Dance Lessons . . .

Who needs em? :-) My kids came with a natural ability to "get their groove on". (He, he.) To think it is only 4 more years until Sammi will be going to Church dances! Yikes! It looks like she will be good and ready! ;-) And watch out girls! Daniel will be searching for dance partners! Oh what fun it will be!

We had just finished watching, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and there was a special "learn how to dance" session at the end. The kids were cracking me up as they were dancing along with the goofy Oompa-Loompa guy. My children love to dance, and sing, and be silly. These are the kind of moments that I love the most. (Yes, even these silly, goof-ball, moments.) As if, for a moment -- life seems viewed through rose-colored glasses and time stands still. It makes it all worth it!

(I could write a whole blog about this movie, but maybe another time, another day!)

On a different but similar "note" . . . today Sammi went to a Phil Harmonic concert with her school class, so they can get an idea of what instrument they would like to learn for band or orchestra, next year. (There is choir, too.) I am curious to see what instrument Sammi decides is "best" for her. She has been doing pretty darn good at the most lovely instrument in the world: The Recorder. (Just love the quality of sound that comes from that thing! Ouch!)

I have never put my children in any sort of extra-curricular activity such as dancing, soccer, music lessons, etc. BUT I have been working with them at home to have the confidence in themselves so they will enjoy doing whatever they choose to do.

I have told them that once they were in 5th grade, they could choose to do whatever school activities they would like. I believe if they love something, they will thrive and do well. We HAVE been singing, dancing, art, playing sports, etc. as a family up to this point. Now, I look forward to soon watching the kid's concerts, games, and watching them as they choose their activities and as they discover what they love!

It will be interesting to see what they choose: Sports or Music. (Or if they want to try and balance both. Or maybe they will love playing for the Chess Club?!) I found as I was in high school that even though I loved playing on the volleyball, basketball and tennis teams -- music was far more important to me, so I dropped sports and sang and danced my way through school. I am glad I did. :-) Music won because it is embedded in my very soul, I could not deny that! I suppose I could have continued doing both, but I certainly do not regret spending my time performing on the stage rather than on the court!

All of my siblings have had to choose between sports and music, and music has always won! It is deep in our bones!!

My sister Beth, brother John, and me, all in choirs at Dimond High School

But who knows? My children may prefer "defense hands" rather than "jazz hands"! :-) Or using their hands doing something else altogether! It is up to them to choose . . . !!

Sports vs. Music (or both, like Troy Bolton.) ;-) wink!

For my children all I wish for is one thing . . . their happiness. I have told this to their school teachers many times when discussing placements, academics, etc. I do not care if they take over the world, or if they are the choir soloist, the star basketball player, the valedictorian, or if they save the whales. I just want for them to be HAPPY! I want their little hearts to be full of JOY.

I believe that happy people are successful people, because true "success" is to be truly happy!

I also totally believe in the self-fulfilling prophecy theory and the "You can do it!" theory. "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!" It is amazing what is possible when you believe in yourself! And when you believe in your children! As Sammi exclaims, "I CAN do it!" And it makes ALL the difference when you believe in yourself! No matter what you choose to do with your life! YOU CAN DO IT! Just believe!

Dan the Man

He looks like an ordinary boy, but . . .

Daniel has had a hard-knock-life. He seemed to enter the world ready for action and pain. He was introduced into mortal-life with the umbilical-cord wrapped around his neck, cutting off his air-supply, causing him to struggle to take his first breath. It was as if someone was declaring, "Get ready for it, kid. Life is rough. Can you handle it?" Daniel fought for air and his life, and he won his first battle. And so it began . . . Daniel's' test of strength.

Of all my children, Daniel wins for the most visits to the doctor, hands down, no contest.

Score so far: (Doctor visits NOT including illness/wellness visits)

Sammi = 1 (only needed glue, not stitches)

William = 0

Daniel = Too many to keep track of!

I thought I would make a list of all of the injuries (not including illnesses, just wounds) that Daniel has had throughout his young life . . .

• Born with cord around neck, was purple and alien-like. He was not breathing or crying when he came out. I remember screaming. "Breathe baby, BREATHE!" Luckily, the doctors were able to get him functioning properly.
• Discovered his Cashew allergy after strapping him in a car-seat, and offering him a cashew. He started choking on his swollen throat, lips puffed, eyes closed, and he struggled to breathe. Went to ER, got medicine, made him throw-up.
• Day after immunization he had a bad reaction. His whole body was swollen -- from head to toe. His hands were double the size. He screamed and itched and we ended up back at the doctor.
• He dislocated his arm at Albertsons. He did the "drop down" move and "POP!" went his arm. I did not know he was really hurt for awhile, until we got to the park and he would not move and just whimpered. Took him to doctor, x-ray showed arm out of socket. Doctor popped it back into place.
• Hives from head to toe from bunny-food reaction (cashews in bunny food!)
• Warts on fingers -- cured with vinegar! :-)
• Large splinter in his butt -- had to go to doctor to remove (It was deep!)
• Sliced head open on plastic corner of bucket -- doctor put staples in back of head
• Sliced head on corner of chair
• Sliced head on corner of Door
• Rash and scabs on his tummy from iron in his jean buttons -- cured with covering buttons
• Heat rash that comes and goes
• Sliced open his gums on the chain-link bridge at the school playground -- oral specialist stitched and repaired gums.
• etc, etc.

