October part 1

 It has been a few weeks with plenty of ups and downs. I feel like most days were pretty normal with all the kid activities and school and piano lessons and home responsibilities. We did have general conference two weeks ago and that was wonderful. It was so uplifting and inspiring and instructive. It was a perfectly rainey weekend which meant baseball games were all cancelled so we could relax and just really focus on conference all weekend, which was amazing. We also had a new family over for dinner that weekend and that was fun. Josh was so relaxed all weekend because he had no church responsibilities and that was really nice too. I did take Curtis clothes shopping in between Saturday sessions because we cleaned out his closet that morning and the boy didn't have a single pair of pants that fit him. He has grown so much! 

The week after conference was pretty normal and busy. Friday morning I took Lily to school at 6:15 though for her to go to NYC with the GIS (Global and International Studies) program. She cried when I dropped her off and she had previously expressed anxiety about the trip but she ended up loving every moment of it. Friday they drove there, went to Chelsea Market, walked the Brooklyn Bridge, had an amazing dinner in Little Italy, and explored Chinatown. Saturday was the Museum of the American Indian, the African Burial ground, Greenwich Village/Soho, dinner at Hard Rock Cafe and then they saw 1776 on Broadway. Sunday they went to the 9/11 memorial and museum, Statue of Liberty, Times Square, had dinner at Ellen's Stardust Cafe and then went to the Top of the Rock at night so they had awesome views of the city in lights. Monday they got to tour the United Nations and go to Central Park before driving home. She loved being on her own, spending her own money and she made some great friends. I was proud of her for being so independent and handling things on her own and I'm so glad she had such a great experience. She is really growing up and it is amazing to watch. She mostly sent us pictures of food but we got a few others as well.

 

 

 

I went to the temple that day with Michelle and had an amazing time. I love the temple so much and it is a joy to be there and to have an awesome friend to go with. We had great talks all the way up and back and in the celestial room. We're already scheduled to go in November. Hopefully I'll be able to get up there with Josh soon. Our evenings are so busy it is harder to get away then but baseball is done in three weeks so that will help our schedule. That night we took Curtis out for dinner since he completed his summer reading list that I made for him. I think he enjoyed having the time with us while Lily was gone. We went to Bob Evans and he told us about all the books he read and what he liked or didn't like. His favorite was Rocket Boys so after we got Emma and Brandon in bed, the three of us watched October Sky, which is such a good movie. 

Saturday after Brandon's game we went to the library and then the marine museum for the Patuxent River Appreciation Day. They had booths in the parking lots with food and crafts and the museum was open, you could take a boat ride and make a toy boat and the lighthouse was open. It was a bit chilly so we didn't do the boat ride but we did everything else and it was fun. Strange to do family stuff like that without Lily but it was a nice day.

 

  

Last Monday was Columbus Day so Josh should have been off but he ended up working from home on administrative kind of stuff all day. I spent all morning canning applesauce and all afternoon teaching piano lessons. Tuesday was my mom's 79th birthday. She told me I won for sending the funniest card and I'm glad I could make her laugh. My mom is a really wonderful lady. She serves whole-heartedly and willingly and loves to make others happy. She is a tremendous cook and always made our home a comfortable, beautiful and wonderful place to be. She is fiesty and funny and a voracious reader. I am so grateful for her and we're all excited to go visit my parents for Thanksgiving.

I went over to Olivia's Tuesday morning to hang out with her and it was a good visit. Three little kids 3 and under is a lot and she seems to appreciate my experience so I was happy to share it with her. She is a good listener too and it was nice to spend time with her. Wednesday I had a great workout and after a rough few days emotionally, I started to feel better. Exercise really does help me so much to feel good about myself and my body and just be in a good frame of mind. I really need to work another gym day into my schedule; if only I could find a friend to go with me, then it would be easier. 

Thursday I volunteered at the book fair at school for a few hours and that was fun. I also had a very frustrating walmart grocery pick up experience but I think I'm almost over it. Friday Josh was off and so we went to Waldorf to the mall and shopped for him. He wanted to update his work wardrobe and get some shoes so we had a fun morning together. I love spending time with Josh and am so grateful we can have these Friday day dates every so often because I didn't see him the rest of the day. I picked up Curtis and then Lily and took her to dance, then practiced with the Kinneys who sang in church yesterday, then he left to take Emma to dance and go make a church visit and I picked up Lily from dance and we went to church to clean the building before I had to go back and pick Emma up. He got home at 8:30pm and we were able to say family prayer together and that was nice. I don't really love when my family is all over the place but I suppose we are just getting to that point in life. 

Saturday was similar. I took Lily to her Nutcracker rehearsal, went to the Relief Society super Saturday activity, met up with Josh briefly at Brandon's game, then I took Brandon to a birthday party while Josh picked up Lily and ran some errands, then we got home just as the sister missionaries came over for dinner (Josh made pizza) and then we did get to watch the BYU football game together but I wasn't feeling that great. I was super congested and had a headache so I was happy to get to bed that night. Yesterday was a wonderful church day with good talks and music and I helped out in primary and then we had the Schrams over for dinner because they are in town for a few days. I read my patriarchal blessing yesterday for the first time in awhile and that was also a sacred and beautiful experience. I'm so grateful for the sure knowledge I have of eternal families, the power of covenants, Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world, and how my Heavenly Father knows me and loves me and wants me to return to live with Him.