Like Mother, Like Son

There are some traits that I would love to pass on to my kids. Others...not so much. The verdict is still out on this one, but I think it is absolutely hilarious! C has started making lists. He has spent 3-4 days making them. Here are copies of today's and yesterday's. Aren't they cute?!? If you know me personally, it is no suprise where he gets it from (Guilty as charged!).

A Prophet Dies

Tonight I heard the sad news. President Gordon B. Hinckley, prophet and leader of our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died tonight at age 97. I am saddened. It is almost like the death of a friend. He was such an inspired man and a great leader. He loved all the people in the world. He taught what the Savior would have him teach. He will be missed.

I feel so blessed, however, to know that the Lord has established an order. The church never is without leadership and a new prophet will be called and set apart and given inspiration to lead the world at this time. How blessed I am to have this knowledge.

Speaking in church, mission calls, and moving

I spoke in church today. Thank goodness it is over! :) I actually got really nervous. I usually am nervous, of course, but today I was more than usual. Once I got up to speak, though, I wasn't nervous at all. I saw so many faces of people that I know and love. I had prepared as much as possible and I was just blessed to be able to deliver my talk clearly. Like always, the research, thought, and prayer that goes into the preparation really helped me to focus on things I need to improved. My topic was from Alma 34:18-27, on prayer. I really felt the love of our Heavenly Father and what a great desire he has to be a part of our lives. The rest of church was wonderful as well. I love church. I love taking the sacrament. I love the fellowship. I love the positive uplift at the beginning of a new week. I love coming home and pondering on what I can do to make my life better! :)

My kids also got "mission calls" today. What a fun idea our primary presidency had! :) K had to decide between a school function that she really wanted to go to and the primary activity. She chose this activity and it will be so fun. Anyhow, they got their "calls" at church and then got to open them in front of us, as a family, when they got home. It was a very special feeling and they were so excited. I am so grateful that we have wonderful sisters and brothers that give of their time to teach my little ones. There is so much they need to know and they have such great influences in their lives. I love that what I teach them at home is enhanced and reinforced by good teachers.

Finally, it is official! My sister is moving here! I am so excited. I love her so much and the opportunity for them to be close to us is so wonderful! As moves are, this is a lot of work for her and her DH and I wish so much that I could be there to help out. I worry a little that for some reason they will hate living here or not like being close to us...and then it will be our fault that they moved here. I know that is silly, but I do worry a little. I so want them to be happy and I do want them here, but I don't want them to regret it. I am sure they will love it like I do! :) Anyhow, pray for them this week as they make the long drive with their three small children: 3 years, almost 2, and 7-8 weeks old. I pray for sunny skies with no snow.

The End of An Era

I am so ready and yet so sad. LD, I think, is done nursing.

It is funny how life changes you. With K...12 months came along and that was it. I was NOT going to nurse one week longer. I had that idea in my head-12 months is perfect. No more. No less. Then, C came along and weaned himself at the age of 7 months. I think it partly had to do with my work schedule and partly because he was the only one of my kids to take a bottle. But, it still shocked my world that he didn't last the full 12 months.

Now, LD. He loves nursing more than the two of them combined. He is almost 16 months and up until a couple of weeks ago would still nurse 6-7 times a day, 20 minutes each time. He loved it. And I didn't stop him. A few weeks ago, though, I consciously decided to try to gradually wean him. I would only nurse him when he asks and a short time before bed and nap.

Well, yesterday he asked at about 2 pm. That was the only nursing yesterday. (He actually did ask again when we had company over at about 5, but I really believe he doesn't need to nurse in front of others at this age! Thank goodness I am the only one who understands his word for "nurse.")

Now it is almost bedtime and he hasn't nursed today. I think it is over. I am so ready in many ways. It really is time for him to be done. But, as much as I long for more children, I think there is a very real possibility that he is last. That means no more nursing EVER! That is a sad thought. I think it is the end of the era.

