Sweet Little Voice

In a few weeks I am going to be released as Primary Chorister. It is just too much for me with teaching seminary and trying to keep up with all my classes and Ashlee. On Sunday I was reminded of why I love to teach Primary music as we were practicing our program. I have asked this sweet boy, Colin, to sing a solo in the program. He is only 5 but I have noticed this year that he really has a gift for singing. He learns and remembers the songs quickly and he sings on key which is rare at the age of 5. During the practice the kids started getting antsy as they do, and then it was time for Colin to sing. He got up to the microphone and sang "When I'm Baptized" (I like to look for rainbows) Immediately the spirit was so strong. The kids went silent immediately and there was not a dry eye in the room, including mine as a sobbed like a baby. It is times like this, when these sweet children sing and bring the spirit into the room, that I remember how much I love my calling. I am grateful that I have had the opportunity in so many wards to teach music to the children and to feel of their sweet spirits.

A Lesson In Modesty

After the homecoming dance Ashlee told me that there were only 4 other girls at the homecoming dance who wore dresses that had sleeves, or were not strapless. (those girls were all members of the church) It is hard to be different and it is especially hard to find a dress that is modest in this day and age. Now of course I thought she was beautiful cuz I am the Mom and she is my pride and joy, but she was surprised at all the compliments that she got from other kids at the dance especially some of the boys. She said that one of the boys told her she looked like a princess and several of them said she was gorgeous. What a wonderful lesson in modesty. She followed the prophets council and dressed modest and while she stood out from everyone else, she stood out for a great reason. She was different and that made her even more beautiful!

First Homecoming Dance

Ashlee went to her first homecoming dance tonight. She looked so cute and yes again I am feeling old. I fussed all over her until she wouldn't let me fix another piece of her hair. I told her that this is an exciting time for Mom's too and that I only had one daughter to dress up and send on dances. She would barely let me take pictures but I did get some. I even got out of the car and took some with her and her friends, until she texted me and told me to go home. :( Watch out, next year I will chaparone, Ashlee!! This is James McBee, a boy in our ward. He asked her to go with him as friends and they met up with a group of friends at the dance.

Mom... I'm In Charge of the Homecoming Float!!

Last Friday Ashlee came home from school and told me she was in charge of the freshmen homecoming float and that the parade was Wednesday. Then she told me that she couldn't find anyone to help. So we spent the weekend building an 8 foot firecracker and putting a float together. Ashlee came up with the idea and I helped her put it together. She worked very hard on it. We had a great time working together, laughing, and talking. She was very excited when they announced that the Freshment float was the winner at the homecoming game last night. That made it all worth it.

The float in action.

A whole bunch of friends!

Here is the float right before the parade started.

Ashlee put in a lot of work. She painted all of the signs for the entire float all by herself.

Her favorite part of course was when I was trapped inside the firecracker. I had to beg her to help me get out.

Ashlee likes to whistle while she works!
We made 15 of these cute firecrackers to go around the trailer.

Finally got a PIANO!

Ever since I left home I have wanted a piano. Being a songwriter it has killed me to not have one. Those of you that know me know that if I come to your house, and you have a piano, I am ususally going to ask to play it. Well a few weeks ago some friends in our ward asked if we wanted their piano. They were going to just get rid of it. Obviously I said yes without even looking at it. I didn't care what it looked like. They said it had just been tuned and sounded great so I was thrilled. When Bill got home for the summer in July he went to pick it up. When I got home I was so excited, cuz it is in great shape for a used piano and it sounds awesome. The best part of the piano is seeing how much time Ashlee spends on it. She sits and plays by ear everynight for at least an hour. So she started piano lessons last week with Sue Decker, one of my Mom's dear friends, and my piano teacher from when I was a child. It has been a joy to watch her love for music increase. I am so thankful to have this piano in my home. Thank you Morehouses!!! We love it.

Ashlee's Funny Phases

I have to write about a few of Ashlee's funny phases because I don't want to forget about them.

Ashlee's loves notebooks- she has since she was little. If you want to buy her a prize, get her a notebook and mechanical pencils. One time we counted all of her notebooks in her room and there were over 60. So I know you are asking yourself... what on earth does she do with all those notebooks. Well she makes lists. Lists of everything. When she was little it was ice cream flavors, friends that she likes, reasons why she wants to own a giraff, her favorite clothing items. Now that she is older she writes stories, makes lists of movie quotes, draws her name with graffiti letters. One thing for sure. If you happen to walk in her room while she is watching TV, or listening to music, you will find her with a notebook in her lap.

Last month Ashlee sent 17,000 text messages per our Verizon bill. (thankfully we have unlimited texting). Lets break this down a little. That is around 566 per day. WOW! Now the funny part of this is not that she sends a lot of text messages. Nope. The funny part is that Ashlee just asked to trade me phones because she said it was... and I quote... "hard to text" on her new phone. Lets have a moment of silence for the poor kids who were not part of those 17,000 texts and give thanks that the situation has been rectified.

I think we go through about two bottles of fingernail polish remover every month and just a half second entrance into Ashlee's bathroom will burn your lungs from all the acetone. Ashlee loves to paint, and unpaint, and repaint her nails. Currently the color of the month is black (it goes along with the rocker thing) however, on occassion she will mix in a cute pink or blue just to throw us off. The color only lasts about a day though because it is removed for the next round.

The funniest phase, however, is the band aid phase. Now I am hoping that putting band aids in her Christmas stocking has not contributed to this behavior, but, Ashlee loves band aids. Should I be worried about this? Is she on the verge of bleeding to death?? No. These band aids are "for blisters". From her shoes, from flip flops, from dance. So then I have to ask myself, are her shoes too small, does she walk like a duck? How does one have so many blisters? Maybe she wants to work in the health care field. Seriously I don't know. All I do know is that it is funny........and that I wish she would throw the band aid wrappers in the trash after she has covered her feet in them.

Happy 8th Anniversary

Today is our 8th Anniversary. It is hard to believe that we have been married for 8 years. The time has flown by. For those of you who don't know, Bill and I met on the internet. It is funny story because I was not wanting to date, or even halfway interested in getting remarried. When people would ask me if I planned to get married I always joked that the Lord would have to put my next husband right in front of me if he wanted me to be married again. Turns out that is what happened. Bill was living in Denver at the time, and I was living in Virginia. When he first contacted me via email, I really didn't want to talk. When he asked if he could call I originally said no. But somehow, as time progressed we both knew that we would marry before we even met each other in person. Blending a family has been hard at some times, and early on the road was rough. But we stuck together through it and now, we are very best friends and great companions for each other. After 8 years our marriage is so strong, even while we live apart right now. (8 more months). To me, our story is proof, that the Lord is mindful of each of us, and directly has a hand in our lives. I am greatful for my eternal companion and thankful that Ashlee is sealed to us. He is a wonderful husband and a great father.