Ever been
caught up in a whirlwind? Covered your
eyes as little pieces of dust and debris seem to whisk through your hair and
beat against your corneas? Did you hold
your breath and squeeze those eyes tight waiting for the mere seconds that felt
like eternity that it took for it to twist away? Have you ever watched a whirlwind as it
drifted across a freshly plowed field picking up pieces of dirt and sand
twisting and turning it into a tunnel heavenward and realized from a distance
just how magnificent it was when you were many feet safely away from it? Why is it that when we are in the middle of something
so spectacular all we feel is the destruction and we are unable to see the
beauty that just a few feet’s difference would allow us to see?
The last two
weeks for me were exactly that, a whirlwind of one amazing thing after another
jumbled up all around me and all I could see was the insides of my eyes as I
covered them tight and just prayed to make it through. Now I sit here at my computer, a day’s rest
under my belt, and it is amazing from a distance exactly the magnificence that
I see.
Jenny tried
out again for Miss Nephi. She has spent
the past year living, eating breathing and living service. My sister in law the ever talented Annalee
Dinkel and Jenny took a song, A Little Party Never Killed Nobody, by Fergie and
from the Great Gatsby and broke it up into Jenny’s own, a little jazzy and
complete romantic number and spent so many weeks getting it perfect, and as a
mother I should have been totally excited for the great day. But all I was was a jumble of nerves for
her. You only want your child to leave
any experience feeling completely satisfied in themselves. Here is the link on facebook of Jenny's song. Jason recorded it from clear up in the sound booth and he didn't realize that she started on the stage and then worked her way down. He set the camera and then went back to sound and lights so at first you can only hear her, but be patient it very quickly goes to her...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10202815789091087&set=vb.1091815888&type=2&theater wasn't she amazing?
The week
before was crazy and let me add kids were home from school for spring break. Monday I spent the morning helping my mother
and my little brother, driving him from one area of the state to another. Tuesday was a much needed day spent breaking
my back and trying to springize our yard.
Wednesday we went to work with Jason and hung out, well really nowhere,
finding rocks for Stephanie’s school project and making a big banner for my
Father and Step Mom as they were arriving home from their 18 month mission in
the Philippines. Then it was off to the
airport to welcome them home and dinner at a restaurant with the whole
family. Thursday I was able to spend the
day with the two of them getting some of their life back up and running in
Utah, driver’s license, cars licensed, phone shopping, grocery shopping,
etc. Friday was catch up from not being
home for days and an early dance at BYU.
Saturday was my cute nephew Aiden’s baptism and then picking my Grandmother
and Uncle Dan up from the airport with my Mom.
They flew in from Minnesota and I hadn’t seen my Uncle in almost 20
years. Sunday was my Dad’s and Step Mom’s
homecoming and dinner and then rush home for a church meeting about Girl’s
Camp. Monday I spent the whole day
helping Jenny with her Miss Nephi poster 
finishing it up and displaying all of
her gazillion service projects. That
night was spent about 5 hours at Miss Nephi practice with Jason and Nan running
sound and lights.
Then Tuesday morning
was babysitting the sweetest little girl in the world and taking some quiet
moments to snuggle and relax while I tried to ease my nerves which was followed
by Miss Nephi that afternoon and night and watching Jenny with my nerves wound
so tight that when the relief came and she did everything so very flawlessly
ending up with the title of first attendant all I wanted to do was go home and
puke and cry for joy all at the same time.
Of Course Jenny is the RedHead with the white and Black Dress for those who don't know.
Wednesday was getting dresses put back together to return to those we
had borrowed them from and making thank you gifts for those who helped her so
much. Thursday was piano for three girls and achievement days and a billion
loads of laundry and dishes and…and…Then Friday was up north with Jason to work
for the temple in the morning and grocery shopping and Easter shopping the rest
of the day. Saturday morning was
cheesecake making for a family party and then a family Egg hunt and coming home
to the eggs that I had hard boiled that morning and coloring them.
Tucking kids into bed and then Easter Bunny
stuff when they were finally asleep with an impressive egg hiding job by my
older two girls, Jen and Nan. Off to
sleep to wake up to Easter and Church and Easter barbeque and a nap that just
didn’t seem to help and…and…finally bed.
Then there
was yesterday. Ah, yesterday. The day the whirlwind stopped and I cleaned
the house and then took the day very slowly.
The day I looked back and realized how much I missed the beauty of it
all being so caught up in the whirlwind.
I wish I could have stood back sooner and seen the glory for what it
was. A million blessings packed in so
tightly that my spirit couldn’t handle it all.
Pretty great life when it is filled with so very many wonderful things
that it wears you completely out. How
can I not feel completely grateful? If
that isn’t the most beautiful display of God’s love I don’t know what is. Whirlwind and all.
Jenny and Stephanie.
