Bonfire with Grandpa Cole

 In Daisy's cow shed

 Lincoln and Mo

Katai!

While we stayed at my parents’ house, my friend Katai came to visit. Katai lives in Thailand; we haven’t seen each other for eight years! She lived with my family as an exchange student. Wesley took her to Prom (which she teased me about). Her little sister and aunt and uncle live in Vegas and they all decided to make the trip to see us. Lincoln flirted shamelessly. He loved Katai’s sister, Mo. Before we knew it, Mo brought him extra gifts and candy. He responded sweetly, “Mo is? Mo is? Lincoln come to hotel? Lincoln come with Mo?” Katai and her family adored the boys. Her aunt and uncle were unable to have children and they clung to Keller. The group wanted to bring them all back to Thailand. I don’t blame them! Levi informed them that he and his brothers needed to stay with Mom and Dad, though. We’re so glad we could see Katai again. She went to culinary school, opened a bakery by a university in Bangkok, and uses my mom’s chocolate chip cookie recipe! Amazing how relationships change us and shape our lives.

Thank you to everyone who travelled for Keller’s blessing. We were grateful to be with family (and we assume our future children won’t have the luxury of family in the circle. But the Priesthood power is the same! What a gift!). The language of the blessing emphasized his many opportunities—including mission, marriage, etc.—and it struck me how essential agency is. We must each choose to use it well.

We flew out of SLC to Vegas to Austin on Tuesday (arriving home around 10 p.m.). Lincoln had a dry diaper in Vegas. Since we’ve been slowly potty training, Wes just sat him on the potty. Unfortunately, Levi stepped directly in front of Lincoln: Lincoln did not point down! Ha! So, scrub as we(s) might, the big boys smelled delightful from Vegas to Austin. On that flight, Levi determined to kick the seat in front of him and Lincoln shrieked for a half hour on and off, quite joyfully. The man in front of them did not appreciate their friendship. But we made it home! Now we’re trying to jump back into real life. Can you slow dive into a schedule? I feel like we’ve been moving in a haze as we try to regroup and catch up on sleep. We love being with our family; we love being home. Take a vacation. Come visit!

Wesley participates in a group called IGERT. This week, their industrial, academic, nad national lab sponsors all got together from across the county to review the students’ research. Wesley returned home pretty buzzed. Wesley uses chemical engineering principles to research things that are traditionally in mechanical or civil engineering (like buildings, homes, traffic, etc.).  One of the guys from New Mexico told him that it would be a definite possibility for him to research in the civil engineering department while teaching ChemE classes. So many options! We wonder what will happen. Until then, we’re grateful for the possibilities.

Following January tradition, we updated our 72-hour kits. We seem to have a lot of food and not enough of other stuff. How do you organize yours? What do you keep it in? How do you keep it practical? We’re trying to grab the stuff that we wouldn’t think to grab (toothpaste, can openers, etc.). Nothing quite like year-old granola bars, candy bars, and jerky to celebrate a new year!

I spoke in church today on the Holy Ghost as our teacher. Usually I type out my talk word for word and memorize it. That just wasn’t possible this time, so I had a lot of notes. I prepared by visualizing the congregation and Christ and prayed about what they needed to hear. I felt jumbled at the pulpit (particularly when Keller started screaming half-way through and Wes toted all three boys out to the hall), but I hope I said something that someone needed to hear. I hope they felt the Spirit.

Keller sings along with us. It’s darling. I love it. We’ve been singing a lot as a result. The nursery leader told me that Lincoln is the best, most enthusiastic singer. Levi loves Sunbeams and singing time. Our song preference finally expands beyond, “I Am a Child of God” and “Abide with Me”! Hurrah!

Lincoln’s potty training would be done if he had a consistent mom. He’s totally ready and controls his bladder. OBeware another weapon he knows how to use!) I’ll get in the swing soon.

Levi jumped off a coffee table on Monday and has been limping. He says his whole foot hurts. We’ve been giving it a week to see if anything improves, but he can’t walk much beyond 100 feet before whimpering. Pray for him. Hopefully it is just a sprain!