Pres. & Sis. Baird

I've had quite a few loving phone calls wondering if my parents are okay.

They are doing well. You are all so kind to think of them, the missionaries and all of us at this time. Your phone calls have ment a lot and I thought I would share the emails (starting with the first one) since the earthquake.

Thu, Mar 10, 2011 at 11:14 PM

Just had to tell you all, we just had my first good earthquake. I was at the kitchen sink, and Urano shimai was in the laundry room getting ready to go. I started to feel so dizzy I thought I needed to kneel down, it kept getting worse. then i heard the doors shaking. I looked at the curtains and they were swaying so was the light and the pictures on the wall. I guess the epicenter was near Tokyo. Wow it must have been big there. It lasted for a few minutes. Weird.
Love you all
Your shakin' momma

Fri, Mar 11, 2011 at 2:15 AM earthquake

Hello,
Just wanted to tell you we're all okay. We had a really good shaking that lasted a long time, they said ours was around a 5. Nothing like Tokyo and Sendei missions where it was a 8.4.
The church is so good and protective. They have had us call all our coastal area missionaries inland immediately. We do have many of our Japanese missionaries who have families in the areas that were hit hard.
We love you all.
Sister Baird

date Sun, Mar 13, 2011 at 6:33 PM subject earthquake

Hello everyone,
We are all fine in the Japan, Nagoya Mission. We don't have any damage here that I'm aware of. The missionaries families are safe and now the search is on for the members in those areas.
As I watch the BBC's news and they talk about Japan, they speak of a people who aren't being rude or looting. How everything is orderly. How the people are not out of control. People are still showing up to work this morning, even if there is no building to go to. They are trying to resume their routine. Digging out. Amid all this turmoil, they are still polite and orderly. This is so how the people of Japan are. It's an incredible country, we love it. Our missionaries love it too. They want to go and help. For now, they are helping here by teaching people of the peace that comes from having the gospel. We all love these people. Our hearts break when we see their faces and hear their stories.
Thank you for your continued prayers for the missionaries, members and people of Japan.
We love you all.
Sister Baird, Bonnie, Mom or GrandmaRecently emailed

date Sun, Mar 13, 2011 at 6:04 PM subject RE:

McKenzie,
...We have been traveling up to Nagano which is only about 3 hours from Sendai, we just got back late last night. The aftershocks up there were much worse than here in Meito. We were on the 11th floor of the hotel and we swayed a few times. The cell phones earthquake alarms would go off, it was a little unnerving. All of our missionaries families are good in that area. They were all so worried, we let them call and talk to them, it helped them feel a lot better. We had a houseful that night and it was crazy to get everyone inland, the trains had stopped running. We did it though and had everyone in safe places by about midnight. It's a bit frightening to see how fast those things hit and to see the total devastation it causes. I feel bad for President and Sister Tateoka, they are leaving in July. I'm sure they will feel they are leaving so many things that aren't fixed by then. They used to be in our ward in South Provo.
It looks like the nuclear plants are something we might all need to worry about. Radiation checks are being done in those areas but more plants seem to be having problems which will inevitably mean we may have power problems later. We're suppose to be feeling aftershocks for months they said.
Thank you for thinking about us. There's no damage here, but as I rode over those massive bridges and went through the tunnels to Nagano, I thought a lot about being shaken around on those. The Japanese make things very safe here. It's that an earthquake that is about 9 on the scale, does it's own thing. I guess the tunnels would be a pretty safe place to be.
I hope you're all doing well. We love you all and think of you everyday.
Jamata ne.
Mom

Thanks again for all of your thoughts and prayers. I will contine to post progress and changes.

We love you all.

Scat jazz - Sizzlin' Summerland

Last year at this time we were on our way to the land down under. While the 6 of us were driving around in a sedan a song was playing on the radio that was fabulous. I tried and tried to find it to no avail. Sizzlin' Summerland. I LOVED it! It totally made me laugh. It's so Australian and so different from our cold white winters here. Today someone commented on my blog from my post last year about this song. They knew who it was and was kind enough to pass on the info. So to you Anonymous: THANK YOU! I am now going to see if I can get someone to find the CD for me over there and then we'll be able to play it all through the house. But for now we'll be playin' it on the computer. Oh and I love that they have reference to blue bottles. Yes, that is what my kids were trying to CATCH last year. You no longer have to go to the hospital for them but from what I understand they hurt like crazy!

