All My Children

As I was contemplating what to write about for today’s post, I felt somewhat stymied. After all, it is Thanksgiving weekend, and most things food related, or gratitude-esque have been done to death by now.

So I find myself, sitting in a comfy chair, next to the Christmas tree, back in my pajamas, typing this post. (A few notes: Yes, I went to church from 8am-11am, and tithing settlement as well. Yes, the Christmas tree is already up. The house is fully decorated, and yet we still respected the importance of Thanksgiving by not decorating until the day after.)

Thanksgiving is about God and family. I am feeling very blessed, and somewhat bloated. Blessed from the kindnesses I gladly acknowledge that come from God, the bloating from over-indulging for several days straight.

We were all together this weekend. The entire MMM family. Our latest missionary is home, and the out-of-state kids came back. For four great days the family was complete. It felt complete. Now, half of them are back home, or heading that way, and what was a happily loud gang of eight is now back to the semi-quiet quartet we have had as of late. It was a great Thanksgiving weekend, and I hate to see it end.

I still feel compelled to talk about Thanksgiving, but what could I share with you about gratitude that you haven’t already heard? As I was thinking, I became aware that of some of the things I am most thankful for – above all else – are things that I have never shared with you. Maybe in story, or in code, but I have never shared with you a glimpse of my amazing children. Yes, it is time to introduce the FOMLs.

(And yes, this is full of parental bragging. You have been warned.)

Here they are, from eldest to youngest: (I am leaving out the embarrassing stuff so they don’t get after me, and so I have ammo to use, should I ever deem it necessary.)

Emily. Our first child, and only girl of the five. She is blazingly smart, and incredibly talented. One of the holes in our home now is missing her playing the piano. She is remarkable.  (Just for fun, here is a Christmas song she recorded back in High School)

Emily graduated from BYU in English/Editing, and then went back and got her teaching certificate. She currently teaches 8th Grade English at Springville Jr. High in Utah. She loves it, and I am confident that the students and their parents love her.

Her English expertise makes her the only person I know who has even a remote shot at dethroning me as Boggle Champion of the World. She inherited her parents wanderlust, has been a lot of places, and spent two runs in Africa serving others.

 

Taylor, my eldest son, and his wife Mallory. (She is a keeper) Taylor served a mission to the Dominican Republic. Soon before he was to come home, he suffered a life threatening brain trauma that almost cost him his life. His injury, and the subsequent miracles make for a remarkable story that I might share one day.

He is just finishing up his undergrad at Arizona State, and will graduate this Spring. Then it in on to the next exciting step. At the same time, he works, runs marathons, and serves as the EQP of his ward.

Mallory is a joy. Taylor did well by choosing to marry her. Since she is our first in-law, I didn’t know what to expect. Turns out that we love her just as much as Taylor, if not more. She is an RN, working in a hospital Emergency Room. Pressure, anyone?

 

Alex is smack dab in the middle. He recently returned from a mission to Argentina. When he left, he left a hole in the house. Alex has a tendency to sing whenever he walks through the house, and we missed his voice after he left.

Not long after he returned from his mission, he headed up to Utah and is currently living in St. George. He is working for a contracting firm, and getting ready to go to Dixie State in January.  Recently called to serve as a counselor in this EQ.

In High School, Alex managed to achieve that elusive mix of being involved in Varsity sports, and the music program – a feat that seems to get harder, and harder to pull off these days.  He played volleyball, and sang in the choir. He still loves both. One thing to love about Alex, or really resent about Alex, is his ability to do just about anything he puts his mind to. Incredibly capable, that one.

Dan is a senior in High School, and making the most of it while fending off a bad case of “senioritis.”  He is an exceptional student, and a genuinely funny kid, but he is really all about the music. He performs in the school choir, and jazz ensemble, but that’s just the formal stuff. He has a bedroom full of guitars, drums, and a bass, which quickly becomes a “studio”” when his bothers are in town. It is a blast to hear them play together. He is self-taught on the guitar, and I am very jealous of his skill.

He still managed to find time to pull good grades, hold down a job, serve as the 1st Assistant to the Bishop in his priest’s quorum, and have a social life.

He is looking to get a little bit of BYU under his belt before he leaves on his mission. (With our 100% endorsement.) That will be here in a flash, and then he will be the next one gone from our nest.

Ryan is our last child – our caboose. We prefer to call him our “dessert.” He followed up five years after Danny, meaning he will be stuck at home as the only kid, with his cranky Dad, for a while. While it may get lonely at times, I guarantee that he will eat better, and travel more than the older kids did.

He is a smart kid, reads so much that he makes a mockery out of any school reading programs thrown at him. He is artistic and creative and likes to build stuff. That creativity bleeds over into the kitchen. He loves to cook, and he and I spend a lot of time making stuff together. Gotta love a 12-year-old that can make the family a nice pasta dinner that doesn’t come out of a blue box.

It will be interesting to see where his skill set takes him. He is currently a 7th grader in Jr. High School, and happy to be a Deacon.

 

Those are my kids. I love them, and am so proud of them. Yes, I am boasting a little, but only because they are good kids. And I mean really good kids. They are kind, strong. faithful and living right. They are also patient with their dad. The only thing worse than having your dad be a public blogger would be to have your dad serve as your bishop for most of your teenage years.  They have had to endure both. I am greatly blessed, and very aware of it.

Elder James E. Faust was right, when he said, “While few human challenges are greater than that of being good parents, few opportunities offer greater potential for joy. Surely no more important work is to be done in this world than preparing our children to be God-fearing, happy, honorable, and productive. Parents will find no more fulfilling happiness than to have their children honor them and their teachings. It is the glory of parenthood. John testified, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” (3 Jn. 1:4.)” (link)

What on earth could I be more thankful for than them?  Well, you all know how I feel about my EC.  Maybe one day I will share her with you, too.

 

PS: Emily and Alex are both available, but I’m not gonna mention it, because they would find it embarrassing. (Dan is not available, as he is trying to be obedient to prophetic counsel.)