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 now 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 am 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.