Climbing!

Saturday, Matthew & I went on an all-day double date with our favorite double-date couple David & Jena. We went to the temple first thing in the morning, which is always a good way to start the day. Our goal is to go every month in 2011. So far, we're at 100%! After that, we went home & picked up the kids. It's hard to go on all-day dates with four children, but it can be done. We stopped at Subway and each couple split a five-dollar footlong. It was very romantic, even though Matthew waited in the car with the two youngest and I took Bethany & Gwen in to order. The girls got to order their own sandwiches all by themselves which contributed to the date atmosphere and made them feel very grown-up. We ate our lunches in the car on the way out to Green Valley Gap, a hidden gem of a canyon behind St. George with easy access and bolted routes. We had to keep reminding the children that we were on a date, that this excursion was mostly for the adults and they were privileged to get to tag along. It wasn't as bad as it sounds for them because they were allowed to boulder and explore to their hearts' content, and eat an entire package of Chips Ahoy Cookies.

We set up a few top-rope climbs and Jena and I showed off our shoes.

Matthew and I also lead-climbed two different bolted routes. That was a new experience for me. It's a different feeling to be climbing above your last point of protection, knowing that if you fall, you're going to fall twice as far before the rope catches you. Exhilirating, challenging, motivating. It was awesome.

At the end of our date, we caved in to our daughters' begging and let them climb too. I said it before, but it is so fun to watch them.

Catherine experienced the most excitement of the day when she slipped off the rock and swung out a bit. She was perfectly safe of course, but terrified. I wasn't even holding on to the rope! she cried as Matthew belayed her back down. I comforted her and pointed out that, although she lost her hold on the rock, she didn't fall, because her dad had the other end of the rope.

Every time I'm in a harness I can't help apply the lessons of climbing and rappelling safely with our journey through life. As we climb, there are times when we are scared, when we don't think we can do it, when we can't see the way or what to hold onto. Sometimes we slip and fall, but not far. If we have hooked into our protection properly, our belayer breaks our fall, and we are safe no matter what mistakes we make.

In life, we also have a belayer. I think of the steps I take to anchor myself to the rope: doubling back the straps on my harness, locking the carabiner, tying a secure knot, double-checking with Matthew, using good quality, trust-worthy equipment.

There are similar steps we take to anchor ourselves to our Savior, so that he can catch us when we fall: keeping the commandments, checking in with our Father in prayer, exercising faith, reading the scriptures and the modern revealed word of God, staying morally clean. If we take these meaures to keep ourselves safe from temptation and sin, it doesn't matter if we are not perfect, if we can't hold on, or if we are weak and we slip and fall.

Our loving brother, our Savior, has the other end of the rope and will break our fall, hold us up, and show us the way to keep climbing until we reach the top. We are safe if we are tied in securely to His rope.

Climbers always wait until their belayer is ready and tells them "on belay," before climbing. Then, they say "climbing," and the belayer answers "Climb on!" The peace and safety we pray for every day comes from letting Christ be our belayer. We call out to Him in meekness and with repentant hearts, "Climbing! I don't know if I can do this, I don't know know exactly what to do. I am going to need help, but I will try my best. I am climbing."

He answers, "Climb on. You are safe. I will show you the way and catch you if you fall. It won't always be easy, but you can do it. I believe in you. Believe in me. Climb on!"

Preview

More pics of our weekend coming soon. (If I get my homework done tomorrow.)

New Shoes!

I got new shoes this week! Aren't they cute? We celebrated MLK day on Monday by taking them out on the rocks. We found a fun place to climb in St. George and after Matthew and I scrambled around a little, we let the girls have a turn. They loved every second of it. Well, except for being lowered down after climbing up. They are used to rappelling and being in control of their descent. It was a little disconserting to them to just be lowered. It was a kick to watch them. We were righteously proud. Enjoy the pictures!

You might notice that Gwen and Bethany are barefoot. This was because we weren't planning on them climbing; we thought they'd just be playing on the ground. So they both wore boots. And you can't climb in boots. Hence, the bare feet.

I love love love this picture:

A wide view with Matthew belaying from the bottom:

I'm sure the sun is just teasing us this week, and cold weather is looming in the near future, but this weekend was so lovely! It felt so good to be outside soaking up the warm sun on the rocks. I caught this cute picture of my hazel-eyed beauty:

and just a blurry one of my brown-eyed girl:

And...

I didn't want to have to do this, but you leave me no choice. Here comes the smolder:

The Cure for Cabin Fever:

ZION!

When friends called Friday night to see if we wanted to take the kids hiking the next day, I hesitated because there is always so much to do over the weekend, and I thought laundry, homework, scrubbing bathrooms were more important. I agreed, though, because lately I can hardly stand to look out the window at the beautiful mountains, blue sky, stripes of red rock and white snow on the bluffs, and not immediately turn east from wherever I'm going and head out to ZNP to explore a little, and see some views.


