She read them stories, made beaded bracelets, made paper towers with colorful yarn descending from the window (as Rapuzel), washed dishes after dinner, read bedtime stories, and helped all the girls brush their teeth and change for bed. She was delighted with the experience and loved playing with the girls.
This past weekend we worked as a family to pick up garbage along our neighborhood's country roads. We trekked along the wide county easement, collecting several bags of trash. The kids did a great job working together even though it was hot. Joseph's job was to stay in the wagon and hold open the garbage bags for everyone. It felt good to serve our neighborhood as a family.
Earlier this month we attended a Joe McDermott concert. He's a great kids' musician and we love his music. We actually listened to his music during our Big Trip earlier this summer. Two months of Joe McDermott songs should in theory get old really fast, but we never grew tired of it. We would sing at the top of our lungs and dance to the music while we covered the dusty miles of our trip. The kids were SO excited to see him live, especially since they don't remember attending his concerts when they were toddlers. We arrived early and scored front-row seats (er, front'row spots on the floor I guess). The kids were so happy to sing along and enjoyed all the comedy Joe weaves into his live shows. Joseph really got into things and danced up a storm right in front of the stage for the entire hour. It was such a fun way to spend a summer afternoon! (Okay, I realize the picture is pretty lame, but it's all I could snap without losing my seat during the show. Work with me here.)
Lately I've been very engrossed with family history research. I have found such satisfaction and joy in this service. It's almost like a game to hunt down and locate family members on old census records, birth certificates, death certificates, or immigration books. I get such a delightful feeling of euphoria when I find missing siblings or spouses and can connect families together after so many years apart. I wonder about the story behind every marriage I finally reunite. Were this man and woman dearly in love during their lifetimes? Has it been a source of anguish to be apart all these years, and are they rejoicing now in heaven that I have finally discovered a missing spouse? Or did they have more cool, distant relations with each other? I wonder.
Every name is full of meaning to me- I think about them. I wonder what their life was like or what struggles and triumphs they experienced. Sometimes I get a little glimpse into their lives through bits of information gleaned from census records- parents who were poor farmers and couldn't read would sacrifice so they could enroll their children in school. What a neat story to think about. Some ancestors were influential plantation-owners in Virginia and had towns named after them. I wonder about their story...were they kind landlords? Did they reach out to others from their place of privilege, or were they more concerned with their own affairs? What did they struggle with? I wish I knew more details about each person I discover in our family tree. I puzzle over some of the scant details I find. I am very eager to do their temple work and allow them the choice of whether to accept Christ's teachings in the spirit world. I won't know whether these people accepted the gospel or not until I cross into that sphere of life myself, but I look forward to providing them the option. I have had strong feelings that some of these people have already accepted the gospel and have just been waiting for someone to find their name and do their ordinances on earth. What a privilege it is to be a part of this saving work.
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