Mommy moments

This morning I asked Rachel to go upstairs and get the boys out of bed. She called to me that she needed my help and then came down to get me. I was trying to buy time by sending her up there, as well as get us ready for church on time. (I got up at 5am to cook some eggs for Richard before he left for his morning meetings.) She soon came down and in all seriousness told me that she needed my help because she was too strong to pick up Sam and carry him. She couldn't carry AJ either! (She meant not strong enough, but couldn't figure out how to say it and obviously took 'get them up' to mean literally pick them up and bring them down for morning prayers - or maybe she was just trying to do what she prefers us to do when we get her up?) Oh, it was one of those moments that makes the day worth it. I had a good laugh inside myself at that.

Sam was ordained a deacon today. They did it during priesthood and didn't even tell me. I had already talked with Richard and thought that they would be doing it right after church. I don't know whether to be livid and rant and rave and storm at both him and the Bishop or just bawl (for many reasons both joyful and sorrowful). I alternate, but one thing is for certain - I want a do-over!!!!

I was so proud of him in sacrament meeting though when he graduated from Primary and recited the 13th article of Faith with all the confidence in the world. He was very attentive while they were passing the sacrament and studying how they do it. He's afraid to mess up and get embarassed next week, but feeling more confident after class today as they went over it with him. All day has been punctuated with "now that I'm a deacon...." shouldn't I get this or that privilege (his own room, the password on the computer, etc). He has been really looking forward to turning 12 because now when the mutual plays ball of one kind or another in the gym he won't get kicked out. He's also pretty excited that Dad and he attend the same class! I asked him how he liked Priesthood today and he said it was good; he said he liked how they didn't treat him like a baby.

For his birthday, he had a half dozen friends over on President's Day. He found a k'nex roller coaster on craigslist that he wanted really bad so we got it for his birthday. We had originally planned to get him some tools such as a jigsaw, etc. for working on his projects that he likes to build and his chicken coop. He had a chocolate mint cake with chocolate mint frosting and mint chocolate chip ice cream for. I baked 2 9x13 cakes and frosted them. He scooped pieces out and designed it into a roller coaster using licorice rope for the track. All his friends thought it was really cool and asked if they could copy the idea for their birthdays too. They all thought I was really cool too for letting him do his own cake. I have to admit, I was skeptical at his plans at first (or lack thereof), but as usual...he just started into without much of a plan and it turned out pretty good.

I'll try to post pictures later, but I think my life just got possessed by taxes again for the next month or so. And I was just starting to get my rhythm after the last 4 years, 2 babies, and 5 moves!