Happy Birthday Scott!

 It has been awhile since I updated this little family scrapbook on the internet. I like to pop over here from time to time and look at our family adventures and I think in these unprecedented (ha!) times I should be keeping track of the Gale story again. 

So I will start today with Scott's birthday. Here are some past posts celebrating the birthday boy.

And a some fun photos to add to the scrapbook: 

Baby Scott helping Dad build the deck. 

Scott was a good sport. Playing Pretty Pretty Princess with his sisters.

Big brother and baby brother. 

A favorite picture of mine--Scott fresh off his mission 

when we picked him up at the Portland Airport.

That time we took him to New York City.

Oh the 90s artistic photography! 

But Scott looks adorable.

Scott and sisters Siara and Shanna all spiffed up for a school dance--waiting for their dates to arrive. They were all in high school together and this was a moment when they were all in the same

place at the same time. 

This is out of focus but it's a rare shot of the first three Gale kids in their early days.

Happy Birthday Scott! We love you!

Just Another Gardening Post

Oh hey there! Remember when I used to annoy the world with all of my rapturous writings on gardening? It's been awhile but I was going through the pictures on my phone and I realized  you might be wondering if I even garden anymore and if I do, you might be hoping to see some pictures.

So yes and yes! 

You're Welcome...

We recently relocated to Provo, Utah and I was happy to find a home with a beautiful yard. It was already laid out and planted perfectly to suit the climate and the changing seasons. 

But the garden spot was barren. 

So I have enjoyed 

bringing it back to life.

There was an abundance of tomatoes and we got just enough

hot peppers to turn out some spicy salsa:

And the birds left just enough of the sunflower seeds I planted for a 

sprinkling of cheerful flowers:

 I have some catching up to do so look out!

Some coming attractions:

What I did for my Summer Vacation

Life Lately (As in the past year and a half)

That Nana Life

Renovation Rewind: Provo Edition

March Madness

It's really happening--we are moving. I know, I know, you've heard that before. This time, the selling process is far enough along that I have finished the packing that I started two years ago. 

So the Gales are off on another adventure. 

This move marks one of those important junctures in life:

The Empty Nest

We are ever so happy that the baby of the family is going to BYU and he is ever so happy that he gets to launch into life right as we are uprooting again. He is planning to room with Sam in Provo this summer and then move into the dorms in the Fall.

Speaking of Sam, his release date is June 1st!

 Elder Gale will be coming home to a new home and ward. 

That new home and ward will be in Utah. Another interesting turn of events for the Gale Fam!

We realized that employment was going to require that Andy travel to serve on boards for various companies and the end result of the job he has is to sell the company and send him somewhere else. So we decided to set up a home base in a place where we can live the life we choose--having children and grandchildren around and in a place that is easier to travel to for those that are further out. 

My old joke about following Shane to college when he grew up is actually happening as well. 

Mama's retiring as teacher/administrator of the Gale Academy of Classical Education and going back to school. After shepherding the Gale kids through their upbringing and into college, it's time I followed through on all of my admonitions of the importance of education. 

I have already enjoyed for many years the career of my choice: Wife, Mom and Keeper of the Home. I have loved it and would not trade my years of loving, teaching and guiding our eight amazing kids for anything else. I feel very fulfilled and satisfied with the learning and growing and blessings and refining I received in this honorable endeavor. 

Now I am looking forward to being the student for a change of perspective and just for the pure love of learning. My Patriarchal blessing promises me that "knowledge of the arts and sciences shall come to you readily and you shall find success in fields of honorable endeavor." So I am going to do my part and see where that path leads. 

I have loved our time here and it was a tender mercy yesterday that I got to substitute in the Primary class of my Webelo scouts. I am such a fan of scouting and have loved being the Den Leader for the Webelos these past several months while we were in limbo. I had 10 of the most energetic, fun, smart, clever, cheerful, friendly, helpful (and sometimes courteous!) scouts you could ever hope to know. One of those scouts said to me "Sister Gale, I really liked the talk you gave today. I just really love to hear about Jesus straight from the scriptures." Another of those scouts gave the closing prayer and blessed that "Sister Gale and her family will be safe in their travels and that things will go well with their move." They have been telling me goodbye since our last Den Meeting and did so again after church. After a boy scout handshake, I told each of them I expect  great things from them and I want to hear that they got their Eagle. It warms my heart that they are sad that I am leaving--just not what I expected from ten year olds. 

With their faith and well-wishes, we will be just fine. 

Identity Crisis

First, let's enjoy the adorableness of this kid. This is three-year-old Shane camping on our stair landing. Such an imagination (that painted fish roasting on the fire--an older sibling's art project he snatched from the Gale Gallery) and that cute little smile!

