Leap Day Fun

“For some ridiculous reason, to which, however, I’ve no desire to be disloyal. . . .”   ~ Pirates of Penzance

No profundities today, just a little light cultural frolic.

This Gilbert and Sullivan song has always given me sympathy for people who have today as their birthday. So, if that’s you, here’s a quadrupled wish of goodwill for your REAL birthday today! :)

Start at 2:18 and chuckle with sympathy at Frederic’s plight. . . .

(Pirates of Penzance–Paradox–video)

 

Hummer and I are enjoying a special celebration today for school in honor of Leap Day.

We’re playing leapfrog out in the gorgeous spring weather,

doing some math around the theme of 29 (make 29 cents with as many different coin combinations as you can, etc.),

using some of the “extra day” just to snuggle and read on the couch,

and leaping--er, jumping--on the trampoline.

 

I didn’t realize till I saw the “fancy Google” that today is also Gioachino Rossini’s birthday. Hummer immediately wanted to know exactly which birthday this was for him. . . .he was born on Leap Day 1792, so 220 years divided by 4 makes this Rossini’s 55th birthday. Hummer said that means he’s probably a grandpa. :)

Can’t resist posting the most famous performance of Rossini’s music of all time. . . .Hey, by now it’s a classic, right?

Rabbit of Seville video (with beginning cut)

(Rossini probably rolls over in his grave every time someone watches this. :)

Day 55 - { new bible videos }

I think continuing my 100 Days of Gratitude goes right along with my goaL for this year, don’t you? :)

And so, here’s something that’s been making me smile lately. . . .

I have been so excited about this latest film project from the Church, ever since the first excerpts were shown at the First Presidency Christmas Devotional.

video : A Gift to the World

 

I was blown away by the incredibly good acting and gorgeous cinematography, by the delicious British accents here and there that seem so appropriate for the King James version language, by the intimate, quiet feel that each scene has.

I came home and watched all of the available episodes again several times, and subscribed to the updates so I could know as soon as possible when they started added the others.

video : The Wise Men Seek Jesus

Quiet. All you hear is the grass swishing with the wind, and occasionally exhales from the camel. It really puts you there! I love what the actor said on this production video about the journey being like our journey – no matter how long or difficult, worth it, as we finally lay the gift of our life before the Lord.

 

The three that have been added since Christmas are SO GOOD, too!!! I absolutely love each one.

video : Jesus Teaches About the Widow’s Mites

 

The woman at the well episode is, as the others, directly quoted from the KJV, which I have read and heard hundreds of times, yet with watching this production of the story, I gained so many new insights and have been thinking about it off and on ever since.

video : Jesus Teaches a Samaritan Woman

From the main page you can also get the free mobile app, or subscribe to them as a podcast in iTunes, or all the other latest techie options you might want.

 

I hope all the rest are this amazing! And I hope you will take time to watch them for yourself. I will never think about those stories the same way again. 

 

And, as a fun bonus. . . .

 

My friend Real had the privilege of being an extra on the set, and shared in detail on her blog what that was like with these three posts:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

And here’s a behind-the-scenes article from the Church.

 

I love the Book of Mormon deeply and completely, but man, do I love the Bible, too! I am so grateful for the firsthand account it gives of the One I call Savior and Redeemer!

The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.

~Mark Twain

Hi, again!

I’m back to share with you my New Year’s goal. That’s goaL, singular. :)

 

Last year I crashed and burned on my list that seemed so reachable during the first week of January, when DC was home and on vacation! It was a great list!

It was just impossible for someone with my life and my abilities. But by golly, I learned from the experience of trying. Shucks.

 

Around the beginning of last November I noticed something about my appearance that gave me the inspiration for this year’s goaL. It was truly alarming to me. (no, not my weight, although like everyone else in this country, I do plan to do something about that! :)

 

 

 

(this is an old picture – the problem I am facing is even worse now – it shows up without the scowl)

 

Do you see what I’m talking about?

 

 

Here, let me zoom in. . . . .

 

 

 

 

OY!

Those mad-mom wrinkles are getting WAY too deep. When I noticed that I can see them easily even when I’m not frowning, I realized that it was very likely because I had been becoming a pretty negative-minded person over the past few months.

