Friday, July 18, 2008
For the strength of women in the latter days
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Most everything I learned about myself-I learned from my children.
Ok so it has been a while since I have posted I haven’t done too much thinking with the kids at my feet, under my feet and on my feet all summer long. Since returning from Kansas I have been trying to keep the kids and myself busy. I wanted to make sure the kids had a good summer so I have been trying to have something for them to do every day, whether it is going somewhere or just having a friend to play with. So from the Monday after my return until no
w we have been busy-thanks to the sun being present. We have gone to the beach, to Manchester state park, Aunt Bonnie's (on their cool bike hill), to the lake, and had numerous friends over for dinner, lunch and snacks. Except for the few days where Nicholas was sick, Alex was sick and mom felt sick from cleaning up the sick – we have stayed busy. Of course if you ask Alex- we don’t ever do anything. Being busy is a lot of work…I am exhausted and I still have 6 more weeks to fill. Thank goodness we have plans to go to Mt. St. Helen’s, Ohanepecosh, Lake Sylvia, Ocean Shores and a few other fun trips. Of course I a
m making sure to take pictures so I have proof when they grow up and want to know why we never went anywhere. I am glad to be a scrapper so I can at least have that as a journal for the kids to enjoy as they get older. I do have to say though, my kids, while they argue, whine, tattle, and truly make me want to pull out my hair, they are my life and I love to do things with them. I love seeing them explore new things. I love the smile on their faces when we are doing things together. I love how they ask questions and think they know answers to the most complex things. I love how they think they are “big” and they can do anything. (that will never go away) I love that I learn more about myself through their eyes than anything
else in this life. Kids are hard work- but they truly are the most rewarding- it’s not instant reward but it’s the kind of reward that comes after working for it and looking back and realizing you could have never discovered “that” without them. Children truly are a blessing from God. Not only do I grow closer to them but to my Heavenly Father because it is by having children that we glimpse just a small portion of the love our Heavenly Father has for each one of his children (everyone that ever has lived, lives, or will live). It is hard to think about my kids making poor choices, I can only imagine what our Heavenly Father thinks of all his children on this earth and the choices they are making. But as a mom of children I am realizing, my kids can only learn from their choices, all I can do is teach them the best that I can, give them opportunities for learning, and be a good example- the rest is up to them. (That’s a scary thought) I continue to glean from my children all that I can learn and continue to try to be an example that they want to emulate, even to the slightest degree, praying that they will make good choices for themselves as well as be examples to others in their lives. Isn’t that what this life is all about?
*Picture of Natalee teaches me that life is too short to not enjoy it to its fullest. Not to be afraid to put yourself out there for others to see you, love you and learn from you
*Picture of Alex teaches me that we need to take time to sit back and observe, to relax, to reflect. That while we need to enjoy life to the fullest we must be willing to take a moment and enjoy the view from a distance.
*Picture of Nicholas teaches me that we should not let the "owies" in life get us down. That we need to pick ourselves up, recognize the hurt and where it came from and then move forward a better person for having experienced it. (Don't get me wrong, some "hurts" take a long time to heal but that doesn't mean we have to let the hurt control every aspect of our life. I am sure there are exceptions but its just a simple observation.
w we have been busy-thanks to the sun being present. We have gone to the beach, to Manchester state park, Aunt Bonnie's (on their cool bike hill), to the lake, and had numerous friends over for dinner, lunch and snacks. Except for the few days where Nicholas was sick, Alex was sick and mom felt sick from cleaning up the sick – we have stayed busy. Of course if you ask Alex- we don’t ever do anything. Being busy is a lot of work…I am exhausted and I still have 6 more weeks to fill. Thank goodness we have plans to go to Mt. St. Helen’s, Ohanepecosh, Lake Sylvia, Ocean Shores and a few other fun trips. Of course I a
m making sure to take pictures so I have proof when they grow up and want to know why we never went anywhere. I am glad to be a scrapper so I can at least have that as a journal for the kids to enjoy as they get older. I do have to say though, my kids, while they argue, whine, tattle, and truly make me want to pull out my hair, they are my life and I love to do things with them. I love seeing them explore new things. I love the smile on their faces when we are doing things together. I love how they ask questions and think they know answers to the most complex things. I love how they think they are “big” and they can do anything. (that will never go away) I love that I learn more about myself through their eyes than anything
else in this life. Kids are hard work- but they truly are the most rewarding- it’s not instant reward but it’s the kind of reward that comes after working for it and looking back and realizing you could have never discovered “that” without them. Children truly are a blessing from God. Not only do I grow closer to them but to my Heavenly Father because it is by having children that we glimpse just a small portion of the love our Heavenly Father has for each one of his children (everyone that ever has lived, lives, or will live). It is hard to think about my kids making poor choices, I can only imagine what our Heavenly Father thinks of all his children on this earth and the choices they are making. But as a mom of children I am realizing, my kids can only learn from their choices, all I can do is teach them the best that I can, give them opportunities for learning, and be a good example- the rest is up to them. (That’s a scary thought) I continue to glean from my children all that I can learn and continue to try to be an example that they want to emulate, even to the slightest degree, praying that they will make good choices for themselves as well as be examples to others in their lives. Isn’t that what this life is all about?*Picture of Natalee teaches me that life is too short to not enjoy it to its fullest. Not to be afraid to put yourself out there for others to see you, love you and learn from you
*Picture of Alex teaches me that we need to take time to sit back and observe, to relax, to reflect. That while we need to enjoy life to the fullest we must be willing to take a moment and enjoy the view from a distance.
