CAMILLE ELISE

Happy 25th Birthday To My Beautiful Daughter Camille! 

When anticipating her birth, I didn't dare dream that I might get really lucky and actually have two girls--I felt so blessed when Brittney was born, and the thought that I could possibly have another girl just seemed almost too much to hope for.  When she was born on April 17th, we soon discovered that her Great Grandfather Camille Jugant (Grandma Pierette McLaws' father--in France the name Camille is both masculine and feminine) shared the same birthday, and it seemed right to christen her with a lovely French name.  Camille was my prettiest baby as a newborn (Yep, I said it. . . sorry Brittney and Jace!)  She also came with her trademark spunk and passion.  As a baby she was very much a Mama's girl--she did not like her Dad, and for the first couple years of her life really did not take to him or strangers much.  Well, we all know how that's changed!  She's as friendly as they come now and her and her Dad are very tight.

 
Camille has given us lots of funny stories while growing up.  In our family we lovingly refer to her odd comments, observations, explanations, definitions and declarations as "Camilly-isms," and what is always refreshing is that she joins in the fun and laughs along with us.  She has endured a lot of affectionate teasing, especially from her Dad and brother.  Nicknames were given--Meal Face, Meal Head, Camilly Bobby Wobby (Jace's), Camilly Willy, to name a few.  Notwithstanding, it was sometime around 3 or 4 years of age when she flipped the switch and decided that her Dad was not so bad and she became a Daddy's girl through and through--still is in fact. (I tease that she could teach a class in brown nosing!  She's very astute at "working" the situation.  This is a skill that has served her well in many scenarios.)  She's an excellent sister--proud and supportive of her big sis Brittney, and a huge cheerleader and mentor for Jace as he follows in the footsteps of his sisters.  

As a young girl she enjoyed dance, soccer and piano--she has become an accomplished pianist who plays with feeling and passion.  She has a great love of music and is the best fan any musician could have.  Who can forget Beatlemania, or the Dave Matthews Band obsession for example?  Her interest in and memory of all things musical is amazing.  She loves many outdoor activities--water skiing, snow boarding, snowmobiling, hiking, and biking to name a few.  If she does something, she goes all in.  In high school she won the award for the top math student of the Senior Class.  That stereotype of a nerdy introverted math whiz flew out the window with her!   Currently she works as an accountant preparing taxes.  She's one of those girls with brains and beauty. Camille is also a true friend and loyal to the core.  She has great friendships from childhood, high school and college that will be lifelong.   

She loved her experiences at BYU and accomplished much--Roommates/Boys/Jobs, Junior Core Accounting and Summer Internships, and a European Study Abroad, just to mention a few.  We were always curios to see just who would win Camille's heart, and when Russ came along we quickly found out that he really is the perfect man for her.  She has now become Camille Lewis, and it is so right!  They are a great couple and as parents it is comforting to know that your daughters are cherished by magnificent men.

There is nothing more heartwarming than watching your daughters grow from beautiful babies to breathtaking brides.  Camille has such a gorgeous smile and it truly does come from within--she is a good girl through and through.  Camille and Russ have lived in San Antonio, Texas for the past 20 months and have had a lot of memorable experiences which have shaped their newlywed years.  They have recently made the decision to take a job in Utah.  Yea!  They are moving closer to home, and it will be fabulous to have all my children in the same general location soon. 

So Dearest Camille, may you have a wonderful Birthday. 

 Thank you for being my friend as well as my daughter. 

You are a great example to me in so many ways. 

I love you dearly and am so proud of the woman you have become. 

See you soon!

Spring Showers

Tomorrow is April 1st.  Yea!  March always seems so long and I'm anxious for the change of seasons.  We have been having a lot of rain the last week or two up here in Spokane.  I almost feel like I live in Seattle or something.   However, lawns are beginning to green up, and the temperature is definitely milder, so that's a sign that things are changing.

