Kaylie

Well since I told a Kaylie story last week, I figured I might as well talk about her some more.

Kaylie was born angry at the ill-treatment she was receiving. You know, each baby has a different cry; Michael's was sad—like we were picking on him, but Kaylie came out saying, "This is no way to bring a baby into the world, and you had better start treating me right!" And she was LOUD. When she was in the nursery—with the door closed, and I was in my room—with the door closed, I could hear her crying. When my mom came to visit us in the hospital she asked where we were; the nurse told her to listen for the crying baby.

On the other hand, our bishop came to visit us soon after Kaylie was born and I heard later (from his wife) that he thought Kaylie was the most beautiful baby he'd ever seen. :-)

the most beautiful baby

What a sweet smile!

Here is one of my favorite Kaylie stories, because it shows her reasoning and her personality so well:

A couple of years ago my kids were at my friend Verlene's house. She had a refrigerator with a water dispenser on the front and so, naturally, the kids had to take full advantage of this novelty and get lots of drinks of water. Well, pretty soon Kaylie sidles on in, looks around and pushes the button, just letting the water run onto the floor—you know, just to see what would happen. Verlene asked her, "Now why did you do that? Would you like it if I came to your house and got water all over the floor?" Kaylie says, "When I am a grown-up I won't tell you where I live!"

pretty, photogenic Kaylie

Kaylie can be feisty, and she lets you know what she thinks. But she is smart, and she is really very sweet most of the time; she likes to make pictures for me and she plays very well with her little sisters. She is a very pretty girl with beautiful, dark brown eyes. She loves to dance, and to play the piano too. She is an excellent reader and her teachers say she behaves very well, and is helpful in school.

A few weeks ago, as I prepared dinner, Kaylie was in the living room busily writing. She didn't show me what she wrote, but Bruce and I found this sweet testimony later:

"I belive Jesus made the world for us.

He made day and night.

He made all the animals.

Jesus made the sea. He made the ocean.

He made the plants to.

The world is a wonderfull place to me.

by Kaylie North"

I love my Kaylie!

Next to Godliness

Today I got my house clean. Really clean. I love a clean house! I mean really—I might be kind of a fanatic about it. When my house is cluttered, or dirty, I am very restless. I guess I can't sit here knowing there's work to be done, but not doing it. On the other hand, I feel utterly blissful when the house is clean. I do wish that others shared those sentiments. (I mean others who live in this house with me.)

Anyway, I did the dishes, cleaned the counters, the table, furniture, dusted, vacuumed, swept and mopped, washed mirrors and toilets, I did everything—even the laundry! But that's not all; I also made significant headway in cleaning my bedroom. That's something! (When my kids clean house, if they don't know what to do with something I say, resignedly, with a sigh, "Put it on my dresser.")

Today I got most of the work done before lunch. But then I got a little slow and lazy (the after-lunch blahs) and didn't finish until just before school got out. And then, oh dread! I had to go get the kids from school. Couldn't they just spend the night there? Just this once?

But they kept it all pretty decent. A few crayons out. A movie. Now we're off to the library. Maybe we can stay out so late that there's no chance to get anything else out before bed time. Imagine waking up to a clean house! Heavenly!

Analogy

What I learned from years of dance:

You work hard. You work until your muscles shake, and then you work some more. You jump higher, reach higher and stretch further than you thought you could. You get blisters that break and bleed; you might get pulled muscles, but you still keep pushing. Sometimes—usually—you go back to the next class before your sores have healed. This makes it more painful to do the class than it is normally, but you do it anyway. You may grimace through parts of the class because it is so hard, mentally as well as physically. But you work at being—and you do learn to be—smooth, graceful, and smile through it all. You get tough and strong, but you do it so well that everyone who sees you thinks it is effortless. You do it because what you get at the end is worth it. In the end, it is the audience—pleasing the audience, the love of pleasing the audience—that makes all your work and your performance worthwhile.

There must be an analogy for life here. If only I can master the graceful, smiling, effortless part of it while I am still in the class.

Santa, Baby

Only 50 shopping days left until Christmas! The current mantra of every store and every marketing specialist in the United States these days. Yes, Wal-Mart put up their Christmas tree in the front of the store two days before Halloween—don't want anybody to miss the fact that Christmas is coming again this year.

So in keeping with that holiday spirit, I am giving you my Christmas Wish List. Feel free to get me anything here. ;-)

A GOOD sewing machine. I have about four used sewing machines that have been donated to me, plus my $80 e-bay special (which gave its $80 worth and then quit). But what I want is a new Husqvarna Emerald 116 or 118. Price tag: about $500

A stand-mixer, specifically the Cuisinart 5.5 Quart Stand Mixer (as recommended by Cook's Illustrated). Price tag: $349.

Tiles, grout and paint for my living room, or a gift card to Lowe's. Price tag: $200?

A dishwasher. Oh, oh yes! A Dishwasher! Wouldn't that be living in style? Price tag: ???

A water-softener—to keep the dishwasher working right. Price tag: no idea

(No, I am not cheap. But I am so charming!)

Clothes. Nice ones, not the Wal-Mart special. And girly stuff—I think I'm outgrowing the jeans and T-shirt look. Or, at least I'd like to. Price tag: unlimited

Shoes. Cute high-heels in brown, size 6 1/2 W; sneakers, same size; every-day shoes that are not sneakers, probably the same size. Nice ones, not the Payless special. Price tag: $150?

A Frieling Handle-It Glass Bottom Springform Pan. Every year for Christmas I bake a to-die-for NewYork Cheesecake. (I can only bake it once a year because it is rich enough to kill a pig.) When I read about this pan—yes, in Cook's Illustrated—I just had to have it, the Rolls Royce of springform pans. Price Tag: $29.99 (Hey! That sounds kind of reasonable!)

Jewelry. Yes, I am becoming more of a girlish girlie every day. But I don't need 24-carat gold or sterling silver; fake stuff will work beautifully. Except for earrings; sensitive there, so gold or hypo-allergenic, definitely nickel-free, and light-weight. Price tag: No idea.

A pedicure, once a month for a year (or for life!). I've had a pedicure once, and now I fantasize about doing it again—and again, and again. Call me weird. Price tag: once more, no idea.

A membership for two to the local fitness center, and someone who will go with me every day. Price tag: About $250 to $300

Books. No sex, no swearing, no violence.

Well that is all I can think of right now. But I'll bet I could come up with more. Remember, only 50 days. Ho Ho Ho!

p.s. I might even take a lump of coal!

Funny

Yesterday my kids were watching Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. When Milly is having her baby all the six brothers are downstairs pacing the floor; finally the baby cries and Gideon says, "I'm an uncle!" and he passes out flat on the floor. Without skipping a beat, Kaylie (in her little seven-year-old voice) says, "He's a carpet!"

I like my kids! :-)