The Best Surprises of 2013

Last night we pulled out the family resolution book– a red velvet covered notebook my sister gave me where our resolutions have been recorded since 2001 (and wow, Hans has learned to read since then and Xander’s potty trained). This year, on the suggestion of our Stake Relief Society President, we made COMMITMENTS. Stuff we are actually going to do.

I gave my little lecture on our family commitment– DEFAULT: KINDNESS. You can figure it out just by the title. Our factory setting, our first reaction should be kindness, patience, thinking the best of others.

Mary and I made a goal to read the Book of Mormon together by following the Instagram group bofm365. Look it up if you haven’t heard of them. They give a daily assignment and hold a discussion every day. It’s the perfect way for Mary and I to read together.

As we discussed more individual goals, Hans spiced up the conversation by saying, “I have another family goal: pick up your own stinkin’ messes.” he went on, “Actions speak louder than words, and you say you love mom but you leave messes all over the house for her to clean up.”

Really, I could have kissed him. And he insisted Mary write stinkin’ with the apostrophe, no g on the end.

But you’ve read enough of goals, resolutions, commitments. Moving on to one of our new favorite traditions– in no particular order– the best surprises of the past year. None of these can be things we knew about previously like Ben coming home or Stefan going to Russia (though I might find a way to cheat and include those). They have to be surprises– events, objects, people, happenings large and small we could never have predicted at the beginning of 2013. I highly recommend making a list like this of your own. We’d forgotten some of the wonders of the year before making this list.

1. Ben coming home. OK, I told you I was going to cheat. We knew Ben was coming home, we knew it would be fabulous, but we didn’t know an advertising agency in the UK would buy the rights to segments of his video (as soon as I get all the dreaded paperwork filled out).

But truly, I’m only using the video as an excuse to name Ben’s arrival home as the happiest event of the year. You should see the way Gabe rests his head on Ben’s shoulder at any opportunity, the way Hans and Ben laugh together, Mary and Xander’s teasing and playfulness with him, and for Erik and I, talking to Ben as much and as often as we like.

3. We’d planned out trip to Ben’s mission in Italy from about the time he left, so we can’t count that as a surprise this year, but who’d have guessed we’d stay with our friends, the Bradfords, in Switzerland? And shoot a book preview? We were thoroughly and completely spoiled.

4. Shall I just lump all the travel surprises together? Erik arranged some business in Italy while we were there (because it’s nice to write off at least one plane ticket). I didn’t think much about it; simply assuming we’d enjoy any experience in Italy. But I was hesitant about letting our Italian friend Davide make hotel reservations because I’m pretty careful about our travel budget. Imagine my delight in staying at the most luxurious, but least expensive little hotel in a tiny Italian hill town. We were in a part of Italy where Americans rarely venture– every hill was once it’s own kingdom with a castle and a cathedral. We visited Davide’s plant where the make giant mixers, his father’s winery, longingly stood outside the Ferrero-Rocher factory (think Nutella and everything else wonderful), ate incredible food and swam in the local pool (Italian public pools require everyone to wear a swim cap. Kind of brilliant, really.) We love Davide’s family and will consider them friends for years to come.

6. His voice always rang through the house, but we didn’t know Hans would try out for and love performing with the Skyline Men’s Troubadours. He takes his responsibilities as a lead seriously and can often be found at the piano singing and playing. If he’s accepted into Madrigals this year, it really won’t be a surprise.

7. Perhaps the single factor improving Xander’s happiness this year (besides growing six inches and his voice dropping an octave) has been taking classes at Skyline High. In our area ninth graders stay in Junior High, which is something we love. But Xander’s schedule necessitated taking math at the high school and since they run on an A B schedule (four classes on A days, four different classes on B days), he needed another class at Skyline to even out his schedule. With much finagling and begging we managed to land Xander in AP European History where he’s taught by an incredible teacher and invited to study groups by lots of cute junior girls. Sometimes it’s worth fighting for your kid’s education. Hmm, this subject deserves an entire blog post too.

8. As fans of everything British, we’d heard of Dr. Who, but never given much thought to watching the series. We made the mistake almost everyone does when first looking up the series: we went to Netflix and watched the first episode they have listed. Don’t do this! The first episode listed, the first season, records some of the worst writing this 50 years series ever endured. Skip to season 2 (2006) or better yet, season 5 (2010 and then work your way back if need be). We’ve laughed, we’ve cried, we’ve eaten Jammie Dodgers and fishsticks with custard.

My favorite episode: The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe and if I haven’t convinced you to ‘give it a go’ yet, watch this excerpt from ‘Vincent and the Doctor’ (Season 5, Episode 10) where the Doctor takes Vincent Van Gogh forward in time to see his art hanging on the wall of the Musee D’ Orsay. You will cry. And then you’ll probably get a sonic screw driver of your own and start saying, “Bow ties are cool.”

9. No one was more surprised than me to hear I was chosen Utah’s Young Mother of the Year. C’mon, who would have thought? I’ll write about this in more detail later but it’s been a delight to represent mothers and humbling to examine my own mothering. As a bonus, I made dozens of new friends in the American Mothering sphere.

 

11. One of the great perks of photography, for me, lies in meeting new people. I generally fall in love with every family, every couple, every missionary, every senior girl, every baby and every about-to-be-baptized eight year old I photograph. Sadly, I have to say ‘no’ to most jobs because I’m easily overwhelmed, but I’m always grateful for the people I do meet. Although I take on very few weddings each year (because they take about a month of my life), I spend so much time with the couple and their families I feel completely invested in their future and happiness. And somehow I get the loveliest people, the best brides and grooms. It’s uncanny.

 

 

 

12. Gabe and Xander thought I’d forgotten their fabulous Christmas gift in my post the other day. Not true. I was simply saving their work of art for the year’s best surprises. Words are my love language and an entire book of poetry dedicated to me was the nicest, sweetest surprise. The dedication reads: To Mom, We wouldn’t be here without you. Literally.