My Big Back Yard

This morning I awoke to a loud noise I'd not heard before.  It sounded like it was right outside my bedroom window!  I knew it was a bird, what sort of a bird, I knew not!  We have pheasants that live in the field behind our house and they can get quite noisy.  This was not a pheasant!  What in the world was it?

A Sandhill Crane.  Who knew?  I don't think they normally stop on their migration here in central Utah.  They do in Northern Utah, but I don't think they are normally seen around here.  I could be wrong.  I was wrong once.  Many years ago.  So long ago I can't remember when or what it was about!

This evening, The Natives informed me that there are now four!  Two in the alfalfa field and two in the field next to it that has been recently turned.  P.S.  I love seeing/smelling newly turned soil.

Levi is enamored by the Sandhill Cranes.  He has been watching them all afternoon.  How often does a boy see a bird that stands about as tall as him?

It's spring.  New things to see, hear, and smell.  So much to add to our Nature Notebooks!

One of the Many Things We Love About Levi

In our church, we don't have a preacher over the congregation that speaks each week.  Our congregation is called a ward led by a bishop.  Each week, members of the ward are asked if they would be willing to speak on Sunday.  A personal invitation is given by a member of the bishopric (the bishop, his first counselor, or his second counselor-- depending on which one is conducting the meeting).

Two Sunday's ago, the second counselor came and asked me if I would be willing to speak.  I said that I would and was given the topic, the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  Yeah.  Not an easy subject matter.

Yesterday, as I sat up on the stand looking down into the congregation, I watched Levi.  My eyes were drawn to him because A) my eyes are drawn to my family, and B) Levi was very emotional.

The entire meeting was based on the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  My talk, a musical number, and another talk by another member of our ward.  Through the whole meeting, Levi couldn't get a hold of his emotions.

This happens often when the topic is Jesus Christ.  Levi becomes very emotional.  He doesn't know why and it confuses him, he just knows that he can't stop crying.  Those of us who know Levi, know it is because he has a very real and personal relationship with his older brother, Jesus Christ.

There is no doubt in my mind that before Levi came to this earth, he was one of the 'great ones'.

Happy 13th birthday Levi!!  I am so grateful for the gift Levi gave me 13 years ago today.  Having Levi in our home is a gift to all of us.  He is so loved as shown by his older brother, Elder Trevor Rubow who sent this early this morning all the way from the Philippines to Levi.

Levi Does Community Service

Having older brothers in the scouting program, earning merit badges, ranks, and their Eagle Scout rank is something Levi has been watching ever since he was born.

When he was old enough to join the scouting program he wanted to do what his brothers have done.  It's always been this way with Levi.  He sees and he wants to do/copy.

Levi is working on his Citizenship in the Community merit badge right now.  One of the requirements is 8 hours of community service.  Yes, 8 HOURS!!  We've done 3 so far.  5 more hours to go!

Today walking the river trail picking up garbage:

Me:  Levi!  Look!  There's a piece of garbage!
Levi:  Look!  Dares a duck!  Why iz dat duck swimming dat way?
Me:  Levi.  You need to pick up this piece of garbage.
Levi:  I hear dogs barking.  Why are da dogs barking?
Me:  That is how dogs talk.  They are saying hello.  Now, let's pick up more garbage.
Levi:  Can we be done wif diz?  When iz da clock gonna be 6? (I told him we'd finish at 6:00 PM)
Me:  Levi, we still have 45 more minutes!  Let's keep walking and finding garbage.
Levi:  I'm hungry.  I'm hungry for lunch.
Me:  No, you already had lunch.  You are hungry for dinner.
Levi:  No I didn't!!  I didn't have lunch!  I'm hungry for lunch!!
Me:  (The dialogue continues about lunch and how he didn't have lunch, yes, he did..... at school.......... no I didn't..........  I'm hungry for lunch!)
Me:  Levi, we need to keep walking and finding garbage.
Levi:  What do I get when I finish picking up diz garbage?
Me:  Dinner.  We'll go home and have dinner.
Levi:  I'm hungry for dinner.  I'm ready to go home now.

Sigh..................  5 more hours to go before Saturday's merit badge pow wow when these requirements are supposed to be done so Levi can sign them off..........  Heaven help me...............

And why pray tell, you all are wondering, are we helping Levi to earn these merit badges when he has no concept of why or what any of these mean??  Because he wants to be just like his brothers and get merit badges and have them on his sash.  Sashes are cool!  He wants his sash covered in merit badges just like his brothers.  So, The SM and I continue to sit and take notes for Levi in classes that he is oblivious to and could care less about and we walk river trails picking up garbage that he could care less about because in the end, seeing Levi smiling and proud of his sash filling up with merit badges makes it all worth it.  At least that is what I keep telling myself.

Note to self:  Remember this sweet thought as you do the next 5 hours of community service......  and up the reward when finished.  Dinner doesn't cut it.