A month or two ago at our family get together we started talking about the old days when we were young. Its interesting to hear the different memories that each of us has. We started hearing about the time when my brother Spencer was six or seven and was left at soccer practice all alone, in the dark. On the way to pick him up my mom got in a fender bender (not her fault I might add). By the time she got to the school no one was there except for Spencer, waiting, crying in the dark. I've heard that story many times but for some reason it made me cry this time around. Maybe its because I have a 7 year old and I can't imagine how I would feel if my son were all alone at a dark school waiting for his mom to pick him up. Thank goodness for cell phones and coaches that don't just pick up and leave the kids at school by themselves anymore.In that same conversation we started talking about early morning seminary and how my mom and dad had to literally rip the covers off our bodies and yank us out of bed every morning. I figured with five kids and some overlap, there was literally 12 years in a row of early morning seminary for my parents. I asked my mom how that was and she immediately answered, "It was hell." That made me laugh.
Some of my favorite memories of my mom are the couple of times the two of us slept outside together on our cots so we could watch the shooting stars when they were at their peak in August. I appreciate her green salads that she prepared every night for dinner. The luches she made me every day including that ball of popcorn. Since most people got chips in their lunches, my popcorn was a hot commodity during the lunchtime trading sessions. Or how we'd follow a fire truck that had the sirens on just to see where it was headed. Don't worry, we didn't follow too closely. Sometimes I wonder what Ethan will remember about me.
I had a wonderful Mother's Day including a lovely breakfast of french toast and hot chocolate made by Chad and Ethan and then a treasure hunt in search of my Mother's day cards which was really cute. 
I also got to spend some time with my mom while we ate strawberry shortcake together. It was a lovely day. I feel especially grateful for Ethan on Mother's day. I always make sure to thank him for letting me be a mom. Its because of him that I feel very honored and blessed to be a mother. As we've struggled to have another child I have become especially grateful to be a mom and often wonder how in the world I've been so blessed. Where would I be without my Ethan?? 
In the way of other highlights this past month (or two): My mom turned the big 7-0 in March. Isn't she cute? Me and my sisters had a little brunch for her birthday and I made her wear this birthday hat. I don't think she'd appreciate me posting this close up of her (she's kinda like that) but since she doesn't read my blog she doesn't have to know. :)
We had our annual Easter egg hunt and Easter dinner together. Please note Ethan's cool Halloween basket for Easter egg hunting.
And of course the cousins had their usual trading fest afterwards.
For our Primary quarterly activity we decided to do a humanitarian project by collecting donations for an orphanage in Haiti called the Foyer de Sion. We collected beans, rice and clothing for those children there. It was a really great experience. For the actual activity, our Primary children were able to see video footage from the orphanage, learn a Haitian game from a little girl who was recently adopted from that orphanage and lives here now with her family, eat Haitian food and help box up the donations. It was neat to see the ward come together in this humanitarian effort.
