Family Communication Styles

Roxie had a project due in history, and she couldn't take her bow to school so I took 100 photos of her so she could make a powerpoint presentation.

I yarn bombed back yard tree for Memorial Day.  I had some red t-shirt sleeves from an old Max boychoir shirt...

We went to the temple

Memorial Day smores and baby holding!  Baby Lincoln and Baby Olive are our friends.  Aunt Candy was visiting Gma Sandy.  The party was at Wainwrights, and that is host on pole, since he was out on ship working and his wife had the party anyway.

I am thankful for family blogs, the honesty, the realness, the photos, the love.  We don't visit as often as I wish we did!  Since we live so far spread apart blogging is a good way to get a glimpse of what is going on.  My phone skills are limited to talking to John every day from his work at lunch time...

Busy Update for Spring

There was some Easter kissing and tie-jewelery matching...

Admiration for living room framed photos at a book club friend's home...

A sweet orchid gift from a friend!  (notice mint green paneling above fireplace, it will change this month)...

Another DC temple trip...

Sam went to Mormon Prom (another tie matching dress example!)...

Roxie went to a bereavement camp for children 8-16...

Tying a note she wrote to Max onto a pink balloon she chose for him...

Standing with her camp buddy for the weekend:  1 counselor per child ratio.

Then more presentations, the youth told their favorite part of the camp (Roxie said riding the horses was the highlight) and love stones with a word the counselor noticed about the youth (Roxie's was strength) and then a word of hope for them and their future (Roxie's was Love)...

Beautiful, amazing program, good practical advice, good therapy, good new friends.

And my favorite:  monarch butterfly launch, each child presented with an envelope...

And a quick picture from wedding shower I hosted last weekend-notice the paneled wall, needed a different color to highlight the banner, so a quick pink coat.  Yes, I paint for parties.

Trains & Temples

I took the train Friday down to BWI close to John-husband's work.  Worse moment was when another MARC train came the opposite way and startled me, made me jump, heart racing.  I had ridden the train & subway in Manhattan 2 weeks ago, and it was ok, as long as I didn't think about it, dwell on sad things.  Trains are modern tools, and if Max had died in a car accident I would still drive a car, carefully.  I have an aunt who died in a small airplane crash, but our family still flies.  John had an uncle die in a motorcycle crash, and those are kind of a family off-limit thing now.  The intersection is 7 houses down from our home, and I always pause a couple of seconds longer, thinking about his uncle Mike, take a minute to be safe and look for motorcycles before turning left...So maybe it is okay to think of Max with every train ride and pray for the engineers to be safe and pedestrians careful...

John was waiting on the sidewalk for me.  He towers above most of the commuters, so I could see him from a long distance off, very romantic and sweet of him.  He escorted me to the car, opened my door like always.  I don't want to take that gentlemanlyness for granted.  I count it as a blessing!

There was a huge accident on the beltway that we avoided taking 200, got to the temple in record time.   I feel such comfort and peace there and joy for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the promised resurrection.  We talked about Maxwell and cried some together for almost an hour after our service.  My testimony of Joseph Smith (watch the film on the link to see my favorite actor portraying him) as a true modern prophet was strengthened tremendously this trip down.  I thought of him and the restored priesthood keys and ordinances revealed through him and felt a kinship/friendship that was new to me--like a reunion/remembering as I recognized his voice.

My eyes are squinty from the sun and allergies, but I am happy.  John is concentrating on pushing the right button.

Technically it isn't a "quilt" but a painted cloth framed for ease of hanging/display.  I had volunteered a "quilt" for the silent auction on our stake's "Day to Serve" concert event, raising money to feed the hungry, joined with several other church organizations. 

I should have taken before/during pictures...Frame was a thrifted $10 find, cleaned and repainted frame to black (it was nice, sturdy oak wood, but damaged, needed some camouflaging).  The white fabric with pink flowers was a yard of fabric, also thrift store find.  Stencil one of my NEW stencils!  I made new ones of Max, made a "Mr. Smith" one, too.

THIS is a great example of faux-painting:  a metal modern switch plate added to a marble wall in a cathedral downtown.  Great job, even if it is poor placement.  I was there for a friend's mom's funeral, first one I have been to since Max's memorial service. 

I was disappointed to not hear even one reference to Christ, no scriptures, not even in the prayer.  Angels watching over me song was closest it got...Everything was unknowable, mysterious, vague, about where we came from and what happens at death and even why we are here on earth in our fleetingly short lives.  

The non-denominational preacher came up to me afterwards and she complemented my huge "presence."  She didn't say the word "aura" and she wasn't talking about my weight, but she waved her hands around my face and head.   I talked to her a little bit about what I believe happens after we die.

