Spring, American Idol, Classic Rock, Victor Frankl

There is so much to share after all this time. It's just nutty how you finish the holidays and think, "Gee, what a relief to finish that whirlwind season" only to realize within weeks that you've entered a new whirlwind. I'm not complaining, though. The faster and more meaningful these months are, the sooner I get to share more evenings with my snuggy husband. Yes, we are, as I'm sure I've previously mentioned (at least a million times), in the home stretch. Come April 1st and we have only three months remaining in David's EMBA program. I'm conveniently pretending that two of those weeks in May won't involve me going solo here whilst David will "toil" in Europe. (Long story...will share it another time).

After his classes are completed at the end of June, we plan to celebrate Independence Day (which will suddenly have a double meaning), enjoy a couple of normal weeks, and then take a lovely long drive to California to see family, friends, and...Buzz Lightyear, perhaps? Who knows what oversize, Spongy Disney character will come up and terrify my children in July, but I look forward to the inevitable snuggles that will result.

So, to the subject of this post, we are just two days from Spring, and Utah is taking this very seriously. This is also not a complaint. It is just gorgeous out here!! The tulips are so close to popping out their pretty little heads, and the sky is clear as...well day. We had an awkward little picnic on the grass today in our extremely and already slightly overgrown backyard, and I couldn't believe that it wasn't April yet. Of course it is so sun-drenched in the morning and early afternoon in our yard that we could probably start a tomato farm and open up a salsa plant. It might be wiser for me to tempt the kids with indoor activities until after 3:Pm so that we don't go broke from having to purchase gallons of sunscreen. Still, the excess of rays is a definite improvement over the windowless environment of our playroom, which now takes no less than two hours to clean due to WAY TOO MANY TOYS WITH ACCESSORIES. Did that sound overdramatic? You come on down and give it a shot! You'd go nuts (if your own children's accessories haven't already driven you so)!

On to the next subject: American Idol. What can I say? I'm sure it surprises no one that I LOVE American Idol. I didn't watch it very often during the first few seasons, but I got really hooked the year that Kim Underwood and Bo Bice were in the mix; and the rest is history.

For non-Idol-watchers, do you know who coached the contestants and then performed on Idol last week? THE Diana Ross. I don't know if my sister and Mom can remember, but I adored her as a child and used to play one of her albums over and over... What a legend! And those lucky contestants had the chance to be coached by her with her huge hair and slightly worn vocal chords. But, wow! It was exciting, and they have some truly sensational vocalists this year. I think Melinda Doolittle and Lakisha Jones are both worthy of winning, but I have a feeling Jordin Sparks, the AMAZING and gorgeous 17 year old sweetie, may give them a run for their money...unless the vocal coach they have for Idol doesn't ruin Jordin's technique. This may not mean much to anyone else, but something happened last year with Katherine McPhee that infuriated me to no end. When she entered the contest, she was solid and had fantastic, healthy technique, AND she sounded amazing. In the final six weeks that approached the finals she started to sing more and more like Leann Rimes, who, despite her resilience and natural talent, is a painfully unhealthy singer. (Well, I don't know how healthy her pipes actually are, but I just get a sore throat every time I hear her sing. Ouch!) Anyway, Jordin sounded ultra-strong and practically flawless to me every week before last, and then, oh so suddenly, she comes in with this heavy, hard sound, banging her chords against each other with such force... Am I boring you guys? Okay, I'll get off the voice teacher soap box. It's just annoying, and if another singer goes by the wayside as I felt Kat McPhee did, then I'll just have to sob for another fallen vocalist.

Do any of you know how much I really love 70's and 80's rock? A lot.

Finally, on to Victor Frankl: I read the most wonderful book last month, I would like to highly recommend it to everyone I love...which means you guys. It is called Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl, and it is such a powerful, amazing book. Frankl was a psychiatrist and neurologist who founded a form of therapy called "logotherapy." He was also a Holocaust survivor. You would expect his book, which chronicles and analyzes some of his experiences in the concentrations camps (he was in a few, I believe, including Auschwitz), would be a huge downer; but it was very, very inspiring. I would call his "logotherapy" therapy for those unwilling to pity themselves. Rather than focusing on the origin of trials and placing blame, he emphasized finding meaning in love and the unavoidable challenges in life, and taking responsibility for your choices and actions. It was just amazing, and I know I've failed to sell it. But if any of you have some time to spare (the book is a pretty easy and fast read), I doubt you'd regret it. Even if you're not big on self-improvement books (which this one hardly is - it's more of an inspirational/memoir/science book), I'm sure you'd be glad you read it.

I guess that's most of my update. Wait, I didn't say much about David and the kids. David is doing great and surviving his perpetually sleep deprived state with impressively good looks. :) He is also making a great impression on a number of classmates and co-workers, and it's opening some good doors for him. Since I don't know how much or how little to share (and I don't pretend to understand all of the doors that are opening for him), suffice it to say, he is doing very well, and we're so grateful for and proud of him.

Sophie continues to have a small crush on the 14/15 year old who lives across the street, named TJ (I'm sure she'll mention him to you sometime). She has expressed that she hopes to marry him someday when she's grown up, and we've gently explained that 10 years is quite a gap in age for a couple. I think I was exactly like her. I adored teenage boys when I was a little girl. Hey, I adored them when I was a big girl. I just really liked boys, and now I just like one (well, two - one tall and one rather short). Sophie is also really doing quite well at spelling. Often, if we ask her to do something, she responds with "N-O, M-O-M/D-A-D." It is a little hard to discipline when you are swelling with pride.

Aidan is so gorgeous that I sometimes want to eat him. He is also very fun and sweet. The other day David was video-taping him in the playroom playing with his Medieval Castle set. He was eating many knights and a marionette with a ferocious dragon and screaming joyously. He says many things, and is very self-motivated in toilet-training. He has been using the toilet at least a few times a day, at his own request, and we're applauding every little baby step. As always, he and Sophie love each other so much.

And I'm doing my thing. Cleaning, playing with kids, cleaning, reading with kids, cleaning, arguing with kids... You know, the usual. Then, in the evenings I relish the time to read, write in my journal (my new crush), and get on the elliptical or do some Pilate's while watching my shows. (Or I drag myself down to my cave to work on finances, etc.) I love it most of the time, and when I don't love it, I have some wonderful friends to laugh with over it. I love the women in my church ward. They are a blast, and I sneak out to as many Relief Society Activities as I can for the friendships.

I bet it sounds like I'm pretty blessed. I guess I am. Of course, the chances of me coming down here to update the blog while I'm going insane in the middle of a crazy week are pretty slim. So, let's say, I'm blessed, just like all of you, and I'm often stressed, just like all of you.

And I love and miss all of you. :)