Stages...

One of Viv's favorite thing to say about life is...

"Life Upon the Wicked Stage"

Today I was at the doctor's office waiting for a prescription to be filled. I had to sit there for quite a while... it is flu season, you know. The Doctor's office is a wild place to people watch and while I was there I had a funny little Epiphany...

Life is made up of all sorts of stages...

I saw everything from pregnant women... some young first timers and some older with other children in tow- to geriatric patients walking carefully in with their walkers.

This is the stage I am in right now...

older children, but I still have my little family home with me.

It always kindof bugged me when my kids were little and we were out in public and they started throwing a fit(like they ALWAYS did, some "older" person would start longingly going off on how they long for those days with their kids.
That I really should enjoy them... I always smiled and kindof laughed but really thought "Whatever!" and rolled my eyes as soon as they walked away.
While sitting near the pharmacy I was watching a young mom... she really caught my eye because she had two boys (about 5 & 3)and one girl (about 6 months). When I see this... I am always secretly bonded with that mom because I know how thrilled

she was to finally get pink.
Anyway... I was stranger chatting with her... telling her (like the older person that I am now) how cute her little boys were and explaining to her that was the order of my children.
Her boys were running up and down the stairs... literally running... many many times.
She laughed and said that they had been sick with the croup and that this is what happens when they are not actually down in bed.
Well... They started to cough a little and she told them to come sit down... still more running... and then they REALLY started to cough. She really began to try to get them to calm down. All of a sudden... The oldest boy was coughing so hard he got all red and we both knew what was next. His cheeks puffed out and his eyes got wild... He was going to throw up. She grabbed a garbage can just in time and then the little brother started his coughing/ gagging routine. She was completely bewildered... and totally embarrassed! I told her I would watch her baby in the car seat while she took the boys to the bathroom. As I sat there talking calmly to her baby I just had to laugh at life. I had been this young mom with three sick kids. When the boys came out of the bathroom they were back to being crazy... touching everything in the pharmacy- begging for Spiderman and Sponge Bob bandaids.
As I watched that mom lug the car seat out with her wild banshees, I was a little sad that my boys were so big... that my little baby girl is now 9.
I instantly thought of the photos I had taken when Meg was born. My boys were such handsome little men... somewhat freaked out by the new sister.
Time marches on... and I have become a stranger talking nostalgic old woman admiring naughty little boys.
As I was looking for the newborn photos
I came across several more...
This is " The Boys of Tumble Creek"! The Dalley and Moorhouse boys looking for something to shoot while camping.
These boys are now all grown up... The oldest is now a senior in High School and will be going on an LDS mission this fall.
And yes... Mitch had swagger even at 7

I even miss the bleach blonde summer hairdos...
Now when they bleach it or cut it funny
it is done by the baseball team.
Last weekend we had a family party for my Grandma Connie's 80th birthday...
Connie is 80? I can't believe it.
Here are all the cousins out to Sand Hollow...
now these girls are in college.
Crazy how time flies... things change.
Tomorrow we are headed back to St. George for Caylor's Grandma Phil's funeral.
We are sad at the memories of such a fun lady, but at 93... There were more people waiting for her there than there were here sending her off.
It will be fun to go celebrate her life and see all the extended family. I think that is what it is all about...
Yes, Life is made up of many stages.
I think the secret is to enjoy and love
whatever one your in or on .
Wow.. this was little longer than I had thought it would be...
a little deeper too.
Oh Well... In the immortal words of Forest Gump,
"That's all I've got to say about that!"