Stop This Train

"Stop this train. I can't take the speed it's moving in."

-John Mayer

WOW, life is going soooo fast!!  Too fast!  The days and weeks just fly by.  I would love to stop this train and keep life just how it is right now.  Atleast for awhile.  Claire is at such a fun, cute age right now.  She is the chattiest baby!!  She will just sit there and smile and coo at me for as long as I'll let her.  She has this huge open-mouth smile that we call "Perma-Grin" because she'll just hold it there.  It's so stinkin' cute, I can't even handle it.  She also has the craziest sneezes ever!  She seriously gives us a shower whenever she sneezes!  Nate always calls her Sprayer.  It's too cute to be gross!  She likes to look up at me while she nurses now.  Those big blue eyes just melt me, and I just want to hold her like that forever.  I wish more than anything that I could just freeze Claire just how she is right now.  It's been fun watching Cam and Roo grow up and get older, but no, not Claire.  She needs to stay my baby!!!

Nate submitted his applications to graduate school and the MSW/MPH programs this week.  When he clicked "submit", we looked at each other, gave each other a high five, and then knelt in prayer to thank our Heavenly Father for guiding us to this point in our marriage and family life.  It has been a long, rough year.  But we feel like everything we have been through has been leading us up to this point.  We both feel so confident and sure that a career in social work is the right thing for us.  We have been praying for 6 months now to get into these programs, but at the same time, we have faith that if he doesn't get accepted, that the Lord will let us know what to do next.  Wow, life is not easy!  I can't even imagine getting through ONE crazy day without help from Him.  I would be a complete mess without the Gospel.  What peace it brings to put all of our worries and stresses into God's hands.  He governs all, and we will always be protected and guided if we trust Him and keep His commandments.

We have been keeping busy with Staci, Sam & Emma.  We all have so much fun together.  Staci is an answered prayer for me in so many ways.  I have been struggling with some things for a long time now, and in just a few weeks, her friendship has helped me overcome a lot.  I really needed someone like her in my life right now.  It sounds so cheesy, but I have felt a lot happier lately too, and because of that, I've been able to work on some of my other weaknesses that I have been trying to get motivated to work on for too long now.  I tell her often how grateful I am for her friendship, but I don't think she'll ever understand just how much she has helped me.  Love her!!!  And to top it off, she is a personal trainer, so we're starting to work out together.  She about killed me this morning with the squats and lunges....gonna get buff!

Cam is doing such a good job in school.  Well, he is still a little stinker, but we all know that's not going to change overnight!!  :)  He is just loving everything he is learning though.  I was reading him a book tonight, and he kept pointing out all of the words he recognizes now.  He also loves to play school with Allie.  He is the teacher, and he takes her through the whole day, just how his school day is.  He teaches her letters and gives her art projects and worksheets to do.  He even disciplines her, it's so funny.  "Allie, keep your eyes on me!" and "When your listening power is back, you can come join the class."  Haha, I'm sure Miss Mary has NEVER had to say those things to Cam....!!

Fun Halloween Weekend ahead!  Bring on the sugar high!!