Never a Dull Moment

Heads up...this is going to be a very long post with lots of pictures.  I probably should have blogged earlier in the week but we have been busy!

Last Sunday we got a visit from a family who follows our blog.  We had never met before so it was fun to make new friends.  They brought us five of these amazing homemade gingerbread houses for the kids to decorate. WOW!  I am in awe at the amount of work those must take!

AMAZING!

Savannah, Austin, Jordan, Alean, Jalen, and Kayla

Monday night for FHE we headed out to Corinne for the Polar Express ride and a visit with Santa.  We rode the "train" all through the streets a Corinne to see all the lights.  Jonathan was in heaven!  The kids were laughing and having a good time posing for pictures with our budding photographer, Megan.

Mallory

Me and Jonny

Megan and Mallory

Megan

Jarom

Zach

Polar Express.  It had two more "passenger cars" behind this.

After the ride we all got our picture with Santa-which we haven't received yet.  Jonathan was more than happy to tell Santa exactly what he wanted for Christmas but as soon as we wanted a picture he threw an absolute fit right in front of everyone.  I just smiled and said, "Merry Christmas everyone!"  What a twirp!

UPDATE: Here is the beautiful photo at the Polar Express. :/

Inside Santa's workshop-with Jonny throwing a fit on the floor. 

While we were checking out Santa's Workshop, Mrs. Claus came in and offered to give us a personal tour of her home.  The kids were super excited to see where Santa Claus lives.

While we were inside Mrs. Claus got a phone call but couldn't find her handset so she answered this wall mount antique phone!  The kids didn't even know what it was.  Jarom was especially interested in how you "dial" so she let him call Grandma from her phone. Sweet!

On the way home we stopped for hot cocoa at 7-11, or Josh's Slurpee Shop as Jonathan calls it.  I was super nervous having all the kids handle that hot liquid and was hurrying as fast as I could to get all of them made and safely to the burb before anyone got burned.  But wouldn't you know it, just as we got to the counter to pay, Mallory spilled hers on her arm and all over the counter.  Luckily we wiped it off her arm before she got burned.

Tuesday night we decorated the gingerbread houses and the kids had a great time.  I think they had a little too much sugar and candy as they were doing it because we ended up having a Christmas dance in the living room with the music blaring loudly.  Good times, good times.

The next night we all jumped in the suburban and went to Logan to see Pickleville Playhouse's "I Believe in Christmas".  All I had was my phone so the pictures are less than wonderful.  The play was about a widower and two children having their first Christmas without his wife.  I was surprised how little that bothered me.  I guess I didn't let my mind really "go there" in the hopes of making a good memory with the kids.  The play had lots of fun music, dancing, and comedy and we all had a good time.

Jarom and me

Jonny, Mally, Megan, and Zach

Of course we had to stop for treats after the show.  It wouldn't really be an "outing" unless we ended it with a treat, at least that's what Trent always said.  Because it was so late, we opted for the drive thru at Wendy's and happily ate frosties all the way home.

With so many good days all in a row I was bound for the crash, which happened on Thursday.  I had been dealing with some unwanted advances from an acquaintance and it was really bugging me.  Then I got a call from Jan, Dr. Carr's "Superwoman" from the Huntsman.  We love her so much and I was so glad to hear from her.  It was difficult too though.  She told me the she had been devastated when Trent died and had been too emotional to call until now.  I sent their office a Christmas card and apparently our picture had them all in tears.  She told me how much she loved and respected Trent and that he was one of the few she "let in".  Among other things she told me that she knows he has been with her many times, helping her care for other patients.  It was a pretty emotional phone call.  I loved speaking with her but it brought many emotions to the top that bubbled over for the rest of the night.  Unfortunately we had to go to Pack Meeting that night and I was a mess.  The scouts were doing a bunch of service projects for Christmas.  I hung out as long as I could then slipped into the overflow of the chapel where it was pitch black.  I curled up in the corner and cried and cried and cried.  Oh brother.

The next morning I was still in a huff.  I had a lunch date with two others who have recently lost their spouses and I was nervous that I was going to be horrible company because of my mood.  Before I went into the restaurant I pasted on my fake smile and said a little prayer.  The fake smile only lasted a minute though, there was an instant connection and my heart was soothed.  I cannot express how much it helped me to talk with them. I felt the spirit many times and it lifted my mood tremendously.

When I got home, no one was there so I started planning the class Christmas party for Jarom's class next week.  After a while I got a call from my mom asking if I had come and picked up Jonny.  She was frantic as she explained that he had been with her at a friend's house but now he was nowhere to be found.  At this point he had been missing for about ten minutes and they were already combing the neighborhood trying to find him.  I jumped in the car as fast as I could.  The whole way there I was praying, pleading with Trent to be with Jonny and protect him.  I told the Lord I couldn't do this, He couldn't have two of my boys.  All the horrible thoughts of what could happen were running through my head but I didn't feel the gripping fear that you would normally feel.  I was by no means calm however.  I was frantic as I ran through the friend's house screaming for Jonorias-knowing he wouldn't answer to Jonathan.  I then ran down the street screaming for him over and over.  As I ran I called 911.  I gave the operator my location and asked her if anyone had picked up a four year old boy.  While we were on the phone a call came in from dispatch saying they had a small child in a squad car.  I ran to my car and drove there as fast as I could.

In the short fifteen minutes that he was gone, Jonathan had run, with ipad in hand, six blocks northwest, across one of the busiest streets in Brigham, in the rain.  Just as he crossed the big street, an ambulance was being called out and the crew saw him and made a call to the police saying there was a small child running down the road alone.  A police officer was only a few blocks away and came and picked him up.  When I got to him he was all smiles, playing Minecraft in the back of the squad car.  I flung open the door and he said, "Hi Mom! Look where I am! I am in the police car!" Oh my gosh!  If he wasn't so dang cute...*%(#@*(#$&

After we got home and my heartbeat returned to normal, I asked Jonathan how he crossed that big street.  His reply filled me with the sweetest peace you can imagine.  He said, "My dad came back alive and held my hand."  Of course he did.  Trent would never let anything happen to any of his kids and I know he was with Jonathan every step of his little adventure.  I guess Trent won't be in as much trouble when I see him again.

We ended the night with a very soggy trip to City Creek and Temple Square.  It wasn't the ideal weather but we still had a good time.  We are not living the ideal life either, but we are trying to make some good memories each day.  Sometimes those memories don't happen as I plan them but I know I will never forget the day that Daddy held Jonny's hand.