Our Visit from an Officer of the Law

Dora was playing with my phone yesterday and accidentally managed to call 911. When we hung up the phone (not knowing she had called it), they called back. We told them that it was an error--our one year old called. They said okay and hung up.

Whitney looked at me and said, "You know, if I was a bad guy, and I realized you'd called 911, I would of course have just said it was an accidental call. What good is this??"

I agreed and did not feel very safe. But I was glad it was easy, because I would have felt bad if they sent a policeman out for nothing!

A few minutes passed and...knock knock knock. Sure enough, a police car was at our front door. We had to show our IDs and prove we were the people who were supposed to live here. Then he kept looking at Whitney and then at me, to give me a chance to give him the battered wife nod or something! Haha. At least I feel safer now! Whit thought it would make us look suspicious, but I snapped a photo of him after he left (well, his car in our driveway, anyhow.)

Dora's first run in with the law!!

Peek a Boo

For Valentine's Day my mom sent Dora this marshmallow sucker. Since Dora's a bit young to use it, I gave it to Eli. He's pretty excited about it...

Now on to the point of the post. Dora LOVES to play peek-a-boo. It started as a game I played with her... and now when I stop playing, she continues it. I thought she looked too cute in these, so I included far too many (and yes, I am cognizant of the fact that many of these photos look almost identical and I should have included less of them, but I couldn't bring myself to cut any of them!) Sad, I know.

Isadora's Professional Photos

Happy Birthday Dora!! We had our friend Annie Reynolds (a great photographer) get some photos of Isadora on the morning of her birthday at Chocolateworld. I think they turned out wonderful--but seeing as there are 25 of them, I put them up at www.thestuckeyfamily.net for your viewing pleasure. Just click on the whitney and bridget tab and it's the one called Dora's Birthday or something like that.

Isn't she just the cutes thing ever? I threw in a few of my favorite here just to tempt you to go look.

I think this is my absolute favorite of all!

Counting Some Blessings

Most of you probably know that a few years ago (March 2007) my brother Jesse passed away. In October 2006, just before that happened, Elder Wirthlin gave my favorite Conference talk of all time. I had not given Elder Wirthlin a lot of thought prior to this talk--he had not been a particular favorite of mine--but I can now say my favorite (and the most poignant) conference talks I have ever heard have been from him. I loved this particular talk when he gave it and I love it now even more. It was called Sunday will Come. He spoke of his wife passing away and President Hinckley's words at the funeral.

President Gordon B. Hinckley said that it is "a devastating, consuming thing to lose someone you love. It gnaws at your soul."

Elder Wirthlin said, "He was right."

So too for me, was Jesse's passing. He had been my best friend--and my brother for so many years I couldn't imagine carrying on in the world without him. It was truly devastating, consuming and all encompassing for me. It broke my heart.

Luckily the talk continued.

"As Elisa was my greatest joy, now her passing is my greatest sorrow."

Speaking of the many sermons he has heard on the resurrection, Elder Wirthlin said: "We know what the resurrection is -- the reuniting of the spirit and body in its perfect form.... Can you imagine that? Life at our prime? Never sick, never in pain, never burdened by the ills that so often beset us in mortality?"

Continuing, Elder Wirthlin explained: "When Christ rose from the grave, becoming the first fruits of the resurrection, He made that gift available to all. And with that sublime act, He softened the devastating, consuming sorrow that gnaws at the souls of those who have lost their precious loved ones.

"I think of how dark that Friday was when Christ was lifted up on the cross. On that terrible Friday the earth shook and grew dark. Frightful storms lashed at the earth.... It was a Friday filled with devastating, consuming sorrow that gnawed at the souls of those who loved and honored the Son of God."

But the doom and despair did not linger, Elder Wirthlin said. "Because on Sunday, the resurrected Lord burst the bonds of death. He ascended from the grave and appeared gloriously triumphant as the Savior of all mankind.

"And, in an instant, the eyes that had been filled with ever-flowing tears dried. The lips that had whispered prayers of distress and grief now filled the air with wondrous praise. For Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God, stood before them as the first fruits of the resurrection, the proof that death is merely the beginning of a new and wondrous existence."

Each will have Fridays, Elder Wirthlin said. However, "in the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come. No matter our desperation. No matter our grief. Sunday will come. In this life or the next. Sunday will come."

This gave me so much comfort and such consolation at such a hard time. What a joy to know Jesse was not in pain. What a pain still for me that he was not with us. It was a few years later, at a time in my life when I could finally understand it that Elder Wirthlin gave another talk that was perfect in my life.

