Do-Over?

Lately, I have been reading through the new handbook and reading or listening to talks by Church leaders that are especially directed to parents raising young families. And, I sometimes think I would like to have a “do-over” with raising my kids. At other times, when chatting with my visiting teachers and discussing the challenges we face today (compared to what the early Relief Society sisters faced), I think, “whew, I am so glad I am NOT raising a family today”. But, the bottom line is that my kids are now all adults and my parental duties are greatly diminished. And, thankfully, I can say that I am extremely proud of how ALL of my children have turned out. Their work ethic, for example, is remarkable. And, I believe that much of that can be attributed to paper routes: Our Sunday-Wednesday family paper route and the daily routes that many of them had. So, I would like to reminisce and honor my children here with some photos of them on the paper route……

This is when we won Carrier of the Month in the summer of 1990

Steven with a load of papers! (he is only 8 here in summer 1990)

Elise on the route in the summer of 1990

This is in January of 1996. Sarah and Kirsti (with her little home-made carrier bag) taking Butler with them on the route

January is wrapping up and that means that Steve and I are celebrating another wedding anniversary. 36 years! See how we looked so long ago:

To celebrate, we went out to eat on Friday night. Since I had to be down at the Lake of the Ozarks that evening to play in a string quartet that accompanied the 5^th Grade All-City Honor’s Choir in their performance at Tan-Ta-Ra for the Missouri Music Educators Association, Steve joined me and we thought we would find a restaurant down there. Steve let me choose the place and, weirdly enough, I really wanted to go to Golden Corral. It is so difficult to go out to eat with celiac disease and I know I can find lots of plain meat (mmmm – steak) and vegetables (I love Brussels sprouts and broccoli and cauliflower) at Golden Corral. Plus, it is all-you-can-eat! The perfect choice – only, there is no Golden Corral at the Lake. There isn’t even one in Jefferson City. So, we had to drive all the way back up to Columbia to eat. Happily, there is a Culvers at the Lake and a raspberry concrete with cashews was a perfect appetizer until we got to eat “real” food.

Also with the end of January, it means all my snowman décor goes back in the attic for another year. I love all my little snowmen and here are some of the many.

We drove to St. Louis yesterday – caught the 9:00 temple session and had some quality time with Noah afterward. We brought back several tubs of baby clothes that were being stored in our garage and, as Steve and Joe were carrying them in from the car, Noah noticed our gold Volvo and said “that’s a cute little car”. Just like that. How hilarious. Emily had a photo shoot and a lunch date so we didn’t get to see much of her but, in the little window of time we did have, she showed me two trash bags FULL of adorable baby girl clothes (many brand-new, never worn) given to her by a good friend. Wow. I can’t believe that Lucy is going to be here in less than three months! I better get busy on that blessing dress, hadn’t I?