Mary Anne's Christmas gift

Ok. I thought of the best notion yesterday I was going to end up with a gift each day each day of December.

Mary is over crying because I decided to get her a thing and she found it, but I told her no and rehid it.

Then, it occurred to me as I was thinking of a way to turn this into a learning experience, that this lesson was for me.

We all cry cause we find what we want, not knowing it is for us only not yet. I was sort of happy to see that she wanted it so badly. I imagine both she and I will be so happy to unwrap our gift to see that we get the thing we wanted so badly.

A bit of genealogy

I do not expect this information will be of immediate or constant interest to you, but if the occasion arises, I will record what I know off the top of my head.

My parents are Larry Gordon Babcock and Maureen Lynn DeMott. They are both oldest children and born in 1950.

My Father is the son of Edward Gordon Babcock and Eileen Lou Seifferlein. Grandma was adopted by Walter Seiferlein, her biological Father was William? Hoxey. Her mother was Myrtle Mae Therrin. Edward had piercing blue eyes! and was also the oldest child of Ada McMann and Ardell Babcock, also first born and piercing blue eyes. He lived to be quite old. My grandmother used to joke that he would outlive her. Mostly, I remember his incredible memory and vitality! He claimed his longevity was due to routine which gives your life purpose. He also was firm about the idea of moderation.

Much else on that line would be speculation. I do know that Anna Maria Andersen came to America from Gottberg, Sweden and Grandma says she met her husband on the boat to America. It has been said that I resemble her almost to a T. I have never been to Sweden but, I like ABBA. :)

My mother is the daughter of Fred N. DeMott and Donna June McGregor. There is a town in Michigan named after her father's general store there. Her parents were John McGregor (decended from Rob Roy) he came from Edinburgh, Scotland. His wife was Elizabeth Gray who is Irish, making you very Irish, who Isn't, huh? I could speculate as others had to me about how this family traveled from Rhode Island, to Vermont, New York, Canada and eventually settling in Michigan, and supposedly somwhere along the way they organized a religion, though I can offer no evidence or particulars.

So, there you have what I know. I have a lot of stories, but ought not insert too much speculation here a more ideal record is already kept elsewhere. But, should you ever wonder what I know, this much is certain.

Ooops! Realized that I published prematurely, without including Grandpa DeMott's parents. His father was Norman DeMott and his mother was Edna Louella Eagling. That name seems as PoshEnglish as you can get so it suprised me to learn that we have French ancestry. Edna's Father was a Joseph Lewin Eagling (Gavin, Dad wanted to name you Lewis).

Straw b-b-berry Shortcake

We just learned to think outside the box. In two seperate stories they discovered that the answer was not one that was expected. It reminded me of future problem solvers. In the big competition we had to compete against the real brainiac team, but we scored higher because our ideas were so unusual and creative whereas their ideas had a lot of competition as every "brainy"solution was the same. The problem was acid rain, and I suggested we just befriended some alien nation who used acid to fuel their space ships thereby producing a clean water by product. I was most pleased to hear it suggested that maybe the least possible solution was the best in this case. :) if Strawbery Shortcake says it, it is gospel truth to Mary and Joseph.

Dearest human's of mine

There will be a point in each of your lives web you must realize the difference between temporary things and eternal things. You are eternal things that are temporarily mine, and I want to arm you with the ability to succeed, but if this is really only a moment compared to the infiniti before us, that doesn't matter so much. That being you are my children. Yes, I love you so deeply, but the most significant person is the one you take to the temple and become one with forever. I have been a terrible mother because I tellyou what I have not done myself. I hope my failure has become an example of what to avoid, so you will not have this trial to live.

Effects of Brittish accents

Joseph is driving Nick crazy from too much time watching videos on YouTube where the pronouciation is distinct from his own. Commonly, he pronounces things with an A as if it were AR, this is usual with Brittish accents and we just deal with it on words like Warsh or Idear. But, my son constantly calls Lava Larvar which sounds like Larvae to my husband who constantly corrects Joe, but I heard it today on a Stampylonghead Minecraft video and it became clear this was having more effect on him than boring old us.

I heard the best idea!

We are going to live out someone else's brilliance for FHE we are going to make  bowl of life saver scriptures. Afterall scriptures are life savers. Then we will mail them to others as a package. The deal is that you only may have one per day, like my mom's advent calenders, and there will be a scripture for that day to read and ponder throughout the day.

Mary fell asleep

After "helping people" she came home and zonked.

I have heard that if you can feel even a portion of the saviors love for someone it will physically exhaust you.

Joseph

Write about the lady in front of us in line at the open house and how he waved at everyone.

