3 Marches and a December

I've got some time to make up, so let me backpedal and start with Mike.... Michael Maughan! A Christmas gift for the whole world! :) We first met Mike while he and April were dating down at BYU. She was soon giddy in love, and still is! We had the incredible good fortune to live next door to them for their first couple(?) years while they finished up school. It was neat to see him help fix up that house for April, first the basement and then the upstairs. Susan loved running over to visit them, and they would often babysit the girls in order to send us out on a date (a gift they probably only now realize how much we appreciated!). They were also invaluable at helping me pull together party details. Mike has a talent for exactness and precision that I can only dream of, but definitely admire. He has a profound sense of honor, yet also a side that is playful, and he is particularly good at entertaining children. It is so inspiring to see the beautiful family he and April are creating together. Happy belated birthday, Mike!

Nathan. For almost all of his single life, Nathan was Raymond's only brother, one of the most meaningful relationships I think he has. Raymond loved everything about about him--his happy nature, his rolling laugh when he would bounce him on the mattress, his competitive eating and waterskiing, his creative adventures, his drive and ambition. Ray especially loved it when Nathan grew up and came to school and they would lift at the gym together and performed in Fiddler on the Roof. Then that must have been weird for Nathan... he left on his mission and came home to three new siblings--a new brother, a brother-in-law, and a sister-in-law! But he was nice about it (what could he do?). We also got to live next door to Nathan for a while which was fun, and exhausting, for those months that we had to pray so vigorously for him to marry Amy! But what a match made in heaven! And what caring and thoughtful parents to (almost) five very lucky children! They are great friends, and we truly look up to them. I am especially grateful to Nathan for being someone Ray can call and talk about things man-to-man (and to Amy for giving up the husband time!); he sometimes needs a man's perspective and it's a role I just can't play.  Thanks, Nathan.

Charity! I heard all kinds of stories about you before I even met you! Ray told so many "Charity stories," you were a Dancers' Company legend. But to meet you in your little three-year-old person was all the better. Curly hair, painted fingernails, and the vocabulary of a college student. You could hold up an adult conversation with the best of them (I still remember you giving a review of the latest movie while we were hanging out in the hot tub, just like you were a miniature Siskel and Ebert.). And you still have that precocious quality! I love to talk to you and hear about your experiences and plans. You have grown up to be a lovely person, and I appreciate your example, to me and to my girls who are trying to grow up to be like you. They watch the way you talk, act, dress, do your hair, anything Charity. So thanks for making it a worthwhile endeavor! I love you, my friend!

And Dave, let me be the first to sing your praise! It was so fun to watch Rachael try to figure out just what she was looking for in a husband, and to hear about this neat guy out on his mission, that both she and Mom were guessing was it! And you were! I truly admire your dedication and loyalty to your wife and children. You are always there with a watchful eye, protecting them and providing for their every need. I just know you will be ever faithful and true. But as seriously as you take these important roles, there is still a side of you that is willing to dress up in a wig with a mullet and play an air guitar. Totally radical, dude!

This is our Charity . . .

I was so thrilled to get a baby sister! I had been wanting one for as long as I could remember. But then I wasn't the youngest anymore. I wasn't so young that I was truly jealous, but it did turn out to be unsettling. I was suddenly expected to be much more mature than I was used to. Too old to act some ways, but too young to be making certain decisions. It was a confusing time.
I loved that baby girl. I was a master at making her laugh. When I got older she was really insistent that I play with her, which I was sometimes willing to do, but not always. I lost my temper with her more than once, and sadly I would end up hitting her out of frustration. Mom punished me by making me play with her for a solid hour every time I hit her. I always ended up enjoying our time together, but it didn't take Charity long to discover that if she felt like I wasn't playing with her enough then she could goad me into being angry enough to hit her, resulting in a punishment for me that was a reward for her being deliberately irritating. I felt very vindicated later when she admitted to doing her best to get me in trouble on purpose - I knew she was, but mom thought I was crazy. :) Smart little stink.
I missed Charity when I went off to college. We had been sharing a room before that, and still did when I'd come home for the summer (I think?). She was just so smart that I really could talk to her about anything and she'd understand! She's always been very precocious, and I bragged to anyone that would listen about my younger sister who though much younger than me was smart enough to be a real friend that I could have worthwhile conversations with. And I still enjoy having conversations with her. She often surprises me with her insight and wisdom. She's got a good head on her shoulders. :)
My favorite memory with Charity was when I took her out on a formal date for a Christmas present (pictured above). On Christmas day it appeared that all she was getting from me was a card, but in the card I told her about my plans to take her on a fancy date. She loved watching me get ready for the dances at school and wanted me to make her fancy, too. We went the day after Christmas. It was so fun because I could tell that she was loving every minute of it. Totally worth it.
I love you Charity doll. You're my favorite younger sister. ;)

