Life and an Invitation

If you've noticed a bit less blogging going on and a bunch more silliness in the air lately, here's the reason why....

It's family reunion time and Crains are pouring in by the day.  By the end of the week  all 8 of us kids, my parents, 4 in-laws, and all 12 grandkids will be here in Virginia!!!!   

In the meantime my kids are having a blast with their cousins (including Andrew and Madeline who are here from California)...

they are enjoying the built-in playmates, the cousin sleepovers, sharing clothes...

and the extra adult attention....

All this family in town coincides perfectly with Glen and I giving talks in church this Sunday.  In fact, since we're already speaking in front of our family and congregation I figured that I would extend an open invitation to all of you friends to come to church with us this Sunday as well.  If you've ever been curious about us Mormons or about the beliefs of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or just want to hear us speak in public, then this is your chance!  Church is at 11:00am-12:15pm on Sunday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2719 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton VA.  Cami's cupcakes at our house at 2:30pm (please RSVP by Saturday night if you're coming for cupcakes.  No need to RSVP if you're coming to church.).  Call if you have any questions. 


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UPDATE:
Spence had a bone marrow biopsy on Monday and the results are expected in about a week.  Additionally, he is pleased to announce that his eyebrows are growing back!!!!

father's day 2012

I just found this unpublished post and decided to publish it a year late.  

Top Ten Reasons Why...

Our Dad is AWESOME!

(as quoted by the kids)

10-He's funny and nice
9-He works hard
8-He's an awesome (and silly) kickball player
7-He's smart enough to help me with my math
6-He likes to play games with me
5-He's the best crepe maker this side of the Atlantic
4-He gives good haircuts
3-He makes me yummy lunches

2-He is nicer than mom (sometimes)
1-Best Dad in the universe!

We ❤ You Dad!

What a Difference a Year Makes...

Nine and a half months ago the kids stood pacing in their brand new shoes and wondered with a nervous anticipation what their school year would be like.  They hoped their teachers would be nice and wouldn't assign too much homework.  They couldn't wait to see old friends again and worried about whether they would make new friends.   All in all, their big smiles belie their true mood.  They may have been a little worried about the upcoming year, but mostly they were thrilled to be getting back into the swing of things. 

I, on the other hand,  wondered what on earth I was going to do with all my kids in school for the first time.    Sadly, it took approximately 2.3 hours to cross that worry off my list. 


                           First day                                                        Last day



As I've reflected over the unexpected detour our lives took over the last school year, I find myself so grateful for the loving elementary school teachers my kids had.  Their warmth and understanding did so much to ease my worries as to how they would fare with me not being home with them all the time.    Each of their teachers was perfect for them and I truly consider their classroom assignments this year to be one of those "tender mercies" from God. 



Not only did they take care of Ellie, Adam, and Emma at school each day, serving as a listening ear and an open set of arms when they needed a hug, but each one of them also went over and above their duties by taking time out of their precious weekends and visited with Spencer (and brought him generous gifts). 

Thank you Mrs. A, Mrs. B, and Mr. S,  for the gift of peace during our time of turmoil--peace that our kids were spending their days in a place where they were being loved and watched out for.   

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 "We should not underestimate or overlook the power of the Lord’s tender mercies. The simpleness, the sweetness, and the constancy of the tender mercies of the Lord will do much to fortify and protect us in the troubled times in which we do now and will yet live. When words cannot provide the solace we need or express the joy we feel, when it is simply futile to attempt to explain that which is unexplainable, when logic and reason cannot yield adequate understanding about the injustices and inequities of life, when mortal experience and evaluation are insufficient to produce a desired outcome, and when it seems that perhaps we are so totally alone, truly we are blessed by the tender mercies of the Lord and made mighty even unto the power of deliverance "                                                    David A. Bednar

Normal (?) Life

A couple of weeks ago I daydreamed about post-hospital life with great longing.  I was simply busting at the seams to be out of the hospital and to go back to being normal again. 

