Friday, June 24, 2011

The Week the Heat Hit.



It's hot, which means my children don't really want to be outside. And it's been busy which means I am doubly irritable from the heat and expectations.

It's Friday and I feel a little guilty about being snappy at my children.



My garden has exploded. Good for the flowers. Bad for trying to eat all of my lettuce and greens, do you like salad? Please come get some.



On Tuesday we went to the Joseph Smith memorial building to have dinner for my mother's 60th birthday. Of course I love my family and enjoy the laughter and easiness of it all.



What I don't like are seated photos which make me look like a chunk. You cannot tell me otherwise. My sister Sarah is having her baby as I write this. Yay.



My husband and his sunglasses.



Wednesday we had our annual "Lehi" dinner with our friends the Smiths and the Hills. I don't know why it is only annual, the Hills pretty much live in our back yard and the Smiths live just across the highway.



Thursday night I met up with a few companions and sisters from my mission.



It's interesting after all these years the evolution of my memory and what others remember. As we laughed and compared stories, I realized I really only remember the good of a mission. It is golden and polished in my mind's eye and for this I am grateful. We seemed to remember all of the things we (ourselves) did wrong, but for some reason we have forgiven and forgotten most other wrongs.



Of all the choices and stories I have made thus far, the mission I served is the dearest and greatest. My marriage and children are still being written day by day. But my mission was finite and encapsulated in a tidy piece that inhabits my heart, and is mine forever to be grateful for. And oh boy, am I grateful for it.

I am also grateful for salad. Do you want some? Swiss card?

4 comments:

Wendy said...

Swiss chard . . . yes. Wish I lived closer. Will it still be good Monday or Tuesday?

I like how you described your memory of your mission. It took a long time for some of the painful memories to heal, and I still don't want to teach YW how to do missionary work, but my memories of ward members are cherished and close to my heart.

Busy days and subsequent irritability w/ children are indeed guilt inducing. It seems that every few days I am trying to remind myself that my relationship with ds is more important than any of my other todos . . . but that doesn't change that many of them have to happen, and still cause stress. When I handle the stress graciously (when, oh when), I am so much sweeter with my toddler, who really really needs a sibling (playmate besides me).

Your chagrin with seated poses is similar to mine with the short photographers who always get a really bad chin angle for me, no matter how much I try to mask the double chin with various head positions. Drat. :)

Rochelleht said...

Um, that garden is GLORIOUS!! You are talented, my friend.

I wish I had mission memories. Very cool.

Luana said...

Martha when we first moved here and would walk the neighborhood, I always loved walking past your house and looking at your beautiful garden. Your yard is one of my very favorites!

Julie Price said...

Oh my sweet Sister Wright . . . you are golden and polished and so very bright. Thank you for being a part of my mission memories. Our time together was too short, but infinitely lovely. And thank goodness for renewals and updates. Glad you could make our dinner. I hope to see you more often in the future!