First Day of School, Eternal Lessons of Life

If you ask me what I want for my kids, I think I can narrow it down to three things (which, listen, is really narrowed and generalized, but just go with it):

I want them to be kind.

I want them to be righteous.

I want them to be confident.

Kindness and righteousness are two things they will always, always, be having to work on.  It is something I am always, always having to work on.  It's personal and individual and developmental and one-step-forward-and-three-steps-back and mostly out of my control.

So my little loves, get to work.  And don't stop working.  Because kindness and righteousness: that's Jesus, and whelp, if you've got Jesus and you emulate Jesus, you've got this and you've got it.

But confidence.  I don't know how you get that.  I don't know where it comes from. I know you all have it...right now.  But I'm scared you'll lose it.  I'm scared life will happen and people will disappoint you and you will disappoint you and that confidence will get chipped away.  And guys, I don't want you to lose an ounce.  I love the twinkle in Ryder's eye, the sureness in Linley's step, the sparkle in Tessa's smile.  I love that you know who you are and who you are is good and smart and strong and true (shoot, let's throw in a loyal and call you a Cougar).  I love that you know God and you trust God and you know me and you trust me.  But I'm scared life will happen and God will disappoint you and I will disappoint you and that confidence will get chipped away. 

So here's what I say: Let life knock you down.  Let your faith be shaken.  Be disappointed.  Have doubts.  Ask questions.  But don't stop hoping.  Hope that you will get back up.  Hope that your faith with flourish.  Hope in people.  Hope in you. Hope the Atonement is real.  Hope God is relevant and He knows you and He loves you.  Because I don't know how you get confidence.  I don't know where it comes from.  But I think hope has got to have something to do with the whole of it.

To my kindergartner, my 3rd grader and my 5th grader:

 go forth twinkling, sparkling and sure.  

Go forth hopeful.  

Go forth kind, righteous and confident.

August iPhone Dump

About August:

Several boating adventures were had.

Several Twinkies were consumed.

The PGA was enjoyed.

This from one of the boating adventures.  Lest you think a bandaid would suffice (like I did, oops), 15 stitches and a plastic surgeon were required.

 There were several way too cold days in August.  So we headed to the park.  Along with every other human on the planet.  Not cool. 

She rocks the big sistering thing.

 Allen took the three bigs camping.  So, high fives to him.

 Go T.E.A.M.  It's an inside joke.  Which is obnoxious. But just trust me, it's hilarious.

 She can now climb.  Likely, we will be having more trips to visit our new trusty plastic surgeon.

And there goes August.  Which means, Winter.  

So, suck.

Sending off Summer

The last week of summer was busy.  In the best possible way.  Family and baptisms and football games and the beach.  Twice.  Because, finally, the weather got it's act together and decided to act like summer.  

 Our first trip was traffic-laden and crowded, but still certainly satisfying.

I mean, we have only seen 90 degrees a handful of times this summer.

Which, God's of the Sunshine, is just disgraceful.

 Tuesday after Labor day, when everyone but us had to resume normal life, we snuck in one more beach day.  And this beach day was the be-all end-all of all beach days.

 No traffic.  The parkway was eerily empty.  The beach was eerily empty.

We, however, were elated. And not even eerily.

 The sand was pristine, the water crystal clear, the sky breathtakingly blue.  I honestly forgot I was in New Jersey.  More than once.

 It was the perfect send-off to summer.

I really hope this one is repeatable.  

Rainbows and White

Sweet Miss Linley Broke chose to be baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on August 31st.  It was a mommy-beaming-with-pride sort of day.  And I didn't even apologize.

She was radiant and twinkling.

 We aren't radiant and we definitely didn't twinkle, but whatever.

 We counted our lucky stars that both sets of Grandparents and even Aunt Amanda were present and participating in her special day.

 Her baptism was a beautiful and sacred event.  The room was filled to the brim with friends and family.  

When Ryder and Grandpa Wallace spoke, our souls listened and were sanctified.  

When Allen and Grandpa Z exercised their priesthood powers, the Spirit was present.  Skin-tingling and tears-threatening present.  

It all was beautiful.  The whole of it.  Beauty in it's most true and penetrant form. 

 And then we celebrated.

Linley left knowing she was loved.  Loved by friends and family, both here on earth and in heaven.

The gospel: it's just goose-bump giving good.

The Reason for the Season

Boys and girls: BYU football is baaaaccckkkk.

And dare I say, better than ever?

I mean, did you watch Bronco On-the-Go? Because I'm telling you, coach is feeling it.  He's all clear-eyes-full-hearts-can't-lose feeling it.  And it is contagious.

 Amanda, The Deb, and Bill all flew to the dirty Jerz so we could spend 4 hours in traffic driving to Connecticut to watch the Cougs kick the pants off of UConn.  It was a happy night.  Even in spite of all that danged traffic.  And a drunk dude falling all over me.  ALL. OVER. ME.

 Sidenote: New Cosmo is not as cool as old Cosmo, but still rightly obsessed with the Wallace sisters.

 Also, missionary/cheerleader CamCam was there, so, "Hi kid."

Winning is never ever ever ever bad.  Ever.

Kill it Cougars.

Sister's Weekend

The Wallace chicks ditched our jobs and husbands and children and met up for four days of irresponsibility and recklessness.

Or lazying on the beach.

 Myrtle Beach, to be precise.

 It was exactly as dreamy as it looks.

 There was some rain happening, but that just added to the memory making and loud laughing that occurred on our quaint little balcony.

 Did you know our initials spell M.E.A.T?!?!  They also spell TEAM and MATE, but so what.

 These are my most favorite females.  They are smart and funny and spiritual and classy and ridiculous and engaging and supportive and honest and basically every. single. thing. you could ever think to want in a most very best friend.

Smooches to the sisters!!