Just Stoppin' In...

Christmas is on Saturday and we're all getting in the Christmas spirit!

We've yet to decorate (technical difficulties.) but tonight we went to a neighboring neighborhood and looked at all of the lights! They have some amazing ones :) Dad took a video, so if he sends it to me, then I'll post it here. There was one house that had the entire house covered with lights and synchronized to Christmas tunes, on the radio. I didn't know people could do that! They pulled it off really well.

Anywho, a while back I was thinking, and I knew that if I didn't start writing down my thoughts, they would get sucked into that black-hole of forgetfulness in the back of my mind, so I wrote it down. Here is the result:

Ode to America

By Emily Adams

Our Founders built a House;

They laid it carefully.

It’s called our Constitution

And with it we are free.

Our House shields us from

Prejudice, greed, and mortal vice-

The kind we’ve seen history use,

And pay the price.

The foundation we know is firm,

And the divine design is sure.

For every ailment we possess,

Our House presents a cure.

Now, we build upon our faithful House

That is tried and true;

It’s too much for our little House,

It’s starting to fall through.

Improvements that offer progress,

Development, and change,

Are just another load to be endured.

Our House is looking strange

With all Its bending and shifting

To accommodate new weight-

Sometimes it seems like its name is

Its only recognizable trait.

New orders, edicts, and departments

Are brushing to the side

The pillars, and provisions,

That were so fortified.

Our new additions are crushing.

Our House can barely be seen

Among all of the Construction;

It’s like we’re wiping our slate clean.

Our House is now taller then ever;

It towers high above the rest,

But It’s only lights, windows, rented rooms-

We’ve buried away our best.

Underneath the paint, and glass, and shaken frame,

Our original still stands;

Always firm, but in need of aid;

Whatever repair demands.

Still It declares - a more perfect Union,

Tranquility, and peace,

Though It’s listeners and believers

Continually decrease.

It’s very floor is being crushed

And still It carries on;

Surviving, and entreating others

to join in Its simple song-

“Freedom and Liberty,

With God by our side;

There is nothing that can stop us

When comes the rising tide.

Our foes and persecutors may

Scoff and jeer and scorn,

But we are in America:

Where Opportunity is born.

Our present we have fought to gain.

Though they taunt, judge, and oppress,

Our future will shine brighter yet,

Our children’s children we shall bless

As we march forth with faith

Knowing that our time will come,

And our dawn will break through,

As we join in from

Our Churches, and our Homes,

For there is where we lead;

And by our example

Will He plant the seed.”

(sorry about the underlining) That's what I've got! We love you Bostons! (Uncle Bob, please tell me what you think :) Merry Christmas!

Good Gracious!

Well, I've decided that I'm going to keep this blog going. For a long time I've just used it to look at other people's blogs - I've made a decision though. The show will go on! I suppose it won't make a difference for the 1 loyal follower (thanks Sierra!) but maybe, just maybe, if I make a habit of writing everything that's going on - family concerns and happy thoughts, personal experiences that make me grateful and things that I've just gotta share with someone - annnddd post it for all the world to see (even if all the world is preoccupied with more important things) I'll be able to see things a little bit more clearly as I look back and examine things closer to put them into words, rather then thoughts. Sure there are journals, but in journals my mind wanders wildly, and I jump from one thought to the next faster then a bumblebee in an arboretum. Here, I'll have a purpose, a focused concentration of thoughts designed to do something, not merely vent emotions (most of the time). And that's what I have to say!

