A RAINBOW is really a PROMISE

I found out something major and so I am going to write it in my journal for all my generations and stuff. Sometimes people say lots of things that aren't really true. And I was so excited to find the end of the rainbow. We had a giant double one last Friday! It was the brightest double EVER and so I thought it would be SUPER easier to find the end, with 4 ends to find.

Here's the deal. For first recess, we all had to stay in because of the humongous rainstorm. So we played the states game, but with all the thunder and stuff, I couldn't really concentrate and so I thought Detroit was in Minnesota instead of Michigan. Then for lunch recess, we got to go out IF we would NOT use the swings (because there was a big puddle at the bottom) OR the kickball field (because of a big puddle at homebase). Fine. We all said "OK" we WON'T. (except for Neil W. who we all knew would.) and then for last recess, we didn't have to make any promises and (Neil W. didn't get any recess), and that's when we saw the biggest double rainbow ever! If I had a cell phone, then I would have called my mom right then so she could have seen the rainbow too!

That's when everybody was all talking about finding the ends of the rainbows. You only have to find one. And whoever gets there first will find a big pot of gold. I think I would buy 82 packages of scented markers and 14 packages of tape and my own scissors (the kind I can always use for paper!) and lots of paper and a horse with a baby colt. (It will be rust colored with a cream mane and tail.) Yeah. I really wanted that pot of gold.
I couldn't wait for school to get out because my dad has a GPS that will help us get there first. I heard my mom say that he can find almost anything with his GPS, and so I know he will help me find that gold...and I will give him a handful so he can buy a lawn-mower or something.

"Luci, run...we have to get home fast..." She was slowing me down a bit, because of all the days to bring a bike without a basket! She had to carry her science project home and the bike and her bookbag. Why did she decide on crystals this year? She knows they are so breakable and fragiley and slowed us up a-l-o-t. I helped her with her bike. She is my very best friend, and so we stick together, but after we got to her house, I took off in my fastest run.

"Mom, quick! We have to call Dad." I yelled as I opened the front door. My mom came running to see what was wrong. "Mom, come see these rainbows! We need to call dad quick and beg him to get home and bring his GPS".

"Hadley K, dad's at work, but he'll be home for dinner." And that's when I told my mom all about the double rainbow and the FOUR rainbow ends for RIGHT NOW ONLY!!! and how there were four to choose from and how we had to hurry. And that's when I found out that it wasn't even TRUE. You have got to be kidding me. I really wanted it to be true. I had plans for all that gold. Drats!

"But mom! Look at all of those colors! Heaven wouldn't have painted all of those colors pointing to the ends for nothing! " Maybe it is true! I really really wanted it to be TRUE. But it wasn't. I wondered if this would be the time to explain about my need for a cell phone since mom could have missed the whole sky. But it wasn't. She just turned and looked at me with a little sigh,(like I knew she would) and repeated, "That would be a definite NO!" And it is. Definitely is: a No Go on the cell phone ... probably until I'm 35 or in college or something.

Then my mom asked me to start setting the table and we could talk about rainbows, because the truth was even better than a pot of gold. This had better be good, I thought.

She started to cut some carrots while I was getting the dishes from the cupboard. "Hadley K, do you remember the story of Noah?
YES! the humongous ARK boat (as HUGE as the football field where dad took us for family Night. He told us while we walked the whole field with his tape measure) so two kinds of every single animal, even the giraffes and poodles and catapillars had to be stuffed into it because they couldn't swim and stuff. They all came so we could have pets and things. 
And after I said that...

I sorta got all worried about a flood coming to our house...and we don't even own a boat...and if we did, I don't know if Scruffy would stay in it.  I got the cups from the cupboard.

"Honey, people were choosing all bad choices and they wouldn't even help their families know about right and wrong and how to get back to Heavenly Father. So He decided to start all over so that the children could learn when they got to earth. He wants everyone to have their best chances once they get to earth. Anyway, He asked Noah to build an ark and all of the people who loved to do what was right got on the boat. And then it rained..."

She told me the whole story, and we got the table all set, and the stew all made, but I didn't know what all of those dolphins, butterflies, and kangaroos, had to do with rainbows? I started to worry that we might have a flood...and what if dad didn't make a big boat like that? I can't even swim. Well, I can sorta swim...but not with the breathing part and everything. And what about Scruffy? And what about my brother on his mission  in Brasil?
Then my mom wiped off her hands and got the scriptures and it is right in there about rainbows! Plus, it's TRUE! We will never have a flood all over the whole entire earth again. That is why we have rainbows!!! We don't have to get all afraid when it rains. The rainbow is a PROMISE that we will not have a whole wide world flood EVER again. Oh, my. That scripture made me feel safe. And that's not all of the promise. There is another part. Jesus loves us so much and He will come back to live on this earth again! Rainbows lets us know to do our best and be ready for Him because...(some year when the rainbows quit)...He will be here soon! Every single rainbow is a love-note painted straight from Heaven.

I got my coat...I just had to go outside and sit on the porch for awhile-because if Heaven was sending a message, I wanted to be right there to get it.

