Mother's Day

I had a very nice Mother's Day! It could have just been sad and hard, but Dave and the kids made me feel really special and appreciated. I requested, and was granted, breakfast in bed and episodes of Fixer Upper on my computer. I couldn't stay in bed though, because they brought me their extremely thoughtful presents, and I was so touched and happy, I felt like being with the family and up I got. So that's good :)

We went to church and Riley and Joe sang this beautiful song with the primary and had everyone crying (not me...but had I not been distracted by Henry trying to electrocute himself, I might have.)

It was a gorgeous day for a Sunday walk. 

We walked and talked, and ate Twizzlers, in honor of Mom. Twizzlers always make me think of Mom. Specifically, sitting in the car with Mom waiting for one or more of my siblings to get out of music lessons or sports. Sometimes we'd pass around a pack of Twizzlers to "tide us over" till dinner, and now they taste like peace and comfort and well-being.

We talked about Mom, "Grandma Jan" while we walked. Joe asked if there were Twizzlers in Heaven. Dave figures anything we want to be in Heaven will be in Heaven. Sounds right.

I'm glad I'm a Mom! It's been really good for me! You could drown trying to not mess it up and be everything for your little people, because they are amazing and they deserve everything! But here is a thing that I've learned: God takes our best efforts and makes them enough. That is my mantra on the hard days and I'm relying on the Atonement now more than ever. The calling of motherhood has led me to that. I suppose life is a proving ground to learn that and make choices that lead you to Christ no matter your calling, but that has been my experience and there is nothing I'd give up for that knowledge.

Also, these kids, man. Pieces of my heart walking around outside my body! They have turned me into a doting, protective Mama bear I never thought I could be. Thanks to Dave and these three cherubs, I laugh more now than I ever used to (very likely sleep deprivation plays a part in that too - we're slap happy a lot these days...Dave came home and laid face-down on the carpet yesterday and Henry toddled over to sit on his head. Life's just fun!) I love experiencing things for the first time through the eyes of a child. The questions like, "What's the healthy part of candy?" and "How many money's do you need to buy a house," said while counting his pennies. Riley, stroking your face and looking deep into your eyes to bend you to her will. Henry, and his heart-melting cuddles.

And finally, my Mother's Day favorite's roundup: (Putting my scrolling to good use.) If you haven't already seen these lovely Mother's Day gems, well, enjoy!

• This blog post I read a long time ago and still think about when I change my kids into cute clothes
• Language but LOL (have your brunch at home)
• Sharing this solely because it recommends catching crawfish: summer fun for the thrifty parent
• One of my favorite parenting podcasts of all time - this lady has GOOD advice

Brothers

It does a mother's heart good to see siblings having fun with each other. Sometimes they get a little rough (and it's not always Joe dishing it out! Henry often tries to lure Joe into rough-housing, as you will see here) but there is a deep adoration. For all their being almost four years apart, I see a lot of similarities between the Joe and Henry. They have the same kink in their hair on the top of their heads. They have similar taste in foods. They fight over the same cars and they both like to dance to a good beat. Both fall asleep on their own, and they love a good cuddle. Henry can't really talk yet, but he will babble a mile a minute to a willing audience, like his brother. And they both like to wrastle.

Of course when she's not at school, Riley is in the thick of the fray as well.

I saw a thing on Pinterest today.

(https://www.pinterest.com/pin/428756827003532088/)

I think I've actually posted about this thought before, back when Joe was a baby. Today it touched me again, and turned me back toward my blessings. I mean, I get grouchy. I try not to send too much negativity out there - too much of that in the world already - but whether I complain to you or not, I feel it. And I for sure take my blessings for granted. But this was a reminder to reflect and feel gratitude. I remember praying when I was young for the man who I would marry. Just like, hoping he was having a good day and that he had good friends and stuff. And now I know him and married him and am part of that equation! My children. My relationships with my siblings and friends. My relationship with myself. Fulfilling ways to spend my time and efforts.

Well, it's a roundabout way of saying, "I'm grateful for the little guys roughhousing on the floor."
And also, I'm going to keep praying :)

Happy 1st Birthday Henry!

One year. This year: this year, Henry has brought so much fun and love into our home. He is a cuddly little monster. Even his burgeoning fits of temper are pretty stinkin cute. He is so busy and curious and mobile, and if he is awake, he is ON. Baby Godzilla. How I love him. And so chatty! Not a sensible word as yet, but we have held many meaningful, in-depth conversations - his babbles have a lot more interest to me than, well...most coherent conversations. Smitten. We all are!

