A Ponder

I am  daughter of a loving Heavenly Father. He actually created me. Just as my earthly parents created my body, my heavenly parents created my spirit. That means they love me even more then my earthly parents. Just as parents take care of, worry over, watch over, teach, nurture and love you so does our Heavenly parents and more so. Their love is perfect because they are perfect. I can feel that love more when I am quiet and still. I love that I can communicate to heaven through prayer. I'm grateful to know this. I'm so grateful for His mercy and forgiveness and blessings He sends me. This life is only a moment. But it feels long and is full of lessons that are not easy. I keep thinking lately that I need to stop thinking selfishly. That I need to stop expecting things after serving someone. I'm trying to not let things upset me. Let it go. Let it go. And feel love and joy. Forgive those weirdos. Be happy.

My children are the greatest in the world. I couldn't ask for a better husband. I love to watch them and be together. I was thinking today and praying to help me listen to them more. Help me to be in the moment, stop and listen. I think this journey in life is hard. But I see the beauty around me and I'm trying to breath in all that is good and wholesome. I love my home because it is a safe place. I'm so happy to greet my children when they walk in the door from being at school.

My son is very sick with a staff infection. Luckily this one is easily treated. Him being sick reminds me of how fragile our bodies are. He is such a wonderful, sweet boy. He is talking more at home. He likes to use ropes to tie around things and he is so easy to be around. He doesn't complain about what we do. He has great motor skills and drives battery powered cars better then most 5 year olds.
My Bella is still not walking everywhere. But I catch her walking a few steps now and then. She is such a funny spunky girl! I hold her and want to somehow stop time. It makes me sad that she is growing so fast and I tell myself to remember how this feels! Look into her sweet eyes...don't forget!
Lydia is everyones friend. She is especially good to her younger siblings. Damon calls her Loly. He always wants to be with her. I think it is because she is kind to him and plays with him. She is also very good to Bella and helps keep her happy.
Andrea is a leader and is a deep thinker. She likes her space. She is a talented artist. She is creative and athletic. She likes to jump on Daddy and wrestle with him. She likes to be big but envies the attention Bella gets. I have to remember to rock and sing to Andrea more often. I tell her that everything you see us do with Bella we did with you and more. But I know saying that isn't good enough for her.

I'm so excited for General Conference this weekend. That is when the prophet and apostles speak to us and we can watch it from our own homes on TV. I'm praying that I will feel the spirit and learn.
Love and Light~

Finished!

This morning I ran a 1/2 marathon down the canyon, 13.1 miles. It was beautiful and cool--perfect temperatures. I ran about 3 or 4 miles with my friend and than I couldn't quiet keep up the pace. I had my ishuffle and kept up my own pace pretty good. The trees were so beautiful and the red and white rocks of the canyon at times had a misty look. A couple of times I felt like I wanted to walk or stop- be done with it. But those things weren't an option and I just kept putting one foot in front of the other. Its interesting how I'll start feeling better and then after a couple more miles I'll feel tired and then I'll just keep going and then feel a little better.  I felt really good and ended up being 2 minutes faster than my first one this summer! At the end I was able to kick up a gear and past a guy on the home stretch. I ran 7:38 min/miles and feel so great about it! Two halves make a full and I feel like I have sufficiently commemorated my 10 year anniversary of running the full marathon. I feel such great accomplishment that I am in the greatest shape of my life after 10 years and 4 kids later. I'm really loving my age and stage of life right now. I still feel really young and strong but I feel like I have some life experience and more wisdom. I am excited for 30 to come in a year and a couple of months. I think my 30's will be some of my best years yet. I think for me my 20's have been a huge learning experience of how to be me as an adult and of course how to be a wife and mother. I feel more comfortable and sure of who I am now. I feel like I've endured and conquered through a lot of trials and my own issues that has brought me closer to my Savior, Jesus Christ. He truly is my greatest friend of all!

My son Damon woke up crying at 4 am. I went in his room and he said, "kisses, kisses!"
 I gave him lots of kisses on his sweet face and he went right back to sleep. It was the cutest thing and melted my heart!
Love & Light~

Last Trip

My dad and Kathy came with us to the Lake. We had the best weather and the best water! My dad rode the wake board and the knee board. This was the first time I remember going to the lake with him. We had the best time! It was so nice having someone come with us. I hate to say goodbye to the summer. ~ Love and Light ~

School Days

Lydia and Damon started school!! My son is going to preschool two days a week. This is our first time sending a child to preschool. He is really excited!

Lydia started kindergarten! She is so ready to learn and be with her friends! She loves it!!

Unfortunately my mom had her route changed the day before Lydia started kindergarten and didn't get to have grandma be her bus driver. It was disappointing but there must be a reason for it that we will never know. It is really exciting when the kids start school. There is a buzz in the air. I remember it well when I was in school. With the start of school brings the energy of the upcoming holidays soon approaching. Part of me dreads the work involved as the holidays come but what makes it all worth it is the children. I wouldn't enjoy the holidays near as much without my children. I am excited for the baking and hot chocolate! ~Love and Light

Teething

I was trying to get every second of sleep I could before I was up for the day. It is past 8 and I have two kids next to me in bed trying to wait for me to get up. Andrea comes pouncing in. "Mom I just bit down on my tooth and it went the other way now! Its bleeding, I think I can pull it out!""Oh that's good," I say groggily.
"Should I?"
"uhm sure."
"Really??!"
"yeah."
She tries pulling it out and can't seem to do it.
"Will you pull it out for me?"
I'm still half asleep but am still surprised. Usually I'm begging her to let me pull it out. I guess now that this is her 5th tooth to come out she is feeling less dramatic.....and so am I.
"sure," I say with little enthusiasm.
She brings me a long piece of tissue and climbs on the bed. I keep telling her to open her mouth wider so I can get my fingers in her mouth. I wrap the tissue over the tooth and with almost no effort pull the tooth out. She jerks back after I did it bewildered that it came out since of course she couldn't feel it. The tooth was barely hanging by a thread. Her mouth is bleeding and she couldn't be more thrilled for the day. What a great start to the day for a 7 year old!-life couldn't be better. Now for the next 2 hours she keeps bouncing around from mirror to mirror looking at the place the tooth dwelled. I hear none stop about the tooth fairy and how she might write her a letter or not and about how many teeth she has lost......
She still hasn't gotten her two top front teeth. Its been at least 6 months. She now eats on the corner of her mouth and always has food on her cheek. She wasn't chewing on the other side because of the above mentioned loose tooth. She never seems to care about wiping her face. She says to Bella very thoughtfully, "I'm teething too. I don't know when I'll ever stop teething."
It is so funny and awesome. I love the character that is coming out of my teething 7 year old!
Never a dull moment!