Mother's Day and more

Mother's Day 2012

I love mother's day. I know a lot of women say they hate it because it makes them feel guilty or whatever. But I think it's awesome that we take a day to celebrate the most holy calling there is. A day to honor the women and mothers in our lives that influence us more than anyone else can. Motherhood is so much more than changing diapers, sleepless nights, making meals, and having mile long to-do lists. It's about teaching, nurturing, and learning how to have perfect, Christ-like love. There is no better place or training ground to develop the charateristics we need to have, to be celestial beings. No other job will give us the day-to-day (and minute-to-minute) opportunities to practice patience and selflessness. I know that a lot of women struggle with being able to bear children. I am beyond grateful that I have been able to have kids, that I am a mother. And not just to any 4 kids, but to the best, cutest, and most brilliant four children there are ;). I can say that, because I am their mom. I am also eternally grateful for my own mother, for my husband's mother, and for all the other mothers out there that I learn from and look to for an example. My sisters, cousins, sisters-in-law, aunts, friends, etc. I am surrounded by incredible women!

It's been a good week. Monday and Tuesday the kids didn't even get to see Kenny because he worked so late. On Wednesday I hosted a playgroup for some other women in the ward to get to know them better. There was an incident where one boy knocked over our glass lamp and it shattered all over the play room where the kids were. But we got it all cleaned up and nobody got hurt, so it worked out fine. Thursday was Tyler's last day of soccer. He starts up again the beginning of June. He is improving a lot and it's fun to watch him have such a good time out there. On Saturday Kenny went into work for the first half of the day. Then he took a couple trips to the dump for me which really cleared out the garage. That night he let me go shopping all by myself! That was my mother's day gift :). It was wonderful. I haven't been shopping for myself in almost a year, so it was nice to get some new clothes. It got cut short a little because the bishop called and asked if he could come over that night. So I had to hurry home. But I got a calling as 2nd counselor in Young Womens. I'm super excited, as I felt like my time got cut short in YW in Ohio. So I'm glad to be back. I'm not sure what I'll do about girls camp and Kelsey, but we'll figure that out as it comes.
We started Kindergarten for Tyler this week. He absolutely loves learning and is a real joy to teach. I know sometimes parents and kids clash in their teaching/learning styles. But with me and him, it works. We'll see how it goes with the rest of the kids :).

This is what we call "our special place". We can walk to it and it's just a bunch of land, a big open field, some woods, and even a little creek. We've gone there every day this last week. I love it because there's no cars to worry about, no other people to disturb, and they can just run around and have fun. The rule is as long as we can see each other, they're okay. That gives them lots of freedom still and I love it.

Kelsey sleeping in the baby bjorn on our daily walk

Tyler pulling up the bark on the logs to look for termites and bugs

Painting some of the rocks they brought back from our special place

This was a super sweet moment and I had to hurry and snap a picture, even though it didn't turn out so well. Madison had pooped through her diaper and it was on her clothes, etc. so I was in the other room changing her and getting it cleaned up. Kelsey was in the bumbo crying really hard--it was nap time. Without me asking, or them telling, Ty and Bryn climbed up onto the counter where she was to comfort her. Bryn rubbed her back, and Tyler put his arm next to her and she rested her head on his arm and fell right to sleep. It was so sweet.

Going out in the backyard to play soccer. It was raining.

My friend Terra Reed gave us two cute little dance outfits. I pulled them out and washed them a little bit ago and Brynlee is obsessed with hers!! She wears it almost every day and calls it her "pretty pink princess dress". Notice her pink princess slippers she wears with it. She really loves pink and loves to be a girl.