December of Joy

December is a busy month full of joyous occasions, if we're willing to stop and find them amidst the bustle of the season.  Here's my list:

• Spending the day with my mom on her birthday.  She's my best friend!
• Meeting new people in the community who share my love of music.  Estacada has some fabulously talented musicians who graciously offer and share their talents with others freely.  It has been an honor to sing and play with them this holiday season.
• Helping a dear friend during her trial of planning her mother's funeral.  I was happy to help in even small ways to plan the music and sing for the funeral.  
• Finishing the enormous task of leading our ward choir through four performances this month.  We finished strong and I enjoyed every minute of it!
• Realizing I am capable of planning, preparing, and accomplishing a HUGE task and seeing it come to fruition and be successful.  It has boosted my confidence and energized me to continue forward in the coming year!
• Spending time with my family for the holidays.  Parents, brothers, sisters, cousins, nephews, children.  I enjoyed our time together!
• Ending the year in Virginia with our extended family--we haven't seen them in a year!
• Rediscovering the incredible history of our country in our country's capital--Washington DC. 

A birthday getaway

Jason took me away for my birthday.  It was just what I needed amidst the bustle of the season.  We stayed two nights at the Governor Hotel in downtown Portland.  I love staying downtown and walking the streets. It's such a treat to get away from life, kids, and responsibilities and go incognito for a bit.

We bundled up in the cold (and the rain) and shopped in the various fancy stores.  We ate thai food.  One night we went to a musical production of It's A Wonderful Life, which was completely fabulous.  We watched from the front center row in a small, intimate theatre where the actors were about four feet away from us.  It was amazing to be so close and it felt like we were a part of the show.  They actors were so talented.  It was an honor to watch them display their talents. 

The next night we attended Michael Allen Harrison's Christmas Concert at The Old Church, which we saw last year as well.  It was wonderful and I enjoyed every minute of it.  This year our seats had a perfect view of Michael's hands as he played the piano.  He makes playing the piano look so easy.  His fingers dance over the keys with amazing fluidity.  I admire his talent immensely. 

I find it amusing that when Jason and I find ourselves out together with no children, what attracts our attention most?  Children.  We watch as other families corral their kids down the street, into stores, into restaurants.  It's fun to watch the kids and their reactions to various situations because we can completely relate to the situation.  We chuckle to ourselves as we see the kids laugh, play, and even throw fits.  I find myself appreciating my own kids and realizing that even their shortcomings are completely normal.

Anyway, it was wonderful spending adult time together away from real life.  I'm so fortunate to have a husband who spoils me and makes sure I'm taken care of.  I'm grateful for his attention and love.  I'm also grateful to celebrate another birthday in good health and happiness.

Good Tidings of Great Joy!

Good Tidings of Great Joy!

A Musical Celebration of Christmas

It is finished.  

My consuming work of the season.

What a truly amazing experience to be an instrument
 in worshipping the Savior through song and music at the most magical time of the year. 
In my little community
--my little section of the state, country, world--
I was able to bring people together
to bear testimony of the Good Tidings of Great Joy
that have been given us from centuries ago. 
I am truly honored and humbled by the experience.

I learned a lot.
Planning, flexibility, endurance.
Organization, communication, vision.
Leadership, encouragement, collaboration.
Just to name a few.
And, mostly, trust.
Trusting that my hard work would pay off.
Trusting that everyone involved would contribute their best.
Trusting that others would want to hear what we had to offer.
Trusting in myself--that my vision would be complete and successful.
Trusting I would be satisfied with the results. 

And in the end, my trust was unbetrayed.

Everything was not perfect, but everything was perfectly satisfying.

Everyone rose to the occasion.

It was a beautiful night.

My mom sang in the choir.

My brothers came to support me.

Their support meant the world to me and I was happy to share the night together.

In the end, all the work, worry, and time was worth it.

I'm grateful to have learned what I learned.

I'm pleased to have accomplished what I accomplished.

I'm hopeful for future concerts with even more successes.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas season!  Here's to a new year coming soon!

The Richards Family~

Jason & Shannon

Mariah, Dallin, Grant, Kyle, and Karina

A story behind a story

Yesterday I posted about my experience with my sweet mother who helped me keep our tradition of cutting down a Christmas tree.  Now let me tell you the story behind the story....

We headed up the road and decided to go to the tree farm we went to last year.  We were feeling lucky that no rain was dripping from the sky as we parked the truck and headed out into the rows of trees.  To our surprise, we found our two trees within about ten minutes, which is most certainly a record for our family.  Maybe it was Dallin's declaration as we trudged along that helped us decide so quickly.  He said, in reference to our typical routine of circling the farm to find the "perfect" tree, "You don't need to be so judgmental!"  Poor trees.  They must have complexes by the time we're done with them!

So, sure enough.  We let our judgments slide and were feeling rather pleased with ourselves as we beckoned  to the man with the chainsaw for help.  He sliced the trunks neatly and then ordered his son to carry the heavy tree while we attended to the lighter one.  Another ten minutes passed and we were loaded up, trees paid for, and ready to go just as a few sprinkles began falling from the sky.

Then, this happened.   And all our pride and self-gratification went out the window as we had to ask for help to get us unstuck from the mud.  

 

 After several different attempts, the farm owner finally pushed us out with his mini-tractor.  We went slipping and sliding towards the paved road with plenty of hoots and hollers and oh-no's!  I gunned it and we dared not stop until our tires were firmly on solid pavement.  Waving out the window our thank you's, we laughed and laughed at the memories we had just created and to try to save ourselves from our embarrassment.  And to think I had nearly foregone this adventure for a tree lot!  It's an adventure to remember for certain.