Last week I was able to co-host a baby shower for a darling mom-to-be and friend, Lindsay Bird Nielson.  She is the daughter of our dear friends, Keith and Sheri Bird.  They were the first family we really got to know when we moved to Spokane over 15 years ago, and have since really become part of our family.  Lindsay and her husband France are having a baby boy in May.  She has been here a whole lot this winter taking care of her Mom.  Sheri is one amazing lady.  She is fighting a valiant battle with cancer--you can read her story here.  Lindsay has been by her side so much of the time, so why wouldn't we have a party to welcome the little guy?  She will be heading back to Travis AFB in California soon to be with her hubby who is in a dental residency program there.  I knew it would be the inaugural party of the spring season here, and a mini reunion for so many of us former Little Spokane River Ward friends. 

This first group of pictures shows those who attended--all great neighbors, friends and ward members.

These are pictures of the beautiful "younger" ladies--Lindsay with Rachel Nichols and Megan Roberts,

 who came up from California for the weekend. 

I even got a shot with the guest of honor.  She received lots of fabulous gifts--look at the cute quilt

Lori Jarvis and Gaylene Davis made for her!  By the end of the night the poor thing was all tuckered out. 

Oh well, let her rest while she can, right?

Since I was the host and had the camera (translation--I own this picture Dear Sheri, and you look gorgeous!)
 I couldn't resist posting this beautiful shot of Lindsay and her Mom.  Like mother, like daughter. 

We had a great time.  Lots of good food, good company, and good reasons for celebration.

These types of Spring Showers are the best!

I Shouldn't Be Surprised

Last week we were watching a lot of news coverage about the Japan earthquake, tsunami, and ever-increasing concerns over the damage at the nuclear plants.   Obviously we have been paying close attention to this situation.  On one news channel they were reporting from California about the public's fear of radioactivity and that so many people were buying Geiger counters.  I chuckled and said something like "That's crazy--they are over 4,000 miles away and they will probably never use it. Talk about over reacting."  Well, Brent quietly said, "We have a Geiger counter."  What?  Why in the world do we have a Geiger counter?  Again, I SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED!  After all, we are talking about Brent McLaws here, Mr. Preparedness, Mr. Tool Guy, Mr. If-there's-a-cool-gadget-out-there-I-got-to-have-it Guy. 

So, today, as he was looking for something in his office (now that's another blog post--"The Office Wars"--coming soon) he pulled out the so-talked-about Geiger counter.  I made him hold it up to his head as he was talking on the phone.  I just wanted to check and see if there was any radioactivity emitting from that head of his!!  After all, we've all heard about the concerns over too much cell phone usage.   Gratefully, it did not even register!  Yea!  So far, so good!  And, just so you know, our home is radiation free too.   Don't you all wish you had a Geiger counter???

BRACKETOLOGY

Since this blog is a personal revelation of sorts, I have to divulge my love of college basketball.  I'm not really sure exactly when it began, but it was somewhere around the time that Jace started getting interested in the sport in 3rd or 4th grade.  As it so happens, that coincided nicely with the rise to prominence of our local team here in Spokane, the Gonzaga Bulldogs.  For the past 10-12 years, they have evolved into a nationally recognized Division I program. 

ANYWAY, today is the first day of the NCAA tournament, every basketball junkies favorite day!  I watch college basketball throughout the winter, and of course follow my favorite teams.  This year has been great as BYU is doing fabulous (30-4), and Jimmermania has captured the attention of the country.  Once again, Gonzaga made the field, quite an accomplishment for them this year as their team is on the young side and they had to come on strong down the stretch (24-9).   Ironically, however, BYU and GU could meet up in the 2nd Round if they both win their first game!  Oh no!  The only two teams I really care about may cross paths on Saturday.  This year, however, my heart belongs to BYU.  It would be so great if they could make a deep run in the tournament.  Sorry if all this lingo doesn't make sense to you.  Hey, join the party and become a basketball junkie with me.  Even my Mom likes to watch basketball. . . she's a Jazz fan!