Here's some things about Henry:

Milestones:

• First tooth: 6mo
• Rolled: 4mo
• First camping trip: 6mo 
• Crawled: 7mo
• Walked: 10.5mo
• First swim: 3 weeks
• First clap: today! He clapped today! All that birthday celebrating did it!

That felt a little braggy. How about this one:

• Started sleeping through the night: never. He will never sleep through the night.
• Bonks on the head: like a thousand. He is extremely tip-able.
• Foods that he likes more than breast milk: 0 

Some of his interests include:

• Rocking in his little rocking chair
• Wrestling with his siblings
• Dancing, even if just to the rhythm of the dishwasher
• Bath time and water in general
• Bacon
• Remotes
• Getting anyone to chase him (at least half the allure of the remotes)
• Drawers, drawers, lids
• Activities way beyond his abilities - if he sees brother or sister doing it, he wants to do it! Does not like being left out.
• Welcoming home anyone that walks through the door - he has a very keen ear, and a wonderful shriek of delight. Makes you feel like a million bucks.

So what can I say? We'll keep him.

A Year In The Life:

What a fun year!
(For an even bigger throwback, the video from 4 days after he was born: http://themunionfamily.blogspot.com/2016/04/henry.html

Little side note: you always hear the transition from two kids to three is the hardest. I get that - not enough hands, more chaos. But I love being the mother of three - I feel so much more confident and have more faith than I did the first go around. I like that when the baby is up every 90 minutes at night, or throwing lots of fits, or whatever it is, that I know it is a phase and that it will end. Also, the cute baby things, I know will be grown out of, so I savor them more. There is more baby-talk, more cuddles, more stroller walks. Dave and I have loved, relished this little baby. Haggard and sleep-deprived that we are.

 We love you Mr. Cute!

Dr Seuss's and Someone Else's Birthday!

Today is another special day for special people. Dr. Seuss being one. Dave being another!

 Happy Birthday, Dave!

 

I have now celebrated...7 of your birthdays. The first one, back when we were young and rested, was an awkward affair - that stage before you're "official" and "have money" haha! I was falling for you hard but you hadn't asked me to be your girlfriend and so after much deliberation, I got you a store-bought over-sized cupcake and a...Spider Man cup? I'm not sure what that was about - did we watch Spider Man together, or something? All I remember is that it took me a long time to select that cup. And then that night you asked me to be your girlfriend, and we had our first kiss! I'm so glad we're "official" now. I can be as swoony as I want and no one can call me an idiot! So:

I love you so much! There is nothing worthy I can think of that you don't deserve and I am excited to help you build your dreams over a lifetime, as you have helped me build mine! You make the world a shinier, more hopeful place, and we are all so very lucky to have you. Thank you, you tall, dark ginger, and handsome man you. So glad you're mine.

Well, this birthday I'll be working - we'll make it up this weekend- but at least your birthday present will be better than that first one! And you can kiss me any time you want ;)  (I can say with 99% certainty that you haven't seen "Sweet Home Alabama," but that last phrase was from the movie. It applies.)

I look forward to a balcony serenade very soon.

xoxo
Yours.

Lots of love on Mom and Dad's Birthday

Something cool about my parents: they share a birthday. February 23rd is a holiday in our family. On this day, 64 years ago, my Dad came earth-side. Exactly one year later, Mom followed suit. As I spoke with Dad on the phone earlier today, there are things that are difficult to put into words, but I'm sure we were both thinking about the many birthday's he and Mom have shared, and missing her on this one. In my mind, the two celebrations are one and the same - today will always be "Mom and Dad's Birthday." We probably celebrate birthdays in Heaven... fun fact, but I always think of July 4th as "the day I left to serve a mission." And in the sense that our mortal lives are a mission, but longer and more dramatically capped, by birth and death instead of a plane ride, I draw parallels between the mission and mortal life. I mean, my time in England as "Sis. McClure" was kind of a different world - there was this separation from my family, there was this focused purpose, direction, goals...in a way it's a microcosm for mortal life. So I like to think.
Anyway. I think of Mom celebrating the day she arrived on earth to begin her mortal mission. Now, will she celebrate her homecoming day? I have no idea. I don't know the exact day I returned home from the mission. Sometime in February. Why do I not know that?? Was it because I was returning to the known, versus embarking into the unknown? Musing aside, I know Mom missed her parents terribly and reuniting with them was a great moment for her.
Back to birthdays: I wonder what kind of party Mom had to celebrate this day. A quilting party? :) Was there violin playing? Was there watermelon? Mom has always loved watermelon, even when she was little. In fact, Grandma used to buy extra in the summer just to ball it and freeze it to have when her birthday came in February. They didn't have year-around everything produce like we do nowadays. I heard that story for the first time last summer, when we were making her watermelon smoothies a lot because they helped her cough, and I thought that was such a tender, telling detail that story was. Isn't a mother's love an amazing thing??

