Drake

We adopted a puppy named Drake this week.  Actually, he is Gillian's, but the whole family (maybe not Lucy) claims him.  We are still adjusting (like dealing with puppy mauling me all night long and licking my feet to get the peppermint lotion off...he's kinda like a newborn waking me up all night) but we really think we lucked out with him.  Hopefully he feels the same :)

Ginny turns 1!

Ginny turned 1 on October 13th.  We had a super fun day spending time at Sesame Place and then came home to celebrate with our neighbors the Thacker's.  On a side note, we just love our neighbors!  We had dinner and then got to the important part...rainbow chip ice cream cone cupcakes and ice cream.  For every one of our children when they turn 1, we make these cupcakes baked in ice cream cones.  Truth be told, rainbow chip cake mix and frosting are Jake's favorite.  But it becomes every one's favorite because well, it's packed full of sugar so no matter what, it tastes good. 

Ginny was totally excited to eat, something that she has proved through her first year of life!

 

I can't believe my baby is 1.

 

While I am enjoying the independence she is experiencing since she is getting older, I still am sad my baby isn't a baby anymore.

Ginny, for all that has happened since she was born, has been a joy.  She is happy and fun and loves her brother and sisters.  She crawled and walked early on just to keep up with all of them.  She and Lucy are quite the pair as of late.  It's really been fun seeing the two of them develop their relationship.  We all just love Ginny and are so thankful we can have her in our family. 

 

 Mommy loves you so much. 

 

 

 

aaaggghhhh!

clapping when she hears us singing to her.

so good



I think she likes it :)

Lucy with her "boyfriend" Chris.

This is Ginny's expression most of the time.  It is slightly patronizing no?

Sneaking a peak at her present.

Just before the big reveal.

She know to appreciate the card.

She loves her baby!

Speak to Me

However late you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don't have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled,

I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. 

It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ's Atonement. -JRH

 

Don't you give up. 

 Don't you quit. 

 You keep walking. 

You keep trying.

There is help and happiness ahead...

It will be all right in the end. 

Trust God

and believe in

good things to come. -JRH

 

 

Jeffrey R Holland speakes to me.