Since Jace is "unavailable" at the moment (SIDENOTE:  He's kind of busy over their in Japan currently, but doing fine.  Kobe is about 400 miles south of Sendai, which is good.  Their mission will be incorporating 42 missionaries from Tokyo because of concerns over the nuclear plants.  The church website has a news release on this) I enlisted Brent to fill out a bracket with me, and also vicariously filled out a bracket in Jace's behalf.  Of course I tried to make informed picks since I do know a bit with all the sports radio and ESPN I watch.  Brent on the other hand was clueless!  When I handed him the paper, he said, "You're kidding!  I have to fill in this whole thing!  This is worse than filling out papers at the doctor's office.  It's worse than signing a check!"  This is true--he HATES having to write anything--it's a chore simply signing his name.  You can't tell by the picture, but I swear he made his picks by which school had the shortest name or abbreviation he had to write down.  To mix it up a bit, on Jace's bracket I just rolled the dice!  I used two die--if it was 7 or above, I had the higher seed winning; if it was 6 or below, the lower seed wins.  Jace did request in his last letter, however, that I put BYU all the way to the Final Four.  So we'll see who wins bracketology in the family--it will probably be Jace, even after all my careful considerations.  I doubt Brent's bracket will make it--he has some pretty improbable upsets picked.  Interestingly enough, however, each of us did end up with a #1 or #2 seed winning the whole thing.  It's March Madness--let the games begin!!

A Belated Japanese Valentine

First let me say that Jace is OK.  We all woke up today to discover that a devastating earthquake hit the northern part of Japan.  Jace is in the Kobe area, which is south of Tokyo and about 3 hours south of Sendai, the epicenter of the quake.  His mission president keeps a great blog, and he has updated us several times, reporting that all of his missionaries are safe.  We haven't yet heard from Jace personally, but will be anxious to hear about this experience in his next email.  Pray for Japan.

A few days ago, I received a surprise package in the mail!  Jace had sent me a belated Valentine's present.  He has always been good at making creative letters and cards.  I have many saved in my file from years back.  It was good to get another personal card and sweet message.  Every Mom melts when their kids write nice things about them, and I am fortunate to have 3 children who are very good at it.  He also sent along some beautiful "Japanesy" fabric.  What do you think?  Should I make myself a skirt to wear, or would a quilt be better? 

He forwarded his camera card with a lot of pictures from the last 4-5 months.  One in particular, a sign with a wise quote on it, seem applicable, especially in light of my previous blogpost about my hometown/birthplace and my mantra to find JOY daily.  Oh, those Japanese can be so wise!

Hometown Visit

Preface:  This post is a trip down memory lane for me.  As this blog is a journal of sorts and personal at times, this post is a mini-documentary of my hometown.  If you choose to read the whole thing, you may become a honorary citizen!  Skim reading is allowed.

I was born and raised in Richfield, Utah, a great small town about 2 hours south of Provo.  I lived there for 18 years until I went off to BYU.  Since Brent was away in South Africa this past week on business, I ventured down to Utah to visit family and friends.  I spent the weekends with Brittney and Stuart in Provo, but during the week I headed south to the place of my childhood.

Richfield is located in Sevier County, bordered by Cove Mountain on the south and east, and the Red Hills on the north and west.  Once you live in Utah, you know what mountains really are!  Here in Spokane we have "big hills" but Utah truly has mountains. . . The Wasatch Mountains and the spectacular "Y" mountain at BYU can't be beat.  Cove Mountain is also very beautiful, and this picture, with the huge American Flag that greets you as you enter Richfield is small town Americana at its finest.  Sidenote:  This time of year is kind of blah!  March is the limbo month--brown and boring everywhere. Trees have yet to leaf, flowers yet to bloom, grasses still need to green up.  If these pictures had been taken at another time of year, things would have looked very different, but I suppose that is the same for most places in March. 

The second shot has a bit of a back story.  It is of Main Street in Richfield.  You see, when I brought Brent down to Richfield for the first time to meet my parents, he thought it was so great that I came from a town so small that we didn't even have a stop light!  It's true--this is the very first stop light to be installed there, just a year or two later.  Now, I think there are probably about 7 or 8 of them--our little town has definitely grown up in the last 30 years! 

