November was wonderful!
On my birthday eve I ventured to Logan, Utah to hang out with Derek. The real purpose of my visit was to be at a doctors appointment with him but we turned it into a mini-party complete with dinner at Pizza Pie Cafe, goofing off at Wal-Mart, cruising Main Street and late night visiting. I so enjoy that boys company! Staying at his apartment was cozy and comfortable. Just spending time with him was a gift.
When I got home I was showered with birthday love. Nathan made a Lego cake for me "since sugar gives you a headache." I have to say it was the best birthday cake ever! I still got to blow out the candle and make a wish but I didn't have to fight myself over not eating any or deal with eater's remorse after eating it.
As I headed to bed later that night I found a card on my night stand. I laughed through tears as I read and re-read it.
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Justin's orchestra concert was a landmark event . . . for me. It was the first time in nine years that I had only one kid participating in orchestra. It was a calm affair rather than the chaotic shuffling of schedules to make sure each kid is at the school at the right time and I'm watching at the right time and the littles had someone at home to watch them at the right time because littles and orchestra combined draws out the ornery in me. With half of my children no longer living at home I was left with no choice but to take Nathana and Hyrum with me. They have finally outgrown the constant wiggle and talk stage enough to sit quietly through a concert and as a matter of fact, they were entranced.
After the concert we were joined by Bret, Erika, Levi and Daymia at Kiwi Loco where we stirred up quite a ruckus. Hanging out with so many unedited personalities leaves plenty of opportunity for stares, glares and giggles galore.
One of these times we should count how many double takes Levi and Justin get from strangers. Even I get them confused! Though it appears that Justin is taller (he is by a smidgen) in one photo and much shorter than Levi in another photo (because he is slouching to let Levi be taller), they are actually pretty darn close to the same height, build, hair color, nose shape and even personalities. It's a good thing Daymia requires Levi to have that facial hair so that she can tell them apart!
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Nathan had his second piano festival and was determined to beat his score from last festival.
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He also had his last piano recital with Trish that night. He is so sad that she is no longer teaching lessons but excited to continue lessons in January with a new teacher.
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I gave up the idea of family Christmas cards a few years ago but I still try to get a family picture in at least once a year. Until this year. I just can't get everyone together. Well, I could. I just don't want to spend the time deciding what to wear or where to have them taken or bothering someone to take it. And, now that we are in November the thought of outdoor pictures gives me the shivers and I can't think of a place indoors that could make a good backdrop for a nine person shot.
Justin came up with a solution. For family home evening we spent time taking individual pictures and made a collage.
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I love fall! I love the colors and the cool air. I love looking forward to the holidays and the feel of hibernation coming on. The only problem with fall in Rexburg is the very brief duration. This year I determined that no matter how short Mother Nature celebrated fall, I was going to have a full two months of it.
I finished up a quilted wall hanging that I had started last year. The colors blended so well with the leaves and other decorations that I already had. I've never decorated for Halloween other than for a dinner party so I made the wall hanging to cover October and November through fall and Thanksgiving. I felt so happy sitting among all the browns, reds, yellows, oranges, pumpkins and pilgrims with the heavenly scent of pumpkin spice banana bread floating from the oven and a cup of apple cider warming my hands and belly.
Mother Nature took away fall after only a couple of weeks and for Thanksgiving she threw a frozen blanket of white over us. It seemed to come over night. We went from wearing light jackets to hoping that school would be cancelled because of the frigid negative temperatures, coupled with blustery winds and winters first snow.
Once the week long winds and bitter temperatures calmed, the boys headed out with the neighbors to build a fort. The wet snow was so heavy that they had trouble getting their snowballs built into a wall so when I went out to take pictures of them I became "the lifter." I really do not like being in the wet, cold snow but helping to build the fort brought back memories of building forts with my brothers and sisters so long ago. After the fort was finished and my hands were sufficiently frozen I went inside. Just as I got warm I was called outside once again to meet "a new friend" Using the lingering remnants of slushy snow, Nathan and Hyrum packed and stacked a little Olaf to love.
The snow melted, the winds....kept coming, and the temperatures warmed after just a few days and fall was back again. Though many around me were complaining that they wanted a white Christmas, I was very content with jacket weather and the neutral browns of grass and bare trees that took us clear through Christmas Eve.
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During the blustery weather of November my mood began to drop as quickly and as low as the temperature and I knew that it would be a very long winter if I didn't pull myself together. So, rather than hide under the warm covers with a book I got myself out of bed and poured all of my blue into care packages for Derek and Levi.
I miss Derek. I miss his laugh and silly faces and the hip shaking dances he would break into. I miss the way he falls into my chair with a harrumph or wrestles his brothers into the couch (which now happens to have a broken spring because of the wrestling). I never thought I would miss the smell of a corn dog but I do; it makes me think of Derek. I miss having someone to reach things on the top shelf of the cupboards for me. I really miss hearing him play the cello and I really, really miss his tall hugs. It seemed very appropriate to send him the "I'm Blue Without You" box.
Even though Levi is only in Idaho Falls and I see him each Sunday, I wanted him to get mail at his apartment. He had told me that he doesn't really seem to live there because all of his mail still comes here. I took care of that for him.
I had their boxes all taped up and ready to go on a Saturday night. I planned on getting to the post office bright and early Monday morning to send them. Monday came and went. On Tuesday I was still unmotivated to get them out. On Wednesday I woke up with a clear thought in my head that they needed to go out TODAY. On Friday I received a text from a very happy and grateful Levi and a phone call from a teary eyed, emotional Derek.
Derek told me of the few remaining groceries in his fridge, the cost of the repairs of his car that had taken his spending money to a zero balance and of the rent due in only two days and payday wouldn't come for another four days. Real Life was beating him down. His box and note gave him just enough hope to hang on, groceries to make do, and his Mom's love to remind him that he is not forgotten.
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