POLL

Question: Do you let your kids eat cookie dough? (With raw eggs in it). Please respond.

the genetics of picture taking

my eyes: shut

shut

shut (we took 5 fam photos)

Tyler has pointed out to me on numerous occasions that it is not difficult to keep one's eyes open for a picture, but I have yet to master the task. I have no idea why I can't keep my eyes open for the millisecond it takes to take a picture.

until now! my mom - eyes shut

my mom - eyes shut

my mom's mom - eyes shut

grandma - eyes shut!

I didn't know it could be a hereditary defect, but the pictures don't lie. We have some sort of mutated-photography-sensitive-heavy-eyelid-DNA.

salt

I have a good friend named Katie L. Actually, Kate L.L. and I'm Katie L.R. so it only makes sense that I would think she is super cool. For lent she gave up blogging on religious topics, which is funny because now I want to blog on something that struck me the other day. I guess I'm filling in while she is out. And since I know my audience is basically other LDS moms, I'm going to hop right in.

Growing up in my ward we had a period in young women's where we did lots of singing. I did not like it. We sang one song, 'Window to His Love' that I esp hated. It goes something like this:

'I want to be a window to His love

So when you look at me you see him

...

And with each passing day
I want to fade away.
'Till only He can be seen And I become a window to His love.'

At the time we sang it I didn't like the idea at all of losing my personality and becoming another clear pane of glass like everyone else.

I recently read, THE SCORPIO RACES. There is a character in the book who uses salt in his tea to enhance the flavor. Not to make it taste like salt, but to bring out the sweet. I knew this fact before, but this put it on my mind. It made me really think about the efficacy of salt.

CS Lewis brought to my attention the scripture, "Ye are the salt of the earth." He pointed out that salt enhances flavor and when you turn to Christ you are becoming the 'salt'; a real you. Here is a really long quote:

"The more I resist Him and try to live on my own, the more I become dominated be my own heredity and upbringing and surroundings and natural desires. In fact, what I so proudly call "Myself" becomes merely the meeting place for trains of events which I never started and which I cannot stop. What I call "My wishes" become merely the desires thrown up by my physical organism or pumped into me by other men's thoughts or even suggested to me by devils. Eggs and alcohol and a good night's sleep will be the real origins of what I flatter myself by regarding as my own highly personal and discriminating decision to make love to a girl opposite to me in the railway carriage. Propaganda will be the real origin of what I regard as my own personal political ideals. I am not, in my natural state, nearly so much of a person as I like to believe: most of what I call "me" can be very easily explained. It is when I turn to Christ, when I give myself up to His Personality, that I first begin to have a real personality of my own." (MERE CHRISTIANITY, p 189)

'Salt' is the really great, really genuine me. When you're 'salt' you can bring out the best in others. Why did I never have this explained to me before? Or, prob more accurately, why did I never listen when this was explained to me before? Now the idea of being 'salt' or a window (maybe even stained glass?) makes all the sense in the world to me.

(okay, Katie L.L. how did I do? I know it's not nearly so deep, but I thought you might appreciate my efforts).

Blessing Day!

On Sunday, we went to Tyler's grandparents house to bless Porter. I mentioned before that Porter Leonard is named after Tyler's grandpa, Leonard (Papa). It was a sweet day.

We call this face 'Star Wars Baby,' but Tyler is the real nerd and corrects us ... it should be 'Star TREK Baby.' Yes, I'm only posting our 'goofy' family picture.

Here we are with Papa.

Porter got to wear the outfit that his dad and Uncle Adam were blessed in, Tyler gave him a short, wonderful blessing, and Papa said some really nice things about passing on the name. Plus, it's always so fun to hang out with family and friends.