With the rapidity of a life-flashing-before-your-eyes moment, I could see that I was starting to be more critical in my thoughts, less grateful, quicker to get annoyed, more likely to believe the worst, etc. When I was a teenager or in my 20s that was not a big deal to my face. But now that I am a matronly 34, I am seeing that if I want those sweet smiley crow’s feet I admire on my parents and parents-in-law, I’m going to need to start putting them there!

And thus was my 2012 Goal born:

To have more smiley wrinkles and fewer frowny ones.

 

I like this goal because it’s a Becoming one, rather than a Doing one. Hopefully I have enough good habits that the most important Doing goals will keep getting done while I focus on Becoming the person I want to be when I’m 80.

Positive thoughts. Grateful ones. Kind and generous ones. Slower to get annoyed and quicker to laugh. More likely to believe the best. That’s where I’m headed this year! Oh, yeah!

 

 

So far, I am finding many things to smile about. Most especially, this beautiful event 16 days ago. . . .

 

Meet one of the newest members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Oh, how I love that sweet boy!

Elder Stanley in the Czech Republic

From Stanley’s point of view. Written by Hummer (with some assistance from yours truly).

For some gorgeous background music to really put you in the setting, play this while you read. . . .

 

Hi, again! It’s me, Flat Stanley.

I’ve been on an amazing trip! It started at home in Arkansas, when Hummer made me my very own missionary nametag. He taped it to my shirt, folded me up, and sent me to Prague, Czech Republic!

This is a map that shows me going to Prague.

 

Hummer sent me to the Czech Republic because his Uncle Duff is serving a mission there for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

 

I was excited to become “Elder Stanley” for a few days! Elder Bailey is squishing me with his hand, and holding a Book of Mormon, too.

 

Here I am with Elder Bailey in front of a Kofola truck (and he is squishing me again). He said that kofola is the best drink ever besides root beer.

 

Elder Bailey took me to Uherské Hradiště.

 

The Church of St Francis Xavier is in the background. I am tired of being squished. There are lots of cars behind me. I wonder why the road is made of bricks?

 

I went with him to Olomouc next.

 

Here we are on the main square. I think the Christmas lights will be beautiful!

 

Missionaries travel a lot! Next we went to Zlin.

 

Wow, look! There’s the moon! I think that Hummer and his family are probably asleep right now while that same moon shines on them in Arkansas.

 

Next Elder Bailey took me to the capital of the Czech Republic. Here we are in Prague on the main square, Vaclavske Namesti. I think all those people are gathered to talk about Lepidoptera.

 

In Prague, with Charles Bridge in the back. Hopefully he doesn’t drop me and I get run over by a car like I did before when I was in Arizona! Elder Bailey told me that the Vltava River is under the Charles Bridge. There is a beautiful piece of music written about this river. . . . Die Moldau.

 

In Prague with Prague castle in the back. The nametag is in Hummer’s handwriting.

 

I liked being a missionary for about a week! Thank you, Elder Bailey, for hosting me!

November 3, 2011

. . . .It wasn’t! : ) But it was very chilly as we met at the zoo. Five of the 3- and 4-year-olds from church came to your party, and their moms and younger siblings.

We had cupcakes with pinwheels.

Your daddy and brothers and sister were there, too, and we all rode the train, and played games, and sang to you.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Later, at home, I spent some time going through your memory box, holding the gown you wore, touching the little lock of hair that is so irresistibly soft and such a precious tangible proof that you are real.

When I touch those things I am filled with painful longing to hold you again and at the same time awe at the beauty you have brought to my life.

You strengthen our family immeasurably. We are unified in our desire to reach where you are.

President Faust said that we don’t know the extent to which ministering angels bless our lives. I feel certain you are ministering to us in ways we will only know after we too have crossed the veil.

My heart is filled to overflowing with love for you and your siblings.

So grateful to be your eternal

Mother

Note: The party at the zoo was part of a special gift from two very kindhearted people. They are DC’s sponsors through the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, and earlier this year –out of sheer generosity—they  gave our family a membership to the zoo and a gift certificate for a birthday party there. We wondered at first how we would use the party—it would have been perfect for Benjamin, we thought. Then I thought of my Sunbeams, and how they would love a day at the zoo, and the idea to use it for Benjamin’s birthday seemed perfect after all.

