A Mother

Before I became a mother, I had no idea what was in-store.

How would I have known how much I would love to smell my baby or even my sweaty kids when they would fall asleep in my arms? or how I would love playing double dutch with my girls with two mismatched jump ropes that would keep hitting me in the cheek? How would I have known how much I would love drawing colorful chalk rainbows and rocketships with my kids on the patio--and then admiring them all week from my kitchen window? Or how many loads of laundry I would do? I would have never known how many times I would read The Very Hungry Caterpillar (complete with sound effects) and love every minute of it. I would have never known the excitement and thrill I would feel when my child learned how to ride their bike, perform their part in the school play, become potty-trained, learned how to cross the monkey bars or how to write their name. How would I have known that I am narcoleptic? I would have never known the sadness and concern I would feel when they would cry and say they didn't have any friends, or when they would fall off their bikes, or when they were sick in bed. I would have never known the simple joy of seeing a little dollie in some corner of the house with a blanket tucked carefully around it, or a voice calling out "MOM!" the second they walked through the door. I would never have known how many jumping-jacks I would do (without losing my uterus).

When I was about to have my second child, I talked with my mother-in-law. I voiced my nervousness, "How can I love this second baby as much as I already love Annie?" She wisely counselled, "Alexis, you're a mother. You're heart doesn't divide...it multiplies." And, so my heart has multiplied. Six times to be exact. Many times I feel it's so big it will just burst. I love being a woman. I love being a mother. I love that no one else can do for my children what I can do for them. That is a gift from Heavenly Father.

I have always wanted to be a mother...and I knew I would love it. I was trained, taught, and loved by the best.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you brilliant, loving, and wonderful mothers!

Once Upon a Time, part 2.

Well, hellllooo Adam.

I remember my questions for him coming naturally...and I don't actually remember exactly how they came out; however, I recall him being engaging and delightful (of course). Now, this was a supposed brief conversation in the foyer of the institute, but I got some pretty good information out of this short exchange.

"Are you a student at the Univ. of Missouri?"
"No, actually I attend BYU, but was working in St. Louis this summer selling pest control." (Ah! Hence the group of tanned, well-groomed young men here today!).
"Why are ya'll (of course I had to put on a little Texan charm) here in Columbia today?"
"Well, one of the guys who sold pest control with us this summer, Josh, just joined the church. He is actually from Columbia. This is his home ward. This was his first time to speak in sacrament meeting, so we decided to come and here him speak. (St. Louis is 2 hours from Columbia) We will be driving back to Utah this week to start up school."
"What are you studying at BYU?" (You handsome thing you)
"Well, I'm studying Finance, but want to go into Hospital Administration."
"Oh that's funny. My Dad is a pilot right now, but is going back to school to get his master's in healthcare administration." (of course, I'm trying to pull out any similarities I can)
"Wow! I went to the Air Force Academy to become a pilot. They were cutting down the pilot slots while I was there, and probably wouldn't get a chance to fly. I decided to transfer to BYU after my mission and go into hospital administration instead."
"The Air Force Academy...do you know Rob Wirthlin?" (Now, I don't even know Rob Wirthlin. Never talked with him in my life. But, his little sister, Melissa, was a very good friend of mine. He was her older, older brother who I knew attended the USAFA. I used to see his picture on the church bulletin board. As stated before, I was trying to drag on this conversation for as long as I possibly could without getting caught!)
"Rob Wirthlin! Yeah! He was the year ahead of me (only one year? How old are you?) He used to come home with me on holidays."
"What a small world!" (It was at this moment that one of his tanned little buddies came over and nudged him that they were leaving.)
He actually seemed like he wanted to stay and finish our conversation. But, I wasn't going to just stand there and wave goodbye (please, I have too much pride). So, I said, "Well, it looks like you guys are headed out! I guess I'll see you later! Nice to meet you!"

And off I headed back down Broadway with a little skip in my step. It was a beautiful, sunny day. How cool was that?! Fun! I thought I would never, ever see that guy again; however, it sure was tingley (is that a word?) to talk with him.

I called my mom when I got back to my dorm room (which she reminded me that I called home--when it wasn't cheap--probably a couple times an hour starting off. I think she may have even changed her phone number).
"Hey mom! Guess what?! I met this really nice guy at church who knows Rob Wirthlin, is studying hospital administration like Dad, and is going to BYU." I don't remember telling her anything more. I didn't need to expound. I wasn't going to see him again, right?!

