On another happy note, I was feeling thristy one warm morn this summer during a little family trip in central Oregon. I grabbed the nearest cup, filled it with agua and drank deeply, eyes closed. I felt a tickle on my upper lip, opened my eyes and shrieked louder than I have in a long time as I threw the cup across the kitchen.
Though unwelcome, it was a beautiful creature and my siblings and I had a good laugh about it. In retrospect, I should have given it to Isaac to see if he was hungry.
The kids all admired his new pet until Michael told Clara he'd pay her $5 to eat it. "No way, Dad! That's way too gross." But Isaac's ear perked up, "Really? Five bucks?" He watched the worm wiggle in his hand for a moment, then swapped out his gum for the worm, felt it squirm in his mouth, described the taste to get a reaction from his sister (and the old woman sitting next to us who was watching the whole scene with supreme disgust), gagged for a moment as it creeped down his throat, swallowed, popped in his gum, then smilingly held out his hand to Michael for his $5. Later he said that was way easier than pulling out five teeth!
9/29: We're working with a lot of investigators, a couple of them around my age. It is a struggle to keep them progressing & continually applying the gospel to their life. The BOM is difficult for them to understand often. Try explaining "circumsized of heart," which is very directly translated in the Chinese version, as they read with a mix of fear & bewilderment. The last transfer just ended - I will have been in the same area for 6 months at the end of this one. We continue to search for Bruce Lee....
And speaking of, here's a little video I snagged of our dear baby relaxing as much as she ever does. As you watch, remember that I had this critter inside me for over nine months (way over!). You know the phrase "butterflies in my stomach?" I do. Literally.
This is the mean elf that I paintballed! The elf (William) obviously didn't like it! 
This is The Weirdo with a Beardo, or Isaac the fawn. He had just gotten a falcon haircut for the BYU game!
This is skinny dancing Meg! She is only obedient enough to get one meal a day! Don't be fooled by looks! (She really did just lose her first tooth.)
This is Jimmy Trouble Troll. As you can see, the name fits! Mom was really mad when he colored on the wall!
One thing I was always conscious of growing up is how much my pop liked being with his kids. It delights me to know that he enjoys his grandchildren just as much, and to see their unfeined joy at being with him. When we were visiting a couple of weeks ago, I asked the kids whose ward they'd like to attend on Sunday. Grandma's and Grandpa's was the unanimous choice. I asked why they liked going there so much and they each had their reasons.
Found in:
I love that it says, "She has the courge to be happy..." Reminds me of what my dad said all the time growing up: that nobody makes you mad or happy, only more or less inclined to be the way you've already decided to be. The Good Wife's Guide in its entirety you will find on Rivka's blog. It's a great read and I second everything my sister says!
I wonder what my mom's "mother of 10" costume would look like. Yikes.
It was so much fun the others wanted to join in. They couldn't find a belt small enough to fit Jimmy's girth, so he got masking tape. Clara, of course, used it as an excuse to make a fashion statement. 
An old one I found at the bottom of the diaper bag: Our little three-person family shortly after arriving in Iowa for dental school. Do you remember these, Carrie? Your mom was so sweet to take them! I love Michael's smile--the smile of the innocent about to enter the realm of hell. Like the baby cooing to the nice nurse before she brutally administers the shots; like the 4-H lamb gleefully parading around the ring at fair time as people call out how much they'd like to pay per pound of his flesh; like Istefan the turkey given a trail of grain to lure him to the chopping block where a dull knife awaits.... Ahem, time to move on.
"Excuse me, do I have something on my face?" He really had just asked me that. 
Isaac dressed James this morning to be helpful. I couldn't tell if he was a'comin or a'goin. 
And because I promised you, Rivka. Here's a video of Baby James (as he will ever be known to me) and Baby Audrey. I had just changed their diapers and they were lingering to chat with one another. If that girl had a fan club James would be prez! I'm not sure why my voice sounds like I've just inhaled a large balloon's worth of helium. Ignore it.
$10,000 to the lucky person who can use their investigative powers to guess where I got this little bouquet sitting on my kitchen table, to be awarded in increments of 10c monthly. If I remember.
Figuring out how to make a floor and frame. (For all you folks who actually know how to do this stuff, please don't cringe too much. This is what's known as an internet/library crash course in building!)
Nearly finished. Michael was in charge of the pen. Big job, and he tackled it with all the precision of an endodontist!
Isaac showing us how the nesting boxes work. He especially loved those.
Fairly completed chicken coop. Just had to do the trim and paint. Some day I'll get to that. But for now it works. We know this because... 
