Tender Mercies

Last weekend started out like any other weekend. We went to Kace's piano recital (more about that later) Saturday morning, got our chores done and then Kace and Nate went fishing. Ty and I were just hanging out when our neighbor called to see if we wanted to go to Willard and go boating. Of course we did!

So after we had been there awhile (Ty LOVED the idea of going on a "motor boat" and went around the house shouting and jumping up and down). Ty and his friend Olivia decided that they wanted to ride on the tube. After instructing that Kim and I did not the kids to have a bad experience and wanted to go really slow (and we didn't want to get wet.....the water was COLD and I am a wimp). So we got on and went. It was so slow that it was almost boring, but the kids had a good time.
About an hour later they wanted to ride again. Not really wanting to get on the tube again we sent them with another neighbor Jace, who was there with us. He sat in the middle and had a kid on each side. Two teenage girls were on the back of the tube on their knees. We were going along just swimmingly when I saw that the nose of the tube was starting to go under water. I started getting nervous and was saying to Kim, "Kim, go faster, they're going under. Go faster!" Not knowing this is NOT what you are supposed to do in this situation. (You are actually supposed to cut the engine and the buoyancy of the tube will pop the rope back out of the water--glad to know that now!)
Anyway, she started going a little bit faster (we were still going really slow) and they all slid off. Jace grabbed both Ty and Livy's hand, but Ty got sucked under the boat and Livy slid over by the side of the tube. Ty didn't come up. I started getting nervous and started shouting, "Where's TY? Where's TY?" Everyone started shouting that and he just never came up. He was stuck underneath the tube. One of the girls felt him and tried kicking him across the tube and they all tried moving the tube, but it wouldn't move. Kim (When Ty tells this story he lovingly refers to her as "Tim" as he has troubles with the K sound :) ) jumped in the water and swam out there while I was still standing frozen and frozen on the boat. I don't know exactly when he popped up, but he did and everyone in the near vicinity knew that he was okay because you could hear him. Both kids were hysterical (although liv was ready to get back on the tube after about a 1/2 hour). It was a very scary experience. My heart still races when I think about what could have happened.

The next day was Father's Day and we went to Trenton to my mom and dad's after church. We were all enjoying a little entertainment by the "tire rollers" when we noticed that Ty wasn't playing with his tractor in the sand. He had decided that he needed to go get some hay across the street. So Heidi and Clayton said that they would go over and pick him up on the 4-wheeler. When they got there they put him on in front of Clayton and then Clayton turned around to hand Heidi Ty's tractor and while he was turned around Ty decided that he would crank on the gas. Not a smart move. They lurched forward and almost hit a cement wall. By that time Clayton was able to turn around and steered them away from the second wall and hit the brakes, but it was too late. They were still going pretty fast and the 4-wheeler flipped. You can see Heidi's side of the story HERE .

So we were all still sitting outside when Clayton walked into the back and said, "Now nobody panic, but I think we are going to go to the hospital." Then he removed his hand from his head and this is what we saw.

(Clayton ended up getting 5 staples in his head that night and has a broken rib.)

I really didn't think he was serious. Then I saw the blood and knew it was for real. Then Heidi walked into the backyard carrying Tydon and she was all dirty and bleeding from some scrapes. They then told us the story about what happened.

Clayton was really shook up about it, thinking about what could have happened. I was that way the night before I kept picturing Ty in the water. Not very good thoughts. It makes you appreciate how precious life is and how fast it could be snatched away.

I really believe that Clayton helped shield Ty from being hurt worse and that he is a hero in my eyes. I also believe that there was some divine intervention and was given the distinct impression that we were given a gift. When I think about it I can't believe that they all weren't hurt worse. Ty only had a couple of scrapes on his arms and legs. He had some road rash on his arm. But really wasn't hurt and didn't really cry until we started washing him up. He now has a band-aid on all of his "owies". When he says his prayers he says, "Sorry that Clay-on got hurt. Sorry that Heidi got hurt." He is a very sweet little boy.

I was given the distinct impression that we were given a gift and we should see this as a blessing.

"When you are doing what's right on and off the field........magic happens." I just thought I would throw this classic quote in :) Not saying that we are doing what is right all the time, but we are trying and good things have definitely happened. We are very very blessed. Who could resist this adorable little face. I hug him a little tighter and appreciate each moment a little more. I am so grateful to my Father in Heaven for the gift he gave our family this weekend.

Your own kind of beautiful

Sunday I had the opportunity to go and listen to Elder Jeffrey R Holland give a fireside for the youth in our area. It was such an incredible opportunity and he is such a great speaker. When I came home I was sharing my spiritual enlightening with my family. He told all the YM that they WERE going to go on a mission. Every young man in that room IS going to serve. He said it in a very loving, but firm sort of way. He talked about temple marriage and not rejecting that gift that God gave to us. And he said how good and beautiful everyone in the audience looked at least 6 times.
So when we were eating dinner that Sunday and I said that he said how good everyone looked Kace said very matter of factly, "Well, I'm not beautiful. I don't look good. I'm UGLY"

I was shocked. I asked him what gave him that idea and he said, "I don't have that good looking of a face. Not like.......(and then he names a couple of his friends). He also mentioned that he didn't like his smile. I felt so bad. Why would a 7 year old think that he is ugly?

I asked him if someone has told him he was ugly and he said, "No. I just think that."
I don't think it really bothers him that he thinks that, it is just his opinion of himself. What I don't get is that I tell him over and over how handsome he is. I am also surprised that this is the first time he has said ANYTHING like this.

So we had a learning experience and hopefully he has now learned that Heavenly Father doesn't make anything UGLY! Least of all MY KACE!

We've obviously been to the Dinosaur Park recently :)

Little Beggars

Kace had a baseball game and all (those that know Ty know that this would actually be ALL the entire duration of the game) Ty was asking me if he could get a treat from the concessions. I always said, "No, I didn't bring any money." It's smart not to bring money to these types of events.
FINALLY, the last time he asked for a treat I said, "If they will just give you one you can have one." That was good enough for him.....and his 2 friends that were also asking their mom for a treat. They ran over to beg.

The older boy is actually buying something. The other three are just begging for hand-outs.

It worked. And they were pretty proud of themselves. Luckily this is the only field we play on that has concessions so this won't be a regular occurrence.