Children's Day

My Dear Children,

Do you remember last Mother's Day when you asked me when we would celebrate Children's Day?  I laughed it off and explained that every day is Children's Day!  You didn't think that was funny.  As a parent I thought it very clever.  However, I was so caught up in the hustle and bustle, the mess and stress of raising you, that I was NOT celebrating Children's Day every day.  I took your lives of innocence for granted.  Honestly, I have to admit that many mornings I counted down the minutes until you were at school and I could get my well-deserved break.

That was my mentality before the horrific tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary on December 14th.  My heart aches for the parents of those children who were killed.  My heart aches for the children, parents and community that are now coping in tragedy's wake.  My heart aches for our nation and world where violence and destruction is becoming more rampant.  This heartache and depression has been getting the best of me for the past several days.  I believe it has been a good thing; a healthy mourning period.

However, as I walk through our empty house while you're safe at school, my heart begins to lighten.  I see the three messy beds, Barbies strewn across the playroom and gifts wrapped and waiting under the Christmas tree.  These sights bring me hope and happiness.

The three messy beds remind me that you are resilient in the face of tragedy.  You get out of bed each morning and get ready for school without looking back.  You have courage and faith.

The sight of Barbies left in mid-game, ready to be picked up and played with again after chores reminds me that you are happy, giggling girls with a great childhood.  And that we should protect that within the walls of our home.  We should protect it with prayer, spiritual teaching and family fun.

And, lastly, the gifts lying in wait for Christmas, they bring to me a feeling of optimism and faith in the future.  We are blessed to be able to provide a wonderful Christmas for our family this year.  Some times I worry that we have indulged ourselves in providing too many gifts!  In years past I have audited our inventory under the Christmas tree and have often pulled out excess gifts (to save for a birthday or two) knowing that you will be overwhelmed with too many things on Christmas morning.

However, this year I'm leaving the plethora of presents under the tree.  I'm welcoming these holiday spoils.  The deeply spiritual celebration of Christ's birth will still be at the forefront of our holiday season, but in my heart, and I'm sure in the hearts of many, I will also be celebrating YOU.  My sweet, darling daughters, I will be celebrating you, your lives and the joy you bring to me.  You're only children for a short time of life.  Let's go crazy and enjoy the syrupy concentration of childhood that is created by Christmas.  I'll join you as an honorary "Kid for a Day."

HAPPY CHILDREN'S DAY!

With love always,
Mom

"That We May Have Light"

St. Joseph the Carpenter by Georges de Latour

As parents, I think we all desire a crystal ball to help anticipate the challenges that our kids might have in the future.  With that future knowledge, I figure we would be able to find solutions before problems arise.  Like you, I want what's best for my kids.  So with motivation to create the "ideal" for my children, I am constantly anticipating the challenges that lie ahead. I like to plan what's going to happen next.  However, I have become frustrated.  I cannot fathom all the possible challenges and pinpoint solutions for those infinite possibilities.  My plan wasn't working.  I now know why.  It's because my plan was not the Lord's plan.

The Lord has not given us a crystal ball, but He has given us revelation.  I've prayed about my worries constantly and for a while I was frustrated that the future was not made clear to me.  I was losing sleep and feeling desperate.  Finally, yesterday, I was at a breaking point.  While pleading for answers to come and clear my mind of a sea of uncertainties, I found peace through the scriptures.

I read about the brother of Jared.  As a leader of his family, he had the task of anticipating challenges his group would face while crossing the sea to the promised land.  His main concerns, light and air (my kids' challenges are, thankfully, not that dire).  The Lord quickly gave the brother of Jared one of the solutions (air), but challenged him to find the solution for the other (light).  Like the brother of Jared, there have been times that the Lord has clearly directed me to solutions, but, also like the brother of Jared, most of the time I have had to study and search for my own solution and then refer back to God to know if it is the right way.

In my current dilemma, I have felt like the brother of Jared and his family being tossed in the depths of uncertainty.  The more I thought and worried the deeper into the sea I went.  But then I came to Ether 6: 7 and found the revelation I was searching for:  ". . .when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters."

When I read that passage my emotions bubbled up and I felt peace.  I had been in a sea of worry and what I needed to ask for was to be brought to the top.  I knew if I could float above my worries and despair, I would for just a moment be able gain some eternal perspective and wisdom.  I again prayed to God asking Him to help me see His ways.

I discovered that anticipating my daughters' future challenges was a waste of my time.  Creating an "ideal" experience for them without trials and opposition was not what my Father in Heaven wanted for them.  I need to trust that the Lord has been and continues guiding me and my family through unclear waters.