If the Savior stood beside me

I have a busy life. I know that I am not alone: I definitely do not have a monopoly on a busy life, but mine is pretty darn full. I have three kids (one a young toddler!). I have a DH that works 13+ hour days and also works on Saturday. I am increasing the frequency of wearing the "Taxidriver" hat: Activity days, basketball practices, basketball games, friends houses. I keep all the books, do all the transcription, and so forth for the clinic. I have a home and yard that either gets taken care of by me or not at all. I have a calling (i.e., "job" at church) that takes a lot of time (although sometimes not that much). We have awards ceremonies, school functions, church activities coming out of our ears. It is hard to fit it all in the 24 hours a day that I have been given. I also want to add to that time with MY friends, quilting, exercising, organizing. Things just for ME!

Yet, today we got our Primary Program CD and this song was on there: "If the Savior stood beside me." I actually sang this song years ago when I was in Young Women's. It is so beautiful. We immediately put it in the van and listened to it on the way home from church. As we drove, the truthfulness of the words really impressed upon me. I sometimes let all that I have to do shape my attitude, my actions, and my words. I want to try harder to take these words to heart and be the person that I would be if the Savior was right here, for indeed, He truly is. And, there it is: my insight of the day!

Here is the second verse:

If the Savior stood beside me, would I say the things I say?
Would my words be true and kind if He were never far away?
Would I try to share the gospel? Would I speak more rev'rently
if I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me?

Pre-Pre Teen

It is so interesting to watch my "babies" grow up. K is very social and loves to have friends over (something that I am working VERY hard to make time for in our crazy busy schedule!) This week she invited a friend from school, plus we have S (her friend that I watch every day after school). This is what 8/9 year-olds like to do: turn the music up really loud and play with the baby. They did these two things for almost two hours (with a little Nintendo DS, games, and playing with the pets thrown in for fun). They have such fun personalities and have so much fun with LD. Next time they all get together, I am going to plan a HUGE project for myself since I will unexpectedly have a couple free hours! :)

In other news, LD has been "using" his fork for awhile now, but I haven't let him try anything with a spoon. Here is the result of a 15-month-old with his own carton of yogurt! At least he had a blast. About half way through, he started handing me his spoon every bite and grunting, meaning, "Mom, could you feed me now. I am not getting enough in my mouth!"

Basketball Games

Both C and K decided to participate in basketball this year. If you know my family, you know that all five of us are short for our ages. This makes basketball a bit of a challenge, particularly for K. She really struggled with liking it for the first few practices and we struggled with determining where the line is between helping your child grow by finishing something that is difficult for them and being just plain mean and making them do something they hate.

Well, both of them had their games last Saturday AT THE SAME TIME! I really wanted to see both of them play and it became even more of a problem since DH had patients at that time. Thank goodness one of my really good friends volunteered to go with C so that they could both play. As it turned out, DH was able to reschedule some patients and got there just in time to see C's game start.

Both of them were extremely nervous. K was visibly upset. To make matters worse for her, the game before theirs was running late so she had an extra half hour to contemplate the nervousness. She cried most of the first half, but really got into the second half and on the way home commented that she'd like to do it again! Hurray! I can't wait to see C play this week.

A New Year

It is a great new year. We are less than a week in and I already feel blessed. I think as our family really tries to move forward, striving to do what God wants us to do, that we will be blessed. I hope that I will be a better person next year at this time than I am now. I hope I have much opportunity to grow and improve in all aspects of my life.

That being said, we rang in the New Year with some dear friends. How great it is to have friends that you can completely be yourself with. It doesn't matter how messy the house, how cranky the kids, how non-make-uped I am...these are true friends. I feel so fortunate that A is one of my very best friends and that our DHs get along so well. The only funny thing about our relationship is that (in the words of C), they are a "tall" family and we are a "short" family. Their 4-year-old daughter is almost as tall as our 8 1/2 year old. Here are some picts from that night. The kids were so excited to ring in the new year together.

Also this week, K got to spend a lot of time with her best friend, E, that moved to Mexico and visited during the break. They have a very special friendship and I hope that they can continue to keep in touch. We probably won't see them again for 18 months.

Finally, we began our new church schedule at 8:30 in the morning! Here is Little Dan this morning...he never sleeps this late and is also an extremely light sleeper, but somehow this morning slept through me changing him into his church clothes. Welcome to the early schedule, LD!