R.I.P., Snapper

This post is from M:

"A few months ago, Mom let us get some pet hermit crabs. I named mine Snapper. We loved them very much. Today, while we were watching General Conference at our house, I thought we could play with them. But, when I grabbed my hermit crab's shell, it was empty! I searched around the cage and there, motionless, white, and shell-less, was Snapper.

After coming to the conclusion that he was dead, I yelled out, sobbing, "Snapper's dead!" I sobbed heavily for about 45 minutes, and then me, mom, and E prayed that I would be able to overcome the loss (as I said in my prayer). Immediately, I felt the Spirit and felt better. I found an empty necklace box and along with his shell and some smaller sea shells and some tissues for softening, I put my dead pet in.

If Dad lets me, I'm gonna buy a second hermit crab with my own money. This time, having learned my lesson, I'll take better care of him (or her). If I can get one, I will name it Snapper the Second.

May Snapper 1 rest in peace."

Shout Out to Laura, Field Trip Coordinator Extraordinaire

SOTD: (Scripture of the Day) Doctrine & Covenants Section 58:27

Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause,

and do many things of their own free will,

and bring to pass much righteousness;

Toward the end of summer, my friend, Laura, asked a bunch of moms in our ward at church if we would be interested in doing "Field Trips on Fridays." Since E doesn't have kindergarten on Fridays, I jumped at the opportunity. She has called around our community and has arranged all kinds of fun activities and places for the kids to go. We are all having such a good time spending our Friday mornings together! It also works beautifully because I babysit E's friend, A, on Fridays, so I look like the funnest sitter ever, when, really, it's all Laura!

The events are definitely popular and are filling a need to get the 5-and-under crowd together during the week. Today at the pumpkin farm, even in the rain, we had 26 kids! The thing I love is that while we all keep track of our own kids, we also do our best to herd and care for all the kids. I have always wished for a community of friends where I knew my kids were safe and loved. E got separated from me during the corn maze and was quite upset when she finished the maze. I hugged her and said, "Do you know that every single mommy here knows who you are, and knows you are mine? They will all take care of you. I was anxious to see you again, too, but I knew you were ok with all these mommies." I hope that these "Fun Friday Field Trips" make it easier for our kids to grow up together and have good, strong, healthy friendships as they go on to school and *gasp* become teens someday!

So, I just wanted to award a "Gold Star on the Forehead" to "Sister Johnson!" No one asked her to do this, and she's certainly not being paid to do it. She just put it together to benefit her own children, and in the process, is blessing all of ours. She's a great example of the "SOTD," doncha think?! ;)

Sisters and Friends - a Debut

M & E made up their own song & dance routine last week, bringing back many childhood memories for me.

Here are the lyrics (in case you want to sing along):

M: We are sisters

E: We are also friends

M: Sometimes we quarrel

E: Sometimes we fight

Both: But we always make up in the end

'Cause we're sisters

And we're also friends.

We stick together like paper and glue

M: 'Cause we're sisters

E: We are also friends

Both: Yeah!

Remind Me in 5 Years

M was sitting next to me in Sacrament meeting today and kept staring up at me. I finally turned to her and said,

"Why are you looking at me?"

"Because I am adoring you. You are a saint."

How Practical!

The other night, I was reading aloud "Pony-Crazed Princess: Princess Ellie's Summer Vacation" to E. We got to the very exciting climax of the story where the princesses are able to rescue Wilson-the-Wonder-Dog from the cave by attaching a vine to the horse and the rock, and then giving a heave-ho to pull on the big rock away that were blocking him in. It was a breathtaking rescue.

E was snuggled up next to me, turned her cute little face upward and said,

"Mom, did you ever think that maybe we should get a pony?"

Yes, it would be so very helpful and practical in our 3 bedroom condo. I just don't know why I haven't thought about that before!

His Eye is On the Sparrow

Luke 12
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is aforgotten before God?
7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.



This scripture has been on my mind all afternoon, and I was blessed with a powerful reminder today of how God is SO AWARE of us, and what can happen when people move as He prompts them.

