Sentimental Value

When I opened my mission call that beautiful sunny morning in June I had no idea the significance it held. "You are called to serve in the Zimbabwe Harare mission..." it read. I couldn't believe it. And yet that wasn't the beginning of the story.

The beginning of the story started around the year 1965, and it started with my Great-Grandparents Fred and Vie Watts. They served as a couple the the "Rhodesia" mission at that time - a time when the church really was in it's infancy in Africa, a time before all worthy males could hold the priesthood. My grandparents spent a lot of their mission in a city called Bulawayo. There they worked to build the kingdom by teaching and leading and literally building. My grandfather was an accomplished artist and he painted pictures to sell and earn money to build the chapel that stands there today.

Fast forward to September 2001 when I arrive to the mission home in Harare. I learn that my first assignment is none other than the city of Bulawayo - right where my great-grandparents served almost 40 years previously. I was blessed with the opportunity to continue the work they couldn't do - teach Black Africa. I was blessed with the chance to see the work that they had done - several of their converts still lived in Bulawayo and remembered them with fondness. One woman even had a pendant of the Salt Lake Tabernacle which my grandmother had given her on the day she was baptized. The members there gave me pamphlets, booklets, and newsletters they had saved all these years with evidence of my grandparents and their service. I was blessed with the opportunity to see actual paintings my grandfather painted which still hung in the homes of members there. I was plunging into an old chest full of memories of my grandparents and I was on the other side of the world!

Fast forward now to a couple of weeks ago. My family spent a few days going through my Grandma Watts's house. The daughter-in-law of Fred and Vie, my Grandma Watts, passed away a couple of years ago. After working with estate issues my family has finally sold her house. So they spent some time going through and dividing her things among children and grand children. My mom called to see if there was anything I wanted. I knew I wouldn't get one, because there weren't very many, but I asked if I could have one of Grandpa Fred's paintings. "I don't think so Hon, all the children have already taken them. They were the first things to go." I was fine with that. After all, being his great-granddaughter, I'm not too high in the pecking order. Still, I had some sentimental attachment to his paintings, what with my experiences in Africa and all.

Then we went to Salt Lake to visit. "Here is a book I snagged for you from Grandma's house, and here is the bowl you brought back for her from Africa" my mom said. Then she disappeared into another room and came out holding this...

A painting done by Grandpa Fred, and it looks almost EXACTLY like the ones I saw in Africa! "This was hiding out in a closet upstairs" my mom said. "It used to hang above the mantle but it fell years ago and the frame broke chipping the bottom corner of the canvas. Someone stuck it in the closet years ago and no one has fixed it since. I figured you'd want it even though it isn't framed." I was SO EXCITED!! It wasn't just a painting to me. It served as a constant sentimental reminder of the special connection I have with my great grandparents. Not just in our experiences we've shared in mortality - but the connection we have for eternity too.

Icecapades

"Hey Luc, you and me Friday night - I got front row tickets to Icecapades - I know a guy." Name that movie.

For our ward party this month we went ice skating. It was Rachel's first time - she was a champ. They didn't have any more training skates left by the time we got there so she had to wear real ones that were too big. But she was determined to get out on the ice. We didn't make it half way around the first turn before she was ready to come back but she had a good experience and I'm proud to say she didn't even pull me down on top of her! Those ice skating lessons I took as a kid really paid off!

Chloe-isms Take 1

I am happy to announce that potty training the dog is going fantastic...well almost fantastic. When she needs to go #2 she'll stand at the back door wagging her tail and whimpering. She hasn't had an accident since her first day here. HURRAY!! She still has a bit of a pee pee problem, but it's coming along.

She is so silly and is LOADED with personality. The other day I came downstairs to see what she was chewing on only to find she had started a collection of kid socks. They were all nestled together in one of her favorite spots to sleep - up against the couch. Silly girl. If you have a sock monster at your house I have the answer - GET A DOG! They'll take care of that sneaky old sock monster and bring back all your strays!

Still her favorite thing to do is snuggle with Daddy. I love this shot of her sleeping UPSIDE DOWN on Paul. To quote Rachel, "She is SUCH A LITTLE FURBALL!!"

F.H.E.

Each night before bed we try to have scriptures and prayers with the kids. Each person reads one scripture, we say prayers, and then to bed we go. Then Paul had the idea of instead of reading random scriptures each night, reading the same one over and over till we have it memorized and then going to a new one. I was skeptical. Rachel is 4 and Ben is 2 and although they remember crazy things (like all the words to the intro song of Dinosaur Train) I didn't think they'd pick up scripture verses.

But they proved me wrong last night for Family Home Evening.

Take a look.

After F.H.E. we topped off the night with ice cream cones. Yumm!

