I just loved this forward that Jenny Coates sent me! Seriously almost cried. Do you guys relate to this a little? Anyway, I thought of "us" and hope you like it :)
"I'm invisible.
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way
one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be
taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?"
Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or
sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no
one can see me at all. I'm invisible.
Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this?
Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands;
I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?"
I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?"
I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they
had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going
... she's going ... she's gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she
was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare
and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the
only thing I could find that was clean.
My unwashed hair was pulled up in a clip and I was afraid I could actually
smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned
to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this."
It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."
In the days ahead I would read - no, devoured - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:
1) No one can say who built the great
cathedrals - we have no record of
their names.
(2) These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
(3) They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
(4) The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside
of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the
roof? No one will ever see it." And the workman replied, "Because God sees." I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I
heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've
done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to
notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right
now what it will become."
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and
presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home.
And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the
sacrifices of invisible women.
God Bless You as you build
your Cathedrals!"
Sending a great big HUG to you all ------------------------>
Here is Coolidge hanging out in his crib. The bump where his knee should be is actually his foot. He will be swimming in his clothes for a while till he can beef up.
I was out of the hospital by Wednesday, but we weren't able to take Coolidge home until Thursday. Here are the boys checking him out.
Then they each had to have a turn holding him. Here is Campbell. He is the sweetest with Coolidge. He is just fascinated by how small everything is on him. I love to see their tender sides.
Porter is great with Coolidge and I don't have to worry about Porter holding him. He's a natural big brother.
And Mason always wants to hold him, but for him, "holding" him means Coolidge lying in his lap while he holds a piece of Coolidge's hair and sucks his thumb. My hair used to reign supreme, but I think Mason prefers Coolidge's hair now (I don't blame him, it's so soft).
Mason just can't get enough of Coolidge. He's always looking over the edge of his crib and waves to him. I am so blessed to have such wonderful boys!
Hello to you all! This is the first time I've posted on the wives' blog...sorry. I can't believe how fast time goes even when Shyler is at the hospital. Everything seems to be forging ahead full speed. One minute it is Monday and the next it is Saturday evening. I remember thinking time dragged along painfully while Shyler was out doing audition rotations last year. I was home with two busy little girls and pregnant with Dashle. Now it doesn't seem so agonizing when he's gone and I sometimes wonder what's wrong with me since I'm not pining over his absence constantly. Perhaps it is the knowledge that he is ten minutes away and eventually always comes home. Things are going really well for us here in Columbus. Our home is set to be finished on October 30. Shyler said he called the field manager the other day and in Shyler's words he "chewed out" the field manager to try to motivate him to get our home done faster. You need to know when Shyler says he chewed someone out it really means, "Excuse me sir, we would really like our home to be done faster if it is possible or convenient for you and your men." haha. He's too sweet to ever really be mad at anyone. Emery is in kindergarten and really seems to love it so far. Many people have raved about her school and the school district. That puts a lot of our worries at ease since we're naive parents and really don't have a clue about anything. We have a great ward who has welcomed us with kindess and love. I teach the 14-15 year olds and Shyler is in the YM presidency. We've met a lot of great people out here and we really love Columbus so far, although we're still trying to get used to the over- zealous Buckeye fans. Both girls are involved in dance and Addie is doing gymnastics through the local rec. center. There is so much to do here for families and a lot of it is free! It's the best! It has been fun to read about all of you. It seems that we're all surviving in our own way and it's a relief to know other wives are going through the same circumstances. Admittedly, I am a bit envious that Shyler is eating steak and calamari once a week at uppity restaurants and he's not even on a date with his wife! (I know how you feel Dora. We're usually eating cold cereal when he's out dining with the other docs). Hope you're all well! 
We have a lovely corn field behind our house. It is so nice not to have people behind us. I could get used to the suburban life.
Well, my life is pretty much filled with the same stuff that y'all have going on. Two little humans.....Hayden will be 5 in November and Samantha just turned 2 and a husband who is gone all the day. He gets Fillet Mignon and I have pancakes for dinner. When telling my son to help pick up some of his toys I get asked why? I respond "I'm tired of picking up all the time." He quickly tells me. "Well, that's what you like to do!" Um...for the record cleaning is NOT what I like to do. But I do love to bake. I have realized that friends are important. I don't have family close anymore so I need to make friends. So, we had escaped callings for 3 months but we got the call 2 weeks ago. I have been called to the nursery. As if I wasn't on call 24/7 already! Now, I have to go to church by myself and then the 2 hours I could have minus kidos, I am now babysitting. So there goes the friends. At least I do have my adorable daughter in there with me. 
Here is a picture of Rhett and I in case you don't remember what I look like. I am bad with names sometimes. It was at the fabulous white coat burning ceremony.
Well I better get going we have play group at the park for our ward so I guess I better get dressed and go make some friends. I hope you are all doing well. It was fun to read about everyone. Some of you I have only met briefly but we have a lot in common so it is nice to have a support system. Have a great day. Get out and enjoy the sunshine for a moment if you can!.JPG)
Nathan is crawling and into everything. He is just the sweetest boy though, and we all love him entirely. He is starting to get very silly, and seems to be developing a very cute sense of humor. 