Richfield today is very different from what it was during my childhood, yet also in many ways it is very much the same.  When I drive the streets I am reminded of friends and events, some good, some not so good!  I remember the intersection where someone ran a stop light and smashed into our little Monza during my lunch break from Sears.  I also remember a similar intersection where some girl, who was test driving the car my brother Craig was trying to sell, crashed and totaled his car.  It was sad--it was the first time I remember seeing my big brother cry.  Who can forget the schools they attended?  I have fairly good memories of my years at Richfield High School.   I had many good friends, pretty good teachers, and all in all, I came out mostly unscathed!  (Nobody really wants to read a blog post about the drama of high school.  I mean, come on, it wouldn't be high school without some "junk" and drama.  It happened to all of us!)  Richfield is home to several great parks, and The City Park, right on Main Street, is a mainstay.  Every July 4th, the town has a wonderful patriotic celebration.  I think that if any visitor wandered into Richfield on the 4th of July, they would be charmed.  It puts on a wonderful parade and park celebration.  My very first job at 16 years old was at Taco Time, which actually was the first national fast food chain to come to town.  I felt so lucky to work at the new hot spot back in 1976.  It is still thriving today.  In fact, Richfield now is home to every fast food you could possibly want--McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, Wendy's, Arby's, Subway, etc.--just like much of small town America.  In a weird way, that's kind of sad.  It also boasts a wonderful main street of shopping, but even that is slowly disappearing.  Christensen's Department Store is still thriving, but now that we have Walmart, Kmart and Home Depot, many small mom-and-pop stores can't make it.  I suppose that's not unique to Richfield either, and also somewhat sad. 

Lastly, I must document the places I lived.  My parents first house was at 140 East Center Street.  I lived there until I was 12 years old.  It is a small home--amazing to think that 7 people lived there!  It was a great place to live as a small kid, though.  We only lived a block from our grandparents, and visited them almost daily.  Valley Builders was only several houses away, and they had a bubble gum machine!  I think we went there daily with our pennies.  Also, the Public Library was across the street.  I grew up visiting that all the time--it seemed so big and so full of books.  I think I read every Nancy Drew mystery, amongst others.  In 1972 when my parents built our other home, it felt weird to move "across town" to a whole new neighborhood!  It is probably only 3 or 4 miles away, but it seemed so far.  But, it was very close to the city pool, so we thought that was great.  Besides, I was now a big 7th grader, and so I felt very grown up.  This home is where Mom and Dad still live.   Sometimes I forget that it is 38 years old.  They have done a good job of keeping it up, but let's face it--at their age it is beginning to be a struggle.   Now when we visit, we are happy to help them with a project that needs attention.  This week I thoroughly cleaned and organized the kitchen and pantry, and also painted the back bedroom.  It was great to keep busy.

During my visit, I did have a fun "Daddy Daughter Date."  My Dad is a loyal supporter of BYU athletics.  He and many of his friends travel the 2 hours to football and basketball games.  On Wednesday, BYU had a basketball game.  Now, if you have been following BYU basketball at all this year, you know that they are having a great season.  You also will know that the past week has been one full of drama and media scrutiny surrounding BYU, the basketball program, and the BYU Honor Code.  (If you don't know what I'm talking about, you either live under a rock, or are not related to me! JK!  Google it!  Let me just say that I am proud to be a BYU Alumni, BYU Parent, and member of the LDS Church--integrity and honor are way more important than basketball. . . and that's coming from a crazy basketball lady!)  ANYWAY (sorry, got off topic a bit) Dad had tickets to the game on Wednesday, and he took me.  It was fun to be in the Marriott Center, to see all the students and their ardent support, and to watch the whole team play.  Jimmermania is alive and well--he's amazing.  We'll see how the Cougars do in the NCAA tournament--no matter what, it's all good.   Gotta love it baby!

