as good as new...almost

the other mom...

When I realized this little baby girl would be coming right on the heels of the kids getting out of school, I had mixed emotions. How could I possibly handle 5 kids, by myself, all day, every day? I've had several moments since she's arrived (which happened to be on their very last day) where I thought things would be easier to juggle if they were gone 6+ hours a day. They love school. It would keep them occupied. It would keep them happy. I've overwhelmed myself at times, wondering if they are happy. If they are enjoying their summer. We are pretty much homebound...unless I feel really ambitious. If I only had 2 at home all day, I would have so much more to give them. ALL of them.

BUT...I would lose Emily. She is my third hand around here. I need to write this down so that years down the road, I can remember just how amazing she is. I could NOT do this without her and her adorable willingness to help me. She is a nurterer. It comes naturally to her. You can just tell. Alex and Lizzy are wonderful too, but Emily...she was born to be a mom. There are days when I just can't get out of bed at 7 in the morning. Dave takes the baby out to Emily in the living room, where she watches her until I CAN get up. She bounces her, rocks her, whispers to her, kisses her. I trust Emily. Is that strange, considering she's only 8? I trust that she knows how to make the baby happy, and if she can't quite figure out what to do, she will bring her to me. She is patient. I don't think she hears the crying as loudly as the rest of us. She is obedient. She is off, running to do whatever I ask, before I even finish asking. SURE mom. OK mom. Yeah Mom.

She has been showering Molly lately. Molly sees the big kids do it and she wants to too, so Emily helps her. She washes her hair, dries her off, gets her dressed. When I'm tending to the baby and Molly needs help on the toilet, Emily does it. She takes her to the bathroom during sacrament meeting. Did I mention that she's 8? She keeps things running smoothly around here. She even did "homeschool" with Molly. She now knows her alphabet (she can actually write the letters) and early addition. Yes, Emily argues with her brother and sisters. Yes, she sasses Dave and I sometimes. Yes, we have to ask her to make her bed, brush her teeth, get in her jammies several times before it happens. I don't really care. I know that when I'm in a pinch, I can yell out for her and she'll come running.

her poor nose...

Sweet Lizzy had an accident on her scooter last week. An accident where the first thing to hit the sidewalk was her nose. Her beautiful, perfect nose. It didn't look too bad until a few days later when the scabs started to form. She was embarrassed. She worried that everyone would stare, that they would all want to know what happened, that they would think she had chocolate all over her. Noone stared. They did ask what happened, but I think she quickly forgot about it. I wasn't too stressed until a friend asked me what had happened, then proceeded to tell me how it was such a shame because her nose was so beautiful. It got me thinking. Her nose was one of my favorite parts of her sweet profile. I love it. I love all the things about her dainty, little face. But I REALLY loved her nose. Would it heal OK? Would she have scars? Not if I have anything to do with it. SO...she wears this get-up every day, with gobs of ointment underneath. The scars have started falling off. The new skin looks healthy, just a lot more pale and devoid of any freckles. They'll come, my Dad assures me. I sure hope so. :)

UPDATE: All the scabs have fallen off. Everything looks great. Her skin is really tender and freckleless, but her nose is still so beautiful. Whew!

this little girl...

This little girl...

had this to say on Sunday:

I'd like to bear my testimony,

I know this church is true.

I know Heavenly Father loves us.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I was beaming. Nervous when she asked to go up, then beaming once she did it. All alone. No prompting. Daddy walked her up, then he stayed to share his, while she headed back to her seat, getting high 5's and hugs on the way. I could barely see 2 inches of her head above the podium, but I could hear her. I could understand her. I love her and I am so proud.

a contest...

I've entered this picture of Molly and the waving princesses in a contest over HERE. We'll see how we do. :) Watching her made me happy at the parade this year. More than anything else. More than the taffy, the snowcones, the heat, the noise, more than ANY of it!

I love...

I love my family. I love being an American. I love good food, good laughs. I love being a mother, a wife. I love being a Schofield. The 4th reminded me of all that.

a visit from L & G...

Gunnar, Laura, Elsie and Charlotte.

I really do love visiting with the Gehring's. Yeah, Laura is my sister, so of course I love her. BUT, I don't think all sisters love being around eachother. Do they? When I hang out with her and her family, I always think...yeah baby, we're related. I can hang out with her forever. Gunnar is her perfect compliment, and their girls are just icing on the cake. My kids had a blast with them...dressing up, playing mommy to baby Charlotte, jumping on the trampoline. Thank heavens for that thing. Endless fun. This picture was taken about 5 minutes after they arrived. It's like a kid magnet!

On Friday, Laura and I went shopping for a bit, while Gunnar and Dave took the kids minus Margaret to the petting zoo. I THINK they had fun...you'd have to ask them to be sure. :) Laura and I had a good time though, even with poor Margaret's wailing in her carseat. Bless her heart.

Molly and Else (as Molly lovingly nicknamed her) dressed-up every time we were at the house. Where are the girls? Oh, naked in Molly's room, again. I'm not sure that they could be any cuter though. Elsie and Molly played so well together. Last year at the beach, we wanted them to be instant best friends. They enjoyed eachother, but from a distance. This time...they were pals. It made us so happy. Genuinely happy.

The Monte L. Bean museum up at BYU is a must. Even though we've been there a few dozen times, somehow it still interests them. Heaven forbid you go to the museum and not the creamery afterwards. The BEST ice-cream, and definitely the best prices.

OK...so maybe it doesn't interest Alex anymore. :)

WOW...looking good everybody. Grab those garlic fries before they disappear!

This is all of us, taken with my self-timer. The exposure was way off, but I love it anyway. Family get togethers are quite possibly the best thing in the world. They make me so, so happy.

Lots of swimming and sprinklers in the backyard. Pick a few warm raspberries, back in the pool. Heaven.

We love our cousin Christy! LOVE her.

Things like this are what make me love getting together SO much. Tramps are not made for women in the middle of their childbearing years. Laura would get on, fall, then she couldn't get back up. Mostly because Gunnar and the kids made it impossible for her. They would jump right by her, just as she was getting her footing, and down she would go, using every muscle possible to keep from wetting herself. I haven't laughed so hard in quite a long time. HILARIOUS!

Thanks for driving all that way you guys. We love you so much!