Jack's Baptism

We were fortunate to be able to see Jack get baptized last Saturday, March 1, 2014. He has grown up so much in the last year! This photo above and the two below were taken on the morning of his baptism. I have a feeling Jack will spend a lot of time in a suit during the course of his lifetime. The photos weren't posed, he was just having a conversation with other people in the room while we were gathering everyone to drive up to the Stake Center. He is so natural in his new black suit. I mentioned that he "happily inhabited" it. Dad said, "You mean unlike me who can't wait to rip off my tie and get out of a suit jacket?"  I think that might also have something to do with differences in the size of your necks when it comes to the tie-wearing!

But here is dad lookin' good in his suit and tie for the occasion (although I can detect subtle body language that is saying "get me out of this monkey suit!").

But oh doesn't Jack look handsome and ready to take on the world?

Jack is a happy, smart, enthusiastic boy with lots of curiosity, confidence and freckles! He seemed to take getting baptized very seriously and is going to be a wonderful new member of the church. Even though he is allergic to being hugged so tight by his grandmother, he realizes that is part of charity, and he must endure it well. He and Ethan are soul-mates in that regard!

Here he is after his baptism, with his friend "Maley" and the missionaries.

                                   Perfect!

And then those two cute little sisters. It is wonderful to be loved by granddaughters! Oh the bursting creativity and delicate beauty and sensitivity of  female spirits. Who can put a price on on it? Macy made us special welcome cards, with dimes carefully taped inside of them, and even wrote something specific in them for each one of her grandparents (grandma and grandma Huish were there too). Dad's card said "I love you grandpa Sweat. I like it when you make tunnels with your legs" :-).

It's so fun to hang out at Amy and Dave's house and talk and play games and play the piano while Amy plays her guitar, and eat their food in their gorgeous newly decorated kitchen! Amy's crockpot dinner with yummy broiled asparagus and Parmesean, making lunch on their island in the kitchen (sandwiches always taste better there), eating peanut butter and chocolate ice cream before bed, and gorging on Dave's fabulous 7-layer dip. All through Fast Sunday I kept longing for it! And it's always a treat to attend church at each one of you kid's wards when we visit. I always learn something new. And it was awesome to peak in the window and watch Amy teaching her Sunday School class of fifteen 12 and 13-year-olds all by herself! The thing I learned at church this time (other than how cute Jack was when he was introduced to the ward by the Bishop as a newly baptized member, and how Jack, Macy and Carly love to sing the hymns in Sacrament Meeting; and how Carly conveniently decides to snuggle down on mommy and take a nap each Sunday since sacrament meeting is at 1:00 pm ) was from a comment a sister made regarding when she fasts. She is a seminary teacher (and a convert) and was saying how when she fasts for her seminary students, she tries to fast so that she is adding her faith to what THEY are seeking answers for. It was a great thought for me to think about when we fast for other people.

And now here are a few additional photos of our visit.


Nothing like being spun by dad!

Cutie-pie brown-eyed Carly and green-eyed Macy at the baptism.

Here is Jack channeling his inner game. Not that he needs to. He whupped me soundly every time we played Stratego. At one point he said "Grandma, I have my pieces go out in teams. That way if a scout is killed, there's a higher number right behind him." How does he know that stuff? I was just trying to learn what each piece did, and it felt like when you kids were in 5th grade and needed help with a math problem and I'd have to go back a few chapters and read up on basic concepts. Pretty soon you stopped asking! I do know that piece 3 can kill a bomb........I think. Or maybe that's piece two, the spy? No, that's piece #1.

Here is a glimpse of Catsy Huish retreating. (I don't think Catsy has a middle name. I know "Buttercup Kitty-Kitty Hallstrom" had a middle name), but I think Catsy is just "Catsy Huish." Catsy is a beautiful cat! He was invisible the first night we were there. On Saturday I caught a rare glimpse of him streaking from the bedroom into his little cat door to the basement. And then on Sunday he peered into the family room from the hall and then pulled back immediately to ponder us, the interlopers. It was like when a cat goes outside after it's been raining and they put out one paw, then pull it back and shake it, then put it out again. He finally got the courage to curl up under a chair but kept a weather eye on all of us. And then later that afternoon he let me pet him, and even wound himself around my legs when we were sitting at the table coloring!

 I am gah-gah over how cute Macy and Jack look in their school uniforms.

On the last night we were there it was time for Carly to go to bed and she headed into her bedroom out of habit (she was sleeping on a mattress on the floor in Jack's room while we were all there) and there I was on her bed getting ready to sleep in it. She stopped in her tracks for a minute, kinda like Goldilocks,and giggled. Thank you for sharing your room beautiful, goofy Car-Car!!And Macy, I just realized what you were talking about when you were asking for the mints you love! Here they are honey!!! I will make sure to have some in my purse next time I see you!

Monday morning it was time for dad and I to hit the road again. We loved our short visit, although then I miss everyone all over again! Being able to share in your lives is what living is all about. It is everything. And being a grandparent is still something I can't describe. It's like I'm getting away with something. Too good to be true! Kind of like being retired. Seriously, today as I was driving home from an eye appointment, it might as well have been the first day of retirement for me in the footloose and fancy free way it felt. I am still as breathlessly amazed that I have an entire day to do whatever I want to do as I was over a year ago when I first retired.


And speaking of driving home from an eye appointment, I will end on a final, hilarious note.

T

Today I had an eye doctor appointment at 8:40. What was I thinking making it so early in the morning? Anyway, I lost track of the time as I was puttering around getting ready, and as I left, I grabbed my coat and purse and then stopped and contemplated which shoes I wanted to wear. I threw my coat and purse into the car and ran back into the house to get my glasses which I'd left on the counter and then was on my way.  When I arrived at the clinic after a 30-minute drive, I grabbed my purse, reached around to get my shoes...................(I like to drive without shoes BTW)...............my shoes.........were they in the back seat?..............no shoes?.......................NO SHOES!! What to do? I decided to WALK like I was wearing shoes. I was wearing very presentable socks. Ow, ow, ow, ow, across the parking lot. I may have given pause to the young lady who rode up with me in the elevator; however, there was not one other patient in the waiting room when I checked in. When I was called back, I pitter-pattered silently behind the assistant to the exam room. We sat down, and she informed me she'd just had surgery on her foot and so we focused entirely on HER feet. And then she dimmed the lights for the eye tests and I was in the clear! (I may have cataract surgery sooner than later too, but we'll see (tee hee). Then the doctor came in (Dr. Ungricht, the brother to Miss Ungricht who I think was Andrew's kindergarten teacher). He had just returned from doing a month's work of humanitarian aide, which is so cool. Anyway, he never once looked down at my feet. When we were finished, I proudly padded down the hall, checked out at the front desk, walked across the parking lot, ow, ow, ow, ow, got into my car, and drove home.

XOXO
Mom