Thumbs up for the first week of school

It was our first week of school and we made it through.  Two thumbs up for a successful finish.  In celebratory fashion, on Friday of this week, Brad took the boys kayaking.  Lucky for us it was sunny that evening(We've been having lots of rain and thunder showers this last week).  Kenzie would have gone, but she ended up with a cold, possibly strep throat, so she was absent :(  She is over whatever it was now.  I know because all day long she's been singing.  A good thing since she has tryouts for the high school musical this coming Tuesday.

 Brad visited the orthopedic surgeon for a six week check-up this Tuesday.   Still no sign of bony callous (the first sign that bone is growing back) on his tibia.  The doctor said at this point that this is not abnormal.  It does, however, mean that Brad is still non-weight bearing on his crutches for a minimum of another four weeks when we go back for a check-up.  He did get his cast off and a boot put on.  The advantage of this is he can take the boot off for showering and sleeping.

His nail polish that Kenzie did for him is lasting well:)  Despite his injury, the office is healthy.  For the most part, we have him doing procedures that he can go in and out of and rest his foot in-between.  We have a great set-up for him in his office.
 

I caught a picture of some of our most common visiting wildlife.  You know in our yard we've seen bears, deer and a lone mountain lion.  Well, early Saturday morning I was preparing my shopping list before heading out for my morning chores when I saw our friendly turkeys strut by our front porch.  I sent Riley out to snap a few pictures.

While not the best picture, you get the idea.  There were actually about ten of them roaming around, some babies and some adults.  The biggest was about 2 1/2 feet tall.  They surprise me quite frequently when I am out and about in the morning.  In fact, just the other day I had returned from an early morning bike and heard some movement in the bushes fearing, of course, a mountain lion.  When I finally located where the sound was coming from it was these guys.  When we had Harley they didn't visit us as much because he, of course, would chase them away and up trees nearby.  I love seeing the wildlife here.

Missed first day of school pictures but Kenzie insisted that I capture one of her wrapped up in a blanket at the end of the first day of school.

 It's her funny sense of humor trying to match all those "cute" first day of school pictures.  Then she dared me to post it on facebook.  She promised me if I did she wouldn't hassle me anymore about not trying out for the musical...so I posted it.  She totally reneged on that promise as she vexed me greatly after the big drama meeting at the highs chool Thursday night.  We had a disagreement where she told me the only reason she was trying out was for me.  I think we came to a good compromise.  Being a parent is tough at times I tell you.  You only want what is best for your children and at times you find yourself wondering if you push them or let them be.  That is always the most difficult part of being a parent to me, I hope I'm doing it right.

In church today we discussed the Title of Liberty that Moroni rose and the "battles" that we fight today.  At the end of the lesson, the teacher asked the question as to what we would write on our Title of Liberties today.  What standard are we raising?  When she asked the question I immediately reflected on a conversation I had with my sister, Melissa, the other day.  She told me that she had recently had an opportunity to sit down with Elder Oaks, an apostle from our church.  She said that he opened the session up for questions from the audience that was attending.  She said one Bishop raised his hand and asked for help in understanding why the church was taking the stance it has on same sex marriages.  Elder Oaks answered that it was because in the church they were required, by God, to teach what it takes to reach the celestial Kingdom.  They are required to teach what will bring people the most happiness.  Marriage between a man and woman is what it takes to obtain the celestial kingdom and they cannot teach anything less.  So, when I was posed this question I thought I would raise a title with the standards God has set forth and it would be very similar to what Moroni wrote, "In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and peace, our wives and our children."  We cannot raise anything less because it is these things: servitude to a loving God, the gospel, freedom and our families that truly do bring us true happiness.