I have spent many hours tending to Daniel's injuries. He and I have spent many lovely nights rubbing ointments and powders, using vinegar, placing ban-aides, and riding to the doctor's office. It is rough being the mother of a Super-hero. :-)

As strong as Dan is, he is also very sensitive.

(He gave me the little flower for my hair.)

He has a very good heart.

Some pictures for viewing pleasure . . . (I do not have pictures of everything!)

Wound from running into the corner of the door

On the same day he had some weird puss-filled blister on his toe that caused him great pain, it was swollen and gross, like nothing I had seen before.

Reaction to mosquito bite, this was after it had calmed down a bit (his face was huge and puffy!)

Staples in back of head -- ouch!

Rash from head to toe

Warts. (They are ALL gone now! Hooray! Thank you vinegar!)

Stitches in his gums from playground chain-bridge

(that bridge was removed shortly after his experience!)

And the most recent injuries from just a few weeks ago . . .

He landed on a corner of his bunk-bed and he came out screaming . . . "Mom, am I bleeding?" Yes, he was, all over the place. It was deep! I thought it was pretty bad . . . to the doctor for stitches we went. He was amazing and did not even cry. He just laid still as they stitched him up. We got ice-cream afterwards.

I thought that was bad, until I was called to go to the school to get Daniel -- just a week after the first incident! I walked into the nurses office and she asked me if I was OK. I was fine. (I could not see the wound, it was bandaged up.) The nurse looked nervous, and worried. I found out why, after we got to the doctor. Daniel had run into a pole on the playground, and it looked like a bullet-hole with wood chips stuck in it. You could see down to what looked like his skull. It was a BIG hole! It was the kind of wound that makes my stomach churn and causes me to feel light-headed.

Luckily, Charles' office is right across from our Urgent Care (that has proved to be very convenient!) so he came right over and sat with Daniel the whole time (I had William, too). After waiting a long time the front desk lady had me go in with Daniel, but they were just starting the stitching process! We walked in (me and William) at the WRONG TIME. Daniel was lying under blue plastic paper with a hole placed over the flesh wound. William was shocked, as was I! I had never seen something so big and deep before . . . it almost beat out the gruesome-sliced-gums experience -- almost! (The mouth aspect made the gums seem worse!) But this one, this new wound, will leave a visible mark -- probably forever. So it made me feel nervous for Dan and anxious to see the final result of the repair-work. They did a pretty nice job turning a hole into a slice.

Because it was a round hole, they actually had to cut slits off of the side of the hole, so it would be able to close properly. The doctor put stitches on the inside, and out. It is a fairly pretty scar . . . almost Harry Potter-ish. Daniel was actually thinking he should have requested them to add a few slices to turn it into a lightning bolt. :-)

Notice the fresh scar from the other stitches, they were removed the same time they were sewing him up again. The doctor thought it was pretty comical: stitches out, stitches in. When finished, Daniel leapt from the surgery bed and landed in a spider-man pose -- the doctor looked at me as if to say, "No wonder!" Yes, I agree! No wonder!

(Neosporin is our new best friend, everyday, for 6 months.)

Daniel is a special kid. He did not cry for the last injury, at all. Not right after it happened, not during stitches, nothing. I think most kids (and adults) would have been horrified. He is a rock. (Thank goodness!) I love my Daniel. The doctor recommended football with the kind of pain-tolerance and physical strength that he has. NOT A CHANCE! All of the things that have happened so far happened during normal life! Football = NEVER!

Daniel has endured a lot of pain in his short little life, starting from day one, poor thing. Luckily, it would seem that Daniel is equal in strength to the pain he has had to endure. I pray that is true throughout his lifetime. His middle name, Evan, means "Warrior of God". I suppose it is hard to be a warrior, without showing some battle wounds. ;-) And battle wounds my Daniel Evan DOES have! I know he has learned a lot from his experiences with pain, for that I am grateful. If only he could learn to slow down!

I think part of the reason for many of the injuries is because Daniel "goes all the way". He is a super-strong kid physically (it is kind-of a genetic thing) and just the raw force of his motions and movements are intense. Especially now, as he grows bigger. I am just saying, I want him on my team if super-human strength is required. :-) However, he does need to watch out for Kryptonite . . . and chain-linked bridges, and poles, and door jams, and toy bins . . .

Be careful out there, my Super-Dan!

Spread your wings and fly safely little man!

A little motivation, for me, and maybe you, too!

Continuing on with my enthusiasm for running . . . I thought I would pull out some old pictures and remind myself HOW GOOD it is to RUN! It makes SUCH a BIG difference!