Mary at the openhouse

The lines were long and the kids did well. At the conclusion of the evening, we entered a large tent with a statue of the Lord. The whole time Mary was so excited about going to Jesus' house. So, I asked as we were going to the car if she saw Jesus anywhere. She said, "Yes." I asked, "Oh, really? Where?" Without a beat she said, "In the tent."

It was adorable in the Celestial room she stopped and turned to me and said, "Yeah, that's it. Your eyes look amazed. You have beautiful eyes when they sparkle like that."

Skittles?

I am going to do this object lesson that I heard last week to teach my children things I cannot say about tithing. My teacher said that she gave her children ten skittles each and told them to go ahead and eat them as she started her lesson. She taught that we needed to pay one tenth of our increase to God.  And the candy was symbolic. So, they each had ten, she asked for one out of ten of their candy. They told her it would have been easier if they paid it before they started eating it. Brilliant, huh? I am excited to hear what Joseph will teach me.

Advent calendar

Let's make stuff, like a countdown until general conference! I haven't decided yet how to make one, or when we ought to start one, but I have some pretty good ideas.

I want to build a liahona for FHE, too. But, first we need to finish learning our special song ,"I'm Trying to be Like Jesus." First, huh? Forgive me, I get over zealous sometimes. You guys are doing great on the song so far, I do not want to jepordize that. It is a good foundation for life. We have been counseled in the past to think and sing a song to fill our minds so there is no room left for other thoughts. Also, I'll share a story with you about how I used a song.

I used to go to the practice rooms in the music hall late at night and I would start to get scared. It seems silly to me now, but I was really scared. Or walking home in the dark, so I would sing out loud , "Heavenly Father, are you really there? And do you hear and answer every child's prayer..." I always felt better and protected. Whether or not I was isn't important. The fact that I knew that song and could song it brought feelings if peace into my heart and I felt safe reminding myself that reality through song. I was not really alone, I was so glad to remember that!

Best Friends

I was given such incredible spirits to be part of my life. A friend pointed this out as evidence that God loves us and is so good.

All of my children are very special, but Joseph is beyond exceptional. He is as good as Brooksie and as smart as Lena. And he verbally loves more even than Gavin, if that is possible, you may wonder. Yes, he tells me alot of the time how much he really loves me and hugs me. Today, when I got hurt he was so worried and is always so kind to me. He likes to make sure I am being cared for. And he seeks to make me happy. Something tells me it is good to remember thus cause when he gets older, like term aged he will he ashamed of ne for the most part.

Mary's hair

As I was combing my hair, I thought about her, messy mass and thought better of my own hair, but she likely has my hair, so I thought, it sure will be nice when she grows up. I thought a similar thing about walking and Portugal training. Why do we insist on teaching and forcing children to do things our way and in our time frame? I concluded that it must be for our sake.

Now, I plan to take you on my little mental journey to that conclusion. Mary has a discipline problem. She refuses to hold still to have her hair brushed. But, still I do it and though Nick likes to laugh at her willful nature and call her as threen (a three year old teenager) he does absolutely nothing to offer any discpline, leaving it all up to me. Well, I figure she is not able to reason things out yet, so my know is just to provide love when she needs it. I will wait until she is ready to teach her how to behave, like with her embarassingly unruly hair. It looks bad, but she ought not be even slightly concerned with appearance yet, and when she is ready she will want her hair fixed.

Then, I realized why we do it then. I figured it was stupid to care at all how she looked to others, but that us not why we do it. We are building good habits for a lifetime. She will hate us or love us eternally for the habits we help set, so, it is more for me to learn to fix her hair, even if she cries, because that one day that she finally understands things might come latter than we expect, and habits might have already been set.

likely in jest

Some of my better ideas were originated in someone else's head! It was probably said as a joke last night that a mother was asked to help create a list of traits for their child's significant other. But, it got my wheels turning and this thought was spit out, "I will make lists for my children to become familiar with and part of who they are and what they ought to expect while they still think I know anything."
So, as a preface, I will use this as a stating point to make two lists, though I expect they will be incredibly similar. One will be for girls the other for boys. What I think are needful traits for future spouses.

GUYS                                                                             GIRLS

most important thing I will ever say to you

I love you so much!!!

strange how things work, huh?

I was on a different journey, nay quest, today, and in the midst of the things I thought I was searching for I found this truth that I want to share with you, my loves.

I have been confused on a few occasions, hahaha that was a joke. I always default to one issue regardless of what my thoughts may be doing to avoid thinking about it. It is like the line in a movie I saw last night, "I can avoid it yes, but not forever." And I have absolutely no trouble with saying that I know that we are eternal and will live forever so it is better to solve any issues now, unless we know a way to put off sort of like "Unlimited data plans" for cellular phones. or the idea that Nick presented to me when we met. "You can loose a battle but win the war." the war is like eternal living and each battle is fought and avoided for now. now? Sorry to get all philosophical it is taking away from my point, huh?

