Trip to the grocery store

We ventured out of the house and went to the family-owned grocery store in town.

I wore this scarf to hide the mark (I love you honey).  And I ran into almost everyone I know.

Including one of Michael's fellow CC members.  He runs the store for his father in-law.  

However, he did tell me about a really, really good sale coming up on ground hamburger.

I was slightly embarrassed, almost like a teenager with my worries...not that it really mattered!

But luckily, I have adorably cute children to compensate for all of that worry.

Kathryn-isms

I've been keeping track of some marvelous things that come out of her mouth...

Michael:  Oh Max, you're such a skinny baby.

Kathryn:  Yah daddy, he has lots and lots of skin!

After she had gone to bed one night, I went in her room to put some laundry away.  As I was leaving, she groggily woke up and said to me "give me a kiss."

I was cooking some hash browns for dinner-

Kathryn: that's what I like in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD with my pancakes!

Jumping off the couch and referring to herself and TV (her husband)-

Kathryn:  We're like childs of the high seas with our arms out!

Jennifer:  Thanks for letting Max play with your toy.

Kathryn:  Any time girl.  Any time, that's what people say.

Kathryn got in bed with us one night and said to Michael, "Thank you for the juice you gave me when I was one year old at the mall and I wasn't happy."

Looking at a picture of herself when she was about 18 months old:
Kathryn:  Look, I had hardly any hair.  Look, daddy had hardly any hair! (the top of his head cut off in the picture)

Searching for something...
Jennifer:   Am I loosing my mind?
Kathryn:  No, you're not loosing your mind.
Finding it later...
Kathryn:  Now you can save your mind!

When I grow up, I think I'll learn to sleep in the living room, and Max will learn to shave.

Mommy, I want to be a teenager!

Five Things

1.  Maxwell had his nine month check-up.  He's in the fifth percentile for weight and tenth percentile for height.  When I told Michael later that night, he responded by saying, "Oh, so that's why we haven't bought him new clothes for a while."  And I love that I have the exact same conversation with our pediatrician every single check-up.  He always asks me, "are there any shorter men in your family?"

 2.  We took Michael lunch on Monday, and while we were eating, someone backed into our new van.  Luckily, there was an eye witness, and she knew the driver.  She said it was a very loud crash, but the driver didn't even react and just drove away.  Things are getting taken care of though.

3.  That same night, the police patrolled past our house twice an hour.  We kept all the outside lights on, the kids had a sleepover in our room, and Michael barely slept.  I can't really give the details, but let's just say, we had two sleepovers and two uneasy days.  And it had nothing to do with the hit and run previously mentioned.

4.  Without any intention at all, Michael jokingly gave me a hickey.  We were all snuggling in bed on his day off,  and it immediately turned bright red.  Kathryn was very concerned about my "scar" and Michael felt absolutely terrible.  It's a beautiful shade of purple today, and I may be confined to the house for a week.  Or, to wearing scarves and turtlenecks.  Luckily the weather's supposed to turn cold.

5.  Michael took Kathryn to the city offices to discuss insurance for CC, and the Mayor gave Kathryn a Key to the City.  She was so proud when she showed me, but sadly, ripped a giant hole in her shirt  while trying to take the pin off later that day.

Easter Weekend

We enjoyed a lovely weekend together.  The weather was beautiful and we kept ourselves busy.

Michael had to work Saturday morning, so sadly, he missed out on the Easter Egg hunt.

Kathryn gave her first talk in primary on Sunday.  She talked about Jesus Christ and his resurrection.

She was so excited, it was difficult to contain her.  She was adorable and everyone loved her.

After church, we ate a wonderful Easter dinner at Michael's parents home.  

Grandma and Kathryn sent us on a candy hunt outside, but Kat couldn't keep a secret.

She told us where every single candy was hidden.  When it was our turn, we weren't that easy on her.

 It was a beautiful weekend that went by much too fast!

Row 1:  Max bundled up for the egg hunt; fire truck ready to signal the start of egg hunt; Easter cupcakes

Row 2:  ready to dye eggs; waiting in the age appropriate line; Kathryn after the Easter egg hung

Row 3:  checking out the the final treasures; eggs finally dyed; taking a walk to enjoy the beautiful weather

Row 4:  little chick the Easter bunny left Max via Grandma and Grandpa; soft white bunny; waiting in line

Row 5:  the long anticipated egg dying project; Easter morning; Max enjoying the ride

Row 6:  Kathryn's Easter basket; with the Easter bunny after the egg hunt; butterfly decoration

Phone Love

Good thing I'm not really much of a technology person.

And good thing I have the free phone.

Since it happens to be my baby's favorite toy at the moment...

A goose for lunch

We went to look at the spring bunnies and chicks today.