*Picture of Nicholas teaches me that we should not let the "owies" in life get us down. That we need to pick ourselves up, recognize the hurt and where it came from and then move forward a better person for having experienced it. (Don't get me wrong, some "hurts" take a long time to heal but that doesn't mean we have to let the hurt control every aspect of our life. I am sure there are exceptions but its just a simple observation.
Friday, July 4, 2008
I'm not in Kansas anymore!
* I took this picture as the sun was setting on the Mississippi river What was it like to be in Kansas City with my friend Leslie-without any kids and no one to answer to but myself? Delightful, Mind clearing, relaxing, and oh so much more. I think that every mom, wife, woman should take time such as this to gather her wits and renew themselves- allowing for time to reflect, think, and appreciate the life they have. A day or two isn’t enough, 5-7 days is perfect not only do I find myself longing to be with my husband and children but I am pretty sure they have had ample time to feel the same about me. (I hope) There is nothing like spending time with another family to make you appreciate your own. Pat and Leslie are amazing and I am so thankful to them for putting me up in their guest room and taking me to see all the sites. In 6 days we went through Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois. I was able to take in all of the LDS Church Sites in those areas, as well as see the bank that Jesse James held up and the city that Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) based his book Tom Sawyer off of. I, of course took a plethora of pictures and will be posting them for all to see when I get them sorted through. I look forward to scrapping them. I am sure a number of my LDS friends will ask which site I enjoyed the most and I must answer- having following in the footsteps of the early saints, beginning in Independence, MO and concluding in Carthage, IL- with all the reflection and the entirety of the trials they endured for their faith- I must say Carthage Jail was all encompassing. My heart was full of emotion the spirit truly testified of the reality of these events further solidifying my testimony that the prophet Joseph Smith is and was a prophet of the Lord Jesus Christ and that he restored His church to this earth in this-the last-dispensation. I am so grateful for this once in a life time opportunity to be a part of something bigger than myself. Of course, I loved going to see the Marketplace in Kansas City and eating some authentic Kansas City BBQ. We also had an early 4th of July picnic with grilling and fireworks to top it off. We played a great new board game called “Ra” which anyone who loves strategy gaming will enjoy. We swam in their new pool and went sliding down the waterslide ( I even got Leslie to do it when her kids had been asking her since they got it.) *Leslie, you have to admit it is exhilarating. We went to swim meets and baseball games for the kids and made excellent Rigatoni last night for dinner and to top it off saw the movie Hancock ( I personally enjoyed it- it was full of humor, drama, and action jam packed in and topped off with googling at Will Smith.) * there is a bit of language in it for those who are sensitive to it. The entire trip was fantastic and the icing on the cake I had time to read a book for fun and I am hooked- I am sure you have heard of the Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer and well, after hearing about it myself and receiving the first book from my sister in law for my birthday I started and finished it in record pace while visiting, staying up until the late hours of the night turning the pages faster and faster so I could see what was going to happen. I have butterflies when I am reading the love story and I feel everything they are feeling as if it is happening to me. Once you start reading it, its like a drug and you can’t put it down. Its definitely for tweens but as an adult it takes you back and makes you feel those feelings all over again. I can’t wait to read the next one- in fact as I sit her in the Kansas City airport I am hoping that the Denver airport carries the paperback. Thank you again, my dear husband who gave me this opportunity and my friends and family who helped make it possible.
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