We are all a product of our environment, our upbringing, our childhood.  I've benefited from a really good childhood.  I owe much of that to my parents who have raised me well.  They sacrificed much for their family.  They both were very hard workers.  They have been an example in many ways.   I was lucky to grow up in a good environment, in a town where I could play outside, roam the streets, ride my bike everywhere, drag Main Street, not worry about locking my doors, and know almost everyone.   It worked for me.  Richfield, Utah will always be my hometown and hold a special place in my heart.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUD

Twenty one years ago on this day Jace Garrett McLaws was born.   As our third child, and with two beautiful sisters preceding his birth, we were convinced that we would be parents of another daughter and that would be just fine.  We were genuinely surprised to find out we had a son.   These precious baby photos of Jace definitely confirm that he has always been "all boy."  I mean come on, don't you think he would have looked pretty silly in ruffles and lace?

As Jace grew up his infectious personality started to emerge.  He was a good baby, chubby and pleasant.  I can honestly say that he has always been happy--I believe it is one of his divine gifts.  As a child he didn't like to be in trouble or feel contention--his spirit recognized that unsettling feeling.  He is fiercly competitive and likes to win, whether it is in a simple family board game, or a full-fledge team sport.  He has had to learn to be gracious and competitive at the same time.   This drive has served him well, however, as he has set and achieved quite a few commendable goals in his life thus far.  He truly loves his sisters, appreciates their example, and will always be their biggest fan.  He is grateful they chose their husbands well, because as the only boy, he was so excited to finally get some brothers.

Currently, as a missionary in the Japan Kobe Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he writes frequently of the joys and challenges of serving.  He loves Japan and the Japanese people.  He comments that these past 20 months have been the hardest thing he has ever done, but also the most rewarding.  He tells us all the time how extremely happy he is--"The happiest I have ever been," and you know if Jace is saying that, he must be pretty darn happy!   He shares with us wonderful uplifting experiences, stories and insights weekly in his email.  We have had a vicarious missionary experience through these letters.  It is a privelege and a blessing to have him in our family.  It is a well repeated axiom that "time flies" and that before you know it your children will be all grown up.  That is so very true and at times bittersweet. 

I love a quote by President Gordon B. Hinckley who said, "In terms of your happiness, in terms of the matters that make you proud or sad, nothing--I repeat, nothing--will have so profound effect on you as the way your children turn out."  I agree wholeheartedly.

So, on this day, February 23, 2011, HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY to you my son,

Elder Jace McLaws, aka McLaws Chorro! 
Konnichiwa!
Have a wonderful day and we'll see you soon!
(In about 4 months and 13 days, but who's counting??)

To My Valentine

In our office we have a little sign which reads:  "Love is patient, love is kind."  I think it is appropriate right there above my desk.  It reminds me that while love is romantic and exciting, it is also virtuous and practical in many ways.  I am grateful for a Valentine who is patient and kind to me.  I appreciate that so much in him, for I know that at times I can be difficult.    Our sign also reminds me that because I likewise love him, I can be patient too when things/circumstances/situations don't go as planned.  We both are really just trying our best, and that is all we can ask.  I'm so lucky to have such a great man as my Valentine.  I truly am so very fortunate.  He is the best.

(Great sign, uh?  This was taken in Sydney, Australia!)

Happy Valentine's Day. 

On this day set aside to remember those we love, I wish you all lots of

 love and JOY this day.  Have a wonderful day!

My Ipod

Today I went running with my kids. Let me explain. . .

A few years ago Camille gave me an IPOD Nano for Christmas, complete with a playlist of some of my favorite songs and many she thought I would like. I’m not one to walk around with headphones in my ears, but it is perfect for running—small and comfortable. I’ve since added a few songs to my playlist, but for the most part, it’s still pretty much the original chosen list. In fact, last spring when I lost my original Nano at the gym, I just bought a new one and downloaded the same playlist.

Today during my run, I almost choked up recalling many tender memories. When I hear Matchbox Twenty sing “If You’re Gone,” I immediately think about August 2001 when we dropped Brittney off at Helaman Halls as a new BYU Freshman. As we were pulling away, and with a few tears in my eyes at the realization that our family really was changing, this song came on, and the title was just a little too reflective of my emotions. A few songs later James Taylor starts to sing “How Sweet It Is” and I jump ahead 5 years to a beautiful January day when Brittney and Stuart married. That song was part of their wedding video slideshow. By then things had definitely changed! And, of course, my IPOD now has a few Fictionist downloads too—they have a really great lead vocalist!

