I love you come rain or shine

Truth is... Cole inherited redish hair from me. And I can't lie any longer, as here is absolute proof of my redness.... But my hair is quite blond at the same time... depending on where the sun hits it and how much bleach I've recently dumped on it! It is ever changing in color. But until I dug these photo memories out, I had forgotten how red my hair used to be.

Anywhoooo... that is not what this little postage is about because I just celebrated a dozen blissful and sometimes blustery years with my one twoo love. It's true. On Flag day.

And I didn't write about it on that exact anniversary because I was celebrating!

I think Mr. Mecham was my soul mate in the heavens before this earth. There were just too many little things that matched us up perfectly to make me believe other wise.

I share this story so I never forget it. And besides I believe in miracles and there is reason.

From the time that I dressed up in my princess dresses and pretended the white dish cloths were the veil that draped my wedding head... from the time I was swooned by the husband that I dreamed of while talking to Mr. "invisible" but knowing someday that empty space would be filled... from the time that I played house and pretend with dolls and imaginary friends... until that time that it all became real... I always wanted to be married in the Manti, Ut temple. That same temple that sits on the ground that was dedicated for it's building centuries earlier by Moroni himself. It stood as the castle of dreams in my mind. And I was determined to get there. I even carried a picture of it in my scriptures for the 20 years before I wed and still do today.

And in that same vision that I had created for "the perfect" wedding celebration, I saw a garden reception and beautiful flowers everywhere!

And so I planned for such a day.

After our engagement Nate's father instructed him that "this is the bride's day" therefore, Nate was to let the bride decide where we would seal our union... even though Nathan had his heart set on one special place that his own parents, grandparents and most of his siblings had wed, and even though he had fond memories of visiting and playing where his grandparents had served a mission years ago... and a dream to take his bride to that very place, (the same place his progenitors had wed) he took the advise of that wise old dad of his. He surrendered the idea of "where" and made peace that it was eternal. Then he asked the question... "what temple would you like to be married in?" and without skipping a beat I declared, "Manti". And at that moment I couldn't have known the joy in his heart since I was naive to the for mentioned truth regarding his own desires. And I would have never known that Manti was his dream too since he was determined to let this be "the bride's day". But that captivating smile absolutely spoke to my heart that he dreamed a dream of sealing our nuptials in that very place.

It was magical.

The weeks leading up to our union were wet and cold outside. I had reserved a beautiful garden to greet our friends in celebration on the evening of our wedding. I was instructed to "reserve the church next door in case of inclimate weather". But I knew what I wanted and a church gymnasium didn't have a place in my plans. So I declined the suggestion. And I had 1,000 wedding invites made up that didn't have that church address on it at all.

Well... the week of matrimony approached. It was unusually rainy. But I was certain that I still was having a garden wedding... outside... in a garden! And so I did not stress, though my poor mother must have lost sleep over the whole thing. After all, the forecast was "rainy through the weekend".

The eve of my marriage arrived. It was rainy. We enjoyed a lovely dinner (inside) hosted by the Mechams. The food was incredible. And after departing to our separate homes one last night, I realized that it was raining. So I fell to my knees. I explained the whole dream I dreamed the plans I had made and reminded the all powerful and kind God of Heaven that I was being sealed to my husband in the morning at 11:00 in Manti, Ut and then I asked a hugemungous favor. One I don't know if I will ever be worthy of. But I was ever so desperate. And so I asked for an evening that wouldn't be rainy because I really wanted my garden reception. And then I even more boldly (but humble enough to realize that I needed help.. like really bad...) requested that I know by a sign in the sky come morning. And I couldn't have been more specific than when I asked, "please let me know by a blue, cloudless sky so that I can enjoy the day". And if I didn't see it in the morning, I would know that it was time to reserve the gymnasium. And then climbed into bed and closed my eyes.

I was awaken the next morning by the song of my father who was singing about "blue skys shining on me". I sat up smiling... but I had to see for myself if it was true. So I dashed up the stairs and flung open the door to the most lovely bluest blue sky I had ever seen. There was not even one puffy white cloud anywhere in sight. My heart leaped. My eyes overflowed. I was most grateful. I had asked for and had seen a miracle. And at that moment I decided that I would live the rest of my life knowing for certainty that prayer changes things and that it is my life line to the heavens.