It's an Easter tradition.  And there were some new additions this year, baby geese.

 After some time admiring the two day old geese, an employee asked if Kathryn wanted to hold one.

She did.  And she did a good job too.  I couldn't have done that.  

Probably suppressed memories of my four year old self being chased around the backyard by a goose, biting at my feet.  Just a thought.  Or maybe a fearful uncertainty of animals in general.

And then the employee asked if we wanted a picture of the baby geese by Maxwell.
Something to remember his first Easter by.
And he surprised me.  Which now, surprises me that I was so surprised.  I should have seen it coming.
He reached up and petted the soft, yellow fur of one goose.

And then, reached for the neck of of the other goose.

With his grip of death, he grabbed that baby gosling around the neck.

And proceeded to pull the goose to his mouth.  

I'm not sure if it made it in his mouth or not, because by that point I had screamed and shut my eyes.

It was the only way I knew how to respond.  Luckily, the employee reacted quickly.

She could not stop laughing, and I could not stop telling her how sorry I was.

Sorry that our son almost ate their brand new baby goose for lunch.

As we drove home, I continued to talk about the incident.

Finally Michael said, "Jen, it's not a big deal.  Don't you remember the African babies (from the movie Babies)?  They were eating dirt.  He's going to be okay."

I wasn't really concerned about the germs, but rather that my son almost ate a live animal.
And that all I could do was scream and shut me eyes.  Fight or flight response...I guess I'm a flight-er.

But, serves that goose right for chasing me around the yard and biting my feet.  Payback maybe?

A Treasured Letter

Recently, Michael's parents brought over an old suitcase and some boxes stuffed full of his belongings.

Well in that suitcase, there were all sorts of treasures.  Clothes, yearbooks, trophies and boy scout badges.

But best of all, was a box filled with letter's he'd been sent while serving his mission in Germany.

They were from his parents, siblings, friends from home and friends from areas he had served in.

He spent yesterday looking through and rereading those letters, deciding which to save for his posterity.

And he gave a great sigh of relief when he found one of his most treasured letters of all.

It was written on yellow legal paper by his Grandpa Hiatt in North Carolina.

At the time that he wrote this letter, he was living in a nursing home and suffering from dementia.

His mother sent a picture of him writing the letter and a translation, as it was very difficult for him to write:

March 29, 2003

Dear Michael
Glad to hear from you from your mom.
Play it cool!  Play it easy and don't raise any trouble at all.
(Your) Mom is going to be in N.C. for two (2) weeks.
Take it easy and I am sure things will go well.  Our prayers will go with you'all.
Hope the war will be over soon.
Well our best wishes to you and great success.
March Madness is in full sway and summer will soon be around the corner.
Best of wishes to you and your buddies.

Love and best wishes,

V. Talmage Hiatt

Dear Mike-

Here's the letter from Grandpa that I emailed you about yesterday.  It's just short, but he put a lot of effort into it, and it sounds so much like his old self!  He even mentioned March Madness, which just blew us away!  Please save this, okay!  It could easily be his last letter-writing effort because the next day he hardly said anything that made sense all day.  He was so worried about not knowing where he was supposed to be attending meetings and what his assignments were, and we had a really hard time keeping him calm.  It's so frustrating for him to be confused and so heartbreaking for us to witness.  That's all the more reason to treasure this letter as evidence of Grandfather's great love for his grandson.  Because of his concern for you he was able to fight through his mental "fog" and express some of his advice and love.

X's and O's,

Mom

It was his last letter-writing effort.  And almost four months later he passed away (July 27, 2003).

Michael, along with his brothers who couldn't be there, were listed as honorary pallbearers on the program.

And here is part of another letter his mother sent following Grandpa Hiatt's funeral:

It was a very difficult experience to watch my poor dad slowly deteriorate.  As a family we kept vigil at his bedside night and day, thinking each breath could be the last.  We spent a lot of time singing the hymns to him and telling him how much he is loved.  Most of us were with him on the Sunday afternoon that he finally was freed from his weakened body.  It was a sad time because despite the circumstances it was hard to say goodbye, but it was also a time for rejoicing because in that instant that he quit breathing he was no longer constrained by the limitations of his sick and aged body, but his mind was strong again, sharp and intelligent. It's so comforting to think that he is really himself again and he can raise his voice once more and receive a new assignment in the Lord's service.  I am so thankful for the plan of salvation.  I am so grateful for our Savior.  I am so glad we are sealed together as a family forever.  I was so blessed to have such a wonderful man as my earthly father, and I hope I can remember all he tried to teach me and try to follow his great example of a life well-lived.

We are so grateful to have these letters as a reminder of a loving and caring Grandfather.

And we will treasure them.