Our first idea was to take the kids to see some petroglyphs. Matthew was sure he remembered where they were, but the terrain looks a little different in the wintertime, and they redid the road last year, and we started hiking without any idea of where we were or where we were going. We didn't go far, don't worry, just far enough to walk along a frozen streambed and admire the icicles hanging off the walls. Just far enough to realize that it wasn't just a streambed, but a real stream, and not as frozen as we thought. Cue loud cracking ice and screaming children.

Catherine's own words:
It was super icy. And also scary and rocky. It was all mountain. We got to climb some of the rocks. It was so so fun.

We were walking along and we heard you guys yelling, and we were helping everyone across and it started breaking. I started scremaing. I even almost fell in the water. One whole entire piece broke down. I started crying.

A huge piece of the ice broke and I was on it and my mom helped me, she pulled me up because that was the piece of ice I was standing on.

Awesome huh? Just so you know, the only danger the children were ever in was getting their feet wet in a few inches of water and whining about it for the rest of the day. So, really, the parents were the ones in real danger.
After we got back to the car, I checked everyone's shoes to make sure they were still dry. Gwen complained that her feet were cold because she wasn't wearing socks. WHAT?! You have a coat, gloves, and boots on and NO SOCKS? Sheesh kid. Luckily, cold feet are my worst fear ever, so I was wearing two pair of socks, and I gave her a pair. She owes me big time.

We also went on the Overlook Trail, which we have done many times, but it's always fun.

My girls are little lizards on the rocks. Big lizards actually.

Bethany and the kid on the left are kindred spirits. Smart, earnest, imaginative & endearingly geeky.


Gwen and this little girl are also two peas in a pod. Girly, chatty, princesses. Wait, are they pointing at me?

"Gwen, look at your Mom. What is she wearing?" "I know, she's so embarrassing." "Mine too." "Only eight more years until I get my license, and then we won't need them anymore."

Henry loved the snow, hot chocolate, and his hat.

When Standard Precautions Fail

Today there were free children for the taking at my house. No, I'm not giving mine away. Although I was sorely tempted when I was in the middle of a good book and they kept getting hungry. By the way, a fairy tale is a very good read after Cormac McCarthy.

My daughters are giving away children to good homes. What started out as a pet store in Henry's bedroom, evolved into an orphanage when they brought in armloads of dolls to join their piles of stuffed animals. Dozens of dolls of different shapes, sizes, and colors were tucked into Henry's crib just waiting for someone to come get their baby, (sing with me) maybe. The dolls were free, because it didn't seeem right to them to charge for a baby. I asked Matthew if we could have one, but he said no. I picked one out anyway, and the kind sisters offered to babysit her for me. So, I adopted a baby, but left her at the orphanage while I made dinner.

From the kitchen, Matthew and I overheard that the orphanage now included a clinic with full-time doctors. As they made grand rounds, Matthew ducked in to observe and received this report:

"This one has mucus everywhere."
"There is mucus coming from every part of her body."
"We have been working on her a long time."
"She is covered in mucus."

"That's why we have gloves on."
"Yes, we're all wearing gloves."
"We have gloves on, so we don't have to touch the mucus."


"Some of the mucus just dripped inside my glove."


Ew. Call employee health, and don't forget to file an incident report.

I probably should've changed Henry's sheets before putting him to bed tonight.

What's on this memory card?

Some hiking pictures:

Threatening water:

Christmas Eve:

& morning:

a New Year's Eve Ball:

What's on my memory?

Going to the temple with my husband, two if his sisters, and his parents. Feeling earthly and heavenly love there.

Helping my daughters with their Christmas gifts to cousins and each other. We have a little tradition of going to the Dollar Store to let the girls pick out gifts for each other. I thought they might be too old for it this year, and we'd have to start springing for some more expensive presents, but my girls proved me wrong. In a store full of cheap trinkets, they each managed to find something thoughtful and special for their sisters. I was impressed, and grateful.

Seeing so many family members on both sides of our family. What a blessing to have so many wonderful people to share this life with.

Watching Masters of the Universe (He-Man) with my little brothers. Throwing out quotes from movies, books, etc. and trying to stump each other. Talking about The Road.

Going rappelling with Matthew, Christy, and the big nieces and nephews. I was so proud of everyone for doing something they were a little afraid to do. It's a good feeling isn't it? Actually, I don't know about Rachel & Jake. They were such naturals on the rope; I don't think they felt any fear at all!

The best thing about Christmas this year was that it came just the same. I didn't worry as much this year about all the trimmings, shopping, etc. I did find time to relax, and to read about and ponder the humble life of our Savior. I spent time with my family (Lowes & Nelsons), which was rejuvinating to my soul. I let my children teach me about giving from the heart. I lowered my expectations just a little this year, and because of that, Christmas surpassed them! I still did my fair share of spending and stressing, but I am learning to let go of what's less important, to make time for what is. I also did plenty of shopping for next Christmas and have big plans for a new tree, but hopefully I can remember how nice it is to just pick a few things to do, and not try to do it all. Christmas is about Christ after all, and He spent his time loving people and teaching them to love each other. That's what matters. That's what's memorable.