Miscellaneous Musings

It's election day. In a little while I'll go down to the elementary school and exercise my right to vote. I'll also exercise my right to tell some of the candidates I hated the way they campaigned. One candidate stood on my front porch and seemed to want to pick a fight. He told us we were wrong about our views and made assurances he couldn't possibly make and then when I asked him a question that pointed out that his assurances couldn't be guaranteed, he said he'd check on that and get back to me before the election. The election is today and I haven't heard from him. I won't be voting for him.

Speaking of elections, I often wonder why this blessing (the right to vote) becomes such a curse. It so often brings out the worst in people. It's so contentious and often so mean-spirited. I wish we could force the candidates (and those that speak for them) to sit down and talk it out using kind words and inside voices.

I recently read an article that shared Dr. Marc Weissbluth's method of teaching your child proper sleep habits. The article was vehemently against letting your child sleep with you and suggested something called "silent return system." It didn't take me long to know I wanted to have a word with the abuser author. He suggests that you reason with your toddler, telling them that they must stay in bed and that if they get up, you will return them to their bed. You won't look at them and you won't speak to them. You'll speak to them again in the morning. What the &$%@(??? I'm sorry. I think it's wrong. Whether it's bad dreams, fear of the dark, a need be loved and reassured by parents, or whatever--I will gladly err on the side of cuddling, reassuring and loving my kids. My four kids are well beyond the years of stalling, crying, and wanting to sleep with dad and mom. They're normal, well-adjusted children and all I lost was a little sleep. I'll take that any day over losing those nights of giving my children the love and attention they needed. (And may I just point out that some of the parents that are inflicting this horrible system on their kids are then going to their own bed where they're sleeping beside someone. If they get scared or lonely or cold they can snuggle right up. They aren't alone in another room. It's ridiculous.)

I have now finished the Old Testament. I feel very proud of myself. It wasn't easy and there were times I really wanted to forget it and read the New Testament or The Book of Mormon a dozen times instead. But I did it! And maybe I'll do it again when I have another missionary leave to serve. Maybe.

Don't you just love soup when it gets cold outside? I think soup is the best cold-weather meal there is. I love the lentils, beans, noodles, chicken, beef, and vegetables. I love good rolls or biscuits with butter and jam. I still mix it up with regular meals, but if it were up to me, I could eat soup every day from November until March (except Thanksgiving and Christmas, of course).

Am I crazy? My dishwasher broke the first week of August. We've been setting aside a little money every paycheck to replace it. We were getting close. I'd have probably had a new dishwasher in the next couple of weeks. But then it got so cold and we had a snowstorm and running outside became dangerous and scary. We heard what sounded like wild dogs howling not very far away as we ran in the early-morning dark. So we took the money we'd set aside for a dishwasher and we bought a treadmill off KSL.com. I love going downstairs and running in the light. And I can handle a few more months without a dishwasher. I just remind myself that my mom didn't have one until I had moved out of the house--and she had eleven children. I've got it easy!

I have found the house I want to buy. It's interesting. It's beautiful. It's closer to grandparents and cousins. It's completely original. And it doesn't cost a million dollars. Okay, so it costs $995,000. And it's not going to happen in this lifetime. But it's beautiful and I can dream.

And finally, something that has been running through my mind quite often lately. I love my family. I love my hard-working husband who puts up with so much to take care of us. I love my boy who is half-way around the world doing the Lord's work with a happy heart. I love my girl who works hard but can't resist a good book or a good BBC period piece. I love my girl who loves to have fun and always sees the good in people. I love my boy who loves to tell me every detail of everything on his mind and always wants to sit by me when we watch television. I'm very blessed.

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