While his previous talk had in some ways prepared me for the lowest time in my life, this next talk gave me some perspective on how my life had changed. I still ache that my brother Jesse is not here with me--here to see my babies growing and learning. Here to see his beautiful children learning and growing into the astonishing people they will be... but I have come to develop a true testimony of a principle I was not previously familiar with.

"The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss," Elder Wirthlin said. "That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude."

I wanted to take this opportunity to bear my humble testimony that this doctrine is true. I have seen it in my life. I have been so RICHLY blessed. Truly, everything in my life has gone perfectly. I wanted to take a minute and thank my heavenly father for some of my most select blessings.

The gospel in my life--the knowledge of a true and living God and a loving, perfect older brother who came to earth and died for me. What can compare? The Spirit testifies to me of the truth of the restored gospel and it gladdens my heart whenever I am sad or upset.

I have the most wonderful husband anyone could ask for... and he takes such good care of me. I love him with all my heart. He works so hard, he plays so hard, he loves me and the kids and I feel totally safe and secure with his goodness, his generosity, his support and his strength. Truly, the best thing I could have is such a big hearted example. I do not deserve the joy he brings me.

I have a beautiful, audacious, vivacious son. He is always teaching me things--he comforts me now if I get "sad". "Momma no sad. Momma be so happy" he has been saying while I type this--not understanding sometimes we cry with tears of joy. He is so big hearted--like his dad. He has BIG opinions--like his mom (and his Uncle Jesse). He is funny and smart and generally kind. He blesses my life.

I have a gorgeous, vibrant, sweet little angel of a daughter. She makes me smile, she makes me laugh. She showers her dad with kisses and rations them for me. What a wonderful blessing. We call her our perfect child because she really is. She is always happy--almost always pleasant and has the most adorable little mannerisms. I cannot imagine my life without my little bean.

I have a wonderful job! I never thought I would say that. My dad always said they pay you because it's work--so it's supposed to be no fun. That has almost always been the case for me. But, I absolutely love my bosses here. Imagine my surprise to discover that they want me to keep working for them from Oregon!!

We sold our house here! We didn't even lose (much) money! :-) It is such a relief to know that we will be able to move forward.

Whit found a great job he is excited about in a place we are excited to live. We feel so blessed that all Whitney's years of hard work and dedication are (literally) paying off. He will be able to help people like he always wanted, and be paid to do it.

We have a house in Oregon. We are excited and delighted to have such a beautiful home in our future, which such a fun yard, etc. I think the kids will have a wonderful time with such space and a pool, and a big yard.

I have a wonderful family. My list of blessings would be wholly inadequate without saying what a joy in my life my mom and dad, my darling sister and my golden hearted brother are to me. (I honestly do not know anyone who has a better mom than me. That's not an exaggeration--it's actually a pretty serious understatement). I could not wish for better sister in laws and I love them both like sisters. Plus, my kids have similar aged cousins who are the cutest, sweetest little imps in the world. Angela is hilarious (a super mom--literally, she has a cape and tights) and Linsey makes the cutest parent. Seriously, she's like a kid who also is a parent. I love you both.

How lucky can one person be? I love my in laws, too! Parents-in law, sisters in law, and even my brothers in law are pretty decent! :-)

I could go on and on, but I hit the highlights! I am so grateful for the law of compensation. I can't imagine that without a profound sorrow in my life I could ever have been so richly blessed. Jesse, I will miss you every minute down here in mortality, but thanks for pushing those blessing clouds in my direction.

-BG

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY ISADORA!

Isadora turned one a few days ago!! I think I have some talents, but being a creative party planning nut (like my sister in laws) is just not one of mine. SO, do not judge me when you see Dora's party. I totally bought a cake and added jelly beans to it. So what!?

She had her doctor appt yesterday and she didn't even cry when she got a PPD (since Dad's an ER doc), a finger stick and a shot!! By the third and fourth shots though, she did cry a little. What a tough little thing! She's still getting skinnier each visit even though this little bean sure eats and eats and eats. (Today she ate a whole bowl of mac and cheese and two bowls of yogurt for dinner!)

Here's the birthday girl. My mom got the shirt and I bought the skirt. I actually also bought a shirt, that is short sleeved, and I remember thinking it was a waste to have two. BUT after she ate some birthday cake (and the sugar made her sick so she threw it back up) I was glad I had two shirts!!

See? She has a cute little mullet at 1.

Wispies! Wispies!


Here are a few of my girlfriend who came for the party.

Dora chowing down!