Give and take

It's a tradition for us to find The Perfect Tree as the centerpiece of our holiday decor.  This year, for several reasons, I was not feeling the fun in our tradition.  I was busy and distracted with my concert preparations, the rain was coming down in buckets for days, and Jason was out of town on the weekend after Thanksgiving when we typically get our tree.  I've gone to get a tree by myself before, but it was a lot of huffing and puffing and hollering at kids to help.  Normally that doesn't bother me much, but this year I was completely willing to forego the experience and find a pre-cut tree on a lot to take home.  

I weighed my options:

1) Go without a muscly man to a muddy field of wet trees; 

2) Spend a half an hour tromping in the mud to find the perfect tree;

3) Cut it down by myself; 

4) Haul it to the truck about 50 yards away with my five kids "helping;" 

5) Haul it up my driveway and onto the porch; 

6) Leave it there for a few days to hopefully dry.  

OR

1) Go without a muscly man to a tree lot exactly 1/2 mile from my house;

2) Pick out a tree in 2 minutes;

3) Save myself from all huffing and puffing and hollering to cut the tree down;

3) Throw it into the back of the truck 10 feet away;

4) Repeat # 5 and 6 above;

5) Feel guilty that I broke the tradition of cutting down a fresh tree.

I was totally okay with my second set of options minus #5, which was causing a bit of angst in my mind. 

Enter:  my mom.  We usually take Mom with us and get her a tree at the same time we get ours.  So when she called to ask what our plans were for getting trees this year, I felt guilty admitting to her my plan to buy a lot tree.  Then, my dear, sweet, loving mother came to my rescue.  With a few words of encouragement and planning, we were out the door and heading to a tree farm to pick out our trees.  What I thought would be an ordeal, a pain, a hassle, an inconvenience, turned out to be a lovely day of tradition and memories.  She said all the right things, helped me gather my hope and courage, and left me feeling content and fulfilled at what we accomplished together.  

It wasn't until later that day I realized what an angel she had been for me.  Without even knowing it, she had lifted my spirits and helped me see past my negativity and lack of motivation.  I recognized that many times I fill that role for her--as she ages and has more needs arise wherein she needs assistance, I am the one she leans on for guidance, encouragement, and strength.  But this day, it was she who gave me what I was lacking.  She lifted me up.  It's a beautiful thing to have a relationship of healthy give and take.  And for that, I am grateful.  

Middle aged

35.

Why does 35 sound so much older than 34?

35.

Yawn.

Boring.

Why does 35 sound so "blah?"

35.

Middle aged.

Is 35 exactly middle-age?  Sounds like it to me.  

So that means I'm crossing a precipice.

Today the scales are exactly balanced.  

Tomorrow they will ever so slightly begin tipping the other direction.

As I look behind me, what do I see?

A family--two brothers, Mom, Dad.  A childhood--happy, secure, loved.  

A trial of faith--heartbreaking, painful.  An education--challenging, hard work, unforgettable opportunity.  

A husband--mature, patient, kind.  A family--daughter, son, son, son, daughter.  

As I look ahead, what do I see?

A family--growing, maturing, bonding, loving, succeeding.  

A life of service--for family, for church, for community.

A time to for me to fill in the blank________--for my growth, for my enrichment.

While 35 sounds rather non-descript, it's not just another weight on the scale.  For me, it's the weight that balances the scale and peaks the perspective on my life.  It's the point at which I weigh where I've been and assess where I'm going.  

And I like what I'm seeing.

Consumed

I have been consumed lately.  Consumed with music.  

Altos, sopranos, tenors (we need more!), basses.

Pianists, flutists, cellists, violinists. 

Cutoffs, tempos, directing.

Programs, posters, invitations.

Rehearsals, reminders, announcements.

Jewelry, ties, dresses.

Desserts, flowers, decorations.

It is no small task to organize a Christmas concert.

Not just one concert, but two.

Not just two concerts to organize, but another two to participate in.

I'm learning to delegate.

I'm learning to be satisfied with the effort of others, although it may not result in exactly what I had envisioned.

I'm learning to be patient.

I'm learning to be bold and confident.

I'm learning to enjoy the journey.

It has been a wonderful journey so far,

And it promises to be wonderful to the very end.

November of Joy

It's the time of year that reminds us to truly reflect on the things we are grateful for in our lives.  Without writing a novel or listing every item under the sun, here are a few of the top things that brought me joy this month:

• Election day!  I enjoy seeing our democracy in action--it is truly amazing.  I love the feeling that sweeps across the nation as we all join together in a common action for the good and forward movement of our country.  Whether or not we agree with the results, I think we can all be grateful for the opportunity to let our voices be heard.
• Spending a wonderful weekend out with a dear friend and both our daughters.  We went to a women's conference and listened to inspiring speakers and beautiful music.  Most of all, we enjoyed each other's company and Portland in the beautiful fall weather.  
• Enjoying the Grand Opening for our business.  Mostly I enjoyed visiting with all the wonderful people who love and support us, professionally and personally.  Without our supportive cheerleaders, our accomplishments would seem deflated and unexciting.  
• Finishing the Grant's soccer season brought me joy--no more dragging him to practice, crying, whining, complaining.  Remind me next year that he may not be a candidate for soccer again.
• Meeting new, wonderful people who took us in for Thanksgiving dinner and treated us like family.  It was a true joy to spend the day with them and enjoy the abundance we have together.
• Watching Dallin and Grant earn scouting awards.  Dallin earned his Webelos badge and Grant earned his Wolf badge.  They've worked hard (and so have I!).
• Finally, FINALLY feeling like our choir is making progress.  As their director, it has been a long road to get to this point and I finally feel like we're making music together!  Let the concert season begin!