"Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment."

That's one of my favorites from Elder Uchtdorf. I made these today. Sure, they aren't the work of a master seamstress, but I feel fulfilled.

HOT

Here's the forecast this week - 118, 119, 122, 120, 118, 118. Yesterday I did the hot-feet dance and I wasn't even barefoot. No, if I had been barefoot my feet would've been destroyed. Instead, the heat of the pavement just melted one of my best flip flops and made it unwearable. Getting in the car means being so very careful not to let the metal buckles touch your skin, because it's death if they do. It also means carrying a towel or something with which to open the door handles or shut the trunk, for the same reason. The feel of the air outside is not unlike the feeling of opening the door to a preheated 425 degree oven. The only difference is that you can shut the oven door. The air outside is just endlessly and relentlessly hot. HOT, I tell you.

lucky duck

Saturday was ward temple day. (Thanks to Amber for taking the girls and making it easy for us to go). We did sealings. It made me feel so so so thrilled about looking forward to our sealing day, and we had a little inspiration about a little George. So so so glad we went. (Is there ever really any good reason to miss ward temple day? I've looked, but I haven't found one).

Anyway, between that magical day and our trip to Santa Cruz during which I saw how many people love Chris so so so much, I'm re-realizing what a lucky duck I am to be his wife. He really is that great, and we really are that happy.

Playing Catch-up

OK OK, I'll get right to it.

January was all about getting settled into our new little place in Havasu. We left the house on Rainbow and moved into a detached triplex at the north end of town. If you ask me, there isn't an inch of Havasu that doesn't closely resemble Baghdad so there really isn't a lovely part of town. But we do like this house better than the last (except for the part about not having a pool anymore); it suits our needs and we're enjoying it. We went to the park nearly everyday in January. Which brings me to my favorite picture from that month: us holding hands with Olive while walking through the park.

February 4th was Olive's first birthday. She danced and went to the park for a picnic and ate lots of cake, so you know she celebrated properly.

March 26th is when Lucy Catherine Barragan joined us. I couldn't have asked for a better birth experience. Everything went so smoothly and naturally. Papa (that's Nestor) got to be in the room for the birth of his fourth grandchild, and it all happened on his birthday! Oatsie (that's Rosemary) stayed with us for a week, and she was a huge help. Laurie and her crew came to be with us for a few days afterwards too. I was happy to be with them and have them dote on my girls. Lucy was pretty and peaceful newborn, and when we brought her home Olive immediately hugged and kissed her. One of the greatest sights my eyes will ever get to see in this lifetime.

April brought Easter and General Conference, but was mostly just about all of us getting used to having Lucy around. It was a pretty natural transition, and now it feels like she's just always been there. Here's a picture of the girls in the double stroller for the first time.

I turned 31 in May. To celebrate, Amber and I went to dinner and to see Mystere at Treasure Island. It was so fun! I also had my second Mother's Day in May. So far I've had a new kid at each Mother's Day of my married life. I don't plan on keeping that up!

The heat in Havasu really started cranking in June, and so we got ourselves a punch pass to the aquatic center in town. We've been going almost every Saturday. Olive is such a fish! She startles other parents because of how fearless she is. She needs almost no help when she has her floaties on, and she loves to go under. Lucy doesn't like the water much yet, but she has been under and I'm sure she'll grow to love it too. We have a lot of fun in the water. Also in June, we celebrated Chris' second Father's Day. He really is a great father; we're pretty crazy about him.

That's all I'm gonna give to this game of catch-up. See you in subsequent posts!

Lucy

I wrote about the experience in her journal, but here are some pictures from Lucy's birth.

in labor, cute!!

my first look at Lucy

8 lbs 2 oz and 21 inches long

happy Dad

with Papa and Oatsie

with Dr. Urso

holding my new girl

sweetest

Lucy Catherine

sisters see each other for the first time

I Want a Son

I read this article today while in the waiting room at the doctor. I don't think you have to be a total Yankees fan, or any sports fan at all really, to appreciate it. The things I loved about it were first, the excitement I felt at the thought of being the mom of a little leaguer, and next, being super impressed at the person Derek Jeter seems to be and at the values his parents taught him. I also really appreciated the reference to this poem:

Build me a son, O Lord,

who will be strong enough to know when he is weak,

and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid;

one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat,

and humble and gentle in victory.

Build me a son whose wishbone will not be

where his backbone should be;

a son who will know Thee - and that

to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge.

Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort,

but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge.

Here, let him learn to stand up in the storm;

here, let him team compassion for those who fall.

Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goals will be high;

a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men;

one who will learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep;

one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.

And after all these things are his,

add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor,

so that he may always be serious,

yet never take himself too seriously.

Give him humility, so that he may always remember

the simplicity of greatness,

the open mind of true wisdom,

the meekness of true strength.

Then I, his father, will dare to whisper,

"I have not lived in vain."

-General Douglas Macarthur

So, reading all this made me want a son really bad. Don't get me wrong, I love love love my Olive and cannot wait for Lucy to get here. But I'm not gonna lie, I want a son.

We went to Utah...again

Ashley's reception in Utah was on Saturday, so we made the trip. I took a shameful amount of pictures, and by that I mean almost none. But it was a fun time, and I'm happy for Ashley and Paul.

Here are a few shots I did actually take:

Olive gives good hugs these days. Here she is hugging Merick.

Looking out the window on the plane.

Cozied up between Laurie and Shane, two of her favorites.

With Oscar.

Exploring the hotel in Henderson we stayed at on the way home.