawberry ice cream and topped it all with Peanut MnM's. The combination was a little odd to me but she was very pleased with it.

The boys went in together to get her a superman shirt and some fuzzy socks to match. Erika got her a purple fuzzy blanket and LeRoy and I got her a BIG pillow pet from Costco.

It was the first time in five weeks that we saw Vivien really relax, laugh and smile. It really helped that Erika, Derek and Justin were sucking helium from the balloons, filling the night with high pitched entertainment.

A few days later she got a package from her Mom and sister. She kindly shared Slovak, Hungarian and European treats with us. The giving on all our parts seemed to draw us closer together.

"I'm gonna live forever. So far, so good"

~Vivien

You Have To Be There

I cannot say it better than the lyrics already do. Thank you, Benny and Björn from ABBA, for this emotional cry that I can belt out in all the unprofessional bellowing of my soul since it is written, like most of the ABBA songs, in a range that I can reach.

You Have To Be There
You have banished me
From the land where I was born
Here upon a foreign shore, forsaken
I have followed you and done thy way
Should I kneel to you?
When I rise, you strike me down
Once again, a little one you've taken
Everywhere I turn it's darker still

What is it Lord that you want
And that I am not seeing?
What in my innocent prayers
Am I failing to say?
Never before have I questioned the truth of your being
Never once have I dared
Never until today

All of a tremble
I stand on the edge of confusion
Who is to save me
If into the darkness I fall?
Now that I need more than ever my God to be near me
Do you hear when I call?
Are you there after all?

You have to be there, you have to
My life I have placed in thy keep
And without you I am drifting on a dark and rising sea
You have to be there, you have to
Without you I'd drown in the deep
Too far, too far from land
The waters drag me down

I reach for your hand

Who when I die will throw open his arms to receive me?
Who will believe me and take me into his embrace?
When I go to my rest, who will watch me and wake me?
When my time comes at last, will you grant me your grace?
I am so small on this Earth, I am nothing without you
Daring to doubt you at all turns a knife in my heart
Little by little I'm losing my way in the shadows
I am losing my hold and the world falls apart

No, you have to be there, you have to
My life I have placed in thy keep
And without you I am drifting on a dark and rising sea
You have to be there, you have to
Without you I'd drown in the deep
Too far, too far from land
The waters drag me down
I reach for your hand

And without you I am drifting on a dark and rising sea
You have to be there, you have to
Without you I'd drown in the deep
Too far, too far from land
The waters drag me down
I reach for your hand

Cabin-ing

This was our first time staying in a cabin instead of a tent to "camp".

September, 2011

LeRoy was asked by a friend do some electrical work at a cabin in Island Park. Instead of doing it as a paying job we opted to trade for a weekend stay at the cabin over Labor Day weekend. After the kids got home from school on Friday and we got everything loaded up we started our weekend away. We got there after dark so didn't get to take in our outdoor surroundings until the next morning.

The inside sent me right back to the 80's with the baby blue and light pink floral decorating most of the rooms, needle points framed in ruffled hoops, floral hats on the walls and the green couch that welcomed us in the entry way.

The kitchen was great! I was told that the kitchen would have basic supplies in it but that thing had all condiments in the fridge, the cupboards had all baking supplies and there were even crackers and cereal. I found out later that the cabin is used nearly every weekend by someone in their family so they keep it full of supplies throughout the summer.

The next morning we woke to a beautiful sunrise, took a quiet morning walk down to the lake and enjoyed the peaceful calm of nature waking up for the day. The kids were happy to see the swing and trampoline near the cabin. I was thrilled to not have cell service or electronics interfering with family time.

We are not really a water family but it is still enticing when only knee deep. The boys had fun wading in it and the older boys entertained us with their karate kid impressions on the lone rock.

It was so fun to have Kate, Korben, and Logan join us for the weekend. I love watching the cousins play together and the older boys watching out protectively for all of them.

After a day of wandering and playing we let the boys choose a movie to watch before bedtime. Of all the movies we had there they chose Tangled. The perfect boy movie. The boys didn't even notice Kate taking pictures of them but Erika and Vivien did their best to hide from the camera.

Since we were "camping" we had to have a campfire to cook marshmallows over. Vivien had never had marshmallows before and decided after one sticky, crusty, hot blob of straight sugar that it really wasn't her thing.

Two of my favorite pictures from the weekend:

My teens

My man