This and That

It's been a busy week and I feel like we've accomplished a lot of work. We're making progress on our backyard (planted more trees/bushes, finished a retaining wall, and my Dad built us a garden box--thanks Dad!). I quit before I could be "fired" from lawn-mowing duty (I did volunteer for the job, but am changing my mind). I accidentally ran over a sprinkler head and was horrified at the sound I heard as the mower ate and spit out the head into several parts. I'm also not-so thrilled that the mower is not self-propelled...although it did sort of feel like a good work-out. I've actually been able to do quite a bit of "spring cleaning" on top of the usual chores and I finally got around to reading the book "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini.

I don't read as much as I would like to or should. Reading is tricky because if I get reading a good book then it is hard for me to do anything else until I am finished. I thought I might mention one part of "The Kite Runner" that keeps coming to mind; it is at the end when the main character of the story makes a personal realization:

"...I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded, not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night."

I think that Hosseini's description of forgiveness is not only elegant but quite accurate in my experience. I've thought a lot about this line and about forgiveness in general. Am I able and do I truly forgive others...including myself?

In other news of the week, Tosh is walking more and Hewitt is suddenly talking more and more. I like to call this duo "Walkie-Talkie" (I recall going through this experience with Burke; we thought he would never start talking and then one day he did and has never stopped). After I served Hewitt his lunch on Friday afternoon he said, "I'm glad you're a girl, Mommy." I was able to grab my camera in time for this sweet moment that Tosh had with "Bear" the other day:


I put Tosh is real shoes for the first time today and it was strange to see him walking around in church and looking so grown up. A friend of mine announced in Relief Society today that she got tickets to the American Idol Finale this week (Battle of the Davids)--you should have heard how the room erupted. Pretty funny.