As the day went on the wind picked up. In fact, it was quite blustery in Sanpete county when we came out of the temple as Mr. and Mrs. Mecham for pictures. The sky had turned grey. As the day went on rain clouds landed hard and rain ripped out of sky like nobodies business! Seriously! My mother must have questioned me a gajillion times. We had invited 1,000 people to this event and it was pouring rain! So Nate and I drove to the garden with our windshield wipers on full speed. In my mind I knew what I saw that morning. More importantly, in my heart I knew what I felt. And I believed in the Almighty more that day than I ever have in my life. We parked in the church parking lot... the one that I never reserved... and when we turned off the car the rain stopped. So we hopped out and walked into the garden(without an umbrella) where the owner sat bright eyed. She announced that the rain had stopped an hour earlier in her yard but that it was raining all around her. Funny thing to say! When we looked up the sky was blue. So we got ready and everyone arrived. And wouldn't you know, that blue sky was like a bubble over that garden for the entire evening. And wouldn't you know that it was so amazing that it stole "the bride's day"! There were hundreds of people that walked through and said, "it is raining everywhere but in this back yard"... And I would smile and reply, "God is good".

And God is good... because a dozen years ago he not only stopped the rain from ruining my garden reception, He also answered my prayers and dreams of an eternal companion...

who I look forward to walking another dozen + years with and whom I love...

Come rain or shine.

soggy suits

Around here, where the sun shines HOT during the summer, we've learned to love it in our swim suits! Soggy swim suits! But you can't love water if you don't know how to float to the top for air. So we start em' young with Ms. Dana... and then make swimming a sport! Cole is still perfecting his stroke. Hopefully next year he will join the world of swim team. Or maybe the year after that!


But until then, he has established a fearless jump into the water and then gives it his all to the pool edge.

And when he is done, he gets a gummy worm.

This is the aquatic center that the older ones love to work out in. It looks big. It is BIG! ... and it's brand new this year! and sometimes it is exhausting to think about the number of laps that swim in it each morning.

This is McKay's first year at swim team. He was scared to death on the first day! In fact, after the first lap he hopped out and said, "I am NOT doing this"... very determined like~which is in his genetic make up... But I reminded him that we will not be giving up after one lap. Because that is unacceptable. And so then in an extremely uncharacteristic defiant tone McKay informed me "I am NOT going back". So we had a little pow wow followed by my very own promise that "if you still hate it by the end of the week then we will get out". One week... who can't do that? HA! wouldn't you know it... by the end of the first day McKay was IN LOVE with that swim team. He couldn't get enough! "But I am NOT competing, Mom".

What ever McKay... That will be next years pow wow.

and so off he jumped... swimming his heart out... and finding that sometimes hard things are fun.

And sometimes they are even addicting!

Bailey, on the other hand, wakes up happy and early each morning, pouring herself a bowl of cereal so that she has energy but doesn't feel full. She braids her pig tails and steps into her swim suit. As soon as car pool arrives, she is off!

I arrived early to watch her glide through the water before picking her up. She swims like a dolphin. She was in the middle of swimming 8 laps, boustrophedonically, without stopping! HOLY SHMOLLY. And I couldn't help but feel endorphins kick in from all that good exercise! I even suggested she do a sprint tri (for kids) with me and her aunt Rosie this winter... and that little lady smiled and said, "we'll see".

The swim teamers in my family are certain that they haven't a desire to compete. However, Cole is sure that he will be winning at the meets when he finally gets to go to swim team.

We are keeping it quiet from Cole that once he finally joins swim team he trades in gummy worms for an hour of pool laps. What he doesn't know won't hurt him for now... and anyway, I know just what to say if a pow wow is needed when we get there.

Because this IS how we tolerate summer around here!!

In our soggy suits.

eating more carrots around here...

We decided to take advantage of great vision insurance last week... and besides, little McKay was struggling to put his mighty reading skills to use with poor sight. So off we went to the optometrist. I have freakish dreams about that machine that blows air into your eyeball. My eyes water just thinking about it. But since my glasses aren't working for me any more, I decided I'd get my eyes checked too. Now don't laugh... I see great! But I've worn glasses since I was 14. Well... kinda! I wore them out of great necessity to begin with. Then with each pregnancy my sight got better and better and better until just after Cole was born and my eyes were just off -1.

Now here is the kicker...

