Still keeping busy in February...

February's schedule is just as full as January's with Cub Scouts/Achievement Days, piano lessons, school projects, soccer, 4H and YPG basketball tournament.  Our family had a very busy weekend.  It started Friday night with a Cub Scout activity at the Boysuns where cub scouts and their families helped to decorate a float for the Silver Spurs Rodeo Parade.  Then Christi and Jay left early Saturday morning about 6am (when it was freezing outside) to get in the parade line with the float for the judges to inspect. 

The theme of the parade was Heroes and Outlaws of the Wild West.  Our pack was the Cubscout Claimjumpers with a wheelbarrow full of gold painted rocks and a stream running down the middle of the float (constructed of napkins stuffed in chicken wire) where cub scouts were panning for more gold.  There was a jailhouse and a tripod of lashed poles with a dutch oven suspended over a fake campfire.  Jay and his friend Andrew rode in the jailhouse.  The outcome was Jay's Pack winning a 1st place trophy.  Last year they received 2nd place.

After the parade, we hurried over for Jay's soccer game.  Jay's team finally won a game after a long losing streak.  It was an exciting moment for them.  They had really focused on passing the ball around in their practice session on the previous day and it paid off.   They were able to keep the ball in offense for most of the game. 

Then after lunch, Jonny and I helped Jay with his science project.  I was proud of Jonny and myself for not stepping in and taking over.  We facilitated but Jay did the majority of the work.  He wrote a hypothesis on water pressure and took a large plastic jar about 15 inches tall.  Jonny drilled 3 small holes at different heights and Jay inserted small corks.  Jay then filled it with water and measured the distance the water shot out of each hole discovering that the lower hole had the most water pressure because of the weight of the water above it. 

After all the busy-ness, I crashed for a Saturday afternoon nap while Jonny took Britton to his soccer game.  Then I was able to finish preparing Sharing Time for the primary kids on Sunday.

Today, we enjoyed a peaceful Sunday evening playing "Signs" with playing cards, Scrabble, and Stratego while Josh watched Disney cartoons.  Then we wrote our weekly letter to Uncle Steve.  During Sacrament meeting today, the high council speaker shared the following song with a message that I really appreciated:

"Desert Pete" by Billy Edd Wheeler

I was travelin' West of Buckskin on my way to a cattle run, 'cross a little cactus desert under a hard bargaining sun. Thirsty down to my toenails, I stopped to rest me on a stump, but I tell you I just couldn't believe it when I saw that water pump. I took it to be a mirage at first. It'll fool a thirsty man. Then I saw a note stuck in a bakin' powder can. "This pump is old," the note began, "but she works. So give'er a try. I put a new sucker washer in 'er. You may find the leather dry.

Chorus:
You've got to prime the pump. You must have faith and believe.
You've got to give of yourself 'fore you're worthy to receive.
Drink all the water you can hold. Wash your face cool your feet.
Leave the bottle full for others. Thank you kindly, Desert Pete.

Yeah, you'll have to prime the pump, work that handle like there's a fire. Under the rock you'll find some water left there in a bitter's jar. Now there's just enough to prime it with, so don't you go drinkin' first. Just pour it in and pump like mad and, buddy, you'll quench your thirst.

You've got to prime the pump. You must have faith and believe.
You've got to give of yourself 'fore you're worthy to receive.
Drink all the water you can hold. Wash your face cool your feet.
Leave the bottle full for others. Thank you kindly, Desert Pete.

Well, I found the jar, and I tell you, nothin' was ever prettier to my eye and I was tempted strong to drink it because that pump looked mighty dry, but the note went on, "Have faith, my friend, there's water down below. You've got to give to really get. I'm the one who ought to know."

So I poured in the jar and started pumpin' and I heard a beautiful sound of water bubblin' 'n' splashin' up out of that hole in the ground. Then I took off my shoes and drunk my fill of that cold refreshin' treat. Then I thanked the Lord, and I thanked the pump, and I thanked old Desert Pete.

You've got to prime the pump. You must have faith and believe.
You've got to give of yourself 'fore you're worthy to receive.
Drink all the water you can hold. Wash your face cool your feet.
Leave the bottle full for others. Thank you kindly, Desert Pete.

So I ask myself the question:  Would I have enough faith to prime the pump or go for the last drink of water?