Close Up

Here is a smattering of the things I find so darling about kids and babies:

Smiles and Truly Happy Times

Silver at the glass door SO excited about life!

Silver Dawn's eyes.
(This photo is not touched up!)
This is what I get to look into every day!

I love little baby wrists like this that look like they have a rubber band on it.
River never did have fat rolls, She was always so skinny.

Little dimples on the knuckles.

I love when babies pull up their legs.

SISTERS and BEST FRIENDS!

Happiness is finding something you enjoy!

Silver enjoys blocks, the little plastic vegetable set we have, food, and hugs!

Silver kneels up all the time. Either with both feet under her, or one foot under and the other in front bent at the knee. The toes remind me of peas in a pod.

Sweet Memories!

I usually have patience until about 8:30 pm. Tonight after snapping at River I told myself to be patient with Silver's constantly wanting to be held and River's bed-time stalling and non-stop questions (why???? but why??? and why is that??? what does this do??? why do you do that???)

I remind myself that she is a smart girl trying to figure out her world.

Enjoy every moment, because this chapter will pass ever so quickly!

Dreams do come true! And better than I could have ever imagined or designed it myself.

For the Strength of Youth Pamphlet pg 41: "When you do these things, the Lord will make much more out of your life than you can by yourself. He will increase your opportunities, expand your vision, and strengthen you. He will give you the help you need to meet your trials and challenges. You will find true joy as you come to know your Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, and feel their love for you."

One of my secrets for joy is to not look at the little things kids do as an inconvenience (diaper changes, clothes changes, constant chatter, wanting to be held, constant messes with toys or art projects or books, more messes - River was getting a yogurt out of the fridge and out fell a bowl of soup that broke over the floor spilling soup literally over the whole kitchen - not 20 minutes after I just mopped the floor. After I took a deep breath, I smiled because she was trying to be a big girl and do things for herself. These things for me are just a part of childhood and are to be expected in my every day while I have little kids. My opinion is that my life is not my own while I have little kids - for about 2 years for every baby I no longer have a schedule or a fixed agenda. My life literally revolves around them and their needs, and I need to fit my projects and to-do lists around them. This is something that I have chosen - to be a Mom, and to love it! I love Silver's name. I always ask myself, what's the Silver lining in this, or what is a way to take a positive spin on this?

I was released from being YW President last Sunday. It's sometimes hard to be released, to have spent so much time, effort, energy and thought and then to have that chapter end. But it's the beginning of a new chapter. I was talking to the Seminary teacher here. He said that in his opinion Scouts isn't about tying knots and camping, it's about having a leader that is a good role model and example. To have a leader that reads their scriptures and prays and lives the gospel and hopefully they'll think back about that and want that same spirit in their lives. That's what helped me develop a testimony for myself, to want what a girl I really admired had - the spirit. This was a really hard calling for me, but I'm so glad I was able to serve the girls - I learned a lot about myself and about teenager-hood. It will impact how I raise our girls knowing they will be teenagers some day. I'm thankful to have had that experience, and I'm grateful that I'm able to start a new chapter now.

Enjoyin' the Journey! Here's to a new Chapter!