Soccer!!

This week will complete the soccer season for Eliza and Daniel. While soccer has added an excessive amount of busyness to our family's life, I am so happy that Eliza and Daniel both got to play. They both enjoyed it so much. Eliza made some real progress this year, and had a lot of fun making new friends on her team. Unfortunately I didn't get any action shots with her. but at least I got one of her out on the field : ).

It is so entertaining to watch 3 and 4 year-olds play soccer. Early in the season, Daniel figured out that is was important to protect the goal, but it wasn't until Saturday's game that he really seemed to figure out the idea of driving the ball TO the goal. Here's a good shot of him in action, helping a teammate move the ball down the field.

The best part of the game. The end of the game high five, and SNACK!!

Until next year, Detweiler.....

Arts in Education

The Peoria Jazz AllStars were scheduled to play as the final group at the Courthouse for the Arts in Education program, but it was raining : (. So, they moved the performance to the mall. I know I posted a picture of Dallin with the AllStars from the Gala, but here are a couple more, including a decent one of the whole group.

Dallin with the rhythm section.

The 2009-2010 PJAS

Lakeview Graduation

Daniel completed Preschool at Lakeview Museum Preschool. I love the program there, and am so glad that we were able to send both Daniel and Eliza to it. They ended the year with a great Spring Sing, where they presented songs and activities from each of the units they studied. They "travel the world" throughout the year. Here's Daniel performing the Chinese fan dance.

Dancing with Avri.

Singing a song in Spanish, complete with actions!!

Standing with his diploma. He saw me with the camera, and waved, right as I snapped the picture, but I thought it was adorable.
Here he is with his fabulous teachers, Mrs. Sherry, Mrs. Sue, Mrs. Debbie and Mrs. Nancy.

Peoria, a Great Place to Live

It's easy to find problems with any place that you live, but it's just as easy to find great things, in my opinion. The past two days have provided some fun "Peoria" activities that I thought fit nicely into one post about the city in which we live. Each of these things are unique to Peoria. Although I'm sure there are similar activities in other cities, these were not the "we saw such and such movie" that you could have also seen where you live. Or, we ate at "insert chain restaurant name", that you could have eaten at anywhere. There are times when it is nice to participate in the same activity that you know friends and family across the country or even the globe are also enjoying, but it is also good to enjoy local fun, and find the joy in your own town/city. *I have to make yet another disclaimer about photos. The camera is once again acting up, this time going through batteries so quickly that it's ridiculous. It's time to just get a new one. So, the pictures are at times random, and it would seem that I don't have pictures of some important events. Sorry.

First up was the Arts in Education Spring Celebration. At the Courthouse square on Fridays during the month of May, you'll find live music at lunchtime from area school groups. This particular Friday, Dailie was playing with the Washington Band and Orchestra. They play over the lunch hour, and local restaurants set up vending carts, so people can enjoy their lunch and the music. After a week of rain, it was a beautiful afternoon. I got a yummy gyro from Haddad's, a local Lebanese restaurant, and sat and listened to Dailie play her cello. This year is the 25th year in a row that this program has occurred in Peoria, and I really enjoy it.
That evening, we attended the Peoria Jazz AllStars Annual Gala and fundraiser. After dropping Dallin off for the early sound check, Rick and I enjoyed some Vietnamese food at Thanh Linh on Main Street. I love the cultural diversity in Peoria, and one reason is for the food : ). After our dinner, we went back to the Holiday Inn City Center for the Gala, where we were joined by some of our local Peoria friends!! Dallin plays piano for the district-wide jazz band. They are such a talented group of musicians. In spite of the troubles in our local schools, music and the arts continue to be important in Peoria, and I am thankful for that. Along with the 3 sets (nearly 3 hours) of music, the evening included a silent auction, where we picked up some tickets to a local go-kart track. I know we'll enjoy those this summer. We also won a gift certificate to another very yummy local restaurant, Seven on Prospect. Here's a shot of Dallin jamming out on the keyboard, although the lighting was tricky:This morning was the Caterpillar Power Race. We participated as a family. We called ourselves Team Jeffs:Rick, Dallin, Audri and I ran the 5k, and Eliza and Daniel ran the 1/2 mile kid race. Dailie was an excellent T-shirt holder and cheerleader : ). It was a beautiful morning, and we got to run along the Illinois River. I was so proud of everyone. Each of us gave it our best and were able to reach personal goals we had set. Daniel was particularly fun to watch. He wanted to be a part of the race so much. The age limit was actually 5, but Rick asked if he could participate, even though he will not be 5 until August. He's been talking about running his "5k" for weeks. He never once stopped to walk, and ran his little heart out. Eliza finished 6th out of all the children. Here they are at the starting line.After the race, we debated what to do/where to go for breakfast. In the end we felt too dirty and smelly to sit somewhere and eat, so we stopped by a local bakery not far from our house, and let each of the kids pick out something. Then we took them home and made some scrambled eggs to go with our goodies from Apple's Bakery. This place is so yummy. If you live in Peoria, you ought to try them out.We rounded out the day with a soccer game for Daniel with the Peoria Park District, and great Peoria Ward Fiesta at the Church. It's been a great couple of days in Peoria!!

