4th of July

As is tradition with us we are gathering at the field between the hospital and high school in Provo to play games and eventually view the Stadium fireworks. All are invited. We traditionally eat Little Ceaser pizza and share snacks and treats. We play games and have plenty of shade under various canopies. We will arrive around 3 to stake a claim. We like to be on the south end of the field in the parking lot next to the bus barn (also next to the port-a-potties the city brings in). Please bring lawn chairs/camp chairs, a canopy if you have one, snacks or treats or drinks to share and $5 (more or less depending on how much pizza your family eats) to help with pizza. Games are also encouraged as we'll have lots of time to pass before the fire-works. If you have questions on where the field is ask Alan, I really am not good at directions. Or you could ask Coralee if you're a Wessman or Mom or Dad if you're a Paulsen.

circus

We had a circus to celebrate the first day of summer! Sarah was the clown. Emmie and I did the tight-rope and Alan was the Strong Man. Alyssa did it all.

pig-tails

She looks so much older with pig-tails.

balance beams

Jacob's blog made me realize something. Life is like walking on a balance beam. When walking on a beam it's imperative that you look up and forward to where you want to end up. If you look down at where you are putting your feet you will wobble and become unsteady. The only way to really balance is to look up and forward. Similarly, walking in life is easier and more steady when we look heavenward and walk forward with eternity in mind. Decisions and direction are so much easier when as we walk the strait and narrow path and we focus on where we want to end up.

Alyssa needs prayers

I took Alyssa back to the dr.'s yesterday. (we've been there every week this month) She has had a fever since Thursday of last week and was coughing again. Two weeks ago I took her in and they x-rayed her and discovered that she had pneumonia. Yesterday she had another x-ray and it showed that not only was she not well but she was worse than the first time. Dr. Paxton said the antibiotic she was one probably held it off but didn't get rid of the pneumonia. So she's on a stronger antibiotic now and we are hopeful. She could be worse, she doesn't yet have fluid in her lungs or need to be in the hospital. However she has been sick off and on since December. In February she had rsv and now doesn't seem to have much resistance to anything she's exposed to. When she does get sick it always settles in the lungs. So I think the time has come to involve more people in praying for her. Please keep her in your prayers and fast for the July. Thanks! I know that this will help immensly.

retrospection

I don't feel older. I think of myself as the same age as others with young children. It's not until we start talking about music or the price of gas when we both started driving that I realize I'm really not their age. It's not too depressing, but I look back and remember some of my ideas, behaviors, and conversations and realize that I was pretty immature and silly in my early married years. I'm embarrassed at myself and wonder how people more mature, like my parents and in-laws, put up with me. And then I realize that compared to them I'm still pretty immature and wonder how much I'm embarrassing myself now without even realizing it. The alternative though is to hide from everyone older, or more mature at least, than myself and that doesn't sound too appealing.

Speaking of donuts...

Today I had just finished exercising when the doorbell rang. I hurried to put regular clothes back on so I could answer it. When I opened the door nobody was there. Just a plate of donuts, glazed- my favorite, on the doorstep with a note that said, "Dear Shannon, We hope you have a wonderful day!" Any day with donuts is wonderful. I've been smiling ever since.

peg board

We have peg board. We do not need it. There are 2 pieces roughly 3' x 4' and one piece roughly 2'x4'. It is free to a good home. There is a $1 charge to take it to a bad home.

Books worth reading

Here are a few church books I've read recently that I really loved.

A Heart Like His by Virginia Pearce
His Holy Name by Dallin H. Oaks
Moving in His Majesty and Power by Neal A. Maxwell

And I finally finished the special Christ ensign and loved that as well.

Movies

The following movies are up for grabs and by the way they are all vhs.
Spiderman
Independence Day
Mission: Impossible
Star Trek First Contact
The Fugitive
LadyHawke
Apollo 13

I don't want them and if nobody else does they are being donated to DI.

Alyssa "reading" Daddy a story

Emmie and Alyssa playing with the bugs

Here we go again, and again, and again...

Sarah is sick. Alyssa is sick. Again. This would be Alyssa's second time with pneumonia. The first time was in April. She is sadly following Sarah's example in Sarah's early years only takes it to a bit more extreme levels. Sarah never had pneumonia for example. Anyway due to this and the wheezing and breathing problems that seem to accompany all sickness she is on a daily inhaler medication called pre??cort. (I can't remember and even if I did I wouldn't know how to spell it anyway.) Basically I am sort of tired of having sick children. One neighbor in particular likes to rub it in, while telling me how healthy her family are since she has been doing all these vitamin and herbal supplements. It gets on my nerves although I am trying to learn patience. I'm a slow learner. I digress, sorry. Anyway any prayers for or in behalf of said sick children would be mightily appreciated.