General Conference (with a side of Hebs news)

It's the 179th semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Make sure you read the previous sentence in a properly Lloyd Newell-ish voice.) I love General Conference time! So far I've identified three themes (that have jumped out to me): feeling and recognizing the Holy Spirit, Godly love, and work (Elder Uchtdorf: "Retirement is not part of the Lord's Plan of Happiness").

I listened to the first session on my new iPod Touch, using the application that lets me listen to KSL radio, while making a double batch of seven-layer bean dip. After the first session was over, we piled into the van and drove up to Grandma and Grandpa's house. They fed us some delicious ribs and baked potatoes (Thanks, George and Eva!), and then we (attempted to) watch the Saturday afternoon session. I missed large chunks of it, tending to the myriad needs of my children. But what I heard was wonderful, and I think the audio files will be posted by next Thursday.

After the session ended, George and Eva and my little family ran over to Bradley's sister Kim's house to have a family meeting. Grandma and Grandpa both spoke a little about the blessings that the temple brings, and of their gratitude for their family. It was a wonderful moment, with almost every children and grandchild present. (We certainly missed Skip, Laurene, and kids, and Debbie, and Lauren and Devin.)

Following that, John and Michelle's family headed back home (10 hour drive), Steve and Theo took their older boys to the priesthood session in the Conference Center, and Nicole and Kim fetched pizza for everyone else. Grandma and Grandpa went home, because George has picked up a cold somewhere, and Bradley was getting ready to find a stake center somewhere to watch the priesthood session.

Instead, George called. While on their mission, they were given a website to stream the priesthood session over the internet. Trying it on a whim, they discovered the code still worked. Did Bradley want to come over to watch the session at their house?

Yes, Bradley did. So did Keryn. So we packed up the youngest three kids (leaving Zee to play with cousins), and headed over to Grandpa and Grandma's house.

For the first time in my 32 years in the church, I am watching the priesthood session! (Insert evil cackle here.) It's really good. I can see why some call it the best session of conference.

Some Hebs-news: He popped another tooth! (Top left front) Finally--he's been working on that tooth as well as two others for the last nine days, and it hasn't been pretty. And, he said his first (kinda, sorta, almost) word!! We spent some time at Bradley's sister Kim's house today, and Kim has a beautiful chocolate labrador. Hebs was fascinated by Cocoa, and would twist and turn to keep the dog in his sight. Bradley, holding Hebs, said, "That's a dog, Hebs. Dogs say 'ruff, ruff.'" Hebs opened his mouth and said, "Ruff, ruff! Ruff, ruff!" And then he would repeat it every time he could see the dog.

(I can see that I am outnumbered in the matter of a dog. Zee and I are indifferent, Em and Gee and Bradley are enthusiastically in favor, and it looks like Hebs is going to join that group. Sigh. Still, not going to happen anytime soon. Not while I'm still raising babies, that's my ultimatum.)

(And, oh Laurene don't hate me, but I clean forgot my camera at home. I know, I know! Eva took some pictures and she promised to post them. So so sorry!)