*I guess I didn't realize how much of this post focused on food. It's obvious we enjoy it. Better keep running those 5ks!!

Track

Audri decided to run track this year for Lindbergh Middle School, and it has been a lot of fun to go and watch her run. She had just 3 meets, and it was tough to work them in, but we were able to get at least someone to each of her meets to watch her, and there was even one race that the whole family was there for. Last night was the Conference Meet, and she was selected to run the 800 meters, as one of the top two runners for that event. In the other meets she also ran the hurdles. She says she enjoyed it and would like to do it again next year. Way to go, Audri!!

I Think I'll Move to Alaska

Have you ever had one of those dreams where you're walking down the hall at Church with your dress tucked in the waistband of your panty hose?

Well, yesterday I didn't dream it, I lived it. Sorry if you, or your husband, or one of your children saw a little more of the Bishop's wife then they needed to yesterday. And a special thanks to Melissa for filling me in on my indecency. Too bad you weren't standing right outside the bathroom door, instead of ALL the way down the hallway by the chapel : ).

I'll be sure and post my forwarding address.


*please let me know if this made you laugh, because I figure if my humiliation can make someone else laugh, then it's worth it.

Literary Moms

First, I should say that I am able to sit and write this post because my husband and children are in the kitchen, preparing a surprise dinner for me : ).

I knew I wanted to do a Mother's Day post, but I recently shared some of my thoughts about motherhood on my birthday post, here, and I didn't want to repeat myself. I wanted to come up with something different, and unique, so I spent some time thinking about mothers. I realized there are many "pretend" mothers in literature who have inspired me. I began to think about some of my favorite books, and the role of mothers in them.

First, I thought of Marmee, from "Little Women".
I love Marmee's strength and practicality. I love that she doesn't give into the ideas of society, but seeks for truth for herself and her daughters. I love that she teaches her daughters to be strong. Here are a few Marmee quotes:

"Money is a needful and precious thing--and when well used, a noble thing--but I never want you to think it is the first or only prize to strive for. I'd rather see you poor men's wives, if you were happy, beloved, contented, than queens on thrones, without self-respect and peace."

[as revenge, Amy has burned a precious manuscript] "It is a very great loss and you have every right to be put out. But don't let the sun go down on your anger. Forgive each other, begin again tomorrow."

If you ask me what my favorite book is, my answer would be "To Kill a Mockingbird".

I love that book, and thinking about it makes me what to read it again. Scout's mother is not in the book, she died of a heart attack when Scout was 2. When I think of the "mother" in the book, I think of Calpurnia, the cook. I love the character Calpurnia. Here are some words of wisdom from Calpurnia. The first comes from the time Calpurnia took Scout and Jem to church with her. Scout wanted to know why Calpurnia spoke differently to the people there:

"It's not necessary to tell all you know. It's not ladylike – in the second place, folks don't like to have somebody around knowin' more than they do. It aggravates 'em. You're not gonna change any of them by talkin' right, they've got to want to learn themselves, and when they don't want to learn there's nothing you can do but keep your mouth shut or talk their language"

"Don't matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house, they are company and don't let me catch you remarking on their ways like you were so high and mighty."

The final literary mom I thought of is Sarah Agnes Prine. If you haven't read the book "These is My Words" by Nancy Turner, I highly recommend it, and it's two sequels, "Sarah's Quilt" and "Star Garden".
The main character is an amazing woman, based on the author's great-grandmother, who lived in the Arizona territories at the turn of the century. Here are some tidbits of advice from her:

"Children are a burden to a mother, but not the way a heavy box is to a mule. Our children weigh hard on my heart, and thinking about them growing up honest and healthy, or just living to grow up at all, makes a load in my chest that is bigger than the safe at the bank,and more valuable to me than all the gold inside it."

"A woman who dreams of a good home with a man who holds for her only a poor love is putting a $50 saddle on a $20 horse. She'd be far better off single than riding with him."

