Finally!

Ammon's quilt is done! Ammon's quilt is done! Ammon's quilt is done! Hey, did I tell you Ammon's quilt is done? Well it is!! and since it was a Christmas gift originally, MERRY CHRISTMAS, AMMON! I loved this fabric. It's Bot Camp by Micheal Miller. Cutest ever. And, Ammon loves Robots. Now the three boys finally have matching(as in pattern, not fabric) quilts! To see the others that were Christmas gifts they got in March, see http://mackelberries.blogspot.com/search?q=finished+product

The fun thing with these is that I did all of the quilting in addition to the piecing, so this was 100% me! This second quilt is for my niece due this October. I really like how it turned out.

PS. I did one more for my friend, Mary but didn't want to put a picture 'cuz she might see it and I believe in surprises!

Back to School

I heart back to school time.

The smell of new crayons, notebooks with nothing written, clean folders, markers, Kleenex, glue, etc. It makes me happy. The boys had so much fun gathering their supplies. They also got new backpacks. Ammon got one too. He uses it as a diaper bag-hey if he wants to carry it, I don't have to!

Orlando loves kindergarten. Here is what he said, "MOM THAT WAS AWESOME!!!" Then he told me it was fun, awesome, so fun, great, better than preschool, etc.

Ivan went to pre-K but stuck to my leg like Velcro. He is much more timid than his older brother. But, he started to warm up and didn't want to leave, so hopefully he'll have a quick adjustment.

Okay, here is the 'lil one. Had to follow his brothers. Ammon is such a cutie. I can't imagine life without each of these young boys.

WWJD?

I found this a bit interesting. If you don't want to read it, it talks of how President Obama will be talking with religious leaders about how Jesus would handle health care.

I don't use this as a place for political opinion, but I guess I am tonight.

1. Jesus could do things we cannot do. We can as individuals, as a people, or a government try to be like Jesus, but we will fall short. He healed with dirt and sending others to wash in rivers. This won't work for us, and we shouldn't expect it to. We are not Jesus. Nor is our government.

2. Therefore, this is such a stupid conversation!

3. The point should be. Here we are

a. imperfect people

b. imperfect world

c. imperfect health care

4. what can imperfect people do?

a. be honest (health care insurance companies-be transparent)

b. give service (many Dr's do a great deal of community service and pro-bono work). Almost every hospital will also take charitable donations and volunteers (with and without health field educations) are welcome.

c. pay honest taxes for what we do enjoy

d. as a government have a fair tax

e. take care of our own aging parents and expect to

f. respect peoples right to agency. If they don't work or take care of themselves or plan for their future, there are consequences and NOTHING we do will make health care perfect. Unless we all start exercising, quit smoking, avoid all car accidents, heart attacks, childhood disease, etc.

Sorry, but life isn't fair. Even if you have access to quality health care diagnosis are missed, mistakes are made. Death comes premature. Or people still might not go because they just don't want to for a variety of reasons beyond money.

Come on people!! Please. This is an imperfect world. There isn't going to be a Celestial WWJD answer. Again, a stupid conversation. The question should be what can we do--yes us: the imperfects. Can we improve? Yes? No? Maybe so? I do believe we can improve. Will we? Probably not. Both sides are way too prideful to come together.

Good luck America.

I stole 'em

I stole these two pictures off my friends blog. Two more memories of the OBX trip. Above is me and Ammon walking back to camp on the sound side. Below, is a great shot of me and Josh: hot sweaty, sandy, dirty, grimy, bug-spray, sun-screened, campin' fools!

OBX

We spent a three nights camping in Outer Banks, North Carolina on Pea Island. What a great time. What a needed time. This first intern year was pretty tough. We couldn't really afford a vacation, but we couldn't not afford one. I've been gone some this summer, but Josh hasn't. Neither of us have spent time on the ocean before and camping was how we got by. Josh was off work, and look-he smiled so naturally!! We met my mission companion, Mimi and her family there! She is such a wonderful person and example to me. She married an elder that served with us, so I knew him too, but hadn't seen him since the mission. It is so nice to have long-time friends, you can just talk like you saw each other yesterday. The kids loved this vacation! You can see above that they embraced the sand and water like a second home. They didn't want to go. Ammon was so cute he talked about his home (our tent) and their home (their tent) how now there were 5 brothers (Lucy I guess joined the boys club) and two moms (me and Mimi)!!! He got really upset that we had to leave and is still asking for the ocean. He played so hard he fell right asleep in the sand!! The other boys loved it too. Lando would chase and chase waves, then enjoy being chased back. Ivan would Karate chop the waves! Josh tried out a boogie board and so did I. Also an advantage to camping with friends, one night Josh and I (after kids were sleeping) got to go on a very nice walk alone on the beach. So beautiful. Maybe I did marry a romantic after all.

I lost it.

My wedding ring. It happened on my trip to Oklahoma. It is in lake Fort Gibson. Let me know if you find it.

I was going to write more, but this is just too darn depressing. I thought it would get better with time, but it really STINKS.

However, I'm writing this because tonight Josh and I are going ring shopping/browsing. I can't replace the one I wore on our wedding day, or to gave birth to three boys in, lived in five different homes, and made countless meals, laundry loads, hugs, and hand holds...

But, I can have fun walking in with Josh and pretending to be newly engaged. Maybe we'll pretend to be that couple that lived together for so long before he could get around to it, the couple who grew up going to primary together, the couple who is pregnant (no I'm not, but it'd be fun to let the clerk think so) hmmm what else? I guess we could bring the kids and tell them it was a second marriage or we are finally ready to commit?

Some things cannot be replaced. But, after another 7.5 years, I can love it just as much and after 50 even more!

Anyhoo, wish me luck. It may bomb out if so that's okay, because we are going to get dinner as well.