A trip to Palmyra and other stuff

We have had some neat church history experiences recently. First of all, the Church published the first volume of Saints, which I finished reading on our trip (Michael had already finished it). While it's a narrative and not an in-depth history, it's been really neat to read a cohesive story. I was continually overwhelmed by the sacrifice of the early Saints and kept asking myself, "Could I have sacrificed so much?" I remind myself that my sacrifices today are different than the ones they gave then.

Michael's parents drove up (after having arrived home the night before from Utah!) and accompanied us on the trip. They were very patient (especially in the car, which we were in a lot) and a big help.

 Our first stop was East Berlin, Pennsylvania to see Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa Weiler. They continue to press on, and mercifully it was a nice day outside so the kids didn't overwhelm them too much in their small space.

Clara and her great-grandparents.

Great-Grandma Weiler with Benjy.

And with Great-Grandpa.

I have a Pinterest board of ideas of ways to travel with kids. Some ideas were less successful than others (the magnets on the cookie sheets lasted about two minutes). These Legos, however, were the most played with, although they did get thrown/lost on the ground quite a bit.

We arrived at the Airbnb we had rented late that evening, and this is the view of Seneca Lake from the driveway. Beautiful!

Most days were cloudy and cold, but the kids still enjoyed the dock by our house (even though it was super rickety and made me very nervous) and especially liked hunting for shells and rocks around the house.

The next morning, Mom and Dad Weiler graciously watched the kids while Michael and I went to the Palmyra temple. We were hoping that Clara would come with us, but she had a yucky cold and was not wanting to participate. I hope next time she will. For my part, however, it was neat having Michael baptize me--I haven't participated in proxy baptisms since college.

After we returned from the temple, we headed to Rochester to visit the Strong Museum, aka the National Museum of Play. We had enjoyed going there five years ago when we visited the Merkleys, and Clara was excited to go again.

The whole gang.

The Count is one of Clara's very favorites.

Riding the train.

 Hard to believe that five years ago, this was Robbie riding the same train.

Kids come in every height. ;-)

Amazing muscle power from Super Henry to save Michael from the side of a building!

We went to dinner at a yummy crepe restaurant in Pittsford (near Rochester) and then stopped for some delicious, fresh ice cream from the Pittsford Farm Dairy. 

On Sunday, we got to attend church in the Fayette ward and visit the Peter Whitmer farm and visitor's center there. Clara and I experienced a tender mercy there. Normally when we go to new church buildings, Clara gets upset and does NOT like it. (At the Outer Banks, she sat down and cried in the hall). I told her I would go to class with her, which relieved her. When we got into the gym to sit down in a big circle of youth, I asked a girl if she could move her seat back to make room for us. "This seat's open," she told and me and Clara. I encouraged Clara to sit there and I sat behind her. "I won't bite," the girl said, which made Clara smile. She asked Clara her name, and Clara told her and said, "What's yours?" Her name was Alex, and she continued to talk a little bit with Clara throughout the class and helped her feel comfortable enough to go to Young Women's with her, without me. That was so special to me that in Relief Society, I asked whose daughter she was so I could thank her mother. I told her mom that Clara had autism and was nervous with new experiences like this, to which her mom responded, "Alex has autism, too!" I was amazed and felt the Spirit say to me, "You are known." I have never met another girl with autism, and when I spoke with the mom after the meeting, she told me that Alex hadn't wanted to go to church that morning. Her mom had encouraged her, reminding her that we never want to do anything that prevents us from receiving blessings, to which Alex agreed and then said she felt a prompting she should come to church that day. I felt so much gratitude to the Lord. Clara probably doesn't appreciate what a sweet and tender mercy that was, but I hope she will some day.

We saw a neat David Whitmer video and then got to visit the restored Peter Whitmer farmhouse where the Church was organized in 1830. 

 Here we are in front of the fireplace where the Church was organized.

And this was the field that was miraculously plowed, enabling David Whitmer to get Joseph and Oliver sooner to his parents' home so they could finish the translation of the book of Mormon.

After lunch at home, we traveled back up to Palmyra to visit the Joseph Smith homestead and the Sacred Grove.

Here are Grandma and Grandpa in front of the Smith's second home (the one Alvin built and then the Smiths unfortunately lost).

Walking into the Sacred Grove.

Clara and me (and Benjy!) in the Sacred Grove.

How she and Robbie have grown since we were in the Sacred Grove five years ago.

 On Monday, we packed up and then visited the Hill Cumorah. I stayed in the car nursing Benjy, but I didn't mind. Then we headed down to Binghamton via Watkins Glen to spend a night before leaving on Tuesday.

