Over the weekend we watched
conference and kept our hands busy.
I was patching something with needle and thread, so of course the girls wanted to sew too. . .
We cut out some dolls and they stitched away.
Then they plumped them out with rice. What is it about making things with our own two hands that just feels good?
We also got a few things sorted out.
I sorted out my linens/fabric storage. Ah, better.
And we sorted out some of the girls' health issues. . .
Jane started Methotrexate, a chemotherapy drug, to treat her arthritis. The other drugs we've tried gave some bummer side effects. Her skin bled with even the lightest scratch and scarred badly, and she struggled with daily stomach aches and headaches. We're hopeful this is going to be a good change as she seems quite a bit better already.
Malan was diagnosed with IBS after over a year of daily stomach pain, puking, etc. Her new medication seems to be working well also. Yay!
As much as it really stinks sometimes to see my kids struggle to feel great, I think it's a bit of a mixed blessing. I see them treating each other with compassion, which I'd say is learned in part by experiencing pain oneself. And depth of character is definitely something we're going for around here, which I don't think comes as readily when you're leading a completely charmed life.
I'm coming up on my one year mark serving as the Relief Society President in our ward. It seems I waver between neglecting my calling for my children and neglecting my children for my calling. I go to bed a little guilty most nights. Not trying to be hard on myself here, just struggling to find a good balance and trying to do better.
Like tomorrow I think I'll try to use my "nice mom" voice all day.
That's a bit of our real life right now, and our real life is pretty great.
Also, I have King of the Husbands watching my back. Lucky, lucky me, for reals.
I leave you with a moment from "mommy school" this week. Jane feels her artistic flow best when in sleepwear, while Olivia prefers pantless painting:
