Rebecca's 14th

(Sarah took this picture and Rebecca added the quote. I love it.)

Happy Birthday to my imaginative, movie-crazy, artistic, witty and drama-loving girl.

Brought flowers and muffins into her drama class.

 She had a party with friends. At this age the great thing is I don't have to do anything except provide the food because they come up with all their own entertainment. They played Twister (because what teenage girls don't want an excuse to do that with the boys?) They went outside in the below freezing weather to do night games, played truth or dare (just great) wherein the boys ended up being given "a make-over" with make-up. I still can't believe they subjected them to that, or that the boys even allowed it. 

All these things I am hearing mostly second hand because after the party started and I took these pictures I went upstairs to my room and did math and largely ignored what was going on downstairs. What stellar adult supervision:/

Stuck

What Will is doing when he is whining for a while and I'm waiting to see if he stops and then finally come in to see what the problem is.

It's official. I miss him.

My homage to Nathaniel in my living room. 

Note you can see my reflection in the picture.

The first week he was gone it was really, really tough. Then things got better. I was getting along quite well. I never got chocked up when they talked about missionary work in meetings. I even got a little cocky and thought of how much better I was handling it than all these other missionary moms. (When, when, WHEN will I learn not to get all cocky and judgmental about things?)

Fast forward two months. Going along fine. Few little moments here and there but no feeling overly blue or tears or anything. All and all I was handling the whole thing beautifully.

Then came the birthday. 

Totally blindsided me. And Peter for that matter. That was November 2nd and I still haven't really recovered. It's only been two and a half months and I think in my mind he was on some extended vacation and suddenly now I'm done with this and am ready for him to come home. I dream about him all the time and when I'm not dreaming about him I'm worrying about him and when I'm not worrying about him I'm missing him and having crazy thoughts about a spontaneous trip to Peru where I just happen to bump into my son. (Like I said, not rational). In my dreams  he suddenly shows up because he forgot something and I'm like, "You flew all the way here for that? Why didn't you just have me send it?" Just weird stuff.

It isn't that I want him somewhere else. It isn't like I don't think this is an incredible experience for him and is going to help him grow in so many ways and share the gospel to boot. It isn't like I don't know we're incredibly blessed to have a missionary. I'm not crying everyday or anything. Just very mixed feelings. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining and I feel guilty for even feeling this way. Just telling the truth and learning some lessons about life I thought I already knew but apparently didn't and probably will forget soon and have to learn them again (dang it.)

John's last pinewood derby

Could NOT seem to keep Will off the track. 
Did not go over well with the owners of it.

 

 

 Got to the derby and realized pennies were glued too close to the wheels to clear the track so I had to peel them off and add them to the back.

 2nd place!

Halloween 2014

Rebecca's

 Sarah's

John's 

 

 Mine

 

 John's interpretation of the Green Goblin

 Found this hat at the dollar store and that became the costume.

 Will wanted to trick-or-treat for hours but didn't ever really seem to quite get the hang of it like last year. For one thing it is like he says less than last year. No attempt at saying "trick-or-treat" or "thank you. Just grunting and other happy approval-like noises. After a while he quit knocking on the doors and just went for the doorknobs. That was when I was ready to be done.

My favorite was Rebecca's take on Dwight from The Office. 

(Don't get me started on why she watches that show--wasn't my idea.) 

The next day I convinced Aaron to go to Cornbelly's with me for the final Hurrah where they demolish all their pumpkins. The highlight was watching them drop a 500lb pumpkin from a crane several stories high.

It was cold and windy and somewhat miserable and probably the last thing he wanted to do.

 Aaron is too good to me.