That week, I went on my merry way, completely engrossed with new classes, new friends, new life in college, etc. The following week, I attended church just like I had the previous week. I honestly didn't think another thought about he-who-must-not-be-named. I was still trying to get acquainted with everyone. Then, after the meeting, Josh (the cute blonde guy that spoke last week and sold pest control) approached me with a big smile on his face.

"Hi Alexis!" (Wow! How in the world can he remember my name?!)
"I have a note here for you from Adam!"
"Oh! Who's Adam?" (I honestly couldn't remember his name. Maybe I was just in this dream-like fog when he told me his name).
"He's the guy you were talking to after church last week!"
Smile.
"Thank you!"

At that moment, I would have never guessed in a million years what would all come from that little note jotted on a sheet of yellow, legal-pad paper. (It's now in our love-archive. It's so worn and tattered from being read over and over and over again) :

Alexis,
You probably don't remember me, but I was visiting Josh last week & had a chance to talk to you briefly after church (the goofy looking guy in the red tie). Anyhow, I'm driving back to school and off to the wild and fun college life (or as wild and fun as it gets at BYU).
I never got the chance to find out about you, why you made the trek from TX. to MO., what you're studying, etc...I know about your family (Dad-pilot, and checking out Healthcare Administration, know Rob Wirthlin), but want to know about you. Call me crazy. So if you want to here's my address in Provo if you're ever visiting or would like to write.
Adam Y. Thunell
485 S. State #205
Provo, UT 84604
(801) 375-8336
It was great meeting you! Good luck with your schooling and college life. It is fun, so work hard and enjoy it. Hope to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Adam Y. Thunell (He signed his signature, so I couldn't exactly tell what his last name was. I actually thought is was 'Thornell').

To be cont...

Intermission

Sorry to interrupt this program, but I have an emergency public service announcement. Adam and I have been glued to the TV for the past two nights. There is a SERIOUS fire taking over Santa Barbara right now. I just got off the phone with a friend of mine, who lives in a home in the heart of Santa Barbara, and they were just evacuated tonight...along with over 12,000 other homes! I can't even believe it. I'm in shock. She said that the fire was slowing down, but then the strong winds stirred it up again. I can hear the news right now, and they are saying that it isn't even close to slowing down and that it is 0% contained.

Just a call for prayer. please. I'm sure you'll catch all this on your news. But, hopefully this will slow down by tomorrow. Pray people.

Love you each one.

We'll be back to our other program shortly...

Once Upon a Time...part one

This past month, my friend Cherie did something very wonderful and clever. She recorded her and her husband's "story" as a little blog mini-series, leading up to their anniversary. Eventhough I have told and re-told our story a million times, I have never really documented it. So, for posterity's sake and anyone else, here it is in written form (this may be extremely uninteresting for many of you...I'll be back in regular form after June 8th). Here goes nothing.

As any good story begins...

Once upon a time, in a land far far away (actually, in the spring of 1994 & in Spring, Texas--sometimes it seems very far away)...okay, I'll be normal now...I had received two college acceptance letters (one from BYU and one from Stephens College in Columbia, MO where my mom had also gone to school). After weighing in all the pros and cons of both schools (and after much prayer), I turned to my mom just as church sacrament meeting was about to start and said, "I know where I'm going next year." "Where?!!", my mom answered with big eyes and a big smile. "Stephens."

Keep in mind that Stephens is a women's college (which suited me fine...since marriage was nowhere to be found in my upcoming plans) and the only other person I knew that was going there at that time was my roommate, Missy, from high school. So, on Thursday August 18th I just arrived and was already homesick and thinking, "What in the world am I doing here?!" My family left two days later and I must've cried for the rest of the day. Missy kept trying to comfort me and encouraged me that everything was going to be just great. (It wasn't until her family drove away later that day that I spotted her out the window chasing them down the street, that she could join me in a heap of tears.)

Anyways, while my family was still with me, they took me down to the Institute of Religion where I would be attending church for the semester. So, on Saturday night, I did something very un-Alexis-like...I prepared. The only thing in my life at that second that was still normal, dependable, and unchanging was...church. I was now an independent adult (or at least pretending to be), and I was now on my own. I dug out my iron and pressed what I would be wearing the following morning for 10 a.m. services: a periwinkle knit top and a khaki skirt...nothing fancy. The next morning, with intrepidation but a resolve and determination that this was going to be a great day, I grabbed my scriptures and marched out my door to make the trek a little ways down Broadway toward the Univ. of Missouri to my unfamiliar safehaven.