You see, every M/W, M has swimming lessons after school in a nearby town. I have to pick the girls up from school those days, because their bus takes almost an hour getting home, so we'd barely make it to swimming. But, when I pick them up, we have about 45 minutes to "kill" before heading to the YMCA. Usually, I have an errand to run or a park we want to play at, but I didn't really have an agenda today. The only thing I could think of to do was to go get some gas at Costco.

As I was pulling out of the gas station, I said, "So, do you guys want to go grab some samples, or go do something else?" They were enthusiastic about samples, so I drove up the aisle of the parking lot and was happy to find a sweet spot really close to the store.

I was feeling lame about not even having a real reason to go into the store, so I called my friend to see if she wanted me to pick up some Pirate's Booty for her, as I just introduced her to that addictive snack. We chatted until I got in the store and lost the reception.

I grabbed a pallet (E likes to ride) and we went down a few aisles, spied a sample, and looped back around to grab it. As we headed down the aisle, a woman and her teenage daughter approached us, and she said, "Excuse me. You're going to think I am crazy, but I was wondering if I could ask you some questions? I was in the parking spot next to you when you pulled in."

At this point, I'm thinking, "She hit my car! Or wait, maybe I hit her! But why wouldn't I have noticed that?!"

She continued, "As I was pulling out, I noticed your cute license plate frame (It says, "Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?") and then I saw your blue puzzle piece for Autism Speaks. Do you have someone in your family with autism?"

Before I could even answer, M jumped up, "It's me! It's me!" This woman then spent several minutes telling me of her daughter, who is 15 and just recently diagnosed with Asperger's. She kept saying, "We just feel so alone. Do you know any resources specifically for families dealing with Asperger's?"

I was able to tell her of a new online group I am part of (we will meet up eventually, but just getting to know each other online for now) and a few other places I know of. I gave her my name and email address, and she was so flustered that she couldn't remember her email address, so I am waiting for her to contact me first.

She kept saying, "When I saw your car, it was just the strongest feeling that I had to talk to you! I rolled down my window, but you were on the phone. (oops) So then I pulled back into the spot and the guy waiting for it was mad, but I had to follow you." We then talked about how moms will move mountains if they think it will help their kid, which made me remember that Jenny McCarthy was going to be on Oprah today. I just caught part of it on the rerun tonight, and apparently, her new book is called, "Mother Warriors." How appropriate for my little encounter today!

I was so impressed that this mom would repark her car and hunt us down! I don't know that I gave her a ton of info, but I think she felt better after our chat, and I hope she contacts me so I can get her in touch with our Asperger's support group.

What REALLY, REALLY struck me was how the Lord orchestrated the whole thing. We could have just as easily been many other places - the park, the library, the dollar store ;) - but we "just happened" to be in the Costco parking lot, pulling into that one spot in such a huge parking lot... He even "made" it that I didn't have a list and wasn't in a huge hurry to do a lot of shopping. My girls were even relatively patient with the whole thing. The girls and I had a good chat afterward about how much Heavenly Father KNOWS us and wants to bless us. That mom could have easily dismissed the whole thing. I wonder how many times in my life I do that? How many blessings have I forfeited just because I wouldn't "pull back into my parking spot?"

I am grateful for this experience and for the reassurance it gives me that God knows us personally and intimately...even when we're in the Costco parking lot.

Aw, Shucks

I bought some more farm produce today (corn, peaches, apples)for canning/freezing. We decided to get going on the 50 ears of corn first, and the girls eagerly set up shop out on the deck and did about 30 ears before dinner. They make me laugh, listening to them, because they always make up some story about how they are servants who are really princesses who are forced to work in the kitchen. It keeps them happy, so I am content to supply "real life play experiences" for them!

M even went back to work after dinner, but then part of an ear sliced her fingers in 3 places, so we decided that was enough for today!

Can I just say how much I LOVE it that my girls are finally getting old enough to be genuinely helpful?!?