I can’t believe my Hailey is 7.  The time has gone so fast.  I really feels like it was yesterday that we got to see her for the first time.  We couldn’t believe how perfect she was despite her cone head! At 6:20am she came to us.  I had a c-section so she got to meet her grandparents and dad before she got to visit with me, but I will never forget the millions of feelings swirling in my head when I finally got to hold her. 

Hailey is very creative.  She writes and draws all day. She is very smart.  She uses such big words and has since she started talking.  I know I don’t talk like that so it must be from her dad!  She is a huge helper and a good friend.

Yesterday we had our family come over to celebrate with us. Today we had a little party with a few of Hailey’s cute friends.  We had all kinds of giggles going on.  Even  Mallory and Annie were just one of the girls! Jack was a little grumpy.  It’s hard being the odd man out! I think that Hailey has very much enjoyed turning 7.  And I know that I have very much enjoyed having her around for the last 7 years.  She has taught me so much and I am glad for every minute of it.  We love you Hailey and are very proud of everything you do. 

Hailey’s friend party.

These are the cousins on the Haymond side born in 2007. Annie is going to have to keep these boys in order! How cute, they all have the same hair cut!

So last year when we put down the lawn in the front yard, we had a bit left over and laid it down the east side of the house in the back yard. The problem is that the rest of the back yard isn’t done yet so this one little strip gets neglected a bit both in terms of being watered (I can’t water it with the sprinklers or it would turn the rest of the back yard into a mud bog) or in terms of mowing it (because I forget).

Anyway… yesterday we were out in the back yard getting it prepped so that we can get the rest of the lawn in and the girls decided to play in the strip of grass along the east side of the house. I wandered over to see what they were doing and saw that they had made “beds” in the foot long grass. They were having fun playing in the severely overgrown lawn and doing their normal “posing” thing, but it made me realize that I should really try to remember to mow back there.

Today we attended the funeral of our neighbor who passed away this week.  This day was a beautiful tribute to a good man.  His life was dedicated to scouting and I could not hold back my tears as the color guard presented the flag and the casket came into the chapel.  My heart just sobbed as I watched his family follow behind.  The speakers did a wonderful job of honoring Brother Duckworth.  I was especially impressed with his children who spoke  about the things they remember best about their dad.  The whole congregation wept as his 8 year old daughter talked about her dad taking her to the daddy daughter dance and getting their picture taken.  I pray that she will never forget every second of that night.  How he felt dancing with her.  How he sounded when he laughed. How he smelled. The things they talked about.  I just think how easy it would have been for him to say they were too busy to go. But he didn’t. 

So today I learned a lesson.  I need to be more for my children.  I fill so much of my time with little things that in the end won’t matter.  I think back and I can’t remember if my house was dusty or not (by the way, it was always very clean-thanks mom). But I do remember the things I did with my sisters and my parents.  I remember bed time. I remember dinner time. I remember folding the laundry with my mom and cleaning the bathrooms with my mom.  How lucky am I to have such incredible memories and now I need to be better about using my time to make memories with Hailey and Mallory and Annie and Jack.  And sitting next to a sad Mike today I could tell he was thinking the same thing. 

So off I go to tuck in my children and bring them a drink of water "from the toilet" just like my dad always did.  (He always flushed twice!!) 

Early this morning our neighborhood was shaken with the news that our friend and neighbor, Ken Duckworth had been killed in a tragic accident on his way to work. When Emily called me at work to tell me the news I was more than a little shocked and it took a few minutes for it to sink in. Even now, several hours later, its hard to accept the reality of the situation and I can only imagine what his family is going through.

For the past couple years I’ve been the Duckworth’s home teacher, and although I haven’t always been the best at visiting every month, I’m glad I was able to stop by last Sunday and visit with Ken and his family. As always, it was a happy afternoon at their house with lots of kidding and teasing and love.

Posts like this are hard because its difficult to know exactly what to say, but our thoughts and prayers go out to the Duckworths. The loss of a loved one is never easy, but when it comes as sudden and unexpectedly as this, there seems to be a surreal and somewhat detached feeling that seems to linger a while. Ken was a kind and generous man who always seemed to be striving to make things better for those around him and he will be missed all who knew him.

A memorial fund for his family has been set up at University of Utah Credit Union and you can visit their family blog HERE to leave a note of condolence.

Jessie came into town last week so Lauren got us tickets to go see a taping of Good Things Utah.  It was so much fun to be the audience and by that I mean it was  the five of us and about ten other ladies and one man.  It was so much fun.  We got free lip stuff (which me and Mal love).  It was fun to ride to the station all together and be able to finish a conversation with no kids interrupting! I love my kids but it was nice to be with the girls. 

It was kind of crazy to watch the taping and see the behind the scenes activities.  We want to go again when Jess comes back in July so if anyone wants to come let us know!