Mom's Memories of her second March baby

Charity.  The name says it all.  This little bundle brought such love and joy into all our lives.  It was 11 days before she could defecate.  What a concern.  It taught me not to hate changing diapers.  Attitude.  Attitude.  Attitude.  Her big words were such a shock and pleasure.  I remember when she wouldn't be reverent in sacrament meeting, so I gave her a little pinch.  Of course, we were in the front, so she turned around and announced to the congregation that girls didn't need to be pinched, they needed to be loved.:) 
Then there was her 2nd or 3rd birthday and she got mad at her dad, so she told him he couldn't come to her party.  He quickly responded that he wouldn't give her a present then.  Quickly she replied, "Well, maybe I overreacted."  What a girl! 
When Andrew came along, she quickly put her mothering skills into play, telling him to do this or not to do that.  They would have long talks in their rooms.  Charity has enjoyed her siblings and the new in-laws as they've come in.  She likes to follow them around talking, talking, talking.  I never tire of her conversations.  I have always enjoyed her voice, speaking, singing, whatever...She is a loyal friend.
She has been faithful in reading her scriptures and loves her Savior.  I'm grateful she knows where to look for all her answers and concerns.  I have appreciated how she has taken responsibility of her own education.  I remember when she announced that she was signed up for charter school and was leaving public school.  I never felt concern because I knew she would just DO IT!  I remember when she made "the deal" that if I would let her quit piano lessons, she would practice on her own.  She kept "the deal". She is an overachiever who doesn't want recognition.  She finished her Young Womanhood Recognition early and then the church added a new value and she wanted to do that also.  And she did.  How grateful I am that Heavenly Father sent me another live baby who had commitment of her own and just  finds the way to DO IT. 

Peaches and Cream ;)

I LOVED my spot in the family right next to Nathan. He was so fun, creative, energetic, smart, inventive, spontaneous, and kind. I did fall victim to a few harmless pranks and experiments, like when he had friend over for the night and I woke up with honey in my hair or the time I was wearing rubber soled tennis shoes and he assured me that if I touched the electric fence with  a wet carrot he handed me I would not get shocked and I trusted him so I did it and felt very tricked when I got shocked however, I saw the genuinely surprised look on his face and wasn’t to upset about it. He was very protective of me and I think took only very calculated risks when I was involved. Like driving the go-cart through swallow you whole sized mud holes on our way to get milk from the dairy. I thought Nathan was fascinating, all the things he would make from parts of stuff blew my mind. So cool! The first time I remember singing with him was at a party he threw for all his friends (I think the whole school came) at our Jerome house. I really liked singing with him we sang at church, and Christmas parties all throughout high school. One ward Christmas party we danced a west coast swing that Raymond taught us. It was so fun and I was really glad Nathan didn’t think it was gross to dance with his sister because many brothers would have and I really liked to dance and he was way better than any of the other guys at it. He always treated me really good at school and at home, in fact I was asked more than once if he was my boyfriend. J Our school took a compatibility test for dating and it turned out I was the most compatible girl in the school for Nathan J Although it was still only around 70% compatible, good thing he found the 100% girl in Amy, she’s perfect! He was quite the achiever, he had no problem putting in way more effort than most people at improving his MANY talents. He would drive 2 hrs from Boise to get voice lessons from the best teacher (Marty Mead) I got to benefit from that too and tag along and usually got a Wendy’s baked potato and frosty out of it as well. Yum! He memorized all scripture mastery scriptures plus a few extras that our seminary program challenged us to do to become a master scriptorian. I think there was only 2 that did it the whole time I was in high school (and I was not the other one, but, you know we all have our strengths) I was so impressed and proud to be related. I think people assumed good things about me because of him. I really enjoyed our friendship during high school, group dates, after youth dance talks over ice cream, and watching movies, especially funny ones (he has a really fun sense of humor and a great laugh). I remember him telling me once about feeling really close to Heavenly Father when he prayed and it made me want to feel that closeness with Him as well. I know I’m a better person because of Nathan. When he went to college and on a mission I felt kind of left behind and is really the reason I started thinking about a mission. I wanted to better understand the experiences he was having. I knew he was the best missionary ever. We’ve been geographically  apart for most of the time since but I LOVE getting together still with him and Amy and their fantastic kids. I’m just really thankful to be family so that the miles don’t separate us permanently. Happy Birthday, Brother!