The Stephens campus was like a ghost town(as are most college campuses on Sunday mornings) and the normally busy Broadway was empty. I was alone, but I didn't feel it. As I walked through those Institute doors I felt peace and a sense of belonging(even though the only person I had met there was the Bishop--Bishop Kitchens). I found my seat in the back of the quasi-chapel which was full of other students. The meeting had already begun and the sacrament was now being passed. As I looked out the door into the hallway I had quick eye-contact with a nice looking young man wearing a light blue dress shirt, a red tie with navy blue polka-dots, and khaki slacks. He and his other friends came into the chapel after the sacrament and sat right behind me. Lucky me! I was trying to concentrate on the speaker's talk (who I think was talking about the beautiful hot-air balloons he saw in the sky that morning--a little random) and also lecturing myself on having an eye-contact moment (you know what I mean) with someone ten minutes into the first day of church. geez.

For the next two hours, I honestly was hoping that the red-tie guy would come into at least one of the classes I was attending, but he didn't. "No," I thought, "First of all, I still have a someone back in Houston that I need to be loyal to, and second, I need to meet everyone...not just the cute ones." So, after the remaining meetings were over, I began introducing myself to anyone and everyone. Pleeaase...I need friends. I was in the foyer, trying to quickly work my way over to him (who I could see out of the corner of my eye and who I was trying to listen to as closely as I could without being rude to the person I was supposed to be engaged in conversation with--I know, I ended my sentence with a preposition...it's late!)

Casually, I turned to him and smiled--I couldn't help it (without seeming too desperate and too anxious)and introduced myself and shook hands with him. "Hi! I'm Alexis Rumsey." He smiled in return. "Hi! I'm Adam." ...

to be continued...

"To Life!..."

"Happy happy birthday Austin dear...!" Now it's official. Austin has reached his second year of life. What in the world?!!! Where does time go? He has been living up to his 2 yr. old status for some time now (you know...hitting, biting, cookie loving...well, I don't think that ever wears off). However, Austin is a very special little guy. I mean, with four older, expressive (okay...LOUD! We had a mini-lesson over dinner tonight on volume-control and how to actually get some) siblings, Austin is a pro on "going with the flow." He is my true cuddler and makes it even better by patting me on the back and giving me a great, bit wet kiss. He loves to sit down and read with me, especially by himself. This morning for his birthday, we took a little hiatus from our health food and had his request for breakfast...hot dogs. Oh well, it makes for some good memories (and, I felt such guilt 10 minutes later that I served cucumber sticks all around...for some nutritional value). Here's to another wonderful year! Love you little Austie!

Friday night, we set up the tent in the backyard. The kids and Adam slept outside and loved it (I, of course, had to sleep indoors for Erika's sake)! We bought a new tent and had to test it out. Hoping to have some exciting camping trips in the near future! Come and join us! We'll even supply the s'mores (another hiatus...mmmm)!!!

We spent Saturday morning involved in the Mormon Helping Hands project of cleaning up the beaches. All the LDS Stakes in California were involved in some type of service project on Saturday. We had some great fun!

Adam and I went to see Fiddler on the Roof at a theater in Ventura this week. It was out of sight!! I've been singing all my favorites: If I were a Richman (or woman), Matchmaker (I definitely relate with this Yente, the matchmaker...much to my single sister, Adrienne's chagrin), Wonder of Wonders, and To Life, To Life...(and then they sing about some Russian vodka that I've never heard of)!!

Also, I made an executive decision and decided that we needed to go somewhere a little different this summer on vacation...how about...hmmm...Hawaii?!! I've been singing Aloha oi, da da da da (I've never known the true lyrics) ever since I bought the plane tickets. It seems to calm me down (of course, along with the jumping jacks).

Today at church, as I was wrestling a few children in my lap, Joseph kept trying to pick my nose. The girls and I were trying to keep ourselves from laughing too hard and too loud. He kept saying (rather intently), "Mom. It's okay. It won't even hurt."

Here's "To LIFE!!!..." And isn't it a great one. Heavenly Father is very good to us.

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This is going to be a quickie...

