Keep Calm and Carry On!

My daughter Heather has a sign in her kitchen, "Keep calm and carry on" Never could she probably have guessed when she fell in love with that statement how this mantra would be such a part of her life. She is a pillar of strength and positiveness, even when things are difficult. This doesn't mean that she doesn't have her moments when she feels down, but she doesn't allow herself to stay there long. She stays calm, and she carries on.

Yesterday I made the journey to Palo Alto to watch Talmage while Heather, Jim and baby Ev began their new journey at Lucille Packard Hospital in Stanford. This was not going to be any small event, you maybe would think that stress and craziness would fill the air in their home, but it was quite the opposite. There was love, peace, calmness, faith, gratitude and a desire to carry on.

This morning was more of the same. I looked at my sweet daughter as she was getting ready for the hospital and I marveled at her strength.

She is calm and beautiful, as she carries on in faith! What a blessing it has been to watch her become the woman that she is.

The Business Relationship...

A few years ago, a very wise woman in our ward by the name of Kaci, was giving a talk on the marriage relationship that will forever remain in my memory.

Kaci said that every once in a while her and her husband find themselves in a "business relationship." She said that the business relationship is when, there is nothing wrong with the relationship, everything that needs to get done is getting done, (i.e. dinners are made, house is clean, lawns are mowed, shopping is done, kids are bathed, homework is done, callings have been taken care of, laundry is folded, carpools are completed, bills are paid, etc.), but the relationship becomes all business, "i'll do this, and you do that."

The list could go on and on, and the list is different for each household, but each household has these types of list. Kaci said, "it is at these times when her and her husband need to step out of their "business relationship" and appreciate why they fell in love in the first place."

Recently the business relationship made its way into our home, such an easy thing to happen when life is so busy. Friday morning Scott and I had a spontaneous conversation on this very subject. I appreciated the fact that we could talk about it, and then we both were off to work, back to business!!

When I got home from work on Friday, I found this most wonderful surprise in the front room, a token of non-business love!

It didn't stop in the front room, the token of non-business love moved to the family room as well!

A reminder of love was also given to me in the kitchen!

And...last but not least, our bedroom!

I'm so grateful for my husband, what a special surprise this was that made me feel warm and loved all over! He truly is my best friend, one that I can work through the "business" transactions of life with, and also one who I can love and adore for all of his goodness!

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times...Always with the same person!

Thank you honey - I love you!

Parent PayDay

When I was at church today, one of the ladies from my ward came up to me and said, "today is parent payday!" I laughed, and then agreed. I've discovered over the years that parenting is not for the weak, the hours are endless and can be down right grueling. Dinners are mostly never appreciated, and the laundry is never accomplished! But... ad-mist all the craziness, there are the paydays. These are the times that you know that you would go through any hard thing just for that child, the love and the joy that you feel can not even be truly described. Maybe it's a smile, or an I love you, or a special conversation. Paydays come in various ways, but I've never had a payday that I didn't enjoy or cherish!

Today was a payday, my baby received the Melchizedek Priesthood! His mission paperwork has all been turned in, and just a few minutes ago he left my home to go and give his very first priesthood blessing! This payday is special, I've hoped and prayed for this payday for sometime now, I worried that it might not come, and then I turned it all over to the Lord, knowing that He knew my desire. Payday came, and I would have to say, "it came with interest!"

My joy is full, thank you Heavenly Father and thank you Chase for this most wonderful payday!

Dance Party 101

The McKee family has something that we love to do when we get together! Dance! We turn up the tunes really loud and then dance around the kitchen, family room, bedroom and hallway. We've done this since our kids were really little, and something so simple as dancing really has created a lot of fond memories within me.

This Christmas was no exception - we had been keeping a pretty busy schedule, plus we had been fighting the flu that overtook our house - and one afternoon Jordan reminded us all that we hadn't had a dance party yet. He turned up the music and the dancing began. My favorite part of this years dance party is that we had our newest little dancer getting into the action!!

I'm looking forward to the next dance!