Around here we joke that Texas is the bi-polar state. Texas is doing it again - it gave us just a hint of winter, just a few days of fall, just enough to set the trees off de-leafing themselves, and then started back into summer weather. It's beautiful weather, but rather hard to follow. Yesterday it was so cold I wore a jacket and boots in the morning, and then by 2:00 it was around 70 degrees. Last week it was just as indecisive, only more extreme. It fell to the looow 30's and then hopped right back up again.... it's nice, but not quite the weather we've expected now that it's December! Pssh, I should know by know not to expect anything but heat in the summer with Texas... wishful thinking is always wonderful though. It's nice being able to go outside and see the leaves and Christmas lights without having to put on a jacket. That is my happy thought :)

I'm stalling, and now I know it. The actual-factual reason I think I've started writing again isn't the indecisive weather. Howdy died today. We've had her for 14 years, and she took the eternal cat-nap today. She has been such a blessing in our home, and I am so grateful that we were able to have her. She came to us because of a garage sale. Rewind 14 years, and my Mom was at a garage sale buying a bookcase when the owners (also the people running the sale) told her that they had a cat, and they couldn't keep it. They were moving to England in a few, short days, and the person they originally intended to give the cat to was now in the hospital. So they offered. And my Mom said "no thanks." Later when they delivered the bookcase, they told that the cat (Howdy) was still there! Mom considered it, and as a surprise for my Dad, got the cat. She was already named - they called her Howdy because of her calico pattern :)

Today is May 25, 2011; I found this while looking through drafts of posts that I never published. I realized Howdy's eulogy was never completed. Well, now it will be. Howdy was such a blessing in our lives. She's a part of the family. Having her here, having her home, gave us all I think another thing to love. One more element of Home. She brought me back to earth a few times, I know. Every now and then, out of the corner of my eye, sometimes I think I see her... and then I remember. but it's okay, because she did the best that she could, and now she's living on cloud nine! :) I can't remember a time when we didn't have her... she's always been there. She had the most pampered and domestic manners! She taught Snuggs how to be an inside cat, and then she taught lulu how to sleep on Moms feet (which she now does). She was finicky, and sometimes moody, but she was a great cat. Mom called her a "celestial" cat. She gave us all love, and Home.

SuperMom

I hear a lot about how the world is ending. About how our society is becoming demoralized, and how the family is being weakened. About how superstars and athletes are being glorified. The world will end eventually, but I don't think that it'll happen any time soon.

Today for my Mom's sunbeams class, she told the story of Moses, and of the Pharaoh, and how Moses came to be in the palace. She had her three-year-olds act out the different parts - Moses, Pharaoh, the Princess, Moses's Mom, his Sister, and his Brother. She said that they acted it out about four different times, and that every time they would switch around parts. She has three little girls in her class, and all of them are disney princess diva's, so I thought that there would be a huge scene about who could be the Princess, but my Mom said that the most popular part there was the Mom. The Mom who had the brown shawl, and not the hot pink one (which, by the way, is their favorite color), and who did not live in the castle. I can totally see them too, sitting there with the baby doll in their arms, playing the Mommy role.

So, maybe the world is ending. Maybe "society" is going downhill. But as for me, I think we're pretty safe for now.

Last Post - January 18

Wait, what?!

What a slacker. On the upside, I've been journaling!

So, an update on the fam:

Dad: is planning a fishing trip with Noah in the fall, and is so exited about it! He is the Young Mens Pres. and tries to hunt when he can. He also has a new toy called TV-be-gone that looks like an ipod, but is really a universal remote. A couple of nights ago Dad and I went out on a Daddy-Daughter-Date and saw a movie, and then went for some drive-by TV off turnings at a few sports bars. Good times. :)

Mom: is the Sunbeams teacher, and loves it! She crafts and is currently working on decorating our house. She loves the homeschooling group we're in right now, and is teaching a class there.

Noah: is a social butterfly. Or maybe a Moth would be more manly. Definitely a social Moth. We both went to youth conference about a month ago, and loved it (the theme was LIFE: Live It!). He is stoked about the fishing trip, and is trying to convince Dad to take him to New Jersey on a business trip so that he can visit New York and a friend while he's up there. We're both signed up for EFY and are practically counting down the days until we get to go! He recently re-discovered motown and is now a avid listener, right now his profile picture on crackbook - I mean facebook - is Sly Stone. Oh yea.