Let's give Grandpa credit too, for being a great Dad! Another story I heard  last summer: Grandma had a difficult recovery after she had Mom, so her mother came to help out. But Grandpa insisted that he be the one to change the diapers, give the baths, and be the baby's main caretaker. That was not a thing men insisted on in those days, but he certainly did. Our Grandpa was a sweet, good man. I miss him.

Dad was his mother's first child, as Mom was the first in her family, and the apple of his mother's eye. We had a long discussion once about the trouble he got into when he was a kid. We had to ask, because we got to comparing notes and none of us could recall any bad stories about Dad as a kid. The picture Grandma paints of Dad is pretty much perfect. He is pretty much perfect now, so it's easy for us to believe he was an angel child. BUT.  He did punch his sister in the stomach one time. It went something like: he was wearing something of hers and wouldn't give it back so she went and put on something of his and therefore he punched her in the stomach. Let the record show: the man is flawed. :)
 I'm sorry I don't have any pictures of you in diapers to post, Dad. I thought about sticking one up of Danny and passing it off as you though. Thought about it. I'll just use a couple of my favorites.

We love and wish you both a happy birthday! I didn't get it together to do our annual birthday music video this year, sorry! I know you will miss all that musical talent and what not! But Joe and Riley are sending you a very special bit of stamped and colored artwork (your guess is good as mine... Maybe Mickey Mouse? We have Mickey stamps, so that's probably what they were talking about).  Be so excited! ;)

Love,
Heidi

Valentines Day 2017

I've always loved Valentine's Day. Regardless of my relationship status. Mom always made it special. Every year we "helped" her decorate heart-shaped shortbread cookies, a recipe that Aunt Lesa made for her and Dad when they were first married, and became a cherished Valentine tradition in our family. We also usually got the little Russel Stover chocolate boxes. And when we turned into angsty teenagers entered in the rat race of "Who can get someone to send them flowers at school," (which, by the way: why the heck was that even allowed?? I'm sure central office found it as annoying as the rest of us.) I always thought it was kind of dumb, but just in case I cared, Mom sent me flowers at school. "From the person who loves you the most," Mrs. Profit, the secretary, told me. "Mommy!" I said, and we laughed. Mrs. Profit was cool. Mom was cool. Part of me thought, "Oh, that's cheesy." But...I am writing about it 15 years later, give or take. It left a glow on my heart.

And every year since I left home I've received lovely, "cheesy" Valentines Day packages from Mom in the mail. Candy, hearts, books or movies. Who doesn't love packages of...love?? This year, Dad took up the torch and sent us a Valentines package for Mom to be proud of. The kids got their own boxes of chocolate. Even Henry :) Stuffed animals, cards, stickers - it was such a joyful package! And of course the package is only part of the magic - I was so touched by Dad's thoughtfulness. I know he is missing his sweetheart beyond words, but somehow he still thinks of others. Tomorrow will be our first Valentines Day without her. Typing that kind of hurts. It also happens to be the six-month anniversary of the day she died. Typing that really hurts. I wish I could be with Dad tomorrow. Mom and Dad are hopeless romantics and, kind, hard-working, friendly people that they are, they are the stars of a truly epic romance. I can think of no love story with more devotion and loyalty than what they had for each other.

It is very humbling to be the child of my parents.