I also have several Dave Matthews songs on my playlist, namely “Smooth Rider,” short, sweet, rhythmic and soulful. Dave’s voice is one that even I always recognize. Then I hear the Beatles belt out “Revolution.” No joke! Was Camille somehow magically inside that little gizmo? If you know Camille, you know that she is an avid Beatles and DMB fan—the most loyal kind. Ask her almost anything about them—she’s that “nerdy” fanatic who knows obscure details! Any of their songs will always remind me of her.

And if it wasn’t weird enough, one of the last songs I heard was Backstreet Boys singing, “Larger Than Life.” Now, I’m not even sure if Jace particularly loves that song, but I have a distinct memory of him water skiing behind the boat with his big infectious grin and that song belting from the speakers. Besides, that little chuckle/yell at the beginning, the catchy beat, and the whole notion of ‘larger than life’ just fits Jace, don’t you think?

I didn’t grow up with much popular music in the house. Of course as a teenager in the 70’s I loved all the great bands (Boston, Journey, Styx, etc.) and even had a floor seat at a Bee Gee’s concert during the Saturday Night Fever craze--it was a big deal! I mostly listened to music in the car or with friends. Brent, on the other hand, has a song/musician/band attached to almost every memory. In fact, the family indulges his frequent declaration of “This is one of my top 10!” with a wink and a nod . . . he has way too many . . . perhaps top 100. He can fondly recall music from his elementary school days (but he can’t remember what he did yesterday—old age??) Now, however, since being around him for almost 30 years, and raising our family with plenty of REALLY LOUD music around, I’ve got a lot more memories anchored by music, and categorized in my memory bank by date/place/children. It’s a wonderful thing. Thanks guys for running with me this morning—It was awesome!

Friday Reflections

I love the sun. Sunshine makes me very happy, especially during the winter when it is not so prevalent. This last week in Spokane we have had glorious blue skies and plenty of sunshine. Granted, it’s been a cool 28 degrees, but compared to the “super storm” that supposedly gripped the rest of the country (Snow in South Texas! See Camille's blog!) our weather up here as been fabulous. I will take it, especially after last week when it was foggy and grey until early afternoon—similar to the inversion that descends on Utah every winter.

On the drive home from the temple a few days ago, I pondered sunshine. I thought about how I was able to substitute teach early morning Seminary on Thursday. Boy, it was hard getting up at 5:15 am to get to class by 6 am. I can hardly believe that I did it for 2 whole years . . . but then again so many amazing kids do it for 4. Anyway, they are studying the Doctrine and Covenants, and we discussed Section 95. There is a great scripture there, vs. 6 “They who are not chosen have sinned a very grievous sin, in that they are walking in darkness at noon-day.” I love this imagery. Picture a man with a bag over his head walking around in the sunshine. Why would he do that? The historical background of this section is that the Lord had commanded the Saints to build a temple in Kirkland a while back, and they had yet to comply. This phrase symbolically teaches that the gospel had been restored and the priesthood was on the earth (the sun), and yet because they had not been obedient, they were still in “darkness” and had yet to receive the saving ordinances.

My thoughts then jumped to recent emails from Jace and the experiences he is having in Japan teaching people that there is a God who loves them, and that His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, has made it possible for us to live with him again. These people, many who have not ever heard Christian theology, are also “walking in darkness at noon-day” but through no fault of their own. They don’t have a bag over their head, they simply have not yet been taught. That part is up to us as missionaries. Jace’s most recent investigators/converts have been Chinese. Imagine the “light” that will fill that nation when it finally opens its borders.

Hopefully in my eternal world, we will have sunshine every day. Somehow Brent and I will have to figure out how to blend our weather preferences—he loves the cold and snow and wants mountains and mountains of powder, while I want sunshine, lakes, green grass and flowers. We can have both, right? After all, it will be heaven, so anything is possible! Oh how I love the gospel and love the temple. We are so blessed to have a temple here in Spokane. I am forever grateful for the sun, literally and symbolically.