Ours Forever!

Our three beautiful daughters uniquely different and all amazing!

We love you and consider ourselves very blessed to be your parents.
Thank you for all you have become.

What we Love About Chloe and Lily!

Thank you, Julie and Stanton, for trusting your sweet little Chloe and Lily to our care during your ordeal with Brigham. We grew very attached to them. I won't pretend it was easy, because it wasn't! But nothing worthwhile is easy, now is it?

Things we love about Chloe in no particular order:

1. Her sensitivity to what was happening to Brigham and an interest in seeing all the pictures and videos.
2. Her attachment to her mom and dad and the desire to watch their wedding video every Sunday before church.
   
3. Her beautiful dimpled smile and twinkling eyes!
4. Her love of being read to and the ability to figure out the ending of a book at the beginning!
5. Her desire to be a peacemaker even though that desire did not always win over.
   
6. Her love of the bathtub!
7. Her head-strong personality which when channeled is an amazing force for good!
8. Her teaching me to stop and really listen to what she is saying!
9. Her awareness of nature...the robins for instance.
10. Her preference for the princess movie "Pocahontas" when I told her Pocahontas was a real person!
11. Her social awareness.
12. She is a great sleeper!
13. She knows exactly how she wants her hair done each day and will tell you!
    
14. In many ways she is old beyond her years. Sometimes very profound things come out of her mouth, like when she saw her mom after three weeks and saying "Mom, it is so good to see you again...No, it is so good to TOUCH you again." (She had seen her on web am several times.)
15. She gives the best squeezes and loves when in the mood.
16. Her sweetness in volunteering to me, "Grandma, I am really going to miss you." And then recounting all of the fun things we did while she was here.
17. She is an amazing little athlete! The girl can kick a soccer ball around rarely missing and getting it to go just where she wants it!
    
18. She loves all kinds of sports and is not a bit intimidated to try anything new.
19. She is a FISH in the water and loves to try to dive in the deep end or just cannonball off the edge. Thank goodness for great water wings!
20. She is great at memorizing books and songs.
21. She loves (and knows) the Brite CD's and loves to dance to them.
22. Chloe loves to figure out a moral to every movie she watches.
23. Her forced laugh when something really tickles her.
24. Her amazing agility with the computer mouse and playing the online games in the Friend on the Church website...amazing watching her do the puzzles and matching games particularly!
    

Things we love about Lily in no particular order:

1. She looks as much like Stanton and Chloe looks like Julie.
2. Her darling sense of humor and the hilarious things that pop out of her mouth!
3. Love to watch her ride the bike or her scooter! No fear!
4. The sound of her little footsteps coming up the stairs first thing in the morning.
5. She always wakes up happy and ready to be snuggled! (Grandpa's time with her!)
6. She is very head strong. That will be a good thing someday as she learns to control it.
7. She loves to dance.
8. She especially loves to sing and can memorize on a dime!
9. She sings right on pitch!
10. Lily is dramatic!
11. She loves to look at herself in the mirror. (Doesn't every child?)
12. Her manners. When you ask her to do something she says, "No thank you!" Hilarious! I quickly learned not to ask!
13. The lilt in her voice!
14. Her ability to quickly forgive.
15. Her love of "panpakes".
16. Her ability to tell me what color her day of the week panties were no matter what the day. I had no need to look or second guess! She had them down cold. (So did Chloe for that matter.)
17. Her adorable smile and laugh.
18. No fear performing!
19. Her adaptability.
20. Her love of books.
21. Her love of ALL of the princess movies on my DVD. The girl LOVES PRINCESS MOVIES!
22. She loves to dress up!
23. She got just as much joy out of watching Chloe succeed at the online games as if she were playing them herself. This was one time when she was okay just to watch and they got along famously!

We love you, Chloe and Lily, and will always treasure the time we had with you here at Grandma and Grandpa's.

Brigham and the Miracle of Boston

These pictures were taken last Saturday. You can tell he lost a little weight but he looks great, doesn't he?

These are all pictures taken the Friday before they left for Boston.
Such a precious little person!