So I believed that at night when I want to stay up super late reading big huge books with little tiny writing... and in those times when my bod has checked into the twilight zone but my eye lids aren't yet closed, but the optic nerve has absolutely gone to bed... at that moment my eyes seem a little lazy like. So my interpretation of that was that the prescription had changed again. After all, who's eyes don't want to collect reading material all hours of the night? That couldn't have been the issue...

It made sense...

After explaining this to Doc. eyes he shook his head and said, "I don't have a prescription for that. Your eyes have 20/20 vision. Some how they've completely corrected themselves. I suggest you go to bed when they are tired."

And before I could completely consume all of the info that was shot my direction, I realized that Doc. eyes just told me I have 20/20 vision. My carrot consumption has paid off! (now I just have to get my hind parts back to a normal size!)

It wasn't really until later that night when I pulled out a big ol' book that the rest of the conversation sunk in. He might think I'm a little dingy?! But who cares?? ... I don't have to see him again any way!

McKay on the other hand landed himself a different sort of diagnosis. It came with a promise that "he will wear glasses the rest of his life". It's a darn good thing he's so good looken'. And I don't know that I believe he'll actually wear them forever anyway! After all, I am his mother and we all now know the history of my 20 year clear vision detour. But if not, then one cutie little man will be re-inventing "cool" with glasses for years to come!

Regardless... we are eating more carrots around here.

Lov'n summer time

Changing seasons is exciting! like butterflies exciting for me. I love something about every season... But I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE Summer! Today when I said this to a friend she stared at me in disbelief for a moment and then in a perplexed voice said, "are you being serious?" She couldn't tell since last week this same friend was the recipient of the "holy cow I am so darn busy that I think I'm going to die" phone call...

But truly, Before school got out I lied awake at night like a kid on Christmas eve planning the fun I would have with my toy... but in this case, I was imagining summer with a full schedule of all the things I love (which is nothing particular at all but rather all encompassing), and kids home all to myself.... (hehehe... the kids don't want to be all mine... they want their friends. but I pretend anyway... even if Bailey has spent all summer with Joslyn!)I present the beginning of my garden harvest. Don't these red beauties look... well... under watered and then over watered?! YIKES... but the flavor is incredible! So we just cut out the cracks, pull out the pepper and fork and DIG in! In my humble opinion, tomatoes are best in between two pieces of spelt bread with fresh cucumber and purple onion and a slice of Havarti to bring out its most exotic flavor... don't forget the mayo. Today we pulled one off the vine that is the size of my head. We've decided to give it a name and blessing.
I love that the sun shines longer hours! It wakes me up... and plays tricks on my dinner time and bed times. I love it! I do try to maintain a bed time for children who do well with sleep... especially after a long hard day at play, however, when slumber doesn't come quickly, it is sooooooo easy to pull out the ice cream and newspaper funnies and indulge in late night conversation with the little ones. They are so enjoyable when they think they are getting to do the unthinkable (stay up with mom and dad)! And now that I've said that out loud, no wonder they don't like going to bed... they think we sit up eating ice cream every night! hmmmm.

having time to bake treats and share with friends is always a favorite! We love friends. I LOVE having a gajillion over at once and listening to them play and laugh and watch them raid the freezer for Popsicles. In fact, my rule "eat as many Popsicles as you'd like. It's hot and they cool you off", quickly changed after the kids went through 4 boxes in one Saturday. So now I stock the freezer with one request, "please ask before you take". That way I keep my finger on the pulse of Popsicle consumption and in so doing save myself dollars at the grocers and years of fighting juvenile diabetes.... (what? where did that come in?) Somehow the friends always end up wet from the garden hose and my kids have on swim suits. Gotta love summer.

summer isn't summer without HAWSOME toes.

And swim team and sleeping late and waking up early and weeding the garden and harvesting the veg. And giggles and tans and wrinkled skin in the pool and more friends and feeding the neighborhood and dinner made fresh from the fridge... forget the oven... and outings and shorts and flip flops and then... finally... passing out in cold sheets while dozing off to smells of sun tan lotion and the hum of air conditioning.

But the very best part... NO SCHOOL!

Can't get enough!

I LOVE SUMMER.

birthday greetings again...

