To Dream the Impossible Dream

Stephen R. Covey was buried today. His body lying in the casket was a shock because he was such an energetic man. And he was not there in the casket. His spirit had left him. I remember him coming over to our work party at ZAMM and he was so cheerful and funny. He hosted us for football games at Legacy. Sandra brought out a million pies for everyone to eat. They are generous and kind. I loved attending parties they hosted where they greeted every single person individually. I loved attending his funeral and hearing the stories from his children. What a great man. What a great dad.

Colleen was one of the youngest that was going to be left with a babysitter while the rest of the family took off in a rented motorhome. She was devastated and hid up to the moment of departure until she heard her dad calling for her. She promised to follow directions and not be a bother if she could just come on the trip. Stephen looked her in the eye and said, "I believe you. You can come." She lived up to her promise despite glares from other siblings when she stepped into the motorhome.

David was traveling with his dad on the way to the airport and the crawling pace of the traffic had him convinced they would miss their flight. Stephen instructed the cab driver to pick him up further down the freeway and stepped out of the car to direct traffic so they could make it to the airport on time. The driver protested, "You can't do that!" And Stephen walked away, "Watch me!"

Josh was on the ski lift with his dad at Sundance. He felt somewhat trapped and very embarrassed as his dad belted at the top of his lungs for all to hear his made up and dilapidated song, "I love my family! I love my family!"

Josh feared for his life when his dad took his goofy nonchalant attitude a little too far. Full conversations with strangers while wearing fake teeth were enough, but Stephen crossed the line when greeting the biker gang on the sidewalk, "How's it going, girls?"

Stephen demonstrated what really matters when Maria called him in frustration as a young mom with young children without lots of productivity. "Throw out your planner, Maria!"

Colleen had had a rough day at school and was sick and tired of a teacher that didn't understand her. She vented her frustrations to her dad only to get gentle reminders of her potential as a human being. "You are not an animal. You can choose your response." Colleen ran away in frustration, "I'm going to mom! She lets me be a victim!"

Someone had asked Sandra if she were nervous as Stephen enjoyed all the success that came with his work. She said that every morning she would see him on his knees, talking to his Father in Heaven so she wasn't worried one bit.

Jenny remembers being on a train with her dad on their way to a conference. There wasn't room to lay down on the benches, so Stephen simply found a spot and laid down in the middle of the aisle. She overheard some passengers, headed exactly towards the conference her dad was speaking at. But they had no idea their idol was already in such close proximity. One of them said, "I've heard he has such an air of intelligence around him."

Stephen would take the kids out for adventures on Saturdays. The kids only realized later that it was significant down time he was providing for their mother as much as together time with the children.

The stories went on and on. It was delightful to get to hear everyone talk about their father.

Merci

Grazie. Merci. Gracias. Hvala. Dekuji. Vinaka. Danke. Arigato. Mahalo.

We have felt so loved with Scott's birth. Meals and presents and treats. It is a blessing to receive the Love of God through His children. Heavenly Father wants to bless us, even in simple ways. I wanted to do chicken and waffles for Johnny before he left on a big trip. Someone brought KFC by for one of the delivered meals from my visiting teacher! It was awesome to not have to fry my own chicken but still have chicken and waffles and bacon and syrup. Delicious. Miraculous. Thanks to God for the birth of this boy. And thanks to everyone who loves us so much. All. we. need. is. LOVE.

Sleep whenever you can

I remember pregnancy with Davis, although we didn't know it was Davis, we just had 2 names picked out - Davis or Lucy, depending on which baby made their arrival. We were traveling in the carhouse in California and we would use this awesome schedule of waking up, having breakfast, going to a new park, coming in for lunch and then having quiet time all together. I would lay down and read books with Johnny and Evelyn and we would all fall asleep. It was heavenly. I was so tired from...well, I'm not sure what from? From (that's a weird word to use three times in so short a space. It looks like a made-up word) my body working to give Davis nutrients, from running around after the two children that were not inside my womb, from supporting the extra weight my body was beginning to gain. I'm not sure, but those naps rocked.

And this pregnancy, I don't remember sleeping so much pregnant, but definitely after Scott was born. People told me when Johnny boy was born that whenever he napped, I must lay down and nap so I could keep my strength up. But with Johnny, he slept practically the first 2 months of life and I would just sit and rock in the Love Lane family room and hold him and look at him and put my ear next to his mouth to make sure he was still breathing. I never slept. But definitely after Scott was born. When he sleeps, I sleep. Usually it is around 2 pm every day after we've done an outing to the park, had lunch and Davis winds down for a nap with me while the big kids watch a show. Heaven.

Evelyn is a pro at using the camera on my phone. She takes shots all the time. I'm grateful to know what I look like when I sleep from this shot. I kind of already had an idea because every day in Senior year English class with Mr. Robinson, I would take a nap on my desk after I had eaten the pack of Reese's Pieces by arranging corresponding triangles of orange, brown and yellow candies and eating the corners respectively from each group until I had eaten them all. Freaky symptoms of OCD, people. I'm totally in remission now and trying to relinquish the facade of control that I used to maintain at all costs. Baby steps. In English class, I would wake up with a pool of drool where the candy used to be. Wish I was OCD about germs, but I'm not. So I can totally imagine sleeping with my mouth open like so. The other pictures are just about Scott because he's so adorable.

