The End of Things

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..... Okay not that dramatic but life is still happening even when I am not posting about it. School ends here on Thursday. The end of school means the end of a lot of things. We have enjoyed orchestra concerts, a band concert, ballet recital, choir concert, class plays, field trips, field days, class parties and a Ballroom dance recital. As the school year has come to a close we have been treated to great end of year displays of new and improved talents and knowledge. The celebrations have been record setting and memorable. Eavan's third grade class out read all others in Kennedy Elementary. Roan's whole class reached their AR goals and Torin's fifth grade class out read all of the other classes in Madison Middle School. Marin finished with preschool and is looking forward to kindergarten. If the awards and performances are anything to go by we have had a banner year. When we moved in January I would have thought this unlikely. We were putting our fourth school in two years under our collective belts and feeling every bit of it. We had not planned on living a nomadic life it is just how things have worked out for us lately. When Paul went to Logan at the end of last November to work until it was time to move at the end of December I felt like it was the end of the world. A month on my own without Paul would have been bad anytime but to get us move ready while he was gone seemed like asking the impossible and Idaho felt like the end of the world to me. I had a few prayers about what was just too much and asked the Lord for some very specific things that I felt were more than desires. We worked hard and shed tears and chopped wood and gave up all that wasn't absolutely necessary or which could be cheaply replaced. The Lord answered my prayers the way he has many times in the past when I have come to him desolate in heart. The passages are in the Old Testament the Lord is speaking to the Israelites it says "I have seen your tears and heard your cries..." He continues and promises that they will be delivered and nothing will overcome them. I have been given this promise many times over in my life. I know it is not only for me but it is for all of the Lord's children but he never fails to remind me individually. These past two weeks have been loud and clear testimony of all that the Lord has done in our behalf to help me and my family in all that I was not big enough to control or overcome. This is the end of many things and we are happy to begin more. Thank You Lord.

What does the cow say?

Just a little while ago D (Dallin) took a drink of milk. I ( Kieran) asked him what does a cow say? His reply when he looked at me was "More milk" He was talking to my mom but it was still pretty funny. Also have you heard of Grasshopper cookies? Well we were eating some and Marin comes up and asks mom for some except instead of saying Grasshopper cookies she said " Mom can I have cac-o-woach cookie?" Cute! Funny! I love my siblings!

Happy Motheres Day

Mothers are very important in this world and I know I could not have turned out the way I have with out mine. My Grandmother and Aunts are also good examples of mothers to me. When I get old enough the marry and have a family I want my children to know who showed me how to be a good mother. My own mother,aunts,and grandmothers showed me how and I hope I can be just as good an example to them as you have been for me. So Happy Mother's Day and may all mothers know that they are loved.

P.S. These are my mom's roses not pictures from a florist website.

Therapy

I love art. I have known that since I was in kindergarten and the "Picture Lady" brought in the Girl and the Watering Can. I have wanted to make art since then too. As a very young person my attempts were highly frustrating exercises. I was never satisfied with my work because it didn't match the picture I had in my head and my hand didn't know how to translate the idea into tangible format. I thought maybe I would never be able to make this particular wish come to fruition. But I begin to think the cause is not lost. I had a good high school art teacher who gave me a foundation of knowledge about the mechanics of drawing. I still was not pleased with my work but he gave me vital information about translating depth into two dimensions and how light and dark work together to shape things more than lines. I then didn't try art again until college I took an art class and the text was called Drawing on the right side of the brain. This class was a turning point for me. I could actually make a picture look like I wanted it to but you all know how college is and life as a new wife and mother. BUSY. So I haven't really had much chance to do any art but the desire has never gone away. This last three weeks I have been going to an art class taught by one of the sisters in the ward. I am so happy. When I could finally get my work to look like I wished the process became the opposite of frustrating. It became therapy. My brain feels good after I work on my art. The small bits I did in the times since my college days I can match up to some of the toughest times and adjustments in my life. I didn't really consciously think about my art as therapy but now I can see that I found some peace and control in it. Since beginning this class Thursdays are some of my best days ( class is Wednesday evenings). I have not felt unhappy lately. The Lord has taken excellent care of us in Idaho. I have worked through most of the issues that everyone must to function as an adult and I would not have thought I needed therapy at this point in my life and perhaps I don't but it sure has felt good. I can feel a distinct difference in my mood and stress level. So I hope you can enjoy the pictures and maybe take a little therapy for yourself. My art teacher is fond of saying that if you are not pleased with your art it is because you need more practice. You weren't very good at walking when you started either but you do just fine now. I like that thought and it fits in with my therapy. My sketches are to the right and the originals are on the left.

Lights, Camera, Action!

( me and my friend Holly on stage)

Not to very long ago I (Kieran) preformed in a class play that we preformed for the other people in our hall.In our class we split up into several groups and did different plays. My group did Hansel and Gretel. I played Gretel. Some of the other plays were Cinderella finds time, and Little red gets an offer she couldn't refuse. They were the classics done up to be funny. We got really cool not cheapy looking costumes. Although a few were very ugly. Mine had a long skirt which was fun to twirl in.
Torin also did a play on Friday. His 5th grade team all participated in the play(generally speaking). And in Torin's own words "it is a funny comedy not a dorky one" and " it's not awesome its.. what's a word that's better then awesome?" or "it's top awesome". But they preformed it for the 6 graders and some of the other grades so I got to see it. It was about math and it told the story of guy who doesn't want to do his math homework,then angels show him his life if he didn't learn math. Kind of like that one show "It's a Wonderful Life" that shows at Christmas time on TV. Anyways Torin played a baseball player who plans a cook out, and the guy is sent to get meat and doesn't get the amount of meat right because he doesn't know math. Not to mention that other then the one scene Torin's in he and his 5th grade team all sing songs. It was a "top awesome" play from what I saw ( my class got there a little late so we didn't see the beginning....). Sorry we got no pictures of Torin in his play :-(.
On other news, ohhh maybe a month ago 2 months at most we had snow like this in our yard.
Thankfully weather the is back to the way it should be.