Papa's sendoff

Paul (aka "Papa") left for a new work adventure in North Dakota. As we checked out his new truck and said our goodbyes, Charlotte snapped some great pictures.

Good luck, Paul! Knock 'em dead!

Don't cry some tears

One day when Libby was a few weeks old, I stepped into the kitchen to fix her a bottle. As I walked back, her cries turned to soft coos. Jamin rested his face against her cheek and softly sang, "Libby, don't cry some tears."

Soon, both boys began singing this little song every time she cried. They really love their sister. Travis recently swapped "Don't Cry Some Tears" for "Baby Mine" when lulling Libby.

I went to get Libby this morning when I heard her fussing. Just as I reached her door, she sang to herself, "Baby my, donchu cai..."

Two years

Be still, my soul. The Lord is on thy side.
With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide.
In ev'ry change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul. Thy best, thy heav'nly Friend
Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul. Thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake.
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul. The waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul. The hour is hast'ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul. When change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
-Katharina von Schlegel

Two years have passed. The pain has changed, but it's still there. And it probably always will be. Some questions will remain until we meet again. I've come to peace with that. I am so grateful to not only believe but know that he is in an amazing place. The joy from that knowledge overshadows any hurt or questions. How grateful I am for my Savior. Because of my Brother, I will be with my dear brother again.

October Conference '11

Our church held its semiannual General Conference this weekend. I approached Conference seeking specific guidance. We have some big decisions to consider as Scott graduates next year, so I listened to the messages with that in mind. I received some fantastic direction that I'm applying now.

President Uchtdorf's "Forget Me Not" talk also touched my heart: "...Wherever you are, whatever the circumstances may be, you are not forgotten. No matter how dark your days may seem, no matter how insignificant you may feel, no matter how overshadowed you think you may be, your Heavenly Father has not forgotten you. In fact, He loves you, with an infinite love."

* * *

Of course, Conference weekend meant lots of family time and tasty food! Scott took those days off of studying (after two grueling weeks of midterms), and we loved seeing him more. We lounged in our pajamas all morning, talked, laughed, read books, baked cookies, played, and went to the park.

To top it off, we enjoyed a lazy Sunday morning with an Amish breakfast casserole, red grapes, and orange juice with extra pulp.

Amish Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 pound sliced bacon, diced
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 6 eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 cups small curd cottage cheese
• 1 1/4 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sautee onions and bacon. Combine in a large bowl with additional ingredients.
3. Pour into a 13" x 9" baking dish. Bake 35-40 minutes.

Independent woman

She eats at the table like a big kid.

She only sits in her high chair if she climbs up herself.

She wants to walk. She doesn't want to be carried.

She tries to use the potty.

She wants to dress herself.

She insists on strapping herself into her carseat (with a little help from Mom).

She climbs on everything. Libby has entered an independent stage. She knows what she can do and wants to do it herself. Part of me worries about the messes, bumps, bruises, and overall lack of baby-ness. More than that, I'm grateful that she is so smart, strong, confident, and capable. And I'm grateful that she still loves to cuddle.

Guess what?

Travis has begun potty training. He's still learning when he needs to go, so it may be some time before he's totally there. But he's definitely on his way.

And he loves taking self-portraits.

Rainstorms, black beans, and the Toothfairy

The weekend greeted us with a late summer storm. We threw the windows open and enjoyed the smells and sounds. The boys put on "rain clothes" and splashed outside. Libby splashed in her black beans & avocado. On Saturday, Jamin lost his first tooth. The Toothfairy brought him a dollar bill. He proudly stashed it in his piggy bank.