I’ve decided I should start a series of books called The Survival of Lincoln Cole. It’ll be something like Lemony Snicket meets“The Sandlot” only ten times as fast. Bruises, bumps, and bites cover this boy. He jumps between “I’m a baby” (climbing into Keller’s crib and snuggling him) and “Do all by myself!” He fell down the stairs last week and scratched his tummy up pretty bad. What did this teach him? The lesson he gleaned revolves around how cool it is to go face first down the stairs on his belly. “I’m a snake, Mommy!” followed by “I’m stuck, Mommy!” A lot of things have been snakes, actually. He pooped in the potty every time except twice this week (and then he told me, “I just pooped Mommy…(grin)…needed potty!”). He thinks his poop looks like the snake we saw in a puppet show. Good grief. One day he pulled my bedspread off of the bed, tugged off his diaper, and—of course—peed all over it while shouting, “I’M PEEING!” joyfully. Last Sunday night he informed me he needed to go get his (toy) hamburger for his mission. He didn’t return. He didn’t return. Finally I checked on him. On route to the hamburger, he saw Levi’s carefully bagged and moderated jelly beans from Sunbeams (which he had generously shared with Lincoln, one at a time). He pulled a chair over from the dining table, climbed onto the kitchen counter, and shoved jelly beans into his mouth by the handful. Levi forgave him, even as Lincoln shouted, “NEED MORE!” While Keller was getting his four immunization shots and I had to hold him, Lincoln somersaulted off of the chair—almost into the table—and then pulled off a huge picture off of the wall, which barely missed landing on him. He also unplugged the charging station for the ear-checker-thingy. He found a fork in Wesley’s backpack and miraculously did not die when he played with it in the socket as I came running in (yes, simultaneously nursing. Of course. Don’t picture that too long unless you want to choke on your laughter. That’s what Wes did.). He’s been playing soccer a lot; his socks have transformed into shin guards. Mostly he just flies and leaps and bounds. And we, his awed associates, survive due to angels.


None of this is to say that his primary colleagues (Keller and Levi) have slowed at all. Keller is a whomping 16.8ish pounds who rolls, grunts, and cheers. He growls while he eats. I didn’t notice this, because he’s done it since he began, until one of the other moms in the mother’s lounge pointed it out. Very guttural and manly. As soon as he sits in his high chair he starts looking for the spoon and food. I think he times his blowouts for outings (but I’m prepared! Unless Levi used all the wipes to cleanse himself of all evil, which often happens). Despite the relationship hazard, he adores Levi and Lincoln: even when they spit (“zerbuts, Mom!”), clonk, stand, and rough handle him. Keller rolls over, sticks his bum in the air, and tries to swim through the floor. He’d like to crawl; it’s hard when you can’t quite sit up yet. Unfortunately, the poor boy still has an ear infection. We’re onto another antibiotic which will hopefully work.


At Keller’s doctor appointment, Levi stayed very close to Dr. Holmes, observing. Have I mentioned that he plays doctor and introduces himself as “Dr. Holmes”? This almost melted the man. Levi also sets up his dental practice daily. I’ve convinced him to use very soft plastic baby spoons as tools. He takes x-rays of my teeth, flosses, asks what kind of toothpaste I want. He walks around with floss in his pocket so he can clean his teeth as needed. He does “ninja stretches” which look like a strange mix of aerobics and yoga. He pretends to shower in all of his various jobs (because he gets “hot and sweaty and stinky like Daddy.” Lincoln pretended at the park, and stripped all the way down at the top of a tall slide). Sometimes he “pretends we are girls” so that he and Lincoln can go to the hospital and have “twin dog babies!” We decided it’s time to expand our play options; he now happily sprays the plants with a squirt gun. He plays with army guys. He goes golfing outside. He builds amazing Lego adventures, “This is for you, Mom!” He has also started differentiating life and dream. He walks out in the morning to tell me what happened. Lots of airplane dreams this week. He went to both sets of grandparents’ house and made lunch with them (between airplane play, does his mom only make food?). He felt a little overwhelmed when we had people over. He impressed me by simply finding a quiet place to color and cut paper without making a fuss. I’m immensely proud as this can be difficult to do for anyone. Yesterday he didn’t say much about Sunbeams until dinner. I asked what happened. “I asked Hannah to marry me and she said yes.” Oh? “We’re getting married in the temple,” he grinned like it’s happening sometime this week. “She asked her dad.” Oh, modern courtships.


Wesley had a really busy week. He attended two different conferences near campus, discussed the UT graduate program UT’s external advisory committee. He’s finishing up a paper that has turned into a longer learning process than expected (he thought he’d have it done over Christmas break…) and every day he comes home with all sorts of possibilities of what next semester might bring—since he’ll start applying in the fall. Dr. Edgar, his professor, recently became the head of the UT Energy Institute. He asked Wesley to be the main instructor for his “Energy, Technology, and Policy”course in the fall. Wes will probably also be doing some energy policy work with the Energy Institute. Next week is the last week of classes. Wes isn’t technically enrolled in classes, but he has gone to an energy course and a traffic course in different departments all semester. In the midst of all of this, he helped his Teachers Quorum organize a fireside for last night (we made two sheet cakes and others brought cookies. Any left? Not a chance. Wes didn’t even get a piece!). He got a new Quorum President and began training him last week. He and Michael are helping a new convert prepare for the Melkezidek Priesthood, teaching him on Thursday nights. And Saturday we attended an interfaith dinner at the Muslim Mosque. Our friend Talha invited us. We loved it! Such wonderful, devoted people. I can see why Satan would want to pervert a religion that could potentially lead people to the restored gospel quite easily. Levi and Lincoln had their first young woman babysitter. Keller came with us and exploded.


Last week and over the next two we are watching a 13 and 6-year-old in the evenings while their mom takes a refresher course in hopes of employment. I take everything in my life for granted. Structure, stability, love, work ethic, heritage in general, testimony, a knowledge that my decisions make a difference. We have everything; I hope we use it to help others who do not. I’ve been praying all week to see them as the Savior sees them and it humbles me. Sometimes I moan and groan and wonder about definitional hubbub (joy, progress, etc.) when if I’m patient and willing I’ll see that the Lord really is refining me one moment at a time. What a patient and kind parent. I admit, there have been many times I think He should probably just give me a nice swat on the bum! How can I be so happy and keep so much of it to myself?