Forty One

The Nielson family had a very memorable,

very beautiful (and delicious!) Thanksgiving day!

But today is another very very special day-

Today Mr. Nielson turns 41!

With that, I want to wish my very capable and charming husband

a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

In his 41 years in life I have spent 20 birthdays with him,

and I have learned that he really doesn't care abut the cake,

the decorations, the presents, or parties.

All he wants is to be together, with me.

In past birthdays we've gone on beautiful drives together,

we've visited cattle farms, and we've seen movies.

One time we went clothes shopping (and he hated it).

This year we are packing the family in the truck and headed for 

the beautiful smoky mountains to pick out our Christmas tree.

If I know another thing about Mr. Nielson, I know that he LOVES

 breakfast, so we'll probably go to breakfast before we head out.

I love you Mr. Nielson.

I love you more than you will ever know.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving 2006

I spent most of the day yesterday in the kitchen preparing

and cooking for our Thanksgiving feast.

Usually, we'd be spending our Thanksgiving dinner with our friends 

(and second cousins) the Binghams, but since Nicholas's tonsillectomy,

we've decided to have dinner at The White House...just us.

Gigs is still in recovery mode, and talking seems difficult.

Plus, he's still on a 3-hour round-the-clock

pain management routine.

I don't think mingling would be very wise.

Needless to say, I'm excited about a quiet family day/meal,

 and am so THANKFUL

for my beautiful family and, of course 

 God, who makes all things possible.

A Grateful Family

Tonight around the fire we had our family home evening and 

discussed what we were thankful for.

I shared my feelings of gratitude for good health and strong children.

I also said how grateful I am for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my

 life, and for a prophet who is our earthy guardian.

I am also so thankful that miracles still happen on earth today.

Then I asked the Little Nies to share what they were grateful for,

 and here is what they said:

Christian: Family, children, WIFE, and cows.

Claire: The Book of Mormon

Jane: Family traditions and Christmas

Oliver: Strong body

Nicholas: Good doctors to who know what 

they are doing, and a mom and dad.

Lottie: Her life.

Then we shared our testimonies of Christ and how excited we

were to be celebrating His birth this time of year.

I told the Little Nies that earlier in the day I saw a car

driving down the road with a Christmas tree on its roof.
Everyone squealed with excitement!

This Friday we are planning on going to chop our tree
down in the Smoky Mountains.
Friday is also Mr. Nielson's birthday!
We are crossing our fingers that Gigs feels up to
this little adventure.  He is doing so good!

Then we made Christmas lists to send to Santa.

This truly is the most wonderful time of the year!

Also, I am thankful for this photo Mr. Nielson and I took
years ago.  It still makes me laugh really hard.

#prayforgigs

 

Last Friday morning after the older Nies and Lottie were dropped off at school, 

Mr. Nielson and I loaded Nicholas in the car and drove to the

 UNC children's hospital where Nicholas had his tonsils removed.

He was very pleasant and calm as we sat in the waiting room for

 his anesthesiologist to come in, and

he was calm when the surgeon came in to talk about the

 procedure and what his recovery will look like. 

(Ice cream and jell-o for dayzzzzzz).

He was calm when the nurses came in to check 

his blood pressure and other vitals.

And he held it together as we kissed his cheek goodbye and 

was escorted by two very lovely nurses to the operating room.

His surgery took about an hour, meanwhile Mr. Nielson and

 I sat in the waiting room with grateful hearts

 that our children were in good health.  

We saw some very sick children in the hospital with

 devoted family members nearby. 

 I felt overwhelmed with gratitude.

I was so thankful that Nicholas was in good hands during 

his surgery, and the knowledge that he would have a full recovery after

this surgery was so comforting.

Good health is SUCH A BLESSING, and we thank God every day for it.

Nicholas is recovering on our living room couch watching movies, 

eating Starburst Jell-o, and taking pain meds every three hours.  

I'm even waking him up in the middle of the 

night so he stays on top of his pain. 

 If I know anything about recovery and sickness, 

I know that pain management is crucial to a full recovery!