I was also reassured that by living the gospel and teaching it to my children, my family will "have light continually, whether it was above the water or under the water." (Ether 6: 10)   Just like the sixteen small stones the Lord lit up with his touch, I have been blessed with the Spirit to help me see as long as I have faith.

I am so thankful that I finally turned to the scriptures for answers.  There is power in the word of God.  I know He can speak to us through its pages.  It's an amazing feeling to have the charge of three of His daughters here on earth.  I get so overwhelmed when I think that my decisions effect their lives.  And then the overwhelming feeling doubles when I remember how blessed I am to have Heavenly Father and my wonderful husband, Sco, there to help me in my stewardship as a mother.  I have truly been blessed.

Annual 4th of July Campout with the Halverson Heroes

Song with lyrics composed by Chloe, Jess and Lucy

A                                E7

Havin fun at the campout, Singin a song

A                                E7

Havin fun with cousins, All day long

D                           D

Cousins runnin round the fire

A                  E7             A

Wonderin what will happen next year

REPEAT

Our family's past time

Sco and his brothers grew up on the soccer field.  And they have instilled a love for the game in the next generation.  Our girls (although not players) love everything soccer.  Thanks to wonderful grandparents, we all got the chance to see the US Women's Soccer team play at Rio Tinto Stadium at the end of June.  Such an awesome experience!  We're so excited that the US Women took the gold at the Olympics too.

Daddy/daughter date to a Real soccer game in early June.

The Robinson family has some awesome season ticket seats right above the tunnel.  We always lean over to watch and cheer as Kyle, Nick, Olave and the rest of the team enter the stadium.

Yodel-Lay-He-Hoo

Scott is the sweetest husband.  For our 12th wedding anniversary in May he took me to Switzerland! I'd been there on a whirlwind adventure with my parents about 14 years ago and knew Sco would love it.  

I was right!  Switzerland is a photographers Mecca!  He hiked to the most treacherous cliffs to get "the shot".  Well worth risking his neck!

Thanks, Sco, for the most amazing adventure yet!  Love you always.

 Lauterbrunnen, one of my favorite days of our trip.  Walking the valley floor, looking up at the Alps and hearing cow bells was an amazing experience.

 Taking the train up to Jungfrau Joch was the chance of a lifetime.  Dizzying heights with views DOWN to Murren, Wengen and Grindlewald were almost too extreme for me. 

 Luzern became one of my favorite cities right when we got off at the train station.  The beautiful architecture with bridges over the river were breathtaking.  I especially loved that Sco insisted that I visit a small art museum which ended up being a treasure trove of Picasso, Klee and Kandinsky! 

 Our chalet was just behind these gorgeous dwellings.  Thanks to the Brawand family for giving us a magical stay nestled high in the Alps!  We thought we were dreaming each morning we woke up to the view below! 

 Just down the path from our chalet.  Sco really captured a beautiful scene with the low clouds and high peak of the Monch.

 I was in heaven exploring some quaint villages after getting a bit lost on the train.

 Castle on Lake Geneva.  Impressive rooms.  This banquet hall is still used for weddings and other special occasions!  

Atop the embattlements of the castle.  So fun to walk through history!

Happy Summer Vacation

Are you six or seven?

This is a question that I ask Ashley quite often.  I just can't seem to wrap my head around the idea that my baby is seven years old!  Ashley is getting a bit impatient with me and demands to be treated like a big kid.  I still feel like she should be swimming in the kiddie pool, but she shows me time and time again that she can now swim across the whole pool!  Is this what happens with the youngest child?  No matter what age they are, is it natural to always treat them like a novice?  

Because she wanted to invite a few select boys from school to her birthday party, Ashley decided to have a Phineas and Ferb theme.  Before that she wanted to have a Royal Ball party where she would get to dance with her "prince".  Glad she decided to go gender neutral.  The boys were much more at ease.

 Chloe designed the balloon chandelier.

 Ashley has a wide variety of interests. . . Alice in Wonderland to fire breathing demon dragons!

Grandma's Fairy Garden

My daughters have the sweetest grandma Janice.  She is always thinking of them, even when she's working in her garden, sewing quilts, on a trip, shopping, etc.  This is a magical treasure she created in her backyard.  The girls absolutely love this fairy garden with all it's miniature details.

San Diego 10.2011

Sea World

Wild Animal Park

Lego Land

Greatest Generation

S.S. Midway

Such a great trip!