Those simple, care-free days.

Now fast forward to this morning:

Me: (Gently prodding Nagging) Did you get the information for your project? How about the seminary reading you were going to do? Oh, and you need to make that phone call for your Eagle Project.

Shane: Um, you need to understand that I identify as Lazy and you are not allowing a "Safe Space" for me. Those are definitely micro-aggressions. I'm going to have to call you out on your mom privilege and bigotry against who I am. 

Me: (Laughing so hysterically I can't answer)

Shane: (Indicating with his hands the area around him) I'm declaring this a nag-free zone. None of your hate speech here. You should make this a place of comfort for me to be who I am.

Happy Birthday Scott!

I found this forgotten memento today as I was searching for a cute picture of Scott to insta for his birthday. I thought that tiny newborn picture of him was long lost. It is the only picture we have of him brand-new. As we have often told, we were poor students when he was born and we couldn't afford to buy the hospital pictures that were offered. This was the thumbnail pic that was stapled to the order form. I managed to save it and keep it in his baby book. 

I wrote that little poem for him in the early weeks of his life on earth. I was smitten with this little bundle of joy who made me a mother. I typed it up on a real typewriter...Andy had to have it for his BYU classes so it was a fancy bit of technology in our little chicken coop. It looks like I illustrated it as well. I am certainly not a poet or an artist, but that was the expression of my overflowing mother heart. Somehow it survived all of the moves and the chaos of a big, busy family. 

And, yes our joy has grown with this son. 

Today I can say again, thank you, thank you for 

this (not so) little son.

How we love him so.

Our son, Scott.

Happy Birthday!

Love,

Mom

P.S. Seeing this picture today, I am struck by how much Porter looks like him! 

Forever is Composed of Nows

Welcome to the World Little One!

Earlier this month, I flew to Texas and with fortuitous timing, this little guy made his debut about a day later. 

Meet our 8th grandchild:

 Porter Scott Gale

8 lbs. 6 oz. 20.5" tall.

Son of Scott and Nicole and little brother to Bailey, Norah and June.

He was born on his Aunt Shanna's Birthday on General Conference weekend.

The Conference blessings just keep piling up!

The big sisters meeting baby brother.

And Nana crying happy tears and bursting with joy.

June likes to check on her little brother. 

My son with his son.

Nicole and her sweet baby boy. 

Beautiful--inside and out.

The Truthist Takes the ACT

Shane took the ACT today.

 Anyone who knows Shane, knows that he does not look on the bright side. He is one to assume the worst case scenario in any given situation. We've discussed this here before and through the years I have come to appreciate this outlook on life. Things are usually not worse than Shane thought they would be because he expects that things will be terrible, horrible, no good, and very bad--in spite of his Pollyanna Mother's cheerful pep talks to the contrary.

 Last night before we had family scripture and prayer, Shane and I ran through the checklist of what to bring and got everything gathered and ready. Then we discussed our timeline for getting him there early and how things would go. The past few weeks we have had ongoing chats about the experiences with the ACT of his seven older siblings and he has had input from friends as well as online advice. 

So, it looked like he was as ready as he could be.

 Well, there was one thing we did not anticipate. 

When I picked him up, he jumped in the car and I asked him how it went. He said "Do you have any kleenex in here?"

I looked over at him and saw the dried blood around his nose.

A bloody nose! 

His  nose started bleeding right as they handed out the science section. It was the last section of the test. He said he felt the bleeding start so he put his hand up to his nose to check. Sure enough, the floodgates had opened and he leaned his head back figuring it was better to let it run down his throat than out on the test. 

But he did need to look down at the test eventually, and also write in his answers.

I give him full credit here for problem solving: he used his hands and his jeans to take care of the copious amounts of blood surging out of his nose. His multi-tasking was admirable. He had to read and wipe and read and wipe...and then write and begin again. 

What other options were there? 

He realized that if he raised his hand and asked for a tissue, it would turn into a full on HAZMAT crisis. The protocol for bloody noses is, as you can imagine, to treat it like there could be a serious blood-borne disease spilling out of a student's nose. Shane knows because he's been having bloody noses at inopportune times throughout his young life.

He didn't want to get dragged out of the room and have to take the whole test over at a later date. There was a close call when the proctor walked by and he had blood on his finger. He quickly stuck it in his mouth. 

 Don't worry, he just had a physical and his blood is safe.

We had a good laugh on the way home--that was certainly a worst-case scenario he didn't anticipate! 

I wondered out loud if any blood got on the test or his answer sheet. That could raise some concerns. We concluded that the ACT took everything he had and he had the bloody hands and pants to prove it. 

The blood-stained jeans