Watkins Glen was beautiful. There are eighteen waterfalls--so amazing. We didn't climb to see all of them, though, since we were on a time crunch to get to the hotel in time to make dinner.

Grandma was a trooper with her knees and the stairs.

Robbie wanted to keep going, poor guy.

And Benjy was just along for the ride. He was such a good traveler!

On Tuesday, we headed home via Harmony, where the Colesville branch met. Here is the home of Joseph Knight Sr., who never fell away from the Church. I think this house was the favorite. It is neat because the Colesville saints were all faithful, and the house is still the original house (not the outside shingles, but the inside).

Michael and his parents in the room where the branch met.

Then we traveled to the Priesthood Restoration site, and the family got to see the newly reconstructed Hale home and Joseph and Emma's first home there, along with baby Alvin's grave. (I had to drive back to the hotel because we'd forgotten all of our jackets in the closet! Mercifully it was only half an hour away--so glad Grandpa remembered before we'd gone too far.)

Where Joseph and Oliver sat in Joseph and Emma's first home.

The trip was pretty exhausting for me with still nursing in the night and the kids all getting colds (myself included), and I wasn't my best self. However, it was memorable, and I am glad we have these opportunities to travel. (Without Michael's "travel bug," we would probably be staying around the Valley until the youngest was three years old.) I know the fatigue and the laundry will fade away and the memories of the sights and sites will stay with us.

The thought that struck me while we were up there is that I don't need to see the Sacred Grove, or those historical sites--although they are cool--to receive a testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith, just like I don't need to see Jerusalem to gain a testimony of the Savior. I am grateful for the small, quiet experiences that I've had where the Spirit has touched my heart, confirming in my mind that Joseph Smith did indeed see the Father and the Son (I especially remember a time in our Harford St apartment standing by the kitchen table when the Holy Ghost touched my heart about Joseph Smith), that the Book of Mormon is true (as a Laurel I received my first testimony), that we are led by a living prophet (I felt that witness during the April General Conference when he was sustained as our new prophet), and that Jesus is the Christ (I have felt that witness as I have needed to repent and have been forgiven). So when I have doubts or questions, I am thankful that I have these experiences and memories, as well as others, to rely on, giving myself permission to not know it all. I recognize that these truly are the latter days, when men's hearts can fail them and even the very elect can be deceived. I hope and pray I might be faithful to the end.

General Conference

This General Conference, Michael was down in North Carolina helping with hurricane relief, so the kids and I got to watch at home on our own. It was, ahem, an adventure.

 Benjy was the best behaved of the group.

At the beginning, everyone was excited to watch. And especially excited for the treats.

 And at the end of the second session on the first day, the boys were mostly crawling under the chairs or not even in the room.

 On Sunday, I was determined (and more prayerful) to help things go better. We enjoyed a walk at the Arboretum in the morning and then settled in to watch. Everyone (myself included) did better and I felt the Spirit more. I am grateful to be led by a living prophet--and especially excited to hear the announcement about two-hour church! I also felt more responsibility and the need to step up and teach more, which was both empowering and overwhelming. But I am stoked about the new curriculum to use at home while teaching. It's going to be a learning process for everyone involved, and that's a good thing.

Clara's choir concert

Last week, Clara participated in an All-County chorus concert. I was very proud of her because she was super nervous and talked about it for days. At first she absolutely was NOT going to participate and didn't care if she failed the class and then she changed her mind and participated. Doing hard things.

Coming in and lining up. I am especially impressed at her willingness to do this in front of an auditorium of people because she hates getting up in front of people.

 The whole family came to support her.

 That smile is the best!

 

Here she is afterwards. So so proud of this girl!

I also attended her IEP meeting this past week, and Mr. Hayward (her sped teacher) told me how well she is doing and is staying on top of her work. She doesn't have the behavior problems she has had in the past and even sits with different people at lunch, so she seems to be expanding her peer circle a little as well. She even had her first sleepover (at our house) a few weeks ago with a new friend, Jaiden Lane, who is very sweet (hope they can keep that friendship).

I really enjoy watching her interacting with her brothers. She and Robbie sometimes speak a pretend language (saying it's Greek or something), and she is very cute with Benjy (he always smiles and talks to her). She also enjoys playing with Henry, although now that he's growing up more he isn't quite as easy for her to play with.

Robbie these days

I don't take as many pictures of Robbie these days (mostly because he is gone at school so much now), but I wanted to record my memories of him of late.