Too bad I didn't remember that being normal in June means 247 things to do on the calendar each week.  Between end-of-school-year awards ceremonies (at both schools), band concert (Emma), strings concert (Cami), invasive dentist appointments (Glen), choir concert (Emma), piano recital (Emma),  nightly swim practice (Emma and Adam), end-of-year parties (Ellie, Adam, Emma),  sports award ceremony (Cami), helping Cami launch her summer cupcake business (email me if you want a flier), routine doctor check-ups (Cami and Emma),  youth conference fireside (Spencer and Cami), seminary advancement fireside (Spencer and Cami), a seventy mile relay race (Glen), the 22-mile walk to the temple (Emma and Cami)....

all the while trying to get back into the exercising routine, helping the kids to be somewhat social, preparing for family to arrive this weekend, digging out of our laundry piles, and taking Spencer to his check-ups....

I think I'm looking forward to the kids being out of school as much, if not more than,  they are.

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And for your entertainment....

I hereby present Spencer and cousins' hospital outtakes

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"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein."                             Unknown

but I bet none of them had five kids...

Doing Hard Things

Almost 200 years ago lived a man named John Rowe Moyle.  John was a skilled stonecutter who, although he lived a valley away, was asked to help work on the Salt Lake Temple.   Every Monday John left home at about 2am and walked 22-miles to work on the temple.  Every Friday he would walk the 22-miles back home to spend the weekend with his family.   He continued this routine for years, even eventually going back to the weekly commute after his leg had been crudely amputated after he suffered an accident on his farm.   It was John who carved the words, "Holiness to the Lord". 

(picture source)

So it was with this story in mind that the Young Women leaders of our ward (church congregation) decided to create an experience for the Young Women (girls aged 12-18) that would help them learn that they too could do hard things and that sacrificing to get to the temple is well worth the effort.   They would go on their own 22-mile walk to the temple. 

Although the prospect of such a long walk initially seemed very intimidating to the girls, they've worked hard to prepare themselves physically by going on weekly training walks (up to 15-miles) together.  The training sessions, in addition to building their stamina mile by mile, also helped them to develop and strengthen friendships with one another.   

Finally bright and early on Saturday morning, a group of Young Women and leaders gathered near the W&OD trail and embarked on a journey that none of them will ever forget. 

Despite being a little bleary eyed when I dropped them off, it was evident in this picture that their excitement level was high...

It was cool to see that each of the girls had a little picture of the temple pinned to their backpacks to serve as encouragement along their way. 

After dropping the girls off I went back home and snoozed for a little longer until the younger kids crawled into bed with me chatting about their plans for the day.  After a day filled with me and the kids getting things done around the house while a friend and 2 sons spent hours mowing, edging, and trimming our yard (thank you Tapps!), I finally got a text saying they were about an hour away from the temple. 

So I loaded the kids up and met them at the temple.  Timing was perfect and I got there just in time to see this group of girls (including Emma) racing up the hill  up to the temple gates.  Apparently they'd been wanting to run for a while, but their leaders encouraged them to wait until they were a little closer...

It had been about 8 hours of near constant walking in 90+ degree heat, but the sense of accomplishment they displayed upon finally reaching their final destination was palpable.  There were a whole lot of smiles coming up that hill... 

and even a few tears...

Afterward they were eager to take off their shoes and rest their weary feet.  Their beautiful smiles, however,  never left their faces.   

Eventually they all headed to the air conditioned bliss of the Visitors' Center where Bishop H. spoke to them for a few minutes, then presented them with medals! 

Then it was picture taking time....

Ellie adores her older sisters and their friends and eagerly lapped up the opportunity to be in as many pictures as possible.

And a fun little tidbit....Ashley, the girl in the white shirt in a lot of the pictures, is John Rowe Moyle's great-great-great-great-granddaughter.

A vision of loveliness...

What a wonderful accomplishment and life lesson for these girls, that when they put their minds to something, they indeed can do hard things! 

A Classy Presidential Campaign

My name is Lara and I don't want to be president and as such have never run for office of anything.

Glen, however, is a little more ambitious than me.   Not only have I heard it on good authority that Glen's prestigious political resume may have put him on Mitt's short list for VP,  but there aren't too many people who can boast that they're married to someone who's been high school DECA president, vice president of his high school's FBLA chapter(future business leaders of America), AND a VP of a college accounting honor society.  

With Glen setting such a high standard with his political prowess, it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that a couple of our kids have also harbored political ambitions from a young age.   Cami ran for student council VP a few years ago, but alas did not win.  Then a year later she ran a successful bid for SCA president, during which we called her "Madame President".