No hay carpetas

We were super pumped to go meet Leo, the Lion, the Salt Lake Real soccer team mascot. He was going to be at El Rancho Market #7. I assumed because I received the ad that my local El Rancho Market was #7. Not the case. So we showed up, walked around, and chose a Mexican treat. Marshmallow cookies and Neopolitan wafers. Yum. Evelyn was scared to meet the lion, anyway. So she was happy to get a treat.

A wink and a smile

Evelyn found my 1992 lip gloss and generously applied it to create a new look. Well done, sister.

Burn, baby, Burn

We went to watch indoor arena football. Salt Lake's team, the Blaze, were fun to watch. We left after injuries on the sidelines created interference with the enjoyment of the game before too many penalties piled up. A fun use of our Pass of all Passes.

Cousins Camp 2012

Cousins Camp 2012 was totally awesome. I learned a ton about myself. I appreciate living near my sisters. I appreciate my dad cleaning up a big mess he saw. I appreciate creative minds of children doing chores and creating a block mansion. All in all, a complete success. Not success as in everyone promptly followed directions and no one pooped in their underwear and my house was immaculate, but success as in cousins hung out together and loved each other and when the party was over, Johnny woke up the next day walking around an empty, dirty house, "Guys? Hey, guys! Where are you?". I love our family.

Quotes from Cousins Camp 2012

After the pinata, everyone got to choose 5 pieces of candy to save for after dinner. Then we went reverse trick or treating where we knocked on doors and gave away candy instead of asking for it. Lulu wanted to eat her candy right away. I just told her to eat one and save the rest. She comes running in to me with Weston close behind and candy wrappers in hand. Lulu: This is why you have to hurry and eat ALL your candy. Because Weston will take it!"

I don't even know how this conversation started...

Isaac: The average adult weighs 97 pounds.

Christine: Well, I don't think so, bro. Did you know Johnny weighs 220 pounds?

Isaac: Oh, that's only for females. Guys can go higher.

Nigel: Hey, you guys.

All eyes on Nigel. Seriously, there was complete silence.

Nigel: I love my mom and I'm going to marry her.

We spent the last day at Beal's house. I actually went back to bed and forgot to childproof lock the front door. They can open a regular lock but not the up high lock. So I hear silence around 9 am and I know I've been duped. Everyone had escaped down the street to Beal's. It had been a long week of 12 cousins with lots of needs and a personal re-evaluation about the timing of my future children. I finally get myself out of bed and head to millie's with my 2 children that couldn't escape. Kids are running around as we make a plan for the day. Imagine loud chaos. Ruby walks into the kitchen to Beal. Ruby: You need more kids. Aren't you lonely?

I knew that if I laid the law down the first night for bedtime, kids would be compliant for the rest of the week. They come up with good excuses but this one was specific to Ila's sparkling personality. I admit it was very tempting, for selfish purposes. Ila: Can I clean for a little bit because cleaning makes me tired.

Beal drove all of the big kids to swimming lessons every day. We decided if they made their own lunches, they would have ownership and more incentive to actually eat them at the pool after swim lessons. Johnny was apparently a little attached to his lunch. He came home from Beal's sobbing. After he calmed down, he was sitting next to Ruby. He whispered in her ear. Johnny: Hey! Do you know that girl that took away my lunch? Her name is Camille. I don't like her.

We had a lemonade stand. We learned how not to run a lemonade stand. Next year's will be better. Although we did make over $20. The shining moment of the lemonade stand was Isaac's generosity to 2 different customers at two different times. Isaac gives a dollar bill back to them so they don't have to pay. Both customers insisted he take it back, but he wouldn't have it. Isaac: Sometimes we like to just give back.

At the lemonade stand, tons of cars stopped. One customer asked, "What do you have?" Nigel is showing his business skills early. His eager reply: Everything you like.

Cousin Power

Swim lessons 2012. So adorable. Melts my heart.

What manner of man ought ye to be?

The kind that would pee in a cup for his friend. Jeff Crook walked into my office and said, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions. I've been meaning to book a cruise for you and surprise you, but I know you'll get it down faster. So, go on a cruise. On me." Totally awesome. So we went on a cruise with Corporate Alliance to the Caribbean and met wonderful friends and had a great time back in February 2007. One of our friends got stung by a jellyfish on the beach one day and Johnny was willing to pee in a cup and wash the sting. I assume there is some sort of healing property in urine OR the pH of urine helped to counteract the sting of the jellyfish. What a guy. Then, bring the story full circle when we moved to Cedar Fort, the bishop of the ward was the brother of the woman who was married to the man who rinsed his foot in Johnny's pee. The bishop's father also went on the cruise with us and was also father to the woman who was married to the man who rinsed his foot in Johnny's pee. What a small, wonderful, germ-filled world that we live in...

Happy Father's Day, Johnny. We love you. We honor you. We are grateful for the man and father and husband and brother and teacher and creator you choose to be.

Opposites attract

Do you ever look at your children and wonder where they came from? As in, how in the world could someone you helped create act or feel that way? Johnny takes it in stride. He despises few things in this world. The two things on the list are bubble gum (do NOT chew in front of him. You also do NOT want to be around homeboy when he steps in gum that someone has spit out. It is truly disgusting to him.) and mustard (even though I love mustard, Johnny will not eat it on his sandwiches). So, along comes little Evelyn with her arms full from the fridge. She brings me the loaf of bread, grape jam and...mustard. And asked that I put them all together. She has ordered "purple and mustard" enough times in a row to warrant documentation. Hilarious. We have, however, brainwashed our children to believe that bubblegum is poison. When they see it in the grocery stores in the 25 cent dispenser stands, they point and say, "Ew! Gum! Gross!" Totally awesome.