When the Nelsens come to the 'Sip

The whole Nelsen clan came for a visit this week! It has been so fun! Alyssa and I counted down, anxiously awaiting their arrival! And it came! It finally came! We visited Monroe and Poverty Point in Louisiana. We ate at Frog Head Grill in Clinton. Natchez and Vicksburg reminded us of the war that raged as a divided nation sought to preserve unity and expand freedom. 

The true joy came from the time spent together doing new things and remembering the good ol' times! We tried alligator (...everything is good when it is deep fried, right?!) and ate donuts. We swam in the hotel swimming pool! Alyssa spent a couple of fun nights with Grandma and Grandpa in their hotel room, and she entertained and included everyone in her Barbie's escapades! She also had us all in for a salon treatment - face wash and lotion included! Our friendships deepened. Taft became familiar with everyone. We laughed until we cried! 

Time passes quickly and moments are fleeting. It's so hard to remember every little thing that happened, though I wish I could! Ultimately I hope I can remember how it felt to have everyone around. I hope my children will know how much they are loved by Grandma and Grandpa, Jacob, Ben, Claire, and Porter. We are so blessed to have visits like these when many miles separate us.

Until next time!

Grandma and Grandpa

Tonight my family is sitting around Grandpa and Grandma Nelsen's graveside. It's July 24 and it is Grandpa's birthday. This is the second birthday he has spent with Grandma on the other side of the veil, but we're celebrating like they still live at 3216 Joyce Drive. 

We spent many Sunday afternoons sitting on the patio, eating creamies, drinking Pepsi, feeling the canyon breeze and talking. Grandma and Grandpa were always there for us. They supported us in all that we did, coming to recitals, plays, baby blessings, baptisms, and birthdays. 

We always celebrated every birthday in the family with them. They would come to our house for cake and ice cream. Grandpa often brought me a rose from 7/11. They would talk and smile, sitting on the sidelines of the celebration, giving their full heart and support to the occasion.

You may not be able to see them in the circle around the graveside, but I'm sure they are there. God has lent them some spiritual resin chairs, and they are laughing along with everyone. Grandma has her pink shorts and cardigan on, Grandpa has his legs crossed, elbows resting on the arm rests, and middle finger to pinky finger intertwined with pointer to pointer and thumb to thumb. They miss us like we miss them, and that is why it is wonderful that families are forever and that we will all be together soon enough.

 

My Brother, Ben

Oh Ben. I'm glad you came another summer. I'm glad you make Kool-Aid for dinner every night. I'm glad you play with Alyssa and teach her ridiculous sayings. I'm thankful you play the guitar for Taft so I can exercise. I'm thankful you mow the lawn and do the dishes. I'm blessed that you are willing to drive six hours sitting "back seat, middle, feet on the hump" just so Erik and I can go to the temple together and you can get a fried catfish po boy! Can the next three weeks be a little longer? It's gone way too fast and I hate to see it end so soon.

Slow Down

I felt joy bubble up inside of me as we sat on the couch while Erik read Winnie-the-Pooh. The narration of the novel is magically simple. It brings joy to the young listener and nostalgia to the aged. In that moment of imagining Winnie floating as a cloud in the sky trying to avert the suspicion of a hive of bees, I felt grateful for my motherhood. I felt happy to know that the toys littered around the house and the pile of paraphernalia necessary for proper imagination games meant that my children were happily engaged today. I saw that the time I spend with them is fleeting! I just want to soak it up and never forget.

How much longer will my sweet girl ask me to color with her? How many more times can I kiss my bouncing baby boy's soft chubby cheeks? When will afternoons cease to be passed in restful slumber by all members of the house? Will my baby lose his sweet smell that makes me want to eat him up?

I love to see Alyssa learn and grow. She is starting to read and do math. She can unload the dishwasher and collect eggs. She whips up a mean batch of pancakes and she can put her clean clothes away by herself. She is playing the violin and the piano and can swing so high she kicks the top of the carport entrance. Somehow her opportunities just keep increasing and as a mother I want to see her meet her potential!

But I am starting to fear that all this learning and growing is taking my little girl away and turning her into a smart kid who will know more and imagine less. Independence is exciting, for mother and child. It relieves some of the burdens on the former and grants the latter more opportunities. Yet it is also terrifying. Independence gives street cred to the kid and smothering the innocent flame of the child. I'm not ready for that. I know it's not all bad...growing up and all, but I just want my baby, though she be five. I don't want her to grow up too fast (though she has reassured me she will chat with me everyday) and I definitely don't want to look back and see that I was the one that forced* her to grow up!

And so I relish in the moments we share with Christopher Robin and Winnie-the-Pooh. I'm grateful for the songs we sing together at night and the afternoons we spend napping on my bed. I'm grateful she still needs me to read her a story and color with her. I'm glad that sometimes she wants me to wash her hair or help her pick her clothes. She is still my daughter and I am still her mommy.

"Sister Crimm dressed like this on Sunday. I'm going to dress like this every day."

You know...5 year olds and primary teachers...they have the same style!

*Lest I look back or you read and think that perhaps I already am forcing her to grow up...two instruments for a 5 year old?! I am really just trying to follow her interests and I do it all with great caution.

Taft is really cute....

Though I must admit that the above photo slightly resembles the below photo.

The Chicken Whisperer

We're project-ing around here. One thing leads to another and what we have now is a bunch of bare studs trading in their wood paneling for dry wall. Alyssa was a mighty helper today. See below; exhibit A. She was able to find time to help and march in a handful of parades around the house (to the tunes of patriotic music) and make sugar cookies and take care of chickens.

Exhibit A: Alyssa pulling nails out of studs.

Alyssa is also a chicken whisperer. She goes outside and they flock to her. She can pick them up, pet them, feed them, clip their wings. And she does not fear those creepy talons! She declared she wants to be a chicken for Halloween. Erik will be an egg and Taft will be a "hatchling". Erik's costume will be soft so Taft can fit inside. And I will be the coop. Not just any ordinary coop though. An inflatable one! Then the three of them can fit inside!

My heart feels grateful for what we did today and the time we spent together. It was a work filled Saturday that brought joy and laughter. We ended the day eating fried catfish, collard greens, and big fat patriotic sugar cookies! Mmmmmm. What a lovely day with lovely people!