Susan, Heidi, Cassie, Kathryn and Wendy

                                    Susan, Emily, Heidi, Cassie, Kathryn, and Wendy!!!!!

       These women are angels in my life. There is not a day that goes by that I do not praise and thank God for the wonderful gift that I have of being not just friends with them, but also being able to communicate with them daily; share hopes, dreams , fears, and spiritual insights with them.

Analyzing as a five-year old

Will had so much fun at his pre-school Halloween party! I am not sure what Will and his fellow super hero friend were discussing while in line to hit the pinata, but I know what kind of Star Wars discussion that Will has been having with me! Likely if Will talks to his friends the way he does me...he will be leaving them scratching their heads since Will is advanced in his ways of analyzing the world around him.

Will said to me the other day, " Mommy, I think Darth Vader wanted to repent." I said, " Why do you think that? What are you talking about? " He replied, " I think Darth Vader was really meaning to repent when he took off his helmet and said he was his father."

Will clearly is trying to connect the things that he is learning to the things that he thinks about! As we were buying his Halloween costume he kept telling me, " I want to be Star " Bers " ( that's how he says it) but I don't want to be a bad guy."

Maybe the reason Will decided it would be okay to be a Shock Trooper was because he decided that Darth Vader had repented? I don't even know what a Shock Trooper is, so as Will kept asking is this guy good or bad when we were shopping for a costume, I just had to tell him I don't know? We asked the sales associates as well, and they didn't know either!

Soaring Eagle Award - Encourage

                                       In all honesty I think the excitement about being chosen as a Soaring Eagle at school has worn off for Brooke. Brooke likes to do hard things and the Soaring Eagle Award has changed to two students per class each time they award the children for a special characteristic trait every semester.

I congratulated Brooke and was very proud of her for being chosen for the Soaring Eagle last week, under the characteristic trait of " ENCOURAGE ", but her comment was, " Now that they award so many students it isn't really special or a big deal to be chosen."

I told her that I was still proud of her for always being first every year to be chosen as a Soaring Eagle and that it is true that she encourages people around her all the time to be happy, to work harder, and gives them support.

                              I thought maybe Brooke might feel special about her good character if I snuck her away to go get donuts after the assembly, ( since she has p.e. first thing in the morning ) and then we did her favorite thing- we went to half price books and bought her some books.

This Brooke can not get her face out a book! She even made the comment the other day that she doesn't know how she would live with out books because they are part of what makes her her!

Leading By Example

Every six months Brooke actually gets excited for General Conference! When she hears it is coming she will get a huge smile on her face and jump up and down. This year I was very careful to let her make her own choice with out influence about whether or not she would watch the Sat. session of conference and miss her soccer game. 

One wonderful thing about Brooke is that she is a leader and not a follower. Brooke is always leading others to do what is right. Brooke did not hesitate at all when her Dad asked her if she wanted to go play her soccer game on the Sat. morning of Oct.2015 General Conference.  I added to his question that comment that she could watch what she missed later because Grandma and Grandpa record it and it would be available online. 

Brooke said, " I want to watch conference and miss my game." No hesitation whatsoever. 

A couple hours later - I was not surprised that as we watched conference that Sat. morning- Brooke took the most amazing notes that a nine-year old could take. 

Here are a couple lines from her notes:

Richard Maynes - The healing of our hearts begins when we submit ourselves to God. When we open our heart to him, he will take us in. 

-That does not mean it will all work out now, but someday both negative and positive will all work out. 

 - Because we love God we want to help others. If we walk this path we will have a better eternity.    

 ( Be nice ) 

- We don't need to be more of anything. God will take us as we are. God can see a poor farmer as a king. The Savior saves us. Exaltation is our goal. Discipleship is our journey. 

Gifting Love Language

Will has never taken an interest in horses. When he asked if we had enough money to buy a " real horse " I was surprised. I told him that we don't even have a place to ride a horse in our yard. Will said, " Mommy, I don't want the horse. I was going to buy a horse for Jordan because she loves "My Little Ponies" and horses are ponies you know?" Will is loving playing with the sweet little neighbor Jordan. I didn't know he liked her that much though!

Austin Aquarium

Sting Not

                     Feeding the Sting Rays at the Austin Aquarium was like feeding puppy dogs doggy treats! These Sting Rays were the friendliest fish we have ever met! The actually wanted to be pet even after we ran out of squid that we were feeding them!

Grandpa Pack Caught a Shark with His Bare Hands

                               When we were at the Austin Aquarium, since the whole aquarium was hands on as you wash your hands first - I dared Grandpa Pack to pet one of the young sharks in the tank that you can throw food into. Well....Grandpa Pack didn't pet the shark - HE CAUGHT ONE WITH HIS BARE HANDS!!!

I don't think we ever need to be worried if we will have food to eat when both Grandpa Pack and Kevin are alive. I have seen them both catch fish mid-swim with their bare hands...

I guess it is the female in me that depends on males for my food that made me impressed! Plus, it was fun to see the faces of the other surrounding tourists.

I could never catch a shark with my hands!

Pause For Breaking News - Baby Bunnies

Pause Trip to Austin For Breaking News!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If I look exhausted, it is because I am.....

On Monday morning as I was about to walk out the door to get Will to pre-school....I heard a squeak like the sound of a mouse. I thought....that can't be the bunnies? It was coming from a closet specially designated for them. My kind and patient husband specially built a double- decker cage that would fit right into the closet that used to only have a litter box in it. Now it has a litter box and bunnies in it. I went into the bunny closet and six baby bunnies were in the back of the cage!!! I was shocked!!! 

We did plan to start a bunny family after Brooke and Will were fighting over the one bunny- we got another and opted for the sex that would allow for babies.  Brooke threw it them a wedding...but the female bunny ran away and cried like a baby when we put her with the male - so we didn't think the relationship was going to work for them? 

                                                                     ( Brooke planned a bunny wedding for these two and actually made this bunny a dress and gave invitations to neighbors and Grandpa and Grandma Pack )

We didn't know she actually did get pregnant! Suddenly six baby baby bunnies were in her cage and their little legs were falling through the wires of the cage that the poop falls into. 

I called Kevin and he said the surprise and shock in my voice was like I had seen a ghost. 

I didn't know what to do!!!?!!! 

 So....I went and picked Brooke up from school because I could not handle not having her with me there to enjoy the excitement and surprise, and also Brooke was the one whom had been  re-searching and reading all kinds of bunny books! I rushed to Brooke's school... I could not wait to see the huge smile on her face when I would tell her that she was a bunny Mamma. She started jumping up and down. I suppose the front office at the school knew something was up because children don't jump up and down when their Mom has picked them up for a dentist appointment ;)

I am so thankful for the prayers that have been answered regarding these bunnies. We lost two of them and I truly know prayers were heard because I happen to be at Pets Mart at the same time as a bunny rehabilitator whom has given me baby bunny formula and has taught me how to hand feed the babies. 

I have compassion for busy busy new Moms and Moms with many children this week because these babies only need to be kept warm and fed. They don't cry, need diaper changes or need to be held a lot. 

I have felt responsible for these helpless animals that my God created and allowed to be a joy and food for us. He has most definitely heard my prayers and prayers of those close to me as the four bunnies seem to be doing well now!!!! 

What a miracle and a blessing that new life is, even baby bunnies have reminded us all of that! 

Ps. Major kudos to Kevin whom stays up way late anyways but this time has been holding baby bunnies in the middle of the night with me!!! 

FUN WITH THE BIRDS

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