I love birthdays! There is a certain "magic" that I feel upon the rising of the celebration of one's mortal life. Truly, when you think of the significance of birth... life... it is pretty cool indeed!
Today I reflect on the short years I've known Linda June who happens to be the mother of my very favorite person on the planet... My Nate. Today is that magical day that her mother, Violet Robbins Kirkham, gifted the world with a little tiny lady... and by doing so changed the world in mighty ways.
I vividly recall the moment I met Mrs. Mecham. It was my second date with my (now) husband. We were going to see "America Sings" (a Glenn Miller tribute) at the Ellen Eccles theater. We were to meet she and the Mr. at their hotel and they would then indulge us at the infamous Maddox restaurant, followed by the show. I have to admit, I was just excited to eat at the Maddox! As we pulled into the hotel parking lot the Mr. appeared with a petite classy little muffin on his arm. He looking like Daddy Warbucks and she was the perfect match... I started to get nervous! We all like to laugh now, knowing that Linda is a self proclaimed "farmer". But she cleans up like nobodies business... and she always looks good!!!

I have learned a lot of things over the years from a second mother.

1) feeding your body good food is important. And if you don't believe me, you should have a conversation with Linda June. She is THE gooroo of healthy eating! In fact, eating dinner at her house could make you feel 10 years younger. When the meal is complete two things happen: (1) your inner parts begin celebrating~ Vital organs become happy. and (2) digestion happens!
2) If you want to know somebody pure, you should call 1-800-LINDA. By pure, I mean seriously... the woman ALWAYS wants to do the right thing.
3) being fair actually still matters to some people. If Nathan gets a spatula from the pampered chef then so does Merilee, Matthew, David, Martta and Marjia. She is mightily fair!
4) There are those that taught their children to work and then there are those that TAUGHT THEIR CHILDREN TO WORK. She is the later. And she did so by her example.
5) My husband had a bigger trusso than I did. That is a tribute to his mother. Being determined to give just enough without spoiling too much, Linda made sure that the "needs" of the kitchen were met for all. (This ties into #3. The two go hand in hand... ) So when Merilee got a set of killer pans for Christmas, so did Nate. Which was cool for me because I didn't even know him at the time and his mother was purchasing me Christmas gifts! And I love them and still use them today!
6) Over the years I can count on certain things to come through. A lovely gift and reminder of affection to me and my family on every holiday. Around Easter we get plastic eggs in the mail. Valentines presents... well, valentines! Birthdays, Christmas, Mother's and Father's day and Halloween. Grandma and Grandpa Mecham always remembers us.
7) genetically, the woman passed along some fine d.n.a. proclaiming "youthful"! She will look "forever young" I think. My children will thank her for generations! Bless you dear mother!
8) I hesitated for a brief moment to put this in, but then realized that not only does the birthday girl have a great sense of humor, but it is essential to solving the mysteries of such a profound individual... Linda June Kirkham knows how to walk very fast. Why would I need to know this? The reason I need to know this is because at 2:00 a.m. when she is putting the final load of laundry in, polishing off the kitchen cabinets, drying the last salad bowl, shining the mirror in the restroom, cleansing her impeccable skin, ironing the next days shirts, pulling another weed, and straightening the hallway rugs, she retires for what is left of the night. And at that time I am usually sawing logs... so when she walks really fast it isn't always really soft... And hallways are NEVER forgiving at that hour... which means that if you're asleep, it can toss extreme amounts of irrational thought into ones mind... typically to do with house invasions, earthquakes and cars driving through the front room. However, they fade upon arrival of one lovely lady who still softens those toes as she passes quietly by the door... making her...
9) very thoughtful. Concerned. and passionate about the things that she believes and those whom she loves.

So for those reasons and a gajillion more, I am grateful for the opportunity to know and love this lovely lady who bore me the greatest gift life offers.

To my dear mother- in- law, Linda June,

Your sacrifices have never gone un noticed. Your hearts desire serves you well. I thank you for the many kindnesses you extend in my direction.

On this day my wish for you is that your remodel dreams on the inside of your house will somehow match the beautiful garden of Eden that decorates the outside! Because I think you deserve to finally fall in love with that place you call home. And not only that, I wish for you a surrounding of family and friends that make you believe that no matter where you are we love you and respect you as the one who gave mortal life to 6 beautiful and most healthy children who touch our lives daily. I am ever indebted.

Happiest Happy Birthday.

Much love,

Becky