Both because I was busy taking care of Chloe and Lily and because I couldn't seem to gather my thoughts, I did not post about Brigham's heart surgery until now. I need to get some impressions and feelings down in writing. This has all been such a whirlwind that in some ways it now seems like a dream. Julie expressed this to me when we went to visit them in Logan last Saturday. Did it all really happen? Oh, YES, it did! And our sweet little Brig is back home with his brother and sisters and looking as if nothing out of the ordinary even happened...unless you look at the scar on his chest which though it is healing so beautifully is a very constant reminder of the last few weeks. I have learned so many things through this experience. I know with even greater assurance that Heavenly Father knows each of us and has a personal plan for us. We just need to trust Him and have faith that whatever happens is for our best good and also for the best good of those around us. I believe that Brig's heart problem happened for the purpose of teaching all who love him more about that trust and acceptance of God's will that we need to have. But I also was reminded again of the power of the combined prayers of many, many people and that Heavenly Father listens to those prayers and is willing to grant what we ask when in accordance to His plan. It is sometimes hard to say "Thy will be done" and mean it. But as Elder Neil Maxwell said, our will is the only thing that is really our own to offer. We are grateful that at least for now that plan for Brigham is to remain with us here on earth! Our hearts are so full of gratitude and awe of the way all of this has unfolded. The miracle of the whole situation is, as Julie said, that they ended up at Childrens Hospital Boston with the most experienced and best qualified surgeon in the world to perform this very intricate surgery. Heavenly Father truly is Omniscient! Julie and Stanton have been given strength beyond their capabilities to deal with all this. The promised strength, peace and comfort of the Holy Ghost is real! We have all experienced it in times of trial. You look back on an event and wonder how you got through it...and you know. I am thankful that Julie kept such a wonderful journal of events including pictures and videos so that none of us forget this incredible journey from a "broken" to a healed heart. Through the infinite Atonement all of our hearts no matter how they are "broken" can be healed. Each moment spent with Brigham will be even that much more precious because of what he and his family have experienced and what we have all learned. We love you, Brig!

Music Camp 2009

Paddington Bear

Jordy with her arm around Lily in class

Porter being "big stuff"!

Morning of dress rehearsal! All so adorable!

Polly Pocket Heaven

Babies in the shower

The inflatable skidoo was a hit!

Kate and Todd both loved the babies!

Mittens the Kitten (she adopted the Wilson Family) was a kid magnet all week!

Playing games with Aunt Cindy

Rocking out in "Peanut Butter"

The Professor & the Sandwich Signs

"I'm Peanut Butter & You Are Jelly and We're So Happy on Our Little Piece of Bread"

Love this picture of Lily and Jack

Family Home Evening after a long day-Kate conducted and Brad taught. Thanks!

How does she lift and carry them both? That's about 50#!!!

After the first day of class - so cute!

