1-year-old joy

It just might be impossible to go through a day without smiling and laughing at least once. 1-year-olds just have that effect on people.

• Yesterday Nathan started pretend growling, and he thinks it's hilarious (so do his parents).
• Today he learned how to say "uh-oh," even though he doesn't yet know what it means. 
• He says thanks all the time. It usually sounds like "daints!" 
• He often goes and grabs a book from his room or off the floor, holds it out to me and says, "uh?" How could I not read it to him?

He smiles so easily.
He laughs so quickly.
There is so much genuine joy in that little boy.

Chris and I will regularly turn to each other and ask how such an awesome little boy came to be in our home. The answer is God sent the us the soul that He knew would be perfect for our family, but I still can't get over how joyful Nathan makes our home.

Adventures with a spoon

A quote to remember

This quote doesn't fit onto a pin or into a tweet. But it's one I want to remember. May the truths contained therein bless your life.

Almost three years ago a devastating fire gutted the interior of the beloved, historic tabernacle in Provo, Utah. Its loss was deemed a great tragedy by both the community and Church members. Many wondered, “Why did the Lord let this happen? Surely He could have prevented the fire or stopped its destruction.” 

Ten months later, during the October 2011 general conference, there was an audible gasp when President Thomas S. Monson announced that the nearly destroyed tabernacle was to become a holy temple—a house of the Lord! Suddenly we could see what the Lord had always known! He didn’t cause the fire, but He allowed the fire to strip away the interior. He saw the tabernacle as a magnificent temple—a permanent home for making sacred, eternal covenants. 

My dear sisters, the Lord allows us to be tried and tested, sometimes to our maximum capacity. We have seen the lives of loved ones—and maybe our own—figuratively burned to the ground and have wondered why a loving and caring Heavenly Father would allow such things to happen. But He does not leave us in the ashes; He stands with open arms, eagerly inviting us to come to Him. He is building our lives into magnificent temples where His Spirit can dwell eternally. 

In Doctrine and Covenants 58:3–4, the Lord tells us: 

“Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.

-Linda S. Reeves - October 2013 General Relief Society Meeting 

To my daughter...

Dear Little One,

You are growing so much! I can tell because I feel huge already even though I'm only at 25 weeks. I'm already waddling, especially by the end of the day. You are a wiggler like your older brother was (and still is), although you might be giving him a run for his money based on the acrobatics you're already executing. Sometimes you move so much, my belly looks like the underside of a trampoline. The most sure-fire way to get you to stop wiggling is to turn to Daddy and say, "Feel her moving! She's going crazy!" That's when you stop right away. Occasionally I wouldn't mind it if you calmed down a bit, but mostly I love it. Every wiggle is a reminder that you are growing and developing and becoming. That knowledge fills me with peace.

You should know that your Daddy and I are so excited that you're a part of our family. You were welcome here even before we knew you were on the way. You should also know, that despite our best efforts, your older brother is totally clueless that you're coming. He probably will be until we bring you home from the hospital. But on the plus side, he'll also never remember not knowing you. He's a fantastic boy and I can't wait for you to meet him. I'm so happy knowing that you two will learn so much from each other. He's lucky to have you as a little sister, and you are lucky to have him for an older brother.

When I was a little girl, my momma (your grandma) would always tell me, "There's nothing better than being a mom!" And I believed her. She loved being our mom, and we loved being with her. I remember feeling special because I knew I would someday be a mom and could feel like that too. My brothers had to content themselves with being fathers, while I was going to get the best deal.

Now that I am a momma, I can say with Grandma, "There really is nothing better than being a mom!" It's by far the most wonderful job I've ever had. It doesn't bring me money or fame, instead it brings joy like nothing else ever has. Because you too are a girl, you are part of this heritage of motherhood. How happy it makes me to know that you will experience the joy of being a mother and a wife because you are a daughter of God. Not every daughter of God will be a wife and mother in this life, but it is part of our divine heritage to be mothers. What a joyful prospect that is!

Though I won't hold you in my arms for a few more months, I love you already. I'm nervous about being your mother because it's a big responsibility, and I don't want to mess it up, but I find peace when I remember that you are Heavenly Father's daughter too, and He will help me be your mother.

Dear Little Girl (DLG for short), I love you with all my heart. Keep on growing and before we know it, you'll be here!

All my love,
Momma

The little things

It's remarkable to me how God is mindful of big important things, but also the details of our lives. Like when you really need that Tide-to-Go pen because you have to run out the door in 5 minutes and there's a stain on your one clean shirt, God cares enough to answer your prayer for help in finding it. He is our Father, and He is perfectly aware of us and our needs.