Anchors

Today Nicholas is getting his tonsils removed so last night

we had our "last meal" as a family since he'll

 be on a jell-o and ice cream diet for the next week.  

All seven of us squished together around a table eating veggie-burgers

with shakes and fries.  

 Our conversations were amazing, like 

when it's appropriate to start listening to Christmas music.

Half of us are OK with listening to it mid-November, and the other

 half of us think only after December 1st.

We compromise here at The White House and only listen to religious 

music mid-November and anything goes after December 1st.

(Except a few songs are 100% boycotted like

 Drummer Boy, Dominic the Donkey, 

Grandma Got Run over by a Reindeer, and Christmas Shoes).

Then we listened to Jane and Oliver speak French to each other,

(they are in the same French class at school), and we laughed while

Gigs shared with us his

harrowing tale of popping his paper lunch bag really loud in the

lunchroom resulting in a lunch detention.

There is nothing I want more for my children

than for them to know their divine heritage and destiny.

I want them to know that God knows them, loves them, and

delights when they are obedient to His commandments.

And I think they do.

And I love my role as a mother, nurturer, and homemaker.  

I love what President Gordon B. Hinckley said,

“You who are wives and mothers are the anchors of the family. 

You bear the children. 

What an enormous and sacred responsibility that is."

It's the best responsibility I will EVER have.

Spiritual Enlightenment: An Eternal Partnership with God

For now anyway.

Late last night when the house was quiet and everyone sound asleep,

I was awake thinking about Claire and some of the sweetest

memories that I have of her throughout her 18 years of life.

I think it's because I'm feeling change in the air.

We attended a Barre3 class together last night and in the car

on the way home we had a really good talk.

When we pulled into the driveway we stayed

in the parked car carrying on our conversation in the dark.

Claire is amazing.  

I know she is my daughter and I might be biased, but she really truly is amazing.

She is level-headed and smart.  

She is looking forward to a bright future-- especially with a 

man who equally as wonderful as she is

(I think that might be impossible, 

but we're praying for that dude--wherever he may be!).

Her high school experience has been much different than

a typical teenager her age.

She spends her weekends going with the sister missionaries into homes

of families to share her love for Christ.

She hangs out with us at home watching epic nerdy movies, and

 goes to Barre classes or on errands with me.  

And she loves engaging in intense conversations

 about politics and history with her dad.

Claire is going to be graduating early from high school in December,

 and plans to work and take a few classes at the

community college near The White House until the fall when she decides

where she wants to attend university.

But her real desire is to be a homemaker like me,

and like a lot of other wonderful women that

 she so admires in her life.

And I LOVE talking to her about that.

I will miss her when the day comes and she leaves my nest.

But for now I will stockpile the holiday chocolate covered Joe Joe's

from Trader Joe's so we can eat them throughout the year,

 and live like things will never change.

 For now anyway.

Fire Away.

On Monday, while on my way home from my Barre3 class, I got a text from Oliver, 

then another, and then another. Then they seemed to come for the next 30 seconds.

Since I was driving, I couldn't read them right away (obvs).

The Little Nies know that every Monday after my

 Barre class, I go grocery and errand shopping.

They also know that if they write what they need me to
pick up for them at the store

on my paper list that sits by the backdoor on Sunday night,

they will miss the boat since I try not to go out again for the week.

(I usually end up doing it anyway).

Nicholas always puts on my list some toys that I never buy-
 but he writes it anyway, and

Clane always wants some hair products.

I'm sure Oliver was sitting in class and then remembered he forgot
to write on my list a few items he needed,
(construction paper, tin foil, gum, and apparently a few hoodies).

In a last-ditch effort, he began
frantically firing texts at me one after another.

(me and Olls 2007)

Lucky for him, I was just pulling up 

into the grocery store parking lot.
And I'm really glad I bought the 500-page construction paper pack
since he only used ONE black sheet.

I'm on a roll.

Yesterday I finished The Book of Mormon for the second time this year.

I was teary as I finished the last few verses in the book

 because I know the scriptures are true, particularly The Book of Mormon!

