A Bevy of Thoughts

CHANGE

2011-10-12T04:03:00.000-07:00

Mindy, a nurse in Bob's office, found a wonderful location full of Monarch butterfly caterpillars, and started collecting them for friends, family and for my Scouts. We watched one with wonder, go through the process from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. Then she brought me 14, and some went to Girl Scouts, some to Cubs, one to Mary, and I have 3 left here. I took some pictures. It is magical.

The caterpillar eats himself out of several sizes of skins, then connects himself to the top with a button of silk and hangs upside down in a J shape for several hours. Then the skin splits at the back of the head and he wriggles and twists and expands himself to move the skin off and up and out of the way. It usually falls to the ground - a misshapen little black pile. What remains is beautiful and breathtaking . The chrysalis turns pale green with a crown of "jewels" across the back and spots of golden jewels elsewhere. But the real magic happens after a week to 10 days. The little shriveled butterfly breaks the thin shell and climbs out. It hangs on to the shell while it slowly pumps fluid into it's tiny wings - expanding them more than 4 times their size. Then, it flies.

The natural man is like that caterpillar. Slow, concerned only with the daily necessity to survive. Eating, moving slowly from leaf to leaf. But then it feels this urge to go higher - to become something else. In life, when we give ourselves to Christ, when we are willing to be broken and bridled, we change. We become beautiful. Unlike the chrysalis, we need to be busy during this stage too - busy in service, busy in learning, busy in good works. But while we wait and change, still tethered to the earth, we know there is something even better waiting for us. And when that day comes, when we are loosed from this mortal shell, we will find our wings and soar.

(These last pictures aren't mine - I will post if I get ones as good as these!)

Lost

2011-10-01T08:25:00.001-07:00

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Women's Conference in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City with two of my daughters, Karen and Rebekah. It was a last minute deal, and I was excited to be able to be there in person. It was a wonderful experience. We arrived and went up the escalator to the second floor, where we entered, then walked DOWN almost to the lowest level to our seats. I asked the usher if, when we were done, we could exit on the lower level instead of walking up all the steps. Karen and her friends went up, while Rebekah and I went around to the elevator that was being used for those in wheel chairs, etc. It was a small elevator and there was quite a group waiting. The volunteer usher suggested that those that could walk the stairs do so and meet the others on top. So Rebekah joined a few others and took the utility stairs beside the elevator. When I got out, I was still inside the seating area, and just on the lobby level - it only went that far. Then we had to walk from that east end to the center and out the exit doors. I entered the lobby, then went back east, looking for where the stairs would let out to find Rebekah. There were no stairs except the large carpeted ones in the lobby. No utility stairs. I asked the information desk, and they said they didn't know of any other stairs. They took me to the main elevator bank, but I told them that I had exited inside the seating area. After walking all over, I stood on the carpeted stairs for a while, thinking Rebekah would see me. Then we went inside the seating area, and found the stairway, but I was told those went outside - a fire exit. We went to "Door 14" where lost people are sent, went up on the second floor and hunted, back down and back inside. I didn't have my cell phone with me, and didn't know Rebekah's number anyway. I finally borrowed a phone and called Bob, who was hanging out with Pete and Adaliah. I asked if Bekah had called looking for me. He said yes she had, and after looking for me, had decided to walk the 4 blocks to get the car and come back for me, assuming I could be located.

Anyway, after nearly an hour, I was safely in Bekah's car headed home. Turns out she HAD been steered outdoors and then initially they wouldn't let her back in. When they finally understood the situation, they let her in but she couldn't find me.

I have thought about this experience several times this week, on different levels.
1) Because I didn't want to stress my knees, I chose what I thought would be an easier way. However I ended up walking 20 times the distance all over the place instead.

2) We chose to be separated, and although we thought it wouldn't matter - that we would end up in the same place- our paths took is in entirely different directions and we became lost.

3) It is miserable looking for the lost soul. I knew where I was, but couldn't find Rebekah. I searched every face, every corner, hoping to see her face light up with recognition. I wonder if it will be like that in heaven, as we wait and look for each other, hoping they are there or on their way.

4) It took contacting Someone Else to know that she was alright, that I was alright, and what I should do so we could find each other again. In fact it took more than one phone call that night.

I lave learned some valuable lessons.

Summer of the Grandchildren

2011-09-01T08:04:00.000-07:00

I have been too busy to blog! That is busy!

In May my daughter Mary began a 3 month bout of very serious postpartum depression, requiring repeated hospitalizations and requiring lots of help with her two children, Lily, age 2 and new little Quinn. For most of May, June and July I had one or the other of these precious little ones in my home. While I was unhappy and sad at the circumstances, it was a blessing to get to know these grandbabies better.

In addition, my son Ned and his expecting wife Kim moved home for the summer between semesters at school. Kim is ready to graduate this Dec in special education. Their little angel, Alice Mae, was born at Sanpete Valley Hospital and spent the summer with us! Ned and Kim are amazing parents, and Ned is the housedad while Kim finishes school and later goes to work. It was fun to see these two, who had very little experience with newborns, fall so gracefully and beautifully into parenthood.

My son, James and his wife Cami had a new baby this summer as well!! Crew James is a delightful little copy of his big brother Hudson. I was unable to spend much time with them because of everything else, but hope to make up for lost time!!

I have had one or two of Anne and Mikes kids spend a few weeks with us each summer. Coming from urban Maryland, the lure of Manti is mountains, fishing, camping, horses and swimming. And time with Grams and Gramps. So, Caleb and Hannah flew out the first of July and were able to stay until their folks flew out the end of July.

And it goes on. I get to keep Adaliah, Rebekah and Pete's sweetheart, the end of Oct for a week while they celebrate their anniversary with a cruise. I LOVE THIS!

Although stressful at times, I wouldn't have traded this summer for anything. I love being a grandma, and I love that my grandchildren are comfortable with us. And I am glad to be in good enough health to do it. Sitting on the floor and playing, swimming lessons, middle of the night feedings, reading aloud, walks and talks and creative messes - these are the best things about those days that are past, and now are here again.