A Few Things I'd Like to Share

Bill and I spent the weekend with our daughter and her husband in Phoenix.  Although it was a 12 hour trip from our home in Utah, (we had a 3 year old granddaughter with us who had to have potty breaks about every 30 minutes…seriously), the long drive was well worth it.  We came home with some good memories and a feeling of warm satisfaction that our children are wonderful parents and that our grandchildren are making good choices. 

Back home in Utah, one of our sons lives next door to us.  We get to see a replay of some of the trials we had raising him and I am proud to say that he and his wife are much more patient and intuitive about what is important than we ever were.  Still, I have learned not to be too hard on ourselves about the job that we did bringing up our five children because I believe that we are all only building on a foundation that was passed on to us. Bill and I talk a little about the way we were brought up in our book. (Wrestling Pigs in a Clean White Shirt) Although there are both good and bad experiences in our foundation, we realize that no parent is given a handbook.  We learn most things by example or by trial and error.  If the example is not good, then we have to figure it out.  We try not to judge our folks too harshly and Bill and I fall back on the knowledge that we gave it our best effort as well. 

For many years, I have kept a static file of stories, thoughts and pictures.  I use these for inspiration when I’m speaking or writing.  Sometimes I find things that I never used and probably never will.  However, they are just too good to part with.  I thought perhaps I could share a few with you.  I’ll give credit where I can.  Today’s contributions regard children.

Rebuke

These things I do despise:

Hypocrisy and lies,

And anything at all that dims

The light in children’s eyes.

       

-        Ruth T. Stamper, quoted in Interaction

Something I learned from my Children:

When you hear the toilet flush and the words “Uh-oh,” it’s already too late.

-         

IF I HAD MY CHILD TO RAISE OVER AGAIN,

I’D FINGER PAINT MORE, AND POINT THE FINGER LESS.

I’D DO LESS CORRECTING AND MORE CONNECTING.

I’D TAKE MY EYES OFF MY WATCH, AND WATCH WITH MY EYES.

I WOULD CARE TO KNOW LESS, AND KNOW TO CARE MORE.

I’D TAKE MORE HIKES AND FLY MORE KITES.

I’D STOP PLAYING SERIOUS, AND SERIOUSLY PLAY.

I’D RUN THROUGH MORE FIELDS AND GAZE AT MORE STARS.

I’D DO MORE HUGGING, AND LESS TUGGING.

I WOULD BE FIRM LESS OFTEN, AND AFFIRM MUCH MORE.

I’D BUILD SELF-ESTEEM FIRST, AND THE HOUSE LATER.

I’D TEACH LESS AOUT THE LOVE OF POWER, AND MORE ABOUT THE POWER OF LOVE.

                   -Diane Loomans (In Family Circle Magazine)

Something I learned from my Children:

You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on.

(Bill and I lived in Pennsylvania for a few years. We sometimes saw Amish people around the Lancaster area. Although they really have a different way of living, I mean no disrespect by the following and, OK…it’s a little out of date.)

Top 10 Signs Your Amish Teen is in Trouble

10. Sometimes he stays in bed until after 6 AM.

 9.  In his sock drawer, you find pictures of women without bonnets.

 8. Shows up at barn raisings in full “KISS” make-up.

 7. When you criticize him he yells, “Thou sucketh.”

 6. His name is Jebediah, but he goes by “Jeb Daddy.”

 5. Defiantly says, “If I had a radio, I’d listen to rap.”

 4. You come upon his secret stash of colored socks.

 3. Uses slang expression “Talk to the hand, cause the beard ain’t listening.”

 2. Was recently pulled over for “driving under the influence of cottage cheese.”

 1. He’s wearing his big black hat backwards.

Something I learned from my Children:

Legos will pass through the digestive tract of a four year old;                                                        Duplos will not.

Elder Vaughn J Featherstone shared this anecdote in October 1987 General Conference:

 “I recall the story of a teacher helping a young student on with his galoshes.   They seemed smaller than his shoes.  She got down on both knees and pushed, pulled and stretched one boot until she finally got it on.  Then she went through the same struggle and finally got the other one on.  As she finally finished pulling it on, he said, ‘These are not my galoshes.’  The teacher pulled and struggled and finally got them off.  Then he said, ‘They are my sister’s, but my mother made me wear them.’   

Some who work with youth may feel that they do not ‘fit’ the calling.  It is not always comfortable to work with the youth but for me, as God is my witness, I love them.”

Something I learned from my Children:

Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.


(Bill and I have no adopted children.  But I love this!)

The Adopted Child

Not flesh of my flesh.

Not bone of my bone.

But, still, miraculously, my own.

Never forget for a minute,

You grew, not under my heart,

But in it.

- Author unknown

Some Things I learned from my Children:

A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 square foot house 4 inches deep.

Marbles in a gas tank make lots of noise when driving.

You probably don’t want to know what that odor is.

Always look in the oven before you turn it on.

 The fire department in Phoenix has at least a 5-minute response time.
Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.

The glass in windows (even double panes) doesn’t stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan. 

 There is no such thing as childproofing your house.

A good sense of humor will get you through most problems in life (unfortunately, mostly in retrospect.)