Ryan and I have been married for a little more than 13 years. We were married in the Salt Lake City Temple on a beautiful February morning. I always find it interesting what memories stick in your mind on important days-- like your wedding day-- and which memories slip away. I remember it raining a little bit on the drive to the temple. I remember seeing Ryan when I first walked in the front doors of the temple. The first thing he said to me was, "Calm down. Don't be nervous." I remember thinking that was funny, because I thought he was the one who looked nervous. (Looking back on it, maybe he was talking to himself???) I remember my Mother giving me a special handkerchief. I recall sitting on the couch in the celestial room, noticing the beautiful grape molding on the ceiling, and thinking my dress took up the entire couch. I remember Ryan's face the first time he saw me in my wedding dress, and how pretty I felt. I wish I remembered everything. I don't remember a lot of things. I don't remember telling my parents thank you as often as I should have. I don't remember anything the temple officiator said,
except for 1 piece of advice. I DO remember he told Ryan and I to make humor an important part of our life. I reflect on that single memory more than anything else from my special day.
Remember to laugh. Life is so much more enjoyable when I laugh through it. I can't say that I follow the advice 100% of the time, but I can say that Ryan and I laugh every single day. Who can help but laugh when you live with a house full of cute little hooligans!?! Here are a few of the recent happenings that made me smile...
*Today, Kyle said family prayer in the morning. My favorite part was when he said, "Thank Thee for the baby Thou provided for us. He is such a good add-on to our family."
*I hooked Creed's pluggie to his swing the other day, so I would know where it was when I needed it. Well, apparently, Creed found it. It was so funny watching him try to play with only a 7 inch "leash".
*Cameron's prayer on dinner the other night included, "Thank Thee that we can go to school and learn so that we won't grow up to be 'weirdies'."
*This morning, I put a very pre-school appropriate cartoon on for Karen. She hadn't ever seen it before, so I reassuringly said, "This is a good one. You will really like this." She eyed the cartoon sceptically, and asked, "Are you sure? It looks like it might have swearing."
*Kyle is playing Thomas Jefferson in an upcoming school play. For a couple of days after he got the part, he would enter the house after school by having Kailani announce, "The presidents in the house!" We are supposed to find a powdered wig and three cornered hat for his costume. I asked KB where in the world I am supposed to get a powdered wig from (not to mention the 3 cornered hat?) He said, "Maybe I can just wear the red clown wig we already have." Sounds presidential to me! I think Kyles on to something-- Thomas Jefferson was a redhead after all.
*Today the phone rang. I couldn't find it anywhere. I asked Karen if she knew where the phone was. She said, "Oh yeah, it is in the neighbors garage." She ran out the front door, and came back 30 seconds later carrying our phone.
*We had cake for dessert last night. Cameron said, "I better only have a small piece. I don't want to be all hopped up on sugar." I thought, 'Wow, that is responsible of him'... Then he adds, "I am having a party at school tomorrow, and plan on eating about 500 pounds of sugar then."
*Last night, I heard Karen, Kailani, and Creed laughing. Creed was entertaining the girls by running his face down the mesh on his port-a-crib. It was pretty funny. We were all belly-laughing by the end-- and Creed was very proud of his new trick.
*Kailani forgot to brush her teeth this morning before she left for school. I had to run to the school for something else, so I decided to grab her toothbrush and paste, and pull her out of class to brush her teeth. Kailani and I went into the little ladies room to brush. She felt awkward brushing at school, and wanted to brush in the privacy of a stall. Luckily, nobody else was in the restroom, so I was able to convince her to do it by the sink, and didn't completely ruin her 2nd grade social standing (who knew public dental hygiene was so mortifying?) When she spit the toothpaste foam into the sink, she really started to laugh. I guess the sight of toothpaste spit in the school sink was a funny sight to her.
*Kyle bore his testimony today. Before he went up, I explained to him that it was polite to wait until the speaker is done talking before you get up to walk to the front. Kyle thought I meant that you had to get up to the front and into a seat before the next person in line starts speaking in the microphone. As a result, when Brother So-N-So finished his testimony, Kyle bolted out of his chair, folded his arms, and ran to a seat on the stand, all before Sister So-N-So made it to the microphone to share her testimony. Its so nice to have a son concerned with politeness and proper manners.
*Lately, Karen has 2 real obsessions. The first is the phone-- she carries it around with her, and answers it within seconds of it ringing. Not that I don't appreciate having a secretary, but her phone skills needed a
little help. After a little phone etiquette lesson, we now have each caller greeted with "Hello, the DeGraws here. How can I help you?" Her other obsession is the camera. Here are a couple of her fine masterpieces... I think she has a very
artistic eye.
I sure love laughing with (and sometimes at) these sweet little monkeys!