I really didn't mean for this post to go this way but I'm going to go ahead and share one more thing that's kind of wonderful/awful; an excerpt of a book called "Sunset", written by S. Michael Wilcox after the death of his wife:

"There is healing in the flow and ripple of words. Both grief and love must be expressed somehow, someway - grief that it may lessen or at least become endurable, and love because to speak it, to share it, to open the heart, intensifies it and increases it, lets it grow out in the open air and lights. Unexpressed love dies, suffocating in the confining, restricted space of the self. One thing I believe above all else: Laurie's early death has taught me a great deal about loving and being loved. All of love's expressions - affection and romance, the spiritual and the physical, the emotional and the familial, its quiet acceptance and its passionate yearning for otherness, learning and sharing, forgiving and sacrificing, woman and wife, intimate lover and devoted friend, the the needed and searched for help - meet for all dimensions of a joined life. Did she realize how much she took with her in her passing? Do I yet realize it? Do we feel how much life was filled until the emptiness left teaches us its volume? Yet the loving remains and grows and is itself a kind of filling. Death breaks the heart, but in living, most of the deepest sorrow seeps out through the cracks until love can seal them and replenish the hollowed-out spaces. But the heart remains touch-tender-and oh, the little things the magnet of our longing is drawn toward.
"Someone asked me, "What do you miss the most?
"Holding hands while walking; feeling her fingers on my arm; her insistence that I always stand one step down to compensate for our difference in height; calling her 'little one'; her voice singing Mary's Lullaby; sensing her smile on my face when I'm not looking; seeing love in her eyes," I answered, and then turned away as a hundred other tiny "everythings" flooded back."

 If I could I'd just type out the whole book. I am so grateful that the author felt driven to share his experience and insights. We don't talk about death much in our culture, but when it visits our loved one, well it helps to relate to others who have been down the same path. And all of us sooner or later will be on that path.

Happy Valentines Day, right?

I will always love Valentines Day. I love celebrating the love between souls, romantic and otherwise. Love is the warmth in the cold, the light in the dark, the answer to your your most important questions! "Love lifts us up where we belong! All you need is love!" (Moulin Rouge. Thank you Ewan McGregor)

So. I made the shortbread cookies with my little ones tonight! They are divine. You should make them.

Shortbread Cookies:

3/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups flour

Cream butter and sugar together, work in flour, press it together in a roll-able ball (if its too crumbly add a little more butter - I think I added 2 Tbs tonight to our dough). Roll out 1/3-1/2 inch thick, cut out hearts, place on cookie sheet 1/4-1/2 inch apart (they barely rise at all) and bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes or till they are slightly golden on bottom. Immediately remove from pan and glaze! (powdered sugar, milk, pink food coloring). If you like sprinkles, hit em with sprinkles immediately after glazed as they dry fast.

 The Munions like sprinkles. I had to rein em in to keep a few smooth-topped. You know, for contrast sake.

 I'm so grateful for the little people in my life. I love you so much, I totally get why Mom went to the lengths she did every Valentines Day for us - she wanted us to know how we were cherished and how important our happiness was. Well, I feel the same. Riley, Joe, Henry - you are treasured. And Dave - looking at you now - you are adored. I'm so glad I found you, you bring so much to the table, meaning and joy to life. Dad, you have always been and will always be a safe place, reassurance in the storms and such an example of hope and courage and work. I think I'm going to have to start a family email chain to tell the rest of you'uns how I feel - grateful for all these siblings, and extended family and others, it's just a bit much for a blog. But I hope you feel loved today and every day.

I love you.

Happy Valentines Day!

“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” 1 John 4:16

Virginia, Numero Dos: Hiking the Cascade

Now that we live in MN, we make it a point to order unseasonably warm weather when we visit VA ;). So we were able to go for a hike a couple days after Christmas to the Cascades, located in the Jefferson National Forest in Giles. Even this time of year, the moss, laurels, and ferns make a bold stand, providing enough green that you don't feel like it's winter yet after all.

Photo creds to Dave and Dad and myself. It was a very pretty trail.

So you can see the sun was setting as we approached the falls. I'm so proud of our little hikers - they are enthusiastic and energetic. Of course, after the 2 (3? No I think it was 2. Felt like 3 though.) mile hike up, they were getting a little tired and trying to hurry back in the waning light was...a tad difficult. We sang a lot of peppy Christmas songs to up the pace. And the Noble Duke of York. We actually made really good time and got back to the trail head about 6:30 - well after dark, but in one piece (no bear attacks!).

Tim had dinner waiting for us at Lora's house, which was so warm and inviting. They really blessed our lives that night. Haha it might sound a little...overstated. But add up the relief at getting everyone home safely, having worked up a healthy appetite, and getting out of the cold, dark December night...well, it made for an especially pleasant dinner with the family. How I miss those informal gatherings with family! I am so, so, so glad we got to do that.