The fearful mom and the faithful four: Chinese Chicken Salad makes everything better

This last Sunday we heard Rachel speak in Sacrament. She did a tremendous job, and we are so proud of her. We snickered a little as poor Brother John tried to lead us in an intermediate hymn. Rachel beat him to the podium, and he patiently sat down. However, he gamely tried to lead us in singing again afterwards, but the Bishop was eager to say a few remarks, and Brother John dejectedly sat down and gave up!

Lately I have watching videos (all three of them) of the kids when they were little. As is my nature, I don't keep up on much and we watch the same videos over and over again. They serve to remind me that childhood is fleeting as is life, and we need to push "pause" and enjoy it more. Two things came to mind as I watched these videos! First--how cute the kids were, and secondly--how much thinner I appeared to be. I was so startled by my younger, skinnier self that I almost could not pay sufficient attention to the images of my darling children. And they were....Rachel, a cute little moppet with red curls and round blue eyes, and the boys, identical little tow headed demons. Ahhh....I miss the babies they were, and now I see that I will someday miss the people that they are becoming now.

Preparing for these busy Sundays are a little overwhelming to me. I cannot remember what food item I assigned to which person, and as I do not keep lists of any kind, must rely on my memory. As most of you know, my memory is fading quickly as evidenced by the fact I sent 650 dollars for a bike to the wrong boy in the wrong mission!!

Anyway, I digress from the most important part of the day---the Chinese Chicken Salad! Rachel requested it for her after-the-talk-meal and I was only too happy to oblige. Especially when my friend Alisa will fry all the won tons and rice sticks on her outdoor grill. Thank you, Alisa, or should I say Megan, her daughter, who turned out nicely browned wontons, and perfect rice sticks. This is a salad that was first introduced to me at a baby shower for Ben and Emily in our old ward in North Ogden. I thought it was the most delicious thing I had ever ingested, and now it is a frequently requested dish.
I have added cashews and substituted Red Wine Vinegar and it is delicious. Oh, and throw in extra sugar and freshly ground pepper. I used to serve it in a huge stainless steel bowl passed down to me from my dear mother, but it disappeared. Where did it go, you ask? What a silly question----everyone who knows our household knows we have a black hole through which countless things have never reappeared. I purchased another one, but it was not anywhere as good as our old one which not only held rolls and Chinese Chicken Salad, but served as a nice sled in the winter.

As I got our new bowl out, I noticed it did not look as symmetrical anymore. It had huge, misshapen dents everywhere on the bottom. I wanted to muse on this mystery for awhile, but I was too busy. When Rachel and Matt Roper came to eat after Sacrament meeting, they said something suspicious about the bowl, and I eagerly picked it up to point out the dented bottom. They got a good laugh out of that as they told me the boys, now being nineteen years old, had used our "newer" bowl as a sled last February. Obviously it had not held up nearly as well as the old one. I may have to send a picture to the boys with no explanation added!!!

Thank you to everyone who came and shared Rachel's special day. I wish I had cleaned up the yard, and apologize to those of you who ate your food while looking at unmowed grass and a back yard that had been through a rough winter. I hope the good food distracted you, and the "three hundred rolls" that Alisa turned out were extra wonderful.

The only thing that would make the day more special is if we were celebrating Rachel's return to the arms of her loving family. Yeah, I know....we are so excited about her new adventure, but a mother's heart dreads that last goodbye at the MTC---still to come!!!
This one is for you Ben!!