And the Spirit told me so.

It was an overwhelming and peaceful feeling.

My original plan was to finish The Book of Mormon on 

Joseph Smith's birthday on December 23rd, 

but I found myself reading more and more each day because

I need the light it brings into my heart.  

I need its truth, and power, and its goodness.

I love the balance and perspective I find in its pages, and

I love that it helps me feel steady and mindful.

But I especially love feeling God's love and light as I read.

I will start over again first thing in the morning.

I think I'm on a roll.

Rocky Mountain High

Mr. Nielson spent most of last week in beautiful Colorado

 with his favorite ladies: me and the heifers.

We had a lovely vacation just the two of us.

We ate out, visited two temples in the area,

sweat together at a Barre3 class, 

laughed at most everything,

 spent hours driving around chilly Colorado,

 visited beautiful ranch properties,

and attended a few cattle auctions.

 It's nice now to be back at The White House with the Little Nies-- 

and a mountain of laundry.  Literally.  

I opened the dirty clothes closet upstairs and clothes

 just fell on top of me.  

I felt like I was in a comedy.

 To be honest, I got a little anxious while on the trip, 

and I think that's just par for a mom.

I was relieved to come home to find the Little Nies happy and healthy.

Not long after returning home, I wiped down the disgusting toilets,

 threw out yucky food from the refrigerator, 

and picked up socks hidden under couches.

And that's my job and I love it.

But best of all was kneeling down with my family 

to thank God that Christian and I had traveled safe,

 and the Little Nies were protected while we were away. 

And that Claire and Jane are so responsible and took care of rides,

homework, all meals, clean up, and Angus (and the other pets too!).

Then I mugged on each face and sent them to bed.

Amaze You

This counsel by our Prophet, Russell M. Nelson

is changing my life.

I have been studying this particular part relentlessly lately:

"Sometimes we speak almost casually about walking away 

from the world with its contention, pervasive temptations, and false philosophies. 

But truly doing so requires you to examine your life meticulously and regularly. 

As you do so, the Holy Ghost will prompt you about what is no longer needful, 

what is no longer worthy of your time and energy.

As you shift your focus away from worldly distractions, 

some things that seem important to you now will recede in priority. 

You will need to say no to some things, even though they may seem harmless. 

As you embark upon and continue this lifelong process of

 consecrating your life to the Lord, the changes in your perspective, 

feelings, and spiritual strength will amaze you!"

I am determining with the help of the Lord what is "no longer needful,

what is no longer worthy of [my] time and energy".

And I think in the coming months I am going to be making some changes

so I can become a better mother, wife, and minister for the Lord.

I look forward to that.

Spiritual Enlightenment: Spiritual Treasures

Cheering

Last week Oliver C. Nielson #17 finished up his first year of football as QB2.

Most of our Thursdays for the last three months were spent under the 

lights eating Mexican food for dinner in the stands.

It was Gigs and Lottie running around the bleachers 

chasing each other (or other kids), and

Jane and Claire finishing up homework while

 simultaneously watching the game.

And it was Christian and I cheering on our boy! 

Maybe for me a little too loud

(depends on who you ask),  but I can't help it.

You know as a veteran cheerleader, you can't take

the cheer out of the cheerleader. ( I just made that up).

I'm going to miss our Thursday routine,

 but I know we will be back before we know it.

Ranch hopping

Today Mr Nielson and I are headed out west for work, or

what I like call "ranch hopping". 
We are going to be vising ranches
where Christian will implement his newly created scientific cattle app
with the land owners, ranchers, and cattlemen.
He's worked SO hard on this app these past few years,
( oh, like four to be exact),
and I am excited to see his hard work and dreams become realities.

This little getaway will also double as a birthday trip for Mr. Nielson
who turns 41 later this month.
My only wish for this trip is that I see some snow....

And also that our airplane doesn't crash.  Seriously.

The Little Nies are on their own.
This is why having an 18 year old is really handy!

* Weather alert: while I was waiting for Lottie at the bus stop yesterday,
it began sleeting.  I know it's not snow, but it's close enough!!