Nathan

Well, to be quite completely honest I don't have a large number of Nathan memories because the span of time between me being old enough to remember things and him going to college/on a mission is not a long one.  However, on reflection I had to chuckle remembering a summer after Dad's collective birthday gift was the wakeboard.  I remember Nathan taking it out to the trampoline and practicing flipping with it on.  He was darn serious about learning to do that!  Ha, I also remember while he was on his mission he sent a tickle-me-Elmo for Christmas.  It came in a giant box full of those packing peanuts and we played bubble bath in it...granted, Nathan wasn't actually there...but obviously it made an impact on me who the gift was from!  I also remember when he and Amy had first had Elle, they were both so protective.  Especially Nathan though.  If you so much as cleared your throat there was always a good chance he was going to make you wear a mask!  At the time it was a little frustrating because I felt like I was walking on eggshells, but looking back those protective instincts are pretty sweet.  It's also always so fun to spend time with Nathan and Amy because they tell the funniest stories!  And they're just cool.  They've lived with us a couple of times, and I remember one summer we played Monopoly with them all the time.  We'd sit outside on the patio with lemonade or something and chat while we played.  It always came down to Nathan and Mom...they're pretty strategic players.  I still love that game, and believe me it's not because I just love playing games that last for hours.  I just have really good memories of playing with them.  I'm grateful to have such great brothers (and sisters) to look up to!  Love you, and happy birthday!

Stream of thought memories of Nathan

. . . Nathan and Raymond in a physical fight and me crying hoping that would make them stop :) . . .  I already mentioned in another post a memory of a Christmas that Nathan gave me a beautiful dress, and feeling surprised at his skill in choosing it . . . Nathan in high school being the youngest member of the jazz choir and being called Mickey Mouse . . . Nathan having heated discussions with mom and dad (high school) on gospel topics - they were probably mostly heated with mom :) . . . Nathan's awesome red hair (I hope I have a red head baby) . . . his awesome blind eye - not that I thought it was awesome because he was blind in that eye, but because the tear drop shape of his pupil was so cool to me, plus it's a slightly different color! . . . his crazy "girly finger" (his words) which I just always found fascinating, especially because when he played guitar he had this special little glove just for that finger to make it less painful to play . . . I also enjoyed watching his prominent Adam's apple move when he talked and sang :) . . . him buying two sets of boxing gloves and duking it out in the backyard with friends for fun! . . . him padding around the house in mismatched socks and/or Birkenstocks . . . occasionally walking around the house in just boxers . . . him dancing ballet in tights, in a very masculine way . . .  him saying something to me that kind of implied that I was too fat to be a ballroom dancer at BYU, then soon after being apologized to because he realized how it sounded and that wasn't precisely what he meant . . . 
hahaha Some of these memories seem like they could be bad memories for me (mostly just the first and last I guess), but they're not really. I have to admit freely that I don't have very specific memories of interactions with Nathan. He is six years older than me, and I view him as intellectually superior so I personally am a little hesitant to try to converse with him one-on-one, but I love to listen to him talk to other people because it reveals how his mind works. It's really different from mine, and really amazing. For instance I remember a conversation about honesty. He posed the question, "Is it always wrong to lie?" Mom instantly responded, and my initial thought was, "Yes!" Typical to Nathan style (I'll call it devil's advocate) he cited the Holocaust, and the people that lied to German authorities about Jews they were hiding in their homes. "Was lying wrong in that instance?" he challenged. Really, can it be any wonder that Nathan is suited to be a lawyer? hahaha
Also, I just have to say that I love and respect Nathan. He is amazingly gifted and talented, and it's so fun to see him in the roles of husband and father. When Raymond left for college or a mission or something, I consoled myself with the knowledge that I still had at least one brother to hug (obviously, that was before Andrew came along). I loved hearing Nathan practicing jazz piano music. He could see that I really liked it and he actually bought me a video as a gift once that was designed to teach improvisation on the piano. Sad to say, I never watched the whole thing through (although I'm pretty sure he did) - I still have it just in case I decide I have the courage. What was neat about it was that he noticed how much I enjoyed it, and he gave me tools to help me learn to do it myself. I just didn't have enough courage to follow through. :)
Happy birthday, brother!

