I spent this last Saturday painting-- the house and a picture, both.

The fall colors have been so beautiful I have almost been in tears as I drive around town. We had several days of fog and clouds last week, but on Friday the sun finally came out and the colors were breath-taking. I went home and grabbed my camera and drove to the little cemetery near our house. It's surrounded by red and orange trees and presided over by a small chapel. I took pictures of the trees, the tombstones with fallen leaves, more trees, the little chapel, and then the trees again. I'd noticed the leaves and clouds look better when I have my sunglasses on, so I took some pictures through the lens of my sunglasses. It seemed to intensify the colors.

I took the film card to the photo shop and had prints made of the ones I liked best. I felt my heart do a little leap as I flipped to a print of the chapel rooftop and trees. The colors were amazing. I decided to paint that print.

I couldn't get to it until Saturday. While Mike went to Home Depot, Joshua mowed the lawn, and the kids did Saturday kids-type things, I sat at the dining room table for about 5 hours and painted a little roof top and fall leaves. I know it might have been better to wait for the blacks to dry before going on to the reds and yellows, but I also knew that if I didn't finish in one day, I'd probably never finish. So I did it all, signed my name, and went to paint the upstairs hall. =)

Joshua was ordained a teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood last week. He is also in JROTC at a local high school, and on Friday he won Cadet of the Month after several elimination competitions. He had spent many days studying Army history, current events, drill and ceremony (which is marching, I think), and JROTC history. By Friday it was down to three cadets, and Joshua won with 80%. The other two came in at 65% and 40%. He went before a board to answer questions and follow drill orders. He said he was so nervous he was shaking. I could tell this was something he really wanted, and I'm pleased that he put in the time to make it happen.

Although tonight is Monday, I'm at home. Usually Monday nights are filled with driving to one gym for Naomi, orchestra for Elizabeth, another gym for Josh, and then going back to pick everyone up again. But my back--which had been getting MUCH better-- is not doing well tonight, so Mike agreed to drive so I could stay home.

Book recommendation of the day: Fairest, by Gail Carson Levine. This is a companion to Ella Enchanted (please ignore the movie-- ugh) and is equally well- written. Fairest is a retelling of Snow White, (although it would be easy to not notice.) Some characters from Ella Enchanted make background appearances. A fun fairy tale. =)

I've had a long rest-- very long. Too long, in fact.

I've spent the last couple of days in bed with a ruptured disk in my lower back. About a week ago I noticed that if I bent down and to the right while sitting-- for instance, if I reached for my purse while driving-- my lower back really hurt. I assumed it needed to stretch, so I spent a few minutes every night doing my back exercises and stretching, although it didn't seem to be helping.

On Monday I was standing in the kitchen and thought, "Good grief! My back REALLY hurts!" The pain was increasing by the second, and radiating down both legs into my calves. I spent much of the day in tears, wondering what on Earth could be wrong. I spent the evening, as I do every Monday, driving kids to one gym, another gym and orchestra, grocery shopping, then picking the kids all back up again. I cried as I drove, cried in the parking lot of the grocery store, tried not to cry in the produce section, and decided it was probably time to make a doctor's appointment-- something I haven't done in quite some time.

When I got home I stood in front of the computer (too painful to sit) and looked up "Slipped disk" on Google. Voila! The perfect description of my problem. I found out a slipped disk is the same as a bulging disk, ruptured disk, and several other things. And that I definitetly had it, whatever you call it.

It also said my doctor would probably prescribe two days of bed rest with anti-inflammatory meds, followed by physical therapy. It should take about 4 weeks to be back to normal activities. Ha!

I went to bed for the night, and stayed in bed the next day. Although it was hard to be in bed, it was a relief to my back. Mike took the day off on Tuesday. Wednesday he went to work and I *mostly* stayed in bed. Today, Thursday, I got up, but took a nap for about 3 hours in the afternoon while the kids were at play practice. (Big "Thank-you to Jill for driving!)

The kids and Mike have been wonderful! They've cleaned, done their school work, and brought me food, books, the phone and my laptop. (BTW, It is really hard to use a laptop when you lie down-- as there is no lap to top.) Naomi brought me flowers, Elizabeth has been the babysitter, Bethany and Peter give me back scratches, and Josh keeps reminding me to let him do the work, and to go lie down to rest. Rachel calls to ask how I'm doing and tell me she loves me. And Mike does everything-- including bringing me the ibuprofin and reminding me to actually take it, not just hold it as I drift back to sleep. He's cleaned my room, helped kids with their lessons, and fixed dinner. What a wonderful family I have.

I hope you are all well. I'm off to bed. "Winter may be beautiful, but bed is better." -Toad

Book recommendation of the day: Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel. Won the Newbery and teaches so many wonderful and true life lessons, everyone should read it several times. There are several Frog and Toad books. I recommend them all.

I was called for Jury Duty this month, and had my first experience on Monday. It was rather interesting.

When I arrived, all 36 possible jurors were seated in a small room and told there were two trials that day-- one criminal and one civil, and 18 of us were taken to the court room of the civil case. A woman assigned us seats in the jury box, one by one, by name. My name was called first and I sat in the back left corner. When she had seated 12 of us in the jury box and the 6 "spares" on the court room benches, I raised my hand and said, "Excuse me!" She looked surprised, but said, "Yes, Mrs. Watson?" I asked how she had chosen which of us to seat in the box and which to keep as spares. She said she didn't choose the seating, but was given the seating chart that morning. I asked how someone else had chosen, and she said she did not know. (Sigh. Oh, well.)