Below is a "before" picture. We had JUST left Alaska to move to Spokane for Law school. Daniel was one year. I had been trying to workout a little in AK, but limited by my neighborhood. (Living in a scary part of Anchorage took a toll after 4 years!) I would do Tae-BO and run occasionally, but nothing consistently! That, plus a few pregnancies, caught up with me!

August 2004

One year of living in Spokane was all it took. There was just something about it there that made me want to RUN! It was so BEAUTIFUL! I ran ALL the time, sometimes twice a day -- just for fun! It was such a rewarding experience to be there, and to run there. I felt REALLY good! (And I looked OK too!) This picture just goes to show what a difference running can make! (35-40lbs!)

Sometime in 2005 or 2006??

Now, I am somewhere in between the first picture and the second one. But I have begun my journey to reclaim the healthy and strong Mari again! I feel that same fire brewing within me! I know it will always be a battle for me, but it is a battle worth fighting for!

A HEALTHY, STRONG ME! ;-)

November 2010 (we will call this my new "before" picture)

(Can you tell how much Charles loves me? ;-) wink!)

Running has always been my saving grace. I am so grateful I started when I was 17 . . . it has made all the difference in my life! I thank my Heavenly Father for legs -- that despite their imperfections -- still carry me forward towards my goals!

Here is a picture taken just a little before Kary and I started running together, all those years ago . . . neither one of us has stopped since! Thank you Kary for dragging my butt out that very first day! Little did we know we were both "saving our lives" that day!

Notice the difference running has made for my sister Kary . . .

She is 42 and a total BABE! ;-) (And my inspiration!)

I know running is not for everyone, but I love it, and encourage everyone to try it! I have seen people run of every shape and size and ability. When I was in Spokane, I used to run past a man who would run daily, wearing a prosthetic leg. There was another woman there, who did not have any arms, and yet, she ran.

My sister (Kary) has been through several different ailments (NOT because of running!) including having to wear a heal lift in her shoes -- but she still runs, and is better and happier for it! My older brother had a degenerative disc in his spine, surgeries, and he has gotten into running and it helps him a lot! You just have to take it slow in the beginning, run steadily, and you can find out what amazing things your body is capable of! Anyone who has seen the Biggest Loser knows that anyone can do it! One foot after the other is how miracles begin.

One more motivational picture for me . . . this was me, 20 weeks pregnant, with William. I ran up until the 7 month. It made ALL the difference in the world. I literally "bounced back" right after pregnancy. If only I knew how good I was when I was it! ;-)

20 weeks

7-8 months

For some reason, leaving Spokane has made a difference for me. I have not been able to, thus far, break the barrier I want to break. I am not sure why? Is it age? Is it stress? Is it "real life" after school? Is it location? Is it school-aged children? Am I just less driven?

I admit, Spokane beats Boise in beauty hands down. It is just a fact. I WANTED to run in Spokane, just to be out in the beauty of it. Do NOT get me wrong, I love Boise, but it's beauty is different! Spokane's South Hill was magic for me. I would run just to look at the unique brick homes, cobble-stone roads, and beautiful tree-lined parks. I cannot go back, so I have to move forward. I will find my way to success, here in Boise, Idaho. Maybe I have just been eating too many Potatoes . . . :-)

Regardless of preferred location, I do love running outside in Heavenly Father's beautiful Earth -- it beats the gym any day, there is really nothing better! (I learned that last year!) So if you are considering an exercise plan for the new year, I highly recommend a quality pair of running shoes. Bundle up, step out the door, and discover the joy that running can bring! ;-)

P.S. Something else that enhances my "natural beauty" is hair highlights. Perhaps as a progress reward I will send myself to the salon. It has been a year. :-)

P.P.S. I may sound a little vain with all this talk about me and my body, but are we not ALL a little vain when it comes to appearance? I do not care what others think of my appearance (with the exception of Charles, but he thinks I am beautiful, always, of course) but I DO care how I feel about my appearance.

People will judge, regardless. But in reality . . . when I look better, I feel better. It is a fact. It even says that in a YW manual! ;-) That whole "paint your barn" thing.

(You know, give your old crusty barn a new fresh coat of paint . . . or give your old crusty hair a fresh coat of hair dye . . . or your old crusty body some exercise?) You should make of yourself, your home, you barn, etc., as beautiful and attractive of a creation as it can be. (It is amazing what a little make-up/hair styling/exercise can do!)

The concept is: If you live in a small cottage, make it the most lovely cottage on the block! ;-) I dare say that the most beautiful homes are not mansions, and the most beautiful people are not super-models.

Remember, we do not paint our barns just for the neighbors to enjoy, or envy, but rather, so we can enjoy being in the barn ourselves. ;-) And that, my friends, is why I run. My barn (body) needs a little repairing, a little paint, love, some flower boxes, and attention, so that I (my spirit) can feel good whilst I dwell in it! :-)

On to allowing my spirit to feel whole as I treat my body -- my personal temple -- with the respect Heavenly Father wants me to treat it with.