Now in her new clothes, opening some presents. YAY! I will say, she had no idea what was going on. But the big kids sure did. It was sort of a crazy cluster around the presents and Dora didn't open a one in the feeding frenzy. Eli is still adamant that the giraffe bike my mom got is his.

The only toy Dora really got into was this sucker. She actually bit through the plastic and got to sucker!! That's what 8 teeth do!!

Before you feel sorry for the little angel (that her mom is such a lame party planner) at least consider--I did plan a professional photographer to get some photos that morning. I just selected my proofs so I will post those once I get the final ones back. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DORA!!

Update Blog

I haven't done a good job of keeping up with the mania at our house. First, we have our condo under contract. Wahoo!

This is what it looked like in the snowstorm.

Holy Moly--that's a lot of snow! Dallas, you have NOTHING on Hershey right now!

My little angel is obsessed with climbing into or onto anything she can. Hence the pink box.

I really loved this expression.

Here's Eli. We went to Bass Pro (he loves to go see the "fish".) Here are some goats. Something really sad, but kind of funny--anything bad that happens now is followed promptly by an "Oh Crap" by Eli. I think mommy and daddy say it too much...

Mommy and Eli and baby...

Daddy and Eli and baby--in front of the interior mall fish pond, waiting for the Auntie Ann's to open. I LOVE their almond pretzels, thanks to Linsey!! Darn you Linsey!

This is Eli playing with his "sword." Don't tell him it resembles a pasta pot drainer... He has had a great time hacking at "snow mountains" with it.

Holy Moly, can you say SNOW!?
Here we are posing in front of his newly renovated "tunnel" or fort. It is HUGE! Yes, that pile of snow is taller than my head...

Here's Valentines--we had heart pancakes that were pink! (Oh and Sam's now carries Whit's Lactaid milk in huge jugs! Hurrah!) On a side note, Eli's jammies are the ones Angela sent him--and he WILL NOT WEAR anything else. He is obsessed with his "rocket" pajamas. *sigh* Also check out his really cool bed head!

Here's my little Valentine's angel...

More heart pancakes. I am quite the artist, no?

Here's a little video of that afternoon--Emma came over after church and played with Dora some. Of course, it was about 5 minutes of straight, uncontrollable laughter that prompted me to go get the camera, at which point things had calmed down enough that it was only "moderately funny." I still thought it was cute.

This next one was my favorite video.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Lunch

I ate chocolate cake for lunch today.

What?? I went to Body Pump and the kids are at the sitters b/c I am working, so it's not like Eli could see me setting a bad example!

It's WAY better with whole milk, by the way. (Which we are now switching Dora to!)

Also, one more random thought. I was driving home from the sitter's today and I realized. A lot of words describing talking (or the lack thereof) have qs. Loquacious, Quiet, Eloquent, Querulous, and so on. Weird!

Best Friends?

As most of you readers (all three of you!) know by now, we are snowed in here. We basically can't get anywhere right now--with more than 4 feet of snow in the past few days. Eli has been having a fun time, even though it's really set back my work projects not to have a sitter! And skipping the gym is making me really fat! Especially since we just sit around the house and eat!



Here is Eli just after coming inside from playing in the snow with Dada--who unsurprisingly is almost always willing to take the little guy outside to tromp around. They made a whole line of snowmen in the front of our house. Eli thought that was neat, but he liked shoving snow down a drainage gate and watching it disappear more.



FYI, he has hot chocolate in his hands, here. (Or warm chocolate, as is his wont. Everything is "too" much right now--so if he hears any music it's "too loud", hot chocolate is "too hot" and whatever you give him is "too much".) Also, his shirt says "Chill out" which I think is appropriate.



Poor Whit--because we were so smart to live SO CLOSE to the medical center, he had to go in to work on snow day while lots of other people just called to say they couldn't make it in. STUPID JERKS! So he worked until after 2 am last night. Anyhow, he couldn't get a car out so he had to walk in--look at the snow he had to slog through!! No that is not a bush--that's the actual snowfall height.

Dora is OBSESSED lately with sitting IN things. She climbs into baskets, (obviously) into drawers, and into or ONTO anything she can. She can already climb up onto the futon and sometimes onto the couch.

Here she is in her (current) favorit perch--a bottom drawer in the kitchen. She opens it, empties it, and then climbs on in.

Eli has been sitting down next to her lately and cuddling up! He will hug her, kiss her, etc. and she puts her little baby head on his arm and shoulder and chest! It's SO cute--it melts my heart! I am so glad they are finally being friends (most of the time.)

Here she was about to kiss him.

And laying her head on his arm...

And a hug!