ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING

You can sing a song your entire life  and never feel a thing.  And then one day you sing it and the spirit completely swells within your being.  This happened to me today in Sacrament meeting.  I was overcome with gratitude for the beauty of this world my Father in Heaven has gifted to me.  I am here to exist in a body, to learn and to grow and to find my way back to Him.  I rejoice in the knowledge I possess and thank Him for an overflow of blessings.

All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!

O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou rushing wind that art so strong
Ye clouds that sail in Heaven along,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising moon, in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening, find a voice!

O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou flowing water, pure and clear,
Make music for thy Lord to hear,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou fire so masterful and bright,
That givest man both warmth and light

O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Dear mother earth, who day by day
Unfoldest blessings on our way,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
The flowers and fruits that in thee grow,
Let them His glory also show.

O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DROP-OFF

And so it goes, time travels on.  There are firsts for everything and there are lasts.  Twenty one years ago I dropped off my first child for school and today I dropped off my baby at elementary school - ONE LAST TIME. 

Born - December 18, 1998

Namesake - Earl Hurst Scoville

Born only 1 week before Christmas he is our JOY TO THE WORLD. He loves sports and is really good at soccer and karate. He started violin lessons in November 2007 and enjoys playing it. He is a very good student and is kind to everyone. He teaches us love and goodness and he makes us all laugh. Hamilton loves to cuddle and he keeps me warm at night. 

 

You continue to be my JOY to the world.  Love you baby.

NEW DAY INSPIRATION

This morning I woke to the playful sound of the song of a bird.  She was sweetly singing in the treetops of the downtown streets of Salt Lake.  I am here with Karamea. While she sleeps I read and write a letter to Isaac.  This is the quote that should spark a new beginning for me.

"I would rather be ashes than dust; I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry rot.  I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.  The proper function of man is to live, not to exist.  I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time." - Jack London -

Can I find the power to be the superb meteor?  Can I find the strength to live as this quote implies?  It would seem that in doing so my existence would be so much more meaningful. 

LOVE ME...LOVE MY CAT

MOTHERS DAY!

A quick picture after church.  Karamea honored me by wearing my favorite color.  It's been a good day.

I've known for a week that Isaac was going to call at 10am.  I woke up early, made breakfast for everyone then waited for his call.  Isaac's friends James and Corbin came over to talk to him too.  We talked for two hours.  I think the hardest part of the separation is not talking to him whenever we want.  He's doing great though.  Check out his blog for the details.

I've said it before and I still feel the same, motherhood is the part of my life I like best.  To my children - Rakai, Karamea, Isaac, Ammon, Asa and Hamilton.  Love you so much, you are my joy.

RANDOM

Thursday morning I dropped Asa off at school.  I pulled up to the curb and three boys walked in front of the car.  They didn't look very happy and I said to Asa, "those boys don't look very happy...especially the boy in white."  

Friday morning Ammon called from school to tell me about the assemblies and that Chase Drake committed suicide.  Saturday night (or should I say Sunday morning) after we got home from Ironman, Ammon laid with Leo on the floor next to my bed and we talked for a while about Chase Drake and suicide.  I guess Chase played soccer a couple of years ago and he's been over to our house a few times.  I don't remember this boy.  

I got home from my massage tonight and Asa came upstairs and said, "mom, you know when you dropped me off on Thursday and those kids walked in front of the car and you said, 'that kid doesn't look very happy?' well that's the kid who committed suicide on Thursday night."

I have often said that I can feel the sorrow's of people.  That I am uncomfortable around crowds because I absorb the sadness like a sponge.  But to see the pain of a young man as he walks in front of my car and know that there is something sad about him and then to learn that he committed suicide...  

Forty thousand words in the English language and I cannot explain how I fell in this moment.  I only know that I am typing through tears.   

IRONMAN ST.GEORGE

After a few years of the St. George Marathon finish line I knew I would want to experience the finish line of Ironman.  My 5 hour shift started at 7:00p.  I was there for the countdown to the 17th hour and it was incredible.  

Finish line volunteers were in yellow.  Sometimes there were so many helpers the view from my post was a sea of yellow.  My post was refilling the medal holder.  As someone who doesn't like to be in the spotlight this was the perfect place for me.  I took in all that was going on around me - the exhaustion of the finishers, the effort of the volunteers and the delight of families seeing their mom, dad, sister, brother etc. cross the finish line.  The positive energy was completely inspirational.  

The countdown to midnight was exhilarating.  We knew there were 6 runners to cross before the 17th hour.  You could hear the cheers all around.  I wasn't up there but there must've been people lining the sidewalks of main street giving the runners that last bit of energy to cross the line.  And cross they did.  They even bent the rules for runner number six who crossed at minute 17:02 just as the fireworks were sparkling in the midnight sky.  

The first annual Ironman St. George is in the history books.  It was a wonderful experience.  I admire the athletes whose passion takes them to this limit.  

Swim 2.4 miles

Bike 112 miles

Run 26.2 miles 

and do it in under 

seventeen hours  

Completely magnificent!