Faith does help.

"Beautiful Heartbreak" by Hilary Weeks had me teary this morning.  I wrote on one of my mom's cousin's posts about my sign:  "Lost a son to drugs/suicide."  Can't say that easily every time.  But I do believe in miracles, and we have been blessed and supported through this painful mourning-morning.

Give Credit where Credit Due

I have seen 1/2 of this picture all over Pintrist lately, the right half. 

I googled how to do a reverse image search, found a 2009 listing in Spanish, but pulled out the artist's name:  Michael Belk.

Went to his website.  Saw this video about the project, Walking with the Messiah.

And I am adding this former fashion photographer to my list of artist I admire.  I love the juxtaposition of modern problems with Jesus Christ included.

Insert rant here about the pros/cons of Pintrist, the lack of credit, the fluff of incomplete stories/instructions, the lack of SOURCING... And I am guilty of pinning without complete research, looking for broken links.

Liz Lemon Swindle came and spoke at a fireside here in Baltimore recently.  She invited all the listeners to take home four paintings she has printed of her "Prince of Peace" to give away.  She feels that people need to be reminded, need to know Him.  She took her signature off the painting, printed at her own expense, thousands and thousands...It is not my favorite painting of Christ*, but I was touched spiritually by the goal of helping people come to Christ, help them know Him.  I have given away one, and know who the other two should go to...

Years and years ago, my brother, David, said he felt everyone should paint their own picture of Christ. 

I am not ready.  On the horizon is a figure drawing class at the local community college, for starters.  I have felt a little stagnant, need some more training, develop some skills!  And to practice more, put more time into painting.

*Current favorite is in Washington DC LDS temple foyer, off to the left over the stairs going down to the Distribution Center--Christ in the jungle standing between two Lamanite children.  I would LOVE to find out who the artist is.  All the temple office could tell me is that the 60 or so new prints are hanging in temples all over the world.

Moms R Us

These are from Mother's Day 11 years ago.  It must have been really bright and sunny out, hard for the kids to keep their eyes open.

And their heads up and turned the right way (love Emma's hands on Roxie's head!)

I got teary finding these old Mother's Day photos.  This is what it is like, in the trenches!  

I think of my daughters and wonder what they think it is like being a mom. 

Being the oldest in a big family gives you lots of chances to feel the frustrations of being a mom without the benefits of having a husband to help and the joy of seeing your children grow, learn, and love you back!

(yesterday at DC Temple with Suzanna)

I want my daughters to look forward to motherhood.  Not to feel rushed, but positive about the potential, possibilities, and the promises.

(Flour Baby Mahonri was a lot of work and good practice for Roxie, but real babies are more rewarding, more work, but easier to love as you serve them.)

 (Fairy Festival in Darlington yesterday!).

Temple Today & Banner for Sam

Quick trip to the temple after my 5 hour seminary in-service meeting-teaching us how to be better teachers.

Helping Sam with banner for Icicle boyscout camp:  the free city banners came clean with 91% rubbing alcohol, washed off ink and made permanent markers perfect for new message!

Temple, Family look-alike, Wool dyed with Kool-Aid, City Banners

We stopped here on way down to cousin baptisms last Saturday.  Misty rainy day.

Strong family resemblance:  uncle & nephew.  Same hair color...

Wool carpet before $10 thrift store score!

After $5.00 worth of lime-green and blueberry Kool-Aid.  I need another sunny day to heat set this outside.  Right now the color still comes off on my fingers, so I know it would make the bottom of our feet blue.  Yes, saw it on Pin-Trist.  But I've been thinking about over-dyed wool rugs for a year or so...

What to do with many, many de-commissioned city banners? (We picked up the last batch today.)

Cut & staple around a canvas!

Sam being sill at  neurology pediatric appointment.  The paper border looks like it would make a nice quilt pattern.

Max &  John at Sam's choral concert Tuesday evening.

Catch Up on Phone Pictures

Do you see the airplane at the top, hanging from the light chandelier, one for each of our faraway children coming home for Christmas!

My parents were here over Thanksgiving/Mom's birthday...Notice red "you are special" plate!  Suzanna, we thought of you!

We took Mom on early morning 25 degree walk to see local color!  We are bundled up, she is wearing my orange polar fleece...

All our children's living grandparents in one room!

Three siblings.  Roxie's temple quilt in living room now, David's paintings back in dinning room.  Gray stripes (wrapping paper) covering blue/green vertical stripes which may come back for Christmas, still deciding.

 

Couple photo.

Sister missionaries came to our parade!