Happy 4th Birthday in Heaven!

Dear, sweet Benjamin ~

Today marks four years since you joined our family, and our celebrations have been joyful.

 

 

Last night we took 5 shiny balloons to the cemetery, just as the sun was setting. We each wrote notes to you on 4 of the balloons.

 

 

(The fifth I tied to the hook near your grave).

 

 

Then we walked to the shore of the lake, and released the balloons up into the sky. As we watched them rise we sang I Am a Child of God.

 

 

We came home and had your traditional birthday dinner, the No Empty Chairs family home evening lesson, and then carrot cake and ice cream.

 

 

We prayed that it wouldn’t be raining today. . . .

(to be continued)

The rest of the story. . . .Sunbeams

I realized that I have never followed up with you all on what happened with my challenging call to be a Sunbeam teacher. Would you like to know now?

It took a fairly complex strategy -- and just sheer hanging on through several months. . . .

I was assigned a great co-teacher, who was flexible enough to step in and take over when I was wrassling with a defiant or wailing child.  We may not have always seen eye-to-eye on how things should be handled, but she was unfailingly dependable in being there and doing her best to help.

I was released from my calling as ward music chair. (If I had my druthers at the time, I would have chosen to keep that one and lose the Primary one, but the Church is true! I know that callings are made and changed through inspiration.) It was a great relief to have only one calling to work on.

DC took Rosebud during the first hour. I was so grateful that later on, as the Sunbeams started to adjust and be happier and better behaved, I was able to take her back during that time. I loved having her on my lap as we all sang songs and listened to Sharing Time. It took several months to get to that point, though. . . .

A dear friend in the ward took it upon herself to become Rosebud's guardian angel during the class-time hour. She took her to Relief Society cuddling her as if she were her own grandchild. I was amazed at how happy Rose was whenever I emerged from the class and found her there on Mary's lap.

We came up with a firm routine. I made sunbeam magnets with the kids' pictures on them that we put up one by one at the beginning of class. We had fruit snacks on a blanket and held hands when we walked to the bathroom, and all kinds of little rituals that they learned to count on. And the amazing thing was to see that every single week, they seemed a little older and a little more able to cope with being asked to sit and listen and participate for two hours. I am convinced that a 3-year-old is a completely different animal than a 4-year-old!

The defiant child. . . what really helped me with him was hearing someone say they wished his Nursery leader were teaching with me, because he REALLY loved her. I've always had a bit of a competitive streak and that pricked me into a determination that he would love me just as much! That switch from just trying to get through each Sunday with him, to trying to really like him and help him like me made all the difference. By March he always wanted to be sitting by me and rarely challenged me any more in class.

The wailing child. . . for a few weeks his mom came with him. Then she said he needed to just quit cold turkey, or he never would adjust. So we gave it a shot, and man, it was rough! For weeks I spent all of Singing Time and Sharing Time in the hallway with him crying and screaming in my arms. Ward member after sympathetic ward member passing by would either stop and try in vain to help or just look at me and shake their heads, openly grateful that it was me and not them! Then I learned that this little boy spoke mostly Spanish at home, and so I  started trying to comfort him in Spanish. (This was kind of a joke, seeing as I don't speak Spanish, but I learned one or two phrases and repeated them in a compassionate tone. :) Eventually I could at least enter the Primary Room with him and stand at the back without him screaming. Then we could sit in the back row. Eventually we made our way to sitting with our class.

The funny thing is that the two children that were so difficult for so long ended up being the ones I miss the most now.

Yes, I miss them now! Because in August, the Primary president took me aside and told me she was reassigning me. I was floored. I thought I was definitely in for the long haul, and would probably be the Sunbeam teacher until we moved or something. She asked if I would mind being in the Nursery now. Would I??!! So now I have the delight of taking Rosemary to Nursery and then staying there and playing with her and the other little ones and getting to see her interact with them and her wide eyes as we have the lesson and her chubby little fingers pick up each goldfish cracker. It is awesome.

 

I am grateful for what I learned from this assignment and its difficult timing. I am grateful for the love I grew to have for those 5 little children of God. And I am grateful to be in Nursery now. :)