Robbie is such a special boy. He is very thoughtful and aware of other people's needs, willing to serve and help without being asked. Just off the top of my head, I can think of things he's done: brought in Henry's shoes along with his own from the trampoline without being asked, got up from the table last night to get me a fork because I'd shared mine with Henry, set the entire table without being asked, informing Daddy that he was going to surprise me, and constantly helps Henry with tasks, often doing the entire thing himself. I just love him so much and so happy that he is sealed to us for eternity. I know he will be a powerful source for good in the Lord's kingdom and in the world.

This is a note I just received from his Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Rice:

Oh my goodness, I may have to take Robbie home with me one day. I love him so much! He is the one I watch this year and think to myself, "I want David to be like you when he's in school." You have quite an amazing boy, and I know you know that, but he is something special!

Wow. Robbie certainly has his selfish moments and gets very upset when things don't go his way, but he is such a good boy and I just love his spirit and who he is. I love his creations, his eagerness to play, his passion for his projects and ideas, his energy and ability to run and jump and do all sorts of cool things, his kindness to others, and his desire to do the right thing. He has really been good lately at being honest and at correcting himself when he's said something that wasn't quite true. It is awesome to see his integrity develop as he makes right choices. I want to make sure we help him learn the power of repentance and that it's okay to be imperfect and that sin is inevitable, but that he doesn't have to be "perfect." I feel like the power of Christ's Atonement will be really important for him to understand so he doesn't beat himself up when he messes up. I want to make sure he gains a growth mindset and doesn't give up on something just because it doesn't come naturally, since many things do for him.

I enjoy watching him and Clara speak their "language" (pretending they're speaking Greek, etc.) and pumping on the swings together in the backyard, and he and Henry play well much of the time together (except for when they're fighting and chasing and wrestling), which is so terrific. 

 Got to see Robbie in action at a field trip to Ten Thousand Villages (a store in Harrisonburg) a few weeks ago. He was excited to show his friends his baby brother, Benjy.

 Daddy and I took Robbie to the park for his date a week or two ago. He liked having us watch him (especially to show off his new skill of pumping, a hard thing I was proud that he mastered despite his frustration) and got an M&M Mcflurry from McDonalds.

 I took the boys to the Arboretum before the Sunday session of General Conference. He wanted to bring his walkie-talkie, which you can see sticking out of his front pocket.

I feel very blessed that Henry and Benjy have such a good example as a big brother. Henry copies Robbie in nearly everything he does.

The boys are getting good at helping me in the kitchen--here Henry is peeling carrots and Robbie put all the toppings/sauce/etc on the pizza.

Benjy and other random pics

It's hard to believe that Benjy is two and a half months old. How the time is flying! He continues to be such a sweet, happy, mild baby. He is very tolerant of Henry's continual barrage of kisses and touches and squeezes (although I think I might go insane).

 He also is a big spitter, just like all our other kids. Fortunately he doesn't seem to mind.

Here Henry is sporting his newest head wound--a fall on his chin at playgroup caused a nice little gaping cut and subsequent blood on his t-shirt.

Henry's first day of preschool! I debated sending him (it's two mornings a week for two and a half hours), but I am glad I did. He enjoys it and wishes he could go every day.

I failed to take a pic of the van with its guts out, but for my birthday Michael took out the radio/CD player in the car (thanks, Youtube!) and fished out all the pennies that Henry had pushed into it a year ago, rendering it useless for nearly a year and causing me sadness whenever I wished I could play a CD in the car. It works again, hooray!!

 Happy 36th birthday to me! (scary photo credit to Robbie :-)).

 Clara is very sweet with Benjy and enjoys holding him. He loves to talk to her, too--it is very cute.

 I love this grimace he makes when he's sleeping (what bad dreams could you possibly be having?).

 How did Henry get so big?

 Benjy gives the absolute cutest smiles and coos. If you start talking to him, he talks back and just smiles and smiles.

Henry does not like to be interrupted in the middle of his play. I just had to take this pic to remember these days.

 Robbie is holding a toy he earned for bravely getting his free flu shot--no tears, which meant that Henry didn't cry either--(and an additional $5 coupon from the CVS in Target) and found this hilarious gorilla mask at Target as well.

 Robbie taught Henry how to ride two scooters at once--pretty tricky.

 An elf on the shelf.

 We went on a brief hike at Weyers Cave a couple of weekends ago. Benjy was a champ.

I am trying to be better about letting the boys help me do household chores. Despite the inevitable messes, it has been rewarding to allow their help and I think they enjoy it as well.

 I keep finding lots of selfies on my phone (a circumstance which probably every parent experiences). Clara just gets more beautiful as she gets older.

That smile!