The solution to having an "End game" funny how my mind made that connection and picked those words, but really the idea kame from a song from "chess" titled "Someone Else's Story". I realized that if you came to me with a trouble similar to mine my choice would not require any consideration. I would instantly tell you the thing I always told you, "there is a single most important thing." That thing supersedes all others in it's necessity. I would not want you to play mind games until you pleased me by thinking as I did, because I was your mother, I would want you to do as you feel inclined, as others, not even me, could ever tell you or motivate you sufficiently.

I flip flop daily and struggle with my head and heart hoping to reach a consensus or peace but my mind ultimately must concede and realize that I can be manipulated into believing anything is right through enough persuasion. The same might be said for the things we see, and claim to factually know, then. Those are not the best determining methods.

I want you to love and know what it is. I love this scene.

 

You deserve to understand the world as it is and too many things require a solidarity as found only in such bedrock. Through it you will be able to understand all of the great truth of the universe. And, so I do not give you this lecture now, but leave it here for you to find when needed.

All for you...

I need to reconsider my thoughts a few more hours before I type them, but I wanted to record that I had them on this night for the fist time, it may be significant.

 

 



Make sure you ask

These are the words of your mother who begs you to consider this that you might avoid the terrible sadness that I must endure because I thought that I believed better than to think this was necessary. Ask your prospective spouse how many children they intend to have.

To this day, I still feel heart broken because I do not yet have my family. I tried and always knew exactly what I intended it never changed, but it was never spoken of. But it really is important to know before you fall in love.

Family Fun Center

Joseph had an invitation to a birthday party of one of his good friends from Church. I was as thrilled as he was because the boy's mother is one of the most incredible people on the face of the earth. She is beautiful to boot, too, not that it matters, but anyway. Joseph was so excited all week. Each morning he would ask if it was the day to go to Graham's party yet.

Finally, the day arrived and I got to teach him how to read the clock because he was so excited for time to go.

The place was so perfect. But, then, I would expect nothing less from this woman. The place was like a Chuck E. Cheese on steroids. We had brought Mary Anne, too. They played wildly for hours on the bounce house equipment, and in a little place called "pirates cove". And the best was these little air guns. I got into a fight or two with children. It reminded me of the time I took the girls to a park in Mississippi (a church activity in Corinth) and as I played the other kids tried to sneak through the fence, but I just climbed after them and they started screaming, "Sister Brawnner just climbed through the fence! Run!" It surprises kids that an adult would dare stoop to their level. As if some social norm protected them from me cause I was a mom. Mwaaaa haah haa!

But, most importantly, I wanted to record how moved I was by watching Mary interact with another little girl named Betsy. She was so kind and loving and tried to be helpful. Mary actually tried to lift her up to climb on equipment that she could not reach. They played for hours. Betsy's mom is another hero of mine. She has a son in class with Joseph, too. Who is such a role model for Joe. He comes and walks with Joseph to primary each week, which helps us Sooooo much. Because he kicks and screams and refuses to go to Primary when we take him. Betsy's mother is also 37 weeks pregnant, but you would never know by the way she acts and holds,herself. I mean, definately, she has a large growth in her tummy, And said that she gets plenty of comments and belly rubs. I told her that I was so glad to not be pregnant with her because she would make me look so bad. Ofcourse I was usually on bed rest, anyway, but she is amazing! A super mom though I haven't figured out where she hides her cape yet.

More later...

So, one night this now pregnant mother took us (Joseph, Mary, and I)home in her van. It had automatic doors so Joseph was so impressed. She commented on Mary Anne being a perfect visiting teacher when she grows up because she is so openly kind and caring.

It was awesome, too one night as we were coming home from a trunk or treat we decided to go out and let the wee ones gather more candy. They love to visit their house, so we did just as they were leaving, but the mom climbed out of her car and gave Joe and Mary some of their children's candy. How incredible. They were on their way to go visit a grandmother with cancer, but still stopped to make
my kid's day.

Also, for Christmas, her kids gave my kids Christmas presents. Sooooo thoughtful. And I told her how every time we visit I get more ideas of cool things to do. One day, Joseph kept announcing to the whole Jr. Primary that his mother made play dough. An idea I got from the kids begging after a playday with their friends (so I could mop the kitchen floor).

Anyhow, full circle to the party. As we arrived so did this other pregnant lady with her minimal full of kids. It made the whole event extra special for Joe and Mary to walk in with their friends.

Every morning now, Joseph wakes up to ask if he can go back and play. I wish he could. Both children slept so well the night they went to the Family Fun Center.

Birth of a New tradition

It starts here.

I was thinking about doing for others the things that made Christmas so wonderful for me when they least expect.

The tradition would be to, as a family pick an individual or family each year.