Our Fourth (and then some)

Several years ago, Wes and I decided we wanted to have a little Fourth of July program every year with our kids.  A talent show, of sorts, but with a patriotic slant.  Music, we felt (feel), is a major key to a meaningful holiday, and we wanted (want) our kids to be versed in the music and poetry that is so much a part of their American heritage. 

My last memory of that little Fourth of July tradition involves Wes reciting The Tuft of Flowers on the steps of our empty-for-the-summer Wyview apartment building. 

This year, we involved our summer school friends in the tradition, and, oh, what a sweet start to a sentimental week!

 

 

 

Besides missing Jaxen (our one other boy!) and having to bribe Spencer with doughnuts to leave the nearby swings and come perform, it was a happy, happy night.

 

(post program doughnuts, as promised)

 

(so many people we love)

 

Great night.

 

I woke up the next morning with no pending lesson plans, no calendars to create, no more school responsibilities (for a minute).  I mowed the lawns.  Then I came inside and turned on music - all the music I never listen to - and cleaned and cried the rest of the day.

 

The next morning, after teaching my cute Primary class, Spencer and Lucy and I drove to Bountiful to welcome our nephew/cousin Nick home from his mission to Wisconsin.  The kids were quiet in the car,

 

and I had time to remember the similar drive we'd made two years ago to hear Nick speak before he left.  I remembered the tears streaming down my face during that first drive, as the kids and I sang, "Armies of Helamen" and "Called to Serve," and other missionary songs.  I was thinking a little of Nick.  But I was mostly thinking of Wes. 

 

It may not be on the mountain height

Or over the stormy sea,

It may not be at the battle's front

My Lord will have need of me.

But if, by a still, small voice he calls

To paths that I do not know,

I'll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in thine:

I'll go where you want me to go.

 

I was thinking of myself, too, wondering how I'd possible deal with Wes's pending "call." But I knew the song had a verse for me as well.

 

There's surely somewhere a lowly place

In earth's harvest fields so wide

Where I may labor through life's short day

For Jesus, the Crucified.

So trusting my all to thy tender care,

And knowing thou lovest me,

I'll do thy will with a heart sincere:

I'll be what you want me to be.

 

It was great to give Nick a welcome home hug and to hear his testimony. 

 

 

 

And to be with my family.  And to reflect on the blessings of the gospel.

 

 

 



And to swim.  And eat good food.  And play games. 

 



 

And if all that wasn't enough fun for my kids, a day or two later their Aunt Maria was in town, took them around Provo for several hours, and brought them back looking like this:

 

!!!!!!

 

Best day.  My kids can't stop talking about it.  "Jumpy" and "Angel," (the frog and bunny pictured above), are beyond beloved and were certainly not left behind when we made our annual July pilgrimage to Provo for Freedom Days.

 

We had more fun cousin time when we arrived Wednesday afternoon!

 

 

And then tried our best to go to bed early?

 

 

 

My kids have talked about staying at Wyview ever since last Fourth of July and they were so excited to be there again.  Lucy popped right up at 5:30 on Thursday morning to help me make muffins before heading out to see the hot air balloons.  I thought I'd have to wake Spencer, but when I walked into his room he was sitting up, rubbing his eyes. "This is the earliest!"  He said in a groggy but characteristically expressive voice, and then asked, as I lifted him down from the top bunk, "Is it zero???  Is it zero o'clock?"

 

 

Zero o'clock is a fun time to be awake.  ;)

Even if it's too windy for hot air balloons.

And if that's the case (it was), then you drive your slightly disappointed but still energetic children toward center street and cross your fingers there will still be a parade spot to salvage the morning.  We parked and prayed (seriously), and when we turned the corner onto parade street, we ran right into Lucy's much loved Provo kindergarten teacher...

 

 

...who offered us chocolate milk, and let us sit by her family, and admired Lucy's wiggly tooth.  We saw other friends from our Provo ward, and enjoyed all the familiar sights, and sounds,

 

 

(and splashes :) of the Grand Parade.

 





There was shade and a cool breeze almost the entire time - we couldn't have asked for a better parade day!  And although this little head started to nod just a bit...

 

 

Spencer told me later that the parade was his favorite part of the day. 

Back "home," we shared one of Dad's favorite snacks, and played at the park,

 

 

and in the cool of our apartment.

 



(Made me think of these days...although he's so grown up in comparison.  But always my little builder.) 



Then: nap time. 

Spencer fell asleep quickly, but it took Lucy over an hour and a half to reach slumberland.    Bless her heart.  When she finally woke up, she came out of her room and said, "I did it," with a sleepy, triumphant smile.

 

 

We had the best time at dinner with Lauren and Maddy,

 

 

and Julia and Becky.  