It's Sunday night. My dishes are still dirty in the sink. There may even be food left on the counter. I know this sounds gross, but I'm so bone tired, I can't even muster up enough energy to peel myself out of this chair. I can hear Joseph upstairs prattling away...he got a nap this afternoon. Sundays are just like this right now in this season of my life. I know I'll probably look back at this season, sigh and smile, but right now it seems to go at such a warp speed and intensity, that at the end of my day (and especially Sundays), when my head hits that pillow, I am not thinking a single thing...probably not even dreaming. wow.

For a week/weekend rundown...

Finishing up a internet drivers-ed class...my lead foot gave me away.

Conducting an experiment on my family after too many antibiotics and sick days. Decided to grab this bull by the horns and take my family off of sugar, white flour, and dairy. Happy to report that we have no more runny noses and coughs. I'll keep you posted on further developments...

Dog-sat our neighbor's dog, Tasha, for the week. No extra work, except for the extra set of muddy dog tracks left on the tile...I ended up just ignoring the trail by the end of the week. Adds character and charm...right?

The laundry door is still shut. We'll see what awaits me in the morning.

In the middle of re-landscaping our yard. Just putting some plans together. Need to read up a lot more.

Still love Sesame Street. I mean, how could you not?!...watching Ben Stiller dressed up as a hunk of cheese and listening to my three year old point to a triangle-shaped object in the house and saying, "Look Mom! There's the Golden Triangle of Destiny!" (said with feeling). Love it.

Our dear friends, the Basuas, came into town this weekend. Spent Friday night with them, chatting and laughing. Love them.

Have been trying out a new parenting technique. When I can feel myself about to "blow my top" --I'll just break into jumping jacks-- to relieve the stress and tension in my shoulders. I admit, I look a little ridiculous doing jumping jacks outside by the trash cans, by the kitchen sink, in the upstairs hallway, in my bathroom...However, it's a lot better than the alternative. Trust me. In fact, my kids have no idea why I do it. They think it's so hilarious that they usually end up laughing and joining me. I keep jumping until I can feel that I have calmed down sufficiently. It's working. Maybe I'll lose a couple of lbs. to boot!

Well, I'm headed off to bed. Sweet dreams all of you!

Spring, Spring, Spring!

I love this time of year. It's actually my favorite. There's a feeling in the air of newness, of re-growth, of new birth, of exquisite beauty. Wonderful, really, that we celebrate the Savior's resurrection on Easter, at this time of year...symbolic. Gives me some beautiful food-for-thought.

Anyways, every member of my family is sleeping...and for good reason. We just returned home from a major whirlwind trip to Utah. It was such a whirlwind, that I didn't take a single picture. Not a one. We began our trip last Friday with one child who had a fearsome barking cough, and came home today with five little people, barking the same lovely cough. UGH! Oh well, I guess those things just happen. We went to take Savannah to General Conference, since of course she just turned 8; however, she happened to be the original sick one. So, Annie, Adam, and I went, with his cousin and my parents. It turned out to be a good weekend, regardless. I spent time with my sister, Adrienne (who is leaving for Nepal, yes, the country, in 3 short weeks), my parents and Ford, Adam's parents, his cousin and her son, his sister Kerstin and niece. Quite productive. And on the way home, we spent a night with his brother, Peter, and his family in Las Vegas. If ever you want to laugh your cares away, go and see Peter and Tammy. He will have you laughing so hard your sides will hurt...it happens to me every time.

On the way home, my husband did something that reminded me how much I really am in love with him. He was planning on returning to work tomorrow, Thursday, but knew I needed just one more day with him to truly relax and regroup. So, without even my prompting, he called his secretary, asked how his schedule looked for Thursday, and then just told her he wouldn't be coming in. I stared at him, half-gaping, half-smiling, and quietly said, "Thank you."

And, as if that wasn't enough, he took me to go see the daffodils on the way home this afternoon in Lake Arrowhead. I have a story that goes along with these beauties, and have wanted to go see them for years (I'll send it to you if you want it). I finally got to today. It made me happy. And, it was snowing. In California. As we were driving up, up, up in the mountains, Adam commented under his breath, "Wow, I feel like we're going to the top of the Tower of Babel." One of the kids perked up and said, "The Tower of Maple?! What in the world is that?" Um, looks like we need a refresher course on Scripture Stories 101.

Also, last last weekend we went down to Newport Beach to attend Adam's cousins (Casi) wedding. The day was beautiful, the bride was beautiful, the temple ceremony was beautiful and that 10 layer chocolate cake was beautiful. We loved every minute of it.