That We May See the Beauties of Thy Grace

For a week that didn't have much planned, it sure seemed like we were busy! Here were some of our favorite things:

-Watching My Octopus Teacher on Netflix with Alan. I have wanted to do that for years and it was amazing!

-My temple shift. It brings me such great joy! And the logistics are working themselves out delightfully.

-Lunch at Taco Naco with Tammi Iba. I bought her lunch for her birthday and she bought my lunch for my birthday. We were both late, but both very happy.

-Watching Eve and Griff at their swim meet. This was the last one they get to do this year, and I have just been so happy watching them consistently improve at doing something hard.

Eve is in the second closest lane doing breaststroke, her favorite stroke. She got 7.12 seconds faster than last week, which is crazy good, and took 5th in her heat, 13th overall. Correction. This is Griffin in the closest lane. Just pretend it's Eve. I think I didn't get any pics of her swimming this week! Hahaha!

Griffin is in the second closest lane. He got 3.2 seconds faster than his best time, took 6th in his heat, and 6th overall. Look how close they all are! The first time he has earned a ribbon this season. They only give ribbons to the first 8 places and there are over 100 swimmers just on their team. I think 18 of them are boys in his age division.

We had a great time just chilling at the meet. And look who is sitting by me! I've had so much more time with my true love recently. It's the best!

-Teaching aqua classes (substitute) and having such a good time, and friends come, and enough energy to do it.

Eve got to go to Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun with her swim team buddy Edie.

I went on a funny date with Griffin where we practiced being patient at each other's fun places. He was patient at an art gallery. I was patient at Vintage Stock. Then we got Meyer and went to the pool.

This was from our date to see Jesus Christ Superstar. I had also wanted to see this for years. It was controversial when I was a child. I thought there were really beautiful parts. Alan thought it was very entertaining. To me it was an interesting study of the question, "What think ye of Christ?" The composer was obviously convinced it was an important question but was ambivalent in his answer. We also had adorable Eden Hacking babysit at the last minute. She is so much fun and I got to squeeze her too.

 - Church was awesome. We DROVE THERE TOGETHER. We sat on a side pew because the Haughtons had two center pews full of friends and family there to see Kyler speak before he leaves to go on his mission to Pocatello Idaho. Alan said he felt like a grandparent going in to sacrament meeting--greeting people and loving them but letting them be responsible and do their own things. I loved that! I loved sharing our remembrance of the Lord's supper with so many visitors too. Our speakers gave really excellent talks about repentance (Cambria Godfrey) and how The Book of Mormon can bring you closer to Jesus Christ (Kyler). The choir sang and our director invited anyone who wanted to come up and join us in singing our hymn. We filled the choir seats with two full rows of men, including several visitors and our former Bishop Wimmer. Then I got to go to Primary and play piano for our new chorister, Sister Farmer, who is just wonderful in a calling she is learning and not quite comfortable with. And I got a ride home from the very good Mayfields after choir practice.

My challenge right now is still energy management--for me and my kids. Isn't that funny? Someday I'll find my balance. There is a quote that is staying with me (it may be from Austin Kleon? or Adam Grant?) "Don't just do things you enjoy. Do things that bring you joy." I am trying to use it as a guide. I think it's wise. I'm often surprised that the joy comes from things that are not always easy. Sometimes it's yard work. Sometimes it's kind of tricky moments with my kids. Almost always it is expressing love to the people I am with.