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P.S. Thanks for the idea about rainbows McKenzie, and Thanks for the beautiful illustrations Nathaniel, Caitlyn, and Hailey K! They are great...Plus, Mostly...I love you amazingly much!              (This entry was from 2008 originally)  But for today, I wanted to thank Teresa for sending a beautiful photo of her rainbow right after the storm on Good Friday this year of Covid-19.  Today, This Easter morning I awakened to a Glorious hope and feeling of Gratitude for Our Savior and His Life!  I am so Thankful that He has  restored His Gospel to the Earth and at age 68 years and 4 days old, I know that it is the way back home.  Love, Grandma K

R-A-I-N-I-N-G AGAIN...

R-A-I-N-I-N-G. AGAIN  R-A-A-I-N-N-I-N-G... AGAIN.

Luci and I wanted to ride our bikes. Then we were going to roller skate. Then we were going to collect pretty rocks. Then maybe have a lemonade stand. Then probably jump rope or something. And then find some chalk...so we could draw a hopscotch out on the driveway. Then maybe we could make sandwiches and have a picnic by the swings. Then we could swing. Then we could spread a blanket under the tree and read our library books. We just wanted to ride our bikes alot.

But it is R-A-I-N-I-N-G......AGAIN.

I sorta felt like moaning and groaning even though mom said it won't change anything. And it won't. But I didn't plan for it to rain. That rain ruined everything. It isn't fair.  I had the greatest plans. We only get one Saturday each week when I think about it. ONE. We can't play chase. We can't look for butterflies. We can't climb trees. We can't play four-square. We can't ride our bikes. I really wanted to ride bikes with Luci today.

OK then---Fine.  It won't change anything to be sorta mad about this day.  But I am sorta mad.  OK...Fine.   I can do other things.  Maybe play a game if Jayden or Jeff or Mom or Dad will sit down and do it with me.  But, if they are busy for this minute or the next 238 thousand minutes...which is how it goes sometimes on rainy days, then I will just make a chart of things I can do by myself.  Blah!

Well, it is true that some days are not the best.  And it is true that my plans got all smushed.  And it is true that I have to stay home and just wait it out for a long time now.  And it is true that I ---well, anyway, all of this BORING day is sad and it is true and it doesn't seem fair either.   But, I can't just sit here and ruin the whole rest of the day and that is true too when I think about it. Once my Grandpa told me that you can have a bad day and still have a good life.  Maybe he knew about cloudy days too? 

Fine.  So here will be my chart for things I can do to try to save this day for me:

* Color.  (cept' I have to remember where I put my crayons and markers)

*PLAY with my dog, SCRUFFY  Well, for sure I already do that everyday, but I'll write it cuz' this  is my list for today anyway.  Animals, even if they are hamsters or kittens or like baby giraffes at the Zoo, need their people to take good care of them on fun days and on bad days.  

* Make a Puppet  (I could draw it and cut it out and tape it to a stick.  And then I can make some more and then I can find a box and color it and get a washcloth for the curtains and have a puppet show!)  I hope we have some some string. (don't get my hopes up to high just in case we don't have stuff)

* Watch a Movie (But, I need to ask Dad or Mom about that first and don't forget to ask about popcorn!)

* Read all of my Favorite Books!  (I can put them in order and then I will know which are the very best! PLUS,  I can pretend that I am the Library lady and put the books in a row in my room).  WHOA!   except my room is a big fat mess...WOWZA!    so...

* Put little pieces of tape on the floor and try to jump from one to the other without missing. Or put a circle of tape on the floor and play marbles or stand back on that rug and  throw my pennies into the circle

* Write a letter to my Grandma.  I just know that it would make her so happy and that she will save it FOREVER and EVER!  (Because she WILL!)

* How about I can make Cookies  ( but then I need to ask Mom what to put in them...and she has her ideas going on right now-so maybe later-but it's a very good idea so don't lose track of it!)

*  I could make paper dolls and design clothes for them or  draw a picture and cut it all into a puzzle and then figure how to put it back together again.

* Put secret notes around the house for my family to find.  Like in just in case they are having a bad day too!

* OH FINE!  I have do do it sometime anyway...Blah!  so...

* CLEAN MY ROOM  (But only if I can make myself play a game and pick up everything that is Red  and put it away.  Then everything that is Blue, then everything that is striped, then everything that is all Yellow, then everything that is the Stuff that I can give to other kids if it doesn't even fit me anymore.OK!     Then I can make my bed and pretend that my room is a Library!  AND THEN I CAN     PUT all my BEST Books in a row from the VERY BEST to the ALMOST BEST. ALRIGHTY THEN!

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So, it took about more than lots of time and now I am exhausted! (Merriam and Webster: (drained of one's physical or mental resources; very tired) or (completely used up),  They got that right- because I AM tired to the most ever!!.  And now I LOVE MY SPACE!  I put everything away, even my laundry that had been on that chair for a bit too long.  I can't even believe myself!  But I did it!  Mom will be so Amazed!!!  (I pretended like my room was a store and that I was the store guy and I got to decide where to put everything!  So now, everything is on its right shelf or in its right drawer, all folded and organized just like at Mr. Lee's 5 and 10 cent store on main street!) Even a special place for my homework!  (I sorta put it in a little box right under my bed so I don't have to think about it every minute...especially on Saturdays!) This just makes me happy when I look around and know where my best stuff is and even where my little umbrella is in case we ever have a rainy day!  I JUST LOVE MY DECISIONS SO MUCH!!!   I can't hardly wait to see what I do tomorrow!