Moving Up

Sunday we watched during Sacrament as Rachel was called up by the Bishop who gave her a certificate indicating her move into Young Women's from Primary. He had interviewed her the previous Sunday. She then recited the LONGEST Article of Faith, having memorized all 13. She looked beautiful and sweet up there. And I cried like a big, dramatic lump of motherhood. Yet again, a moment indicating my baby is no longer just a baby but a growing up young woman. A bit of my heart wrenches at the thought but I'm also proud of her, so proud of her and all her accomplishments. She makes being a mother a joy in so many ways.....and then heart-wrenching when she gets mad and says something mean (we're trying to break the "I hate you" comment as always inappropriate). But most moments are wonderful. I have to cut her a little slack, raging hormones and all, right?

We've also been blessed with so many things lately while wallowing in this pit of stress with no jobs in the household. First, a friend from church who is totally redoing her house gave us a lovely bedroom set - large dresser and mirror, armoire and night stand that is very solid and in very good shape. Our own bedroom furniture was literally falling apart. That was followed by another, closer friend, leaving a card behind with a gift certificate that will enable us to give Rachel a birthday party where she wanted it. That was something I don't even have words for. Then we came home the Friday before Thanksgiving to a member of the Bishopric leaving a huge turkey and a bunch of canned goods and some dressing mix at our door. To top it all off, despite the terrible stock market fluctuations, Jay's 401K cash out covered all our bills for this month. It's just been amazing and remarkable and we know that it is beyond our wildest imaginings that things have fallen into place this way. Now we just hold out for and continue to pray for a job for Jay (and it wouldn't hurt if a part time one came my way).

Rachel's sick with a cold that had her miserable enough that she stayed home today and was in bed tonight by 6:30 p.m. Hopefully she's well enough to go to school tomorrow. Missing much school in middle school is scary with all the back homework she'll have to do.

We're all decorated for Christmas - lights up outside, inside all done except finishing our tree which only has the lights on it so far. We just sort of fizzled out of energy and haven't gotten back to it. Hopefully, we'll finish it up tomorrow night.

Oh, and my dad is doing a LOT better. He's been in the hospital for another blood infection and the first time I spoke to him, he was frighteningly weak. Two days later, you could hear in his voice that he was doing better. After a week, they moved him to the rehab hospital and they are talking about possibly having him out of there in another week. It's just remarkable how quickly he's improved. And a relief on top of all our other stresses. God is good.