“I never want to do this again!” I’m sure I’ve said it every time we’ve moved. But this time feels so much more overwhelming. Doesn’t help that I have two babies to take care of amongst all the chaos of packing and unpacking. And the daily tasks still need to be done. Washing clothes, washing bottles, washing bodies. Words like struggle, heavy, stretched thin, come to mind.
But I do have to admit I’m enjoying the decorating challenge. Deciding what pictures go where, what to display, and we couldn’t have picked a better house that is my style. Everything is fitting perfectly. I’m pulling out pictures we’ve had in storage over a year. All the little parts of my old life in Utah and I’m enjoying seeing them again.
One project I’m putting together is inspired by this blue frame I found a few months ago. And since I have a huge wall to fill, I want two large vertical portraits of my boys against a blue wall. They’ll go over our bed. And I love that they’ll be there to smile back at me when the bedroom door is open. Now I just need to shoot the perfect pictures.
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Here’s from my first attempt. There was a little too much sun. I’m hoping to try again on a cloudy day. And I think Perry took better pictures than me. I’ve got to try again. 
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Life in little moments.
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How a baby wakes up.
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Scott- You are 3 months and sleeping through the nights more than you’re not. You are an excellent day sleeper making you our happy and content baby.
We love waking up to you.
He would have been 79.
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Be photographed together.
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1984
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1978
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1983
My uncle passed away today. I am grateful for his release, as he had health struggles that limited what he could do. For a long time, he’s been traveling by scooter.
And upon adopting Jack and Scott, I feel more connected to my Uncle and Aunt. It’s their great granddaughter who birthed Jack and Scott. And their love and support has meant so much to me.
When Scott was about two weeks old, I took him over to visit them to show off the new baby in the family. I sat with Bud on his bed and he asked me if I was happy. I could see the love in his eyes. I’m ever grateful we had that last meeting and that he could see his posterity in my family. I am so blessed.
I can’t do justice here in describing the life of this man. But he’s overcome many obstacles like childhood polio, was married by age 15 (stayed married to his sweetheart), and converted to Christianity after being an Atheist. But his most notable feature was his humor. I still love remembering when he called me over to him during a family gathering and said, straight faced, that he was a ghost. Puzzled, I asked, “what?” He said the doctors told him he had 2 years to live and it had been 6 months past that, so he must be a ghost. :) And that’s Uncle Bud’s humor.
My favorite childhood memory of Uncle Bud was the Christmas yard display he built. And this was 30+ years ago, before you could buy any yard displays at Walmart. He and his wife hand-built the set that covered their whole yard and house, and it was a production! Animatronic dolls like at Disneyland, lights, music, and a magical candyland. And it all came alive with the push of a button. Then over speakers you heard Bud’s voice narrate a story about Santa Clause and checking his list for good little children, and the sort. It was magical and very impressive from a technical point of view. I remember seeing giant lolly pops and wanting to take a bite believing they were real. I just wish I had pictures to share of his display, and if any of my family have any, please pass them on to me.
I’m sad I can’t make it to the funeral and be gathered with my family.
God bless his loved ones.
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Today I’m celebrating sourdough toast, strawberry preserves and a bowl full of berries. Looking forward to farm harvests and garden cooking. Last season I learned to make zucchini cookies that Jack loves! Canned applesauce for the first time from apples bought at a farmer’s orchard. That’s what is good about this area, more farm produce to enjoy. I’m really looking forward to more raspberry picking this year.
