It all depends on your perspective...

Last evening we celebrated Stephanie’s birthday as a family. Those who could make it went to Chris and Marsha’s at 7:00. We had the usual cake and ice cream, sang Happy Birthday, blew out the candles, Stephanie choosing to blow them out a few at a time. Her decision made for pretty good photos! There was jumping on the trampoline, playing with the pups, almost full-grown now, sitting around talking, catching up on each others’ lives. It was a pleasant evening, although Alyssa was sick, Tracy had a rehearsal, and Heather and Jake couldn’t make it, either . Low-key, just as I like it. Stephanie and I checked out her latest picture on this blog. We both remembered the night it was taken. Brittany and I talked about books and friends.

And I got one more in a series of photos of Nick from (shall we say) unusual angles. Last night’s was lying on his back with his legs up on the wall by the window. In the one I posted here he was sitting in old furniture, which used to be in our living room, during family home evening. It's really hard to tell that the shoe and the face were both from the same person. But no matter the angle, this is one fine young man. And I am hardly biased at all. Last night, I also got some straight on pictures of him smiling, with a cute haircut from Supercuts. From my perspective, you look great, Nick. And I suspect there are a quite a few younger females who would agree with me!

Grandma's Joy

“And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend (GR. Translation: Cause to stumble) one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged around his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

Why do I have empathy for children? Perhaps it was a gift from the pre-existence. Maybe it has to do with having vivid memories of my childhood. Or maybe it comes from some memories, which are cloudy and black, of having grown up the victim of incest. Whatever the reasons, this quote reverberates with me on a deep level. So much so, that recent events in the news have been extremely troubling. I won’t go into the political ramifications, the rightness and/or wrongness of circumstances as they have developed except to say that I am grateful that my growing up was tempered by genuine, healthy love from some of the people around me and that I grew up "in the world" not isolated from it. I am also glad that my great-grandfather chose to follow the prophet at the time of the Manifesto. That, too, is a complicated story. It is not a tidy package, wrapped up neatly. There are always consequences to whatever decisions are made. So why do I choose this photo today? Because, even in the midst of trials, there is joy to be found, and because May 1 is Stephanie’s 10th birthday. Her arrival and subsequent life has brought a lot of joy to this family. On the evening this picture was taken, Stephanie was ready to leave for her dance recital. The shirt was part of her outfit. It was a joyful occasion to be a part of. And this Grandma feels joy every time she sees Stephanie and other children being treated with respect. It is very hard to be a parent (or even grandparent, for that matter). Life is so immediate and the rewards of loving choices can seem very far away. The challenges now are multiplied greatly since my children were young but my memory of how hard it can be remains with me. So here’s to all the people who are making the effort to help the children of today learn how to experience deep joy, now and forever. And, by the way, Happy Birthday Stephanie! Is this the first time it snowed on your special day?

You are Loved

How hard is it for Dorothy to love the Bride of Frankenstein (or was it Dracula)? Not very hard. Sometimes there is a bond between two people and it is not immediately obvious why. That's the way it is with Alyssa and Stephanie. Could it be because these two both have a bit of red in their hair? Or that they are aunt and niece? Or that they both like stories? Or that they feel comfortable with each other? Or is it just one of those indefinable things--something to stop analyzing and just enjoy? Why not? How blessed you are!