New Camera!

Thanks to my friend Sarah, I didn't even have to do much research. I decided to get a Canon A1000. The problem was, I couldn't find one in stores, so I ordered it online. I got a great deal on a refurbished camera. Hopefully, it will work beautifully and get here soon! Thanks again!

Anonymous kindness

I went out to get the mail today and a letter immediately caught my attention. It was crisply and starkly white. My name and address were written perfectly in all caps, the lowercase letters smaller that the uppercase. There was nothing else on the envelope except a stamp, and a postmark which showed it had been mailed from Provo, UT. I opened up the letter to find inside a $100 money order and a black die-cut of a camera neatly folded into a blank piece of white printer paper.
Now, you have to keep in mind that I have a huge, red, swollen bug bite on my arm, and I had just taken some Benadryl to see if it would help with the allergic reaction. My head was not working correctly. I freaked out! My first reaction was that this was some kind of scam and when I cashed the check I would have somehow signed myself up for a loan or something. I called my sister Angie who instantly said, "Who do you know in Provo that reads your blog? You did post about your camera dying. Someone sent you the money to buy yourself a new one!" She has always been brilliant--that Angela sister of mine.
So to you, dear reader who was so loving and thoughtful and kind to take the time and money to do something so thoughtful and wonderful, I want you to know how much it meant to me. My heart is full of gratitude. Thank you for helping me to remember that I am loved.
Today was a hectic day, and I didn't have time to go out and look. But I'll go tomorrow and see what I can find. Hopefully, before the end of the week I'll have some new pictures up!

Blogging silence

I figure even without a camera, the blogging silence can go on no longer. I thought I'd just take a minute to let everyone know what's going on. Monday will be the beginning of the 4th week of school. Ryan, Julia and Emily all seem to be doing well in their classes and with their teachers. A sweet sister in our ward decided to start a preschool for $75 a month, and so we enrolled Benjamin. He goes Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9-12 and really seems to do well and enjoy his time at preschool. I was overjoyed thinking about all the "free time" I would have with just me and Hadley at home. Unfortunately, with Hadley there it isn't much like free time. She pulls me around everywhere saying, "Tome on," and feels like she needs my every minute attention.
I now officially have 17 piano students. 17! It's a little crazy, but I really love teaching. It's funny because before they arrive I dread it, but when we're in lessons I love it and things seem to go relatively smoothly. And I must own up to the fact that 3 of the 17 are my own children. That doesn't necessarily make it easier though, in a lot of ways it's harder to teach your own children!
Scott's still the EQP, and I'm still the 4th Sunday teacher in RS and the 3rd Sunday organist. We are busy, but happy. I don't know what was wrong with me before, but I just barely realized that it takes every hour of every day just to get the basics of day to day living done for our family. There really isn't a lot of extra time. I feel guilty, like I should be doing SO much more than I am, but in the quiet moments I realize that I am doing the most important thing that I will ever do, I'm being a mom to my kids and trying each day to be present and to love my job.