Field Trip to the Fire Station

A group of friends with young children and I got together at my house in the morning, about a week ago, and I showed the kids our garage and what can happen in a fire. Some were excited, some were scared, and Peter was thrilled with the attention and telling his friends what happend. Afterward we loaded up and took a field-trip to the fire station. I felt blessed when we walked in and the fireman giving the tour had actually helped put out our fire. He was talking to the kids about what to do when their house, or garage, or something caught on fire, and Peter interjected, "Or when your favorite toy is on fire..." We all smiled, yes, especially when your favorite toy is on fire, you call 911, Peter.
He was a brand new fireman and had just been on the job 4 months, he told us. He let one of the boys try on his gear he wears when there is a fire. It was covered in soot, and one of the Mom's commented, "Look Peter, his coat looks like your garage!" The fireman nodded and said, "Actually, that is your garage." It had been a brand new coat previous to our fire, apparently. Although it was funny how semantics played out, the overwhelming feeling of gratitude came to me again, and I was so grateful for the hard work of these great firemen and their sacrifices for us, and me. Even though Peter was a bit shy, he had a great time and really enjoyed his fireman sticker at the end. He also loved watching the fireman come sliding down the pole and seeing how fast it was.

It's a Baby!

Yes, we are having another baby! On April 15th, Mike and I went to my doctor and got to see our baby on ultrasound. It had been a long 11 weeks plus, proceeding this date, since I began showing at 6 weeks. I am glad and relieved to finally make it official. The baby was a whopping 5 cm long at this point, and everything looked good and healthy. Whew, it's is always a relief.

General Conference

At the beginning of every April, those of the LDS faith gather around their churches or living room televisions for 2 days and listen to the words of our leaders and our beloved prophet, President Monson. With all the commotion in our home the previous week and work that needed to be done, I have to admit, my attention to this conference was undivided. However, Sunday morning came and we sat down together as a family and began to listen to conference while we ate doughnuts. Elder Uchtdorf spoke first, and began speaking of the confusion throughout the world and wrestlessness in people's hearts when he said, "People run from one new idea to the next, hoping to find something that will answer the burning questions of their souls." Peter had been running around, doing his thing, when suddenly he stopped and turned to Mike and I and said, "Hey! We have a burning question! Why did we have a fire in our garage?" That's right Peter, that is a good burning question. I just love how little minds see and hear things!

Our Fire

Wow, has this month been a whirlwind! About 4 weeks ago I was hanging out downstairs with Peter and Elsie and went upstairs to make a bottle. After making the bottle and getting ready to head back downstairs, I paused a moment and smelled. Hmmm, I thought, could that be a gas leak? I proceeded to check out our oven, making sure everything was turned off. Hmmm, this was surely an odd smell to be smelling, I thought. Just then I heard a "Pop" from the garage, and my mind reverted back (was it 4 years ago?) to when our neighbor's garage caught on fire, and that very sound was what I first heard from their home. The realization dawned on me, that there was a huge possibility the smell was a fire in our garage. I went to our garage door, 15 feet away, and opened it, only to see black smoke billowing into the house. I closed the doore and quickly ran downstairs. I told Peter that we needed to leave the house, because there was a fire in the garage. He went into a panick mode and bolted for the stairs, only to stop half way up to burst into tears. I quickly grabbed the phone and called... 911? No, my husband, and told him we had a garage fire and that HE needed to call 911. He was a bit hesitant, not knowing what was really happening. I hung up and ran to my neighbor's home, with my 3-year-old in one arm, and my 1-year-old in the other. I found a neighbor that was home (and how relieved was I about that!) and asked if I could use her phone. I quite calmly told her I needed to call 911 because our house was on fire. Wow, this is harder to write than I had expected. All the emmotions come flooding back to me.
Anyhow, she took my children, and I ran back out to meet the police and firemen, who came within minutes. Within 6 minutes they had the fire put out. We had 20 gallons of gas in our garage that had miraculously been untouched. How blessed we are!! Our home was mostly untouched and still liveable. I often think, if those firement had been just 5 minutes later in coming, what a different story I may be telling. How grateful I am that everyone was safe and our home was so well protected. It's funny how an emergency such as this, has woken my senses to appreciate my blessings and God's love for me and His children.
As the days have gone on, I continue to see the miracles God continues sends. Miraculously, we put our car in the picture into reverse and drove it right out of the garage. With a few green scrub brushes and a heavy concentration of water and laundry soap, we scrubbed the soot right off the car. You would never know it had been in a fire. So many friends have had "family nights" at our home salvaging posessions and helping us clean. They have brought meals and food over and have been an unceasing strength to me.