The final quote from "Star Garden", is Sarah, as she looks at her grown children, and ponders what she has been for them.

"Reckon my being a mother is finished, like putting down a good, long book. All this time, they'd been making choices of their own because I taught them to be clearheaded and go after what they wanted. I thought I was leading them, but the truth was, I was just following them, holding up a lantern."

That's really what I'm trying to do, follow behind my children, holding up a lantern. I'm really grateful for all of the fine examples of motherhood throughout my life, both real and fictional. Do you have some favorite literary moms? Tell me about them in the comments!!

Thoughts From the Bishop's Wife

I recently watched this movie. I had heard about it, but somehow had missed that the LDS dad in the film was called as the Bishop of his ward. Needless to say, the movie had real meaning to me. I have at times toyed with the idea of starting a blog titled "The Bishop's Wife", mostly as a place where a handful of the thousands of other women who share that "title" with me could go and find support in someone who knows what their life is like. I haven't created that blog, because I think it would be too easy to turn it into a complaint fest, and while I appreciate a listening ear to vent to, I generally try to avoid complaint fests. Life's too short, and they just aren't worth it. So, I thought maybe I would just do one post that might capture some of the thoughts I might share on such a blog.

Who is that? On a Fast Sunday, shortly after Rick was called as Bishop I was in the foyer after Sacrament meeting. I had gotten up to bear my testimony during the meeting, and a sister in the foyer was commenting on it. She said at first she wasn't sure who it was who was speaking (she was in the foyer listening). Then, she turned to someone and said "Is that the Bishop's Wife?" At first I wondered who she was talking about, and then I realized that she had referred to me by a "new name". Not only am I Charity, Sis. Jeffs, and Mom, but now I am also "the Bishop's wife". It may seem small to you, but at the time it was huge to me.

Alone. Another Sunday, sometime in that first year, and maybe even the first six months, I was sitting on the pew with our 5 children. I don't remember who was doing what, but I remember feeling like they were more than I could handle. I must have also been tired, and maybe even hormonal. I looked up on the stand and saw Rick. Tears welled in my eyes, as I thought, "please just look at us. Let me know that you know I'm here. Acknowledge the struggle I am having, and I'll be able to handle it." He didn't look at me. At all, throughout the meeting. At first I was devastated, and then I thought about what he WAS looking at. I saw on his face the care and concern for the 100s of people in the congregation, and the many more who were not there. I wondered what he was pondering- callings to fill, counsel to give, etc. And I realized that I needed to be tougher than I had ever been in my life. Because Rick had a burden and responsibility larger than he had ever had in his life, and he needed me to be HIS support, rather than the other way around. It's not easy, and I still need plenty of support from Rick, and he is still able to give much of what is needed, but I have learned to be tougher and need less, at least for these 5 years.

Greater Joy. Before Rick was called as Bishop, I thought I did a lot as a mother. And I did. I gave birth to 5 children. I cared for them as infants, got them ready for school, calmed them in the night, etc. I knew that Rick did a lot as a father. I've always loved the team that we make as parents. We work well together, and compliment each other well, but I DID NOT APPRECIATE AS MUCH AS I SHOULD HAVE ALL THAT HE WAS DOING. Now that his calling is more demanding, more of the parenting falls on me, and I recognize how much he has helped me in the past. At first this was extremely difficult, and then I realized I had two choices. I could keep trudging through my tasks as a mother, enduring, enduring, enduring, or I could choose to find greater joy in the tasks. I choose greater joy. Doesn't always work, but it helps. A lot.

My Hero in the Night. About 6 months ago, we got a call in the middle of the night. I heard the phone, and answered it. The person on the other end asked for the Bishop, and said it was an emergency. The man was from Galesburg, and his mother was on her way to the hospital in Peoria. He feared she may not live through the surgery she was about to undergo, and was calling to ask for a Priesthood blessing for her. Rick hung up the phone and wondered what to do. Not feeling good about waking anyone else up in the night, he got up, and got dressed. I looked at him across our room, putting on a suit at 2:30 AM, and knew he was my hero, a warrior for the Lord. That picture is burned into my memory. He spent two hours at the hospital with that family, came home, and slept a couple more hours before heading into work for the day.

Many of you are reading this about YOUR Bishop, some of you are reading this about your brother, or son, and some of you are reading this about your friend. I am writing this about my Bishop, my husband, and my best friend. I know he doesn't do everything right. He knows he doesn't do everything right, but I know that he is One Good Man, doing the best he can as a dad, an Engineering Manager at Caterpillar, a husband and a Bishop, and I love him for that.