He is also going to Collin county Community College part time and really likes it. Goodness, I could write a whole post on Noah, so I'll just sum up with he enjoys life! If you want details, then feel free to write to him on CB (dang it!) FB.

Emily: is very busy. I'm enjoying school, Piano recitals, my babysitting job twice a week, my garden, Seminary (that goes for both Noah and me), sewing, and good buddies (especially when we have movie nights!). I really liked General Conference this year! I'm looking forward to Girls CAmp this summer, and am trying to save up enough babysitting dinero to pay for both camp, and EFY. All good things. :)

We are all really grateful that winter is over, and that the Texas Bluebonnets have decided to come out!

What if...

my Dad did not like basketball so much? Let's see...

He wouldn't have gone to play with the guys at church some years ago when he was a teenager.

If He hadn't gone to play, He wouldn't have made friends with the people there.

If He hadn't made friends with the people there, He probably wouldn't have been so willing to hear the missionaries.

If He hadn't heard the missionaries, He wouldn't have been baptized.

If He hadn't been baptized, His wouldn't family wouldn't have become active in church.

If He hadn't been baptized, He wouldn't have served a mission.

If He hadn't served a mission, He wouldn't have gone to a certain singles ward.

If He hadn't gone to that singles ward, He wouldn't have met my Mom.

If He hadn't met my Mom, He wouldn't have had Me and Noah,

and Noah and I wouldn't be here today.

Since my Dad's family have become active in church, they have adopted four kids, one of which is now serving a mission. My Grandma is actively engaged in family history, and the names are sent to temples to have baptism's, sealings, and endowments performed.

Noah and I were born in the church, and are preparing to serve missions.

My Dad has heard back from some of the people he taught on his mission, and they are going strong!

And it started with church basketball.

P.S. Christmas post coming soon! I'm just trying to find the camera!

Emily Needs...

I heard about this from a friend.

What you do, is you google "(your name here) needs" and then write the first ten results. Here are mine.

1. Emily needs help deciding how to cut her hair.

2. Emily needs assistance with dressing, as well as structure and monitoring for her activities.

3. Emily needs to be told "No, there are certain things that are just NOT allowed".

4. Emily needs is on facebook.

5. Emily needs to get her tortillas.

6. Emily needs Bernard's watch!

7. Emily needs prayers.

8. Emily needs a share in Liverpool.

9. Emily needs a middle name.

10. Emily needs a Naomi.

P.S. Pops left this morning. We'll miss him. He's headed for Phoenix Arizona, 70` weather, Uncle Dave and Aunt Erin and their kids.

No ice cream? That's okay.

Tonight there was a New Years dance. It was a blast. I danced almost every dance and Noah made up for the dances he didn't dance with the way he danced the ones he did. He was never wanting for a partner. We got in about 1:30 to find that Mom was/is sick. She hasn't been feeling very good lately, and now a fever has set in. If you can, can you please remember her in your prayers?

**********

With the new year here at last, it's giving me a chance to start over fresh. Or maybe to finish things up. Maybe something in between; starting to finish. Finishing to start.

I heard once (okay, more than once) that "each day is fresh,with no mistakes in it" but a new year is different. You measure long-term goals, and size up possible opportunities. Or maybe that's just me.

With the new year, I've decided to do a few things differently. These are mostly just s few things to keep in mind as I'm going about the day.

I would like to be kinder, and remember that the world is most definitely not going to end because of no ice cream, or because I am late. I would like to be more educationally oriented. I would like to read the scriptures every day. I would like to learn to laugh at my struggles, and look at them from a "five years down the line" perspective. I would like to listen. I would like to remember.

I am going to update this with all of the Christmas posts that I never posted. It will just come a little bit later.

I hope that your new year (it's new, so it doesn't have any spots on it. It's squeaky clean) is filled lots of lovely skies and lovely ideas. Have a wonderful 2010!

P.S. Pops is still here!! We are so glad to have him here for so long!