Evan Stories

A few stories I want to remember:
 We watch Netflix through our Wii. Oliver chose "Dumbo" one night. Shortly after it started, Evan walked over, grabbed the remote from where Oliver had set it down and started pushing buttons. This is a typical response when a show is chosen that he doesn't want. But this time, instead of one of us taking the remote and picking something different, he kept it and kept pushing buttons. He eventually sat down on the rocking chair, picked "Lilo & Stitch" and then dropped the remote onto the floor next to the chair. When he dropped it, the show stopped, so he leaned over the side, grabbed the remote, pressed the play button again and dropped the remote again. Then sitting contentedly on the chair, he watched the show he picked. Normally, this story wouldn't be worth recording, but it was just overwhelmingly ... age appropriate ... for our angel that Oliver and I were just shocked by the behavior.
 One night as we were finishing our bedtime routine, Oliver was laying next to Evan in his bed and I was talking to Ryan in his. Evan pulled me down to him and started hugging me close to his face. He was so excited about having Oliver and me right there next to him where he could touch both of us. Then he started waving to the upper bunk and we got Ryan to reach over and Evan was touching all three of us at the same time. His laugh was so big and happy, I knew I wanted to remember how much he loves all of us in his little family. He is amazing.
 Yesterday, we went on a hike on Stansbury Island. We pushed his chair up part of the way and then ditched it for a little while. Evan doesn't usually do well on hikes, because he doesn't like to walk when its hard. But he did so well! He was trying to traverse the rocky terrain and follow his daddy and brother who were climbing up steep parts. He and I eventually went back down to a large rock and he was climbing up and down it and trying to lay on it and rolling little rocks down it. He and I were having a good time just relaxing in the warm weather and the open, peaceful view.

Evan in blue sweatshirt, close to Ryan in green sweatshirt who is trying to get to Oliver who is in orange on the top of the ridge.

Look at him. I love him.

The fifth attempt at a photo of the three of us. But I love that Ryan is kissing Evan. Ryan has shown so much love toward Evan in the last few months. I am so grateful.

February 14th Moments

Still no camera...ahem..I should get on that.
1. Bacon hearts and heart shaped cinnamon rolls for breakfast.
2. Beth, Evan & Ryan as I said goodbye.
3. A charter bus full of swimmers & little cuties that said "ORANGE you glad it's Valentines Day? Good luck at State!"
4. Lunch in Provo(on the corner of Bulldog & University Avenue). Feeling close to old memories & friends, yet so far away.
5. Apparently, Evan got into Beth's room while she was in the shower and decided to redecorate with toothpaste.
6. Having a meeting in "the dungeon" underneath the BYU pool deck & hearing an assistant director from UHSAA share the Olympic creed and thinking about how it applies to the high school swimmers at that moment for this state meet.
7. The excitement on the faces of the 21 students we took to the meet, whether they were swimming or not that day, we made them get in and warm up and go off the awesome blocks.
8. The valentine box I left on the doorstep of our house for the boys to find. Filled with all sorts of fun love stuff: a Hershey kiss matching game(put different images on the bottoms & play memory), a fortune teller/cootie catcher with knock knock jokes on the inside, 2 different nectars, a box of brownie mix, some watercolors to be used on a white hearts that I'd written secret messages on with white crayon.
9. My adorable sister as she lounged on my hotel room bed while I waited to get the swimmers back on the bus.
10. The giant line at Golden Corral...followed by the line at Chuck-a-Rama, but at which we at least got tables seated next to each other thanks to a wise mother of 3 of our swimmers. This would also include the ridiculous laughter of the swimmers I was sitting with as we ate too much and found humor in ridiculous things.
11. One swimmer offering to help an older woman get food & another swimmer stopping a man in uniform in order to shake his hand and tell him thank you for his service.
12. The swimmers climbing on the slide at the University Mall treehouse.
13. Feeling like a high schooler again when I played dress up in Macy's with a few young women.
14. The swimmers running off the bus to follow the coach into Toys 'R Us for 20 minutes.