Not First, But Second!!

Okay I got the pix. I did forget the camera in all the hustle this morning. Thank goodness for phones!

Kimball has talked about school for at least the last month. He has talked about "Mr. {Mrs.} Graf who's name is Bawbwa {Barbara}", how she has a cool car, a truck {said manly}, a bus, a speed boat, 5 tarantulas, 10 snake that are free in the house, and any toy you could imagine, along with candy. Well Ms. Barbara doesn't seem to have a speed boat or a bus, truck and I have yet to see a tarantula or a snake. But Kimball has not been disappointed. He loves Mrs. Barbara and loves going to school. I on the other hand am having a hard time realizing that my last little guy has started preschool. How has time gone so fast?! When did they get permission to all grow up?

Four Thumbs UP!!!

Holy cow what a day! Abby has not been doing well at Quail Run. It just doesn't fit with her personality. Over the few days she was there she couldn't sleep without me reading her to sleep, her stomach hurt her all of the time and she wasn't eating well. The hardest part of all was she wouldn't say anything bad about it. She just kept trying to make it work. My parents, Craig & I all fasted for what to do with schooling for the kids. Yesterday it became so clear. They don't all have to go there, it can work to go to both schools if we all work together. So I called the assistant principle on Labor Day! At her home! I know, gutsy. And pleaded to let Abby back and possibly Josie. She was great and today I woke up early and put together a piece offering. A big jar of my aunts licorice caramels. And it worked! Josie had chosen to go with Abs back to Rocky Mountain. Each school has elements that would work for JoJo. So I let her decide. {JoJo is always very intuitive, and understands how she feels. . .I wish I did. I always over think things.} They were awesome and helped place the kids back where it would fit them. Not just what numbers would work. I was totally impressed.

I was so anxious to find out how it went, Kimball & I showed up 30 min. before school got out. My stomach was so nervous! As they came walking out together, they were beaming! I asked them how it went and it was a total TWO THUMBS UP! Yahoo!

Kimball's first day of preschool was also today and because it took a bit of time this morning transferring the girls back we were late and can you believe I didn't even get a first day of school pic with Kimball on his first of all first days! Oh, I'm kicking myself right now. But you can bet I'll get one tomorrow. Kimball has talked about "Mr. {Mrs.} Graf who's name is Bawbwa {Barbara}", for over a month now. I asked him to show me if it was a thumbs up, thumbs down, and he said as he twisted his thumb and wrist in a circle "around the world. . . THUMBS UP!"

McKay was the last test. Would he be okay going to school without a family member. Yahoo, another thumbs up!

I feel like a winner! Minus the no pic, but still over all, a winner!

Now with all the running around, 2 different types of lessons, staggered by a half hour, going each for an hour, across town, and a soccer game, I've gone through 1/4 of a tank of gas in one day!!! Probably not part of the Quail Run's Mission statement.{They are an environment friendly and "responsible" school} But hey.

The Mom Song with lyrics

I'm glad I'm not the only one. . .

The School Update

I think this is one of the hardest things I've done as a mother. Take my kids from a school they know and are familiar with, for the hope of something more. Our bully did show up to school. This is one of the reason we left our school. But despite that, McKay LOVED his first day of school. Which is totally ground breaking. Abby my school lover, said it wasn't what she expected and is very unsure of this upcoming year. She doesn't do well with chaos, and right now that is what it is. Josie, oh Josie. I cried all day thinking of her at a school all day. I can't believe she is that old, and I'm not coping well. She does have my cousin Hazel & my Aunt Cami who came to lunch today.

My fingers are crossed with a pleading prayer that things get better.

Back to School!

Not only is it the start to a new school year, but a new school! They just got it finished YESTERDAY! And I think the word "done" in this case is a very loose translation of finished. I'm as nervous as they are {maybe more so}

My little Jojo shadow isn't following me today and I'm making cookies to cope. I'm telling myself I'm making them for the kids for when they get back, but who's kidding who.