Our Nativity....Take 2

During the month of December, Peter had the opportunity to take part in 2 nativity plays. One was through his home-based preschool he does with a group of neighborhood children. Peter was asked to be Joseph, Great! Or so I thought. Peter threw a fit and said there was no way he was going to be Joseph. "So Peter, what would you like to be?" I asked patiently.
He responded, "The little drummer boy."
Hmmmm. Of all the accounts I've read in the Bible.... I thought our Christmas carols had gotten the best of us this time. After explaining that wasn't an option, he then decided he wanted to be "the mean king." King Herod, Great?? After more discussion we were finally settled on a decision, and he wanted to be an angel.
So, we rehearsed lines, and in the morning of the nativity play, I gather costume pieces up for an angel. We head to preschool. As I started getting him dressed he asks, "Mom, where's my wings?" I had forgotten the wings. Needless to say, during the nativity, Peter decided to be a bystandard. Sigh.
Second Nativity was with his cousins on Christmas Eve. Gulp, as "Nativity time" rolled around I began to get nervous. However, Peter never ceases to amaze me as he piped up with, "I want to be Joseph!" Really? What a grand Joseph he was as he carried his little sack of goat cheese and led his cousin Mary to the stable. I was so proud!

Paint and Cub Scouts

For my church, I was asked a couple years ago to be an assistant leader for the Bear Den. Yes, for all those who are as clueless as I was, that is a part of the Cub Scouting program for 9 year-old boys. These past couple years have truly tested my patients. Growing up in a family full of girls, little boys are quite foreign to me. I think this calling in the church has helped me know what I have to look forward to with Peter. Sigh.
Today, the other leader, Heidi, had planned an activity for the Cub Scouts to paint some ornaments. Sure, it seemed simple and innocent enough when we started, but by the end of the hour there was paint on their clothes, floor, and even on one cub scouts lips. They had a great time! After 1 hour, it was time for the boys to go home. There was one kink in the process, however: their ornaments were not quite dry. As the good leaders we are, Heidi and I held their ornaments while they bundled up in their coats (getting ready for their walk home). We gave them their ornaments and told them to be careful. As the last boy left, Heidi and I gave a sigh of relief as we vowed to ban paint from all other den meetings. About 20 seconds later we hear, "I've got paint on my coat!" Both of us, armed with wipes in hand, quickly scrub the paint off, hoping to avoid angry mothers for staining winter clothes. No sooner had he left, when the whole process was repeated again!
Finally, after cleaning everything up, I step outside to get into my car when I hear one of the boys yell out, "Hey guys, hop in and get a ride!" My inside voice yelled, "not in my car with wet paint you don't!", but for some reason a weak smile appeared instead.
As they all piled in, ornaments were, yes, dropped, and yes, I had to scrub more paint out of the same boys coat for the third time before we were able to take off. It was yet another adventure, as always, at our weekly den meetings.

A Baby for Christmas

Our family waited in anticipation last Saturday morning, especially Peter, for 10:00 when Santa was making a personal appearance at a pavilion in our little town. As we watched the time go by, I asked Peter, "What are you going to tell Santa you want for Christmas?"
Peter responded, "A Baby."
Well, this was news to me! I tried to clarify, saying, "You mean, like a brand new baby in our home?"
"No MOM, I'm not talking about that!" he impatiently said (Whew!).
So, try as he may, I couldn't quite get what he was talking about. However, 10:00 came and a bit later we eventually made it out the door to visit Santa. Santa, who even knew Peter's name, asked him what he wanted for Christmas. Peter responded, "Baby Jesus". Ahhh. You know, those are the moments that make this job called Parenting worth it.