(Love the animated conversation among these three!)



 

And then we spent a few lovely hours at the cemetery.

 

 

Several months ago Lucy came out of a particularly relevant primary lesson shedding abundant tears.  Later that afternoon a sweet friend from the ward - who had lost her own husband when she was a young mother, and who had noticed Lucy's emotion - stopped by our house with a little pinwheel and an analogy quite like the favorite song,

 

We do not see the wind

We only hear it sigh

 

 

It makes the grasses bend

Whenever it goes by

 

We do not see God's love
But in our hearts we know

 

He watches over us

Wherever we may go

We know that's true about our dad, too.  We know because of real, beautiful, wonderful moments of confirmation that come from time to time.  Moments that make me laugh and cry simultaneously. 

 

 

We found a plethora of other treasures at the cemetery that night.

 

 

Including this one:

 

 

After a few more prayers that I wouldn't have to change a tire at the cemetery on the Fourth of July, and a few texts to my big sis for advice, we drove to a nearby gas station where a young Native American clerk traded all my pennies for quarters, contributed a few of his own, and helped me fill the tire with air.  I loved that kid.  Tall and lanky.  Ears full of piercings, beaded bracelets galore, and a cheerful, "I'm so happy to help!" every time I offered thanks.  "Will you have to work all night?" I asked.  "Yeah," he replied, twisting the cap back on my tire's air intake valve (or whatever you call that thing),  "but working's good for me.  I'm trying to stay out of trouble."  The kids and I waved our thanks and goodbyes and I still think the nail in our tire (now repaired! thanks Dad!) was worth that brief Fourth of July friendship.

 

We made it back just in time to pop some corn and blow up balloons before fireworks. 

 

(I made microwave Pop Secret.  Becky made Flag-ka-bobs.  Amazing!)

   

 



It was so great to be with such wonderful friends and family (how much fun is it to have nieces and nephews at BYU?!)!!  Fireworks were spectacular as usual.   

 

 

(At least the ones I saw after calling my big-brother-the-doctor to ask if Spencer was going to die from biting and ingesting some of the "glow" in a glow-stick.)

 

(He didn't die.)

 

      

 

Arrayed in their glowing attire, the kids (aka Super Turtle, Super Rabbit, Super Cat and Super Dog) had the best time and were going strong until midnight.



On Friday we slept in and played at the playground.  The kids endured a plethora of my, "this is where we," and "I remember when you and Dad,"  and "When you were little,"  comments. 

 

 

The nostalgia was sweet.  Although I was (am!) truly amazed that this:

 



 

has become this:

 

so suddenly!!

 

Spencer fussed and Lucy cried when it was time to pack up and go.  Anticipated.  As we pulled out of the parking lot, Lucy dried her eyes and said with clarity, "It's more than the fun that makes it hard to leave.  Do you know what I mean?" 

 

I nodded from the driver's seat. "It's because this is where we remember Dad being alive.  Is that what you mean?"

 

She nodded.  I looked at her and smiled my love.  She bravely smiled back. 

 

We stopped at Cafe Rio for lunch. 

 



 

      

 

I'd made it all day without crying, but when Cowboy Take Me Away played on the radio, I gave up and let the tears fall.  

 

Fly this girl as high as you can into the wild blue
Set me free oh I pray, closer to heaven above and closer to you

Closer to you

 

We went to my parents' to finish the weekend/ recover from the week. =)

 

    

 

There was swimming,

 

 

BBQ and freshly squeezed lemonade (in the darling cups Jeanine sent =) under the awning, in the rain...

 

Mom and Dad and I watched Lincoln late Friday night.  Great movie.

And then,

 

breakfast on the patio, including peas from Grandpa's garden,

 

 

We topped it all off with a Monsters Inc marathon.  My kids - who loved the CA Adventure ride - have never actually seen the movie.  So we rented and watched it Saturday morning before meeting Lisa to see MU on Saturday afternoon!

 

 

THANK YOU for that fun time, Lisa!  Including the downpour! =)

 

And now we're home....

 

 

...enjoying the lingering fireworks and rain showers,

 

 





It's good to be back.  

And to have more summer ahead of us.

 

I want to make the most of it, but don't feel energetic yet.  We'll leave up our red, white, and blue for the rest of July.  And we'll just...try.  To have more zero o'clock mornings.  And to hone our badminton skills.  And to finish the Book of Mormon together.  And weed the sandbox.  And  organize the preschool cupboards (groan =).  And go grocery shopping on a regular basis.  And to feed the ducks.  And to remember our Dad. 

 

 

Hope all of you friends and family had a happy, celebratory week! 

Thanks for your love and kindness and well wishes!