Music Sticks with Mrs. Edvalson

What a privilege to be in a position to help Lori and Cindy this year with the annual Music Camp experience held in Rupert. This is a music camp for children from 4 years of age on up to about 18. This is the 3rd year that Cindy and DJ's kids have been involved as well as Lori and Brad's children. Lori teaches several Master Classes during the day so is gone most of the time. In the past, Cindy has tended Jack and the children not old enough to attend, fixed meals, kept things orderly, etc, a very big job and I was so happy to be retired and able to help this year. Greg and I had been tending Chloe and Lily for two weeks while Stanton and Julie were in Boston with Brig (as I have previously posted) and they were also signed up for Music Camp. So with our little granddaughters in tow, I headed for Lori's Sunday night, July 12th. Can I say what a fantastic, fun-filled, (and work-filled) week we had with 11 children? 7 of the 11 were in classes part or all of the day leaving Jack, Kaleb, Kami and Porter with us all day. The camp is such a fun learning experience for the kids. The teachers come from many areas to teach these classes and do a masterful job. The kids depending upon their ages can participate in a children's choir (two hours a day for 4 days), Master Classes where they prepare solos, Boys Choir and Girls Choir where they learn to sing a variety of music genre, Musical Theater class where they prepare portions of a different musical each year, (Suessical the Musical this year), and Music Theory (Morgan's personal favorite if you can believe that!). They also have a Comedy Concert where the kids can team up and present humorous numbers that they prepare at home as well as a Solo Concert for those who prepared solos at home before coming to the camp. This year Lily wanted to sing "My Eternal Family" (I Am A Builder as she calls it) for the solo. She got up on that stage with not a frightened bone in her body and sang for all present! She had a hammer and a screw driver in her hand and sang so cute! I have not mastered the art of taking usable videos with my camera so I can't post it. Darn! Chloe was not wanting to do the solo performance. But you should have seen her sing and dance in the comedy routine. Lori helped all the kids prepare the darling song "I'm Peanut Butter and You Are Jelly". She loved every minute of it as did all the kids. Todd was the Professor teaching about all kinds of delicious sandwiches, but, of course, PB&J is the best! Thanks Lori for all your hard work getting that one prepared and then teaching it to the kids. You are so gifted musically and so willing to share that gift! Jordy, Lily, and Chloe all loved their Childrens' Choir class taught by Sarah Edvalson from Kuna, ID. She had so many cute ways to teach the kids the three songs they performed in the final concert as well as many others and some music theory they learned over the course of 4 days. Her ability to keep their attention was amazing! They never put up a fuss one day about going back to class but were anxious to be there! Morgan and Kate attended Masters Classes, Theory, and Musical Theater Classes together and had a ball. They love doing anything together. Todd and Regan did Master's Class with Lori, Music Theory, Musical Theater and Boys and Girls Chorus. Todd may have taken another class as well. They also love to be together and are best buds. It was so fun to see the kids get on stage and perform their solos prepared in Master Classes. Morgan particularly thrilled us because she has never really loved the idea of being on stage or singing. But she did a great job of "On the Good Ship Lollipop"! This was a very big step for her. She and Kate were also so cute in "Gertrude McFuzz". I think all the kids really enjoyed learning the songs from "'Suessical"! It is very cute and clever music. Todd was so good as the General Genghis Khan Schmitz! Regan and Kate are naturals on the stage and just shine! I can see so much growth in Lori and Cindy's kids as they attend each year. What a great opportunity to be exposed to singing and performing without intimidation and to be taught by some of the finest teachers around. Thanks to all who contributed in any way. I had a wonderful time being with Lori and Cindy for the week as well as enjoying the kids. The only quiet moments were after the kids were in bed so we stayed up late visiting and laughing. Regan stayed up with us a couple of nights and we enjoyed her so much. She thinks Aunt Lori is awesome and enjoyed going through her jewelry to pick out just the right rings and such for her solo of "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend". It still takes my breath away as I realize that Todd and Regan are almost 11 and will be in their teens if we blink! They are both such great young people. Morgan and Kate are maturing each year and I love to see their love for one another. We missed having Julie with us but were so glad that Chloe and Lily got to be with us and enjoy their cousins all week. Though there were the usual bickering moments, they all did very well together. Porter and Kami are so cute! Porter decided to make walking his main mode of transportation this week and they were both all over the place. Their favorite places were in the water (wherever it might be), robbing out of Lori's craft item organizer, and playing with her fridge magnets. Oh, and let me also add...the staircase! They mastered stair climbing this week as well! They kept us going every minute! Jack and Kaleb didn't get along too well at the beginning of the week (sharing toys is not too fun sometimes!) but by the last couple of days they were best buds. I love watching them interact with each other. The differences in our grandkid's personalities became very apparent as I watched and listened to them this week. I love to see how they can be upset one minute and then instantly forgive and forget and move on. We all hope Julie and the kids are able to join us next year! In addition to the classes and concernts, I am already missing in a strange sort of way the constant "I'm hungry!", heads of hair to do, piles of laundry to be done, and the kids playing in Brad and Lori's pool every night. The outside shower is the best as we never bathed or washed a head of hair in the house except our own. Even the babies loved standing under the warm water of the shower! I hope to be a part of this for years to come. I do not want to miss the opportunity to be in the presence of my amazing daughters, all so immensely talented in their own ways and very focused on the things that are of real importance in shaping their childrens' lives for greatness. This is really a privilege not to be taken foregranted! I only wish Sara and Matt and the kids lived close enough to be a part of the week as well. We missed them as we always do when we get together. Thanks also to our husbands who always keep things going at home and to Brad and Lori for opening their home and hearts to all of us! I still can't believe what Brad endured and always with a smile on his face!