Then a couple of weeks ago Emma decided that she too would like to try for a run at SCA president.  She filled out all the paperwork and was thrilled when she found out that she'd made it through the teacher chosen preliminary round and would officially be on the ballot. 

In preparation for her campaign, she enthusiastically read and reread the blogposts about Cami's campaign, then went to work designing her poster:

and writing and memorizing her speech which she beautifully presented this morning: 

Four score and seven days ago I had a dream that I, Emma, would ask not what our school  could do for me, but what I could do for our school.   To be?  Or not to be?  I am Emma and I would like to be your SCA president next year. I will start off by telling you a little bit about me. I like to read, write, look up quotes, run, and swim. I would make a good president, because I am kind to everyone, I try and do my best in everything I do, and I have good leadership skills. I work well with others, so that will make me a good representative to work with teachers and students of all ages.

I have some ideas for fun new spirit days for next school year and I will always be open to any suggestions you have. Voting for Emma Goold will be one small step for you and one giant step for our school!   May the force be with you and GO FOR THE GOLD WITH GOOLD!

She was running against a good friend, a fact which at first worried us.  But after she told us about the deal they made that each of them would vote for the other, our worries were laid to rest.  

She did not end up winning the election, but she showed great class in her loss and was genuinely happy for her friend that won.  We couldn't be prouder of the enthusiasm, hard work, and positive attitude she displayed.   

       Way to go Emma! 

PS  Let it be known that Emma is an avid reader of this blog and frequently checks for comments whenever she is the subject of a post. hint, hint.   :)

Wonderfulness

Life is good.  Spencer is feeling great and we're loving being all back together again.  Spencer had a check up at the clinic this morning and was declared A-okay!  His ANC is only 180 now, which in past times would have meant that we would still be at the hospital, so we are extra grateful for the docs allowing him to recover here at home.  He goes back to the clinic next Tuesday for another checkup and then his bone marrow biopsy is scheduled for the 18th. 

Just for fun, we were trying to come up with a list of things that we missed about hospital life and hard as we tried we were mostly drawing blanks.  By the end of our stay we had grown so weary of hospital life that we could only come up with three things that we legitimately miss about hospital life. 

1. The perfectly crunchable ice cubes.

2. The frequent visits from friends and loved ones (a post for another day).

3. And the wonderful nurses. 

                                              (Laura, Meghan, Lisa, Spencer, Jessica, Brooke, Becca, Kristin)

they came with unfailing smiles (even in the wee hours of the morning)...

(Jessica)

they laughed and joked with Spencer...

                  (Fatmatta and Shineca)                                                                                               (Brooke)   
              
they lent him postcards and other paraphernalia to get him even more excited  about his potential Make-A-Wish destination...

(Meghan)

they oohed and ahhed over his sweet card tricks...

(Erica, Jessica, Meghan, Fatmatta)

they played countless games with him to pass the time...

(Holly--the Child Life Specialist)

they lent him books to read....

(Kristin)

they patiently explained procedures to us and put up with our myriads of questions....

                                  (Becca)                                                                                                          (Gabi)

and they inspired a little girl to dream big....

(a wannabe Gabi)

They took wonderful care of Spencer and we consider our association with these amazing ladies as one of the greatest blessings of Spencer's experience in the hospital.

  (Cristi, Kristin, Spencer, Becca)

Thank you Inova Fairfax pediatric oncology nurses! 

Grand Design

In the midst of being surrounded by life's dark clouds over the last few months, we have clung to the faith that this has all been a part of God's grand design for Spencer's and our family's lives.   Through that faith we have felt the bright light of God's hope breaking through the clouds, trusting that no matter what the outcome of this journey may ultimately be, that we would be uplifted and strengthened in every step.   Although we can see better a glimpse of it now, we hope one day to look back at the dark threads that have been added to the tapestry of our lives over the last few months and see fully the defining beauty that they've brought to the grand design.


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"Not 'til the loom is silent

And the sparrows cease to fly,

Will God unfold the pattern,

And explain the reason why. 

The dark threads were as needful,

In the weaver's skillful hand,

As the threads of gold and silver,
In the pattern that he planned."

author unknown
cross-stitch by my aunt RaChel Pont
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UPDATE: 

• Spencer is enjoying being at home and is feeling pretty good. 

• This past week his hair, including eyelashes and eyebrows, have fallen out one final time!   

• He has a check-up tomorrow and every week for the first month, then they will move to monthly for the first year.