Clarity

Cwaire turned 3 months this week.  We got her Christmas present a little early.  A new exersaucer!  She loves to hold her head up, and when she's lying on the floor or in her bouncy seat, she tries so hard to keep her head up and she gets frustrated.  So we decided to see how she'd do propped up in an exersaucer.  She loves it!  She loves to talk to the toys and is practicing her exciting skills of grabbing at things with her hands. 

She always smiles at herself in the little mirror.

But....sometimes she is ready to get out!

Cute outfit from Grandma!

We woke up to snow this morning!  Cameron and Rooster were so excited to put on their snow gear and head out.  I was so sick last Winter with the pregnancy, so I never went out and played with them last year.  So I was excited too!  I took them sledding and had so much fun!  Roo was a little wary of the snow last year, but this year she dug right in!  She and Cam clomped around in the snow for almost 2 hours.  It's going to be a fun Winter!

Cameron asked me today, "Mom?  Are you married yet?"

Nate and I got to go on our first date since Claire was born.  We just went and got some lunch, but it was fun to get away for a few minutes and hang out.  Tonight we also got to attend the adult session of Stake Conference.  Such a GOOD meeting!  Our Stake Presidency spoke about trusting the Lord.  They each shared personal experiences from their lives of how they've trusted the Lord in times of uncertainty and seen amazing blessings because of it.  It was so comforting to hear real stories of how uncertainty is replaced by certainty and peace.  My favorite quote was: "Don't put a question mark where the Lord has put a period."  They also talked about how "enduring to the end" does NOT mean "suffering to the end."  The Lord intends for His children to have JOY while we are on the earth growing and learning.  They reminded us to look for the little things each day that remind of us God's love for us.  It was just so perfect for me to hear right now. 

This past year has been such an amazing year, Nate and I have grown in so many ways, and we have felt the Lord guiding our decisions.  Back in March, we were about to buy a house.  We had decided to quit school and move to West Jordan.  But then we had one of the most powerful experiences I've ever had with the Spirit.  It came the morning after I gave the most heartfelt, sincere, pleading prayer to Heavenly Father that I have EVER done.  That evening I just felt restless and scared and worried and unsure.  So I prayed.  I really, really prayed.  And it was answered.  I woke up with so much clarity.  And so did Nate.  We woke up, and I said, "We can't buy that house."  and Nate said, "I know.  And I'm going to apply for a Masters in Social Work."  Together, we felt the Spirit speak SO directly to us.  Everything felt crystal clear....a feeling I had never experienced.  Just the night before, we were set on buying a house and Nate hadn't EVER brought up or thought about social work.  But the next morning, we woke up with an entirely new life plan for our little family.  We KNOW it was NOT us.  The Lord almost literally reached down and plucked us off of our "What Nate & Becca think is best" path and put us back where we belong....which is on the "What the Lord KNOWS is best" path.  We're glad to be on it!  And we will continue for the rest of our lives to enjoy the journey and have faith that the Lord's way is always better than our own.  Sometimes we wonder why the Lord couldn't have just told Nate YEARS ago to become a social worker....we could have saved so much money and time.  BUT we wouldn't have learned anything.  We wouldn't have learned these priceless life lessons of humility and pleading prayer and complete trust in God and the absolute pure LOVE that is felt when you know you are a child of God and that He is pleased with how you are living your life.  Trials are meant to teach us those things.  Trials are hard and painful, but they are a blessing and none of us would be able to become like Christ without refinement during our earthly journey.

And finally, once again, Roo is cute.