She then told those of us in the box to stand and raise our right hands, and asked something to the effect of, "Do you promise to do a good job?" We all stood there, silent for a moment, as we had not been prompted how to answer. Then there was some indestinct mumbeling from each of us. I, myself, bowed my head and said, "yes", but I'm not sure what exactly anyone else muttered. We were told to be seated, and I waited for the Judge to say, "Excuse me! I expect a loud and clear, 'yes!' when we ask you a question." But he just looked down at his papers and began explaining the case to us. Didn't he care if half the jurors had just answered "No way, dude" or "Whatever" or "En cha-Allah"? (The latter is Arabic for "If God is willing.") If *I* were being tried by jury, I'd want a more clear answer-- but... whatever! It's just my country's justice system. Nothing important.

The case for us involved a woman suing a man because of a car accident that occured in 2001, and because of the pain in her neck that refused to go away-- (not because *she* was a pain in the neck who refused to go away, although I suspect the defendant might have thought so.) The judge and the two attorneys asked the possible jurrors several questions, and since I have a husband who was in a car acident that caused a neck injury, and since I have chronic back pain myself, and possibly because I had the nerve to ask why we were seated as we were, I was dismissed, along with 6 others from the box and all 6 of the "spares".

We were told they did not need any of us for the criminal trial either, and that we could go home and return on the 16th. (We report every Monday in October, but not next Monday, as it's a Federal holiday.)

And so, I am considering answering "No," on the 16th when we are asked if we'll do a good job, just to see what happens. I'm quite sure no one will notice, at which point I'll raise my hand. "Excuse me, your Honor? Does it matter how we answered that last question? Because, just in case you wonder, I said 'no.' I have no problem with amending my statement to a 'yes.' I just wonder if you have any idea how the rest of these people answered. I thought perhaps the defendant might want a jury who had agreed to do a good job. But, if not, I guess it's none of my business."

I suspect I'd be sent home. Mike suspects I wouldn't be-- that I'd be locked up somewhere. But I think they should either listen to the answers, or not ask the question in the first place. I'll let you know how it goes.

Since coming home, I have thought of some other questions about the jury. Are they allowed to take notes? Can they ask questions if they don't get something? Or are they required to make a decission, but not to ask questions? (That would be weird.) And why didn't they ask if anyone was prejudiced against hispanic women or white men? (The woman was hispanic, the man was white.) And do they *try* to dismiss everyone who appears intelligent? The people left were a rather motley crew. I was glad they weren't my jury.

One thing they DID ask was, "Do any of you think there are too many law suits filed these days, and too many people trying to get money for injuries?" Now, please sit before you read this... Only *three* of us raised our hands! What about the other 9 people? If they don't think there are too many law suits these days, that's scary. But if they DO, and were lying, that's really scary! Maybe they answered "no" to our first question.

Book recomendation of the day: Twelve Angry Men, by Reginald Rose. It's been on my mind lately-- actually even before I received my summons, not sure why. Maybe in connection with Cry, The Beloved Country. I'm about to check it out from the library to reread it before passing it along to my kids.

P. S. My spell checker is not working. Please forgive the inevitable errors.

Have a wonderful day! =)

On September 10, our family went on the Freedom Walk in Washington D.C. Along with a few thousand other people, we walked from the Washington Monument to the Pentagon in memory of those who died on September 11, and in support of our troops overseas. I guess I hadn't thought about our younger kids not remembering Sept 11 until Peter was interviewed by a reporter about our walk. She asked why he was going on this walk, and he said, "Because my Mom and Dad brought me." Hmmm.... we had some teaching to do. So over the next few days I explained to Peter and Naomi about what happened on Sept 11, they asked several questions, and I thought we had things clear in everybody's minds.

A few days later the song, "Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?" came on the radio as we were driving home. I told Peter and Naomi to listen, that it was about Sept 11, and turned it up for them. When the song was over Naomi asked, "Did the world really stop turning on September 11?" I said "no", but explained that it almost felt like it had because people were so sad and shocked about what had happened. She asked again what had happened and I told her about the planes.

I went into her room to hear her prayers that night. She said, "Please forgive those people who crashed those airplanes, especially the one guy who didn't crash into a building. He was probably trying to start making good choices to not destroy property anymore. And maybe they were all trying to do what was right, but it's really hard, 'cause sometimes our friends tell us to do the wrong things. Their friends told them to do wring things. Please forgive them, 'cause it's so hard to do what's right, but maybe they were trying."

I've prayed for a lot of people and a lot of different things in connection with September 11, but I have never thought to pray for the terrorists. I think of her prayer often, and how much I can learn from one little girl who has had some very real experiences with trying to do what's right, even when it's really hard.

BTW, when she came home from school the other day I had a bar code sticker stuck on my forehead from a book I was reading. She laughed and asked how much I cost. I checked the book and answered "$17.95" at the same time that she said, "Probably two-hundred million thousand." She heard my answer and said, "$17.95? No-- not for a really good mom like you!" =) I think she's making progress, even if it is really hard.

Book recommendation of the day: River Secrets (of course) by Shannon Hale. The third in the series, following The Goose Girl and Enna Burning. It's not as amazingly well written as The Goose Girl, and nowhere nearly as intense as Enna Burning, but still a fun book. (And yes, it is $17.95) =)