P.J.'s Birthday

Paul is 30. That's right - the big 3-0! And I have spent MONTHS trying to figure out what to do for such a wonderful person on such a huge milestone of a day. You see he is NOT the type of person who is easily suprised - and to tell you the truth he really doesn't LIKE suprises that much. I could never decorate his classroom at school, and suprise parties are right out. So what do I do? How do I shop for the man who likes to shop for himself. We get him golf balls and socks every year because that is the only thing I can buy without him with me to pick it out. And I just couldn't bring myself to give him those things this time. Not for his 30th birthday. I was stuck.

Then it happened.

Some wonderful friends of ours, the G family, were in the process of building a house. They couldn't keep their dog, Roxy (a purebred golden retriever), around the house during the process so they had some people keep her for them. During her interm away from home she got pregnant by a half border collie, half great pyrenees and on New Year's Eve had a litter of puppies. We went over to their house one sunday for dinner and they mentioned the bind they were in with these new puppies. They wouldn't be able to sell them because they weren't purebred. Paul fell in love with Chloe and we went home thinking for the first time in a long time about having a dog.

And suddenly I had an epiphone.

HIS BIRTHDAY!! The puppies wouldn't be old enough to leave until then, and in the mean time I could tell him I just don't think now is a good time for a dog. It would be the ultimate gift. Something HE picked out HIMSELF but had NO idea was coming. Something he has been asking for SINCE WE WERE MARRIED. Something he would NEVER EXPECT. So I spent the next month convincing MYSELF that I was ready to have a dog in the house and that this life change wasn't just happening because I wanted to give Paul the ultimate birthday present. Believe me - it took me a LONG TIME to come to terms with the decision.

I had everyone on board. The G family played it up so well! "Oh sorry Paul as soon as you told me you didn't want her she was the first one to go!" Paul fell for it hook line and sinker. He had NO IDEA. So we walked in the door, carrying the little darling with a big fat red bow around her collar and singing happy birthday. IT WAS AWESOME!! The smile on his face was permanent. I suddenly found myself in a time warp looking at my husband as a 10 year old kid who just got a puppy for his birthday. Every bit of "BOY" and "KID" that my husband has in him suddenly seeped from the innermost depths of his being and lit him up like a...like a....well...like a kid getting a new puppy!

Let me show you.

Paul kissing Chloe.

Paul wrestling with Chloe.

Chloe wrestling with Paul.

Chloe beating Paul.

Make up hugs.

Mission Accomplished.

Happy Birthday Babe. Welcome to the family Chloe sweety. We sure love you!

Special Announcement: "Our New Addition" Edition

IT'S A GIRL!!!!

Introducing Chloe Gardner

Chloe was born Dec. 30, 2009 and joined our family Feb. 19, 2010 (for Paul's 30th birthday). She is half purebred Golden Retriever, quarter Great Pyrenees, quarter Border Collie. In other words she is our family friendly, sheep herding, snowy mountain, guard dog.

And she is going to be BIG.

Bigger than I expected.

She is the cutest furball you ever saw. She is full of energy at times and snuggly and mellow at others. She is a wonderful addition to our family at this stage of our life and we are so excited to have her!

Camera Trouble

If you happen to have a digital camera, and it happens to be one of those sleek little numbers that can fit in your pocket, TAKE GOOD CARE OF IT and KEEP IT IN A CAMERA CASE. Because if you don't it MAY just happen to slip between the seats of your car when you aren't paying attention, and it MAY just happen to fall under the seat adjustment gears, and you MAY happen to adjust your seat and hear a terrible crunch and then your camera MAY end up looking like this:

Which would HAPPEN to be a TOTAL BUMMER.

(especially if your warranty just ran out.)

Ode to Aaron

I love ya bro, but.......

Photographic proof that Aaron Gardner is NOT the BYU fan you THINK he is...

photo courtesy of Matt Chidester

Leo the Lion

So for those of you who aren't soccer fans (like me) you should know that Salt Lake has a really fantastic soccer team (with a great big new stadium I'm sure you've seen). And you should also know that this team won the MLS championship.

Anyway, now Leo the Lion along with Real Salt Lake is making a Utah Tour with the MLS championship trophy. They are going around to 34 different counties in Utah to campaign for soccer and encourage Utah to stand behind the team a bit more. And let's face it, I'm a big Jazz fan but they've never won a championship. Maybe I should look into soccer. They're goin' somewhere.

The kids loved Leo. They got signed autographs of him and got to see the "SUPER SHINEY" MLS trophy. So look for a Lion and a Soccer Team coming to a town near you!

Ole, ole ole ole...Re-aaaall Salt Laaaake!