Happy Birthday

Happy birthday, my brother!

Today you would be 32 years old. If you were here, I would make you a carrot cake, of course. My children know you through my stories of a dark-haired mischievous boy with a wicked sense of humor and a love for the natural world. I sometimes see flashes of you in my children: Sarai has your love for the outdoors along with your "not-knowing-when-to-stop" issue. Brigham has your eyes. And almost all of my children are short.

It has been 13 years, and sometimes I worry. I worry that my memories of you will fade or be distorted since you can't correct me. Here are some few (that perhaps others will correct as needed). I remember when David drew your name for Christmas and gave you fish hooks. The look on your face was priceless--a sort of sad irony. I remember when you went out on the lake with Ray, and blistered the backs of your legs so badly you couldn't move for three days. I remember feeling smug when Helene was born and I got a sister instead of the brother that you and Luke were both cheering for. I remember playing in Grandma Sweetman's sawdust heap with you with all sorts of little bowls and cups--I think you must have played with little cars and trucks, though. I remember your first goatee--strawberry blond, which surprised us since your hair was so dark. I remember that you would come and steal little pinches of dough whenever I was cooking, and later you became something of a "master chef" in your own right. You were always so creative, so adventurous, so funny. You were also often frustrating, irritating, and sort of like a runaway train.

One thing I don't worry about: where you are now. My first memory is of the altar in the Idaho Falls temple. I remember seeing myself and a little blond boy (Luke) in the eternity mirrors. There must have been a round-bellied Mom in the mirror, too, since you were born a month later. ( I probably had to look up too far to see Mom and Dad. That's probably why I don't have their image in my memory. Maybe if I thought hard enough, I could remember their knees.) I have felt such a sense of peace since you passed on, knowing that you are a member of our eternal family, and that Heavenly Father loves you and knows better than I your worth and the work that you need to do. I have felt that you are at peace, and that you are working hard, sharing the gospel with those near and dear to us.

I love you and I miss you, dear boy.

More Olmsted

(This is cross-posted at the family website for anyone who has already read it.)

So, here's the update: Alan will be starting school at Charles University in September or October of 2010. In between then and now, we will have to finish remodeling the house and getting it ready to sell and do 47? weeks of language training in Czech. Czech is an Indo-European language, so it's sort of like a fifth cousin once removed of English (but a first cousin of Ukrainian and Russian.) None of us have any experience with Slavic languages, so this will be a new experience for us.

There are two main language schools for the military: one is in Monterrey, CA and the other is in Washington DC. It looks like we will probably head to school in Washington DC (Good-bye beautiful Pacific Ocean. Good-bye sea lions. Good-bye California sunshine, Monterrey Aquarium and walks on the beach at sunset. Sigh.) Nothing is set in stone, though. It's possible that we could do our language training in-country, however, and be in the Czech Republic in October of this year. Nothing is certain yet, other than we could really use an army to put our house together zippity-quick (Good-bye kitchen! 'Tis better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all!)

Olmsted

We got the news today (via an Army staff sergeant) that we made the cut. Alan was selected to receive the Olmsted Foundation Scholarship, and hewill be assigned to study at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. Wow! I am overwhelmed!

Random Thoughts

I am currently without a kitchen sink. So we're washing dishes the pioneer way--or at least, how pioneers would have done dishes if they had running water and electricity. Maybe not so tough, after all.

My new kitchen is going to be awesome. I look at the cherry cabinets and they make me smile inside.

The powers-that-be will give us Official Word on Tuesday (supposedly) of whether or not Alan won the Olmsted. . . . .

Mirielle: Was Jesus married?
Me: Uh, what do you think?
Mirielle: I think he was married to Mary, the one that's not his mother.
Me: (thinking, "Where did that come from?") Why do you say that?
Mirielle: Because she was his friend.
. . . and then the conversation between my five-year old and I got even stranger. You can only imagine. I guess small people have a talent for metaphysics or something. It got to the point where I wouldn't have been surprised by the casual mention of Kant or Emerson or a desire to visit Walden Pond.

Other memorable quotes:
Analise: My mind is empty but my heart is full of love.
Briellen: (pushing up her nose) I look like a hippopotamus.

This week is science week again. I like science week--it's relaxing, interesting, and hands-0n. Remind me again why all of home school isn't this way? Oh that's right. There are just some things people have to learn to do that they don't like. Like writing legibly, darnit.

I know this is SO last week, but . . .

25 DVDs? Really? Next time that heads of state come to visit, might I suggest this little number instead? As a bonus, it's very cheap and kitschy and they can be made in bulk for all of our foreign policy needs.

Swimsuits

I am at the post-pregnancy point where I really, REALLY wish the extra weight would just go away by itself. It won't though, so I am looking longingly at exercise equipment, DVDs, and strangely, swimsuits. I bought a few DVDs--the ones for the kids came last week and have been a smashing success. There's nothing like a stick-like little girl attempting kick boxing (yes, pure awesomeness.) I haven't tried my DVDs yet, but I am certain that I too, will have a willowy, dancer's body, just like the females on the cover. Even if I have never had a willowy body in my entire life, hope springs eternal.

I actually wasn't thinking about swimsuits (not even close!) until I clicked on a link for some of the new spring collections during Fashion Week. And the swimsuit collection? It was just a bunch of bikinis that looked exactly alike--immodest, uncomfortable, and unrealistic. (Okay, if I were comfortable showing that much flesh, I'd just walk around nude. It's certainly cheaper.) So I started wondering what there was in the line of modest swimsuits this year, and I found a few at Lime Ricki Swimwear and Lands' End. I really liked a few at Lime Ricki--maybe I will be in actual swimsuit shape this summer. Or maybe not.

Some fun facts and commentary on a Sunday evening.

Brigham is trying to move the stove out of its place. Using my silicone basting brush. Wearing his sister's fur-lined pink boots.

Briellen is jumping off the couch. She is wearing a diaper. And a smile.

Vilate is sleeping.

Analise is jump-roping in her pajamas.

Everyone is playing kindly. No one has been hit or yelled at by anyone else for several minutes.

Mirielle and Briellen weigh exactly the same amount.

Sarai is in the same math book as her babysitter.

BYU Men's Chorus is awesome.