Mom's memories of her first March baby

Submitted via email. It was so long I decided it shouldn't be combined with the other March birthday people. haha
 
He's Nathan in diapers...since Nathan was only 15 months old when Sarah was born, lots of my memories are of them.  He would run in circles around her when she was on the floor.  He was a great entertainer with his binky and long orange string.  When it cracked, he gave it a long toss.  He was done with that. 
He's Nathan in training pants...Nathan had the greatest laugh.  He would be downstairs on the mattress giggling like crazy while Raymond bounced him. 
He's Nathan in tough skins...when we bought a trampoline, Nathan would just jog around the outside edges forever.  I loved watching that little body.  When Nathan was 3, he had surgery on his eye.  We were told he would see better after the surgery.  What we weren't told was that both eyes would be covered.  When he came out of the surgery he said, "You told me I'd see better.  Now I'm blind!"  We were all pretty upset.
As he and Sarah were in the early grade school years, he and his friends would spy on Sarah and her friends at recess.  That was always funny to hear about.  Then he would tell me not to let Sarah have certain teachers, since he had experienced them or his friends had.  He was pretty protective. He was a fun student to have in kindergarten.  He looked forward to all my school plans.  He really was so enthusiastic.  Nathan was always a good student.  He had a voracious appetite for knowledge.
I remember how diligent he was about his work.  We never had to tell him to go do the vending machines; he just went, filled them, fixed them, listened to complaints; but he totally took care of them--independently and competently.  I don't remember him ever complaining about it.  When he used to make sandwiches at the store, he would whistle while he made them.  People love Nathan.  It's just who he is, not what he does.  He just has a lovable spirit.
How I enjoyed having this boy in our home!  All the quartets he was in practiced at our house.  When I had Charity, he would run home at lunch to see whatever new thing there was about her.  He was totally fascinated with children.  I thought he would be embarrassed when I was pregnant and fat, so I considered not going to the Christmas concert.  Of course, he wouldn't have that.  I so appreciated his attitude.
I remember how he took his hard-earned money and bought everything he could find on the "lost ten tribes."  He was committed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He took a job at Marie Callendar's with the understanding at the beginning that he wouldn't work on Sundays.  Well, he had the power to call the manager when he got scheduled and remind him.  The manager said it wouldn't happen again, but then someone got sick and they called him in.  He didn't punch in the time clock because he was doing a service.  Man can't serve two masters, so he chose to serve God.  Nathan was committed to serve God in all things as he understood it.  When it was time to serve his mission, I encouraged him to finish the second semester of school because his birthday came in the middle.  No, he wouldn't do that.  He was going to serve as soon as possible, so he finished one semester and went on his mission as soon as the call came.  He was studious with his scriptures and gospel study.  When he went on his mission, he was as well prepared as most when they return.  I've always been grateful for Nathan's total commitment to Jesus Christ and to His living prophets.  What else would a mother want of her child?  And then he married Amy.  How I love his tenderness toward her and how he loves to visit with her about everything.  Man is that he might have joy and in Nathan's life, I have had JOY.