Heart of Life

Allie was bored the other morning, so she brought me all of her bows/flowers.  Her hair is getting so long, and it is so pretty.  She has these highlights that run through it, I'm so jealous!  Claire's hair is growing in thicker too.  Doing Roo's hair is still one of my favorite things to do, so I'm excited that pretty soon, I'll have TWO crazy mops to manage every day!  I don't really dress the girls alike, but I think it'll be fun to do their hair the same sometimes.

This morning I got my first Bountiful Basket.  I can't believe I haven't been doing this for YEARS!  For $16, we got Romaine lettuce, spinach, a cucumber, 8 tomatoes, broccoli, grapes, blackberries, 2 asian pears, 6 apples, 7 oranges, 8 bananas, radishes and 2 avocados.  Not too shabby!  Can't wait for next Saturday!

Nate worked four 10-hour days this past week.  Today he finally had a day off, which was so nice!  Those are long days for me, when he's gone like that.  I try not to complain though, because it's during the longest days that I feel the most help and strength from my Heavenly Father.  He knows how hard Nate is working, and He knows how hard I am working.  I am also grateful for the people in my life who step in to help me out.  Nate's parents came and took Cam and Roo to the Gateway and to lunch on Friday afternoon.  I got to enjoy a quiet nap with Claire, and I also walked to the library with Claire and Staci.  It's nice to visit with a friend when we aren't interrupted by our kids every other sentence! 

Nate and I have been watching Big Bang Theory from the beginning.  It makes us laugh SO hard, I love it!  Only Sheldon can make a one-word sentence hilarious.  I think he will help me lose my belly flab faster than doing crunches!

DeAnn is coming to Utah next month.  I can't wait to see her! 

We should be hearing back any day now from the MSW program.  I'm trying really hard not to think about it!!  We are pretty nervous, but we're clinging to our faith with dear life!!  If any of you want to say a little prayer on our family's behalf, we would really appreciate that!

*****


Tonight during dinner, Claire ONLY wanted ME to hold her.  Sometimes that can get difficult, but I also think it's so sweet.  She was clinging to me with all 4 limbs, and Nate said she looked like a little bear cub clinging to her mom!  When she wants to eat now, she stares at my chest and grabs my shirt, it makes me laugh.  I love being a mother.  I love having a baby in the house, I would give anything to keep Claire little....but it's just not happening, she's growing up SO fast.

Tonight I stumbled onto this blog, and the tears just fell and fell.  This poor mother lost her baby girl, and these words hit me hard:

"I see mothers everyday that look so upset and unhappy.
Do you know how lucky you are to have spit up in your hair? Do you know how lucky you are to have TWO crying babies in your cart? Do you know how lucky you are that you get to buy diapers? Do you know how lucky you are to have circles under your eyes from being up all night with your baby, and not from crying all night from missing your baby? Do you know how lucky you are that you get to nurse your baby? It takes everything in me not to walk up to mother's and just make sure they know!"

Nate keeps asking me why I always read these sad blogs about angel children.  I always tell him that it helps me remember that every day, every hour, every minute is a GIFT and a PRIVILEGE.  I AM lucky.  Claire did spit up all over my hair the other day, and I just hugged her tighter.  Cam came home from school in tears the other day over a little tiff with his friend.  I just hugged him and let him know that I am ALWAYS his #1 fan and that he is safe with me.  When Roo and I made up a cute game this morning where we guess what hand her toy is in, it made her laugh SO hard that I didn't want to stop playing it ever.  So we played it over and over and over so I could hear that beautiful sound.

My heart is SO FULL of love for my 3 babies.  And now the tears roll down my cheeks for them.  And for me and Nate.  We ARE lucky and blessed and not a day goes by where I don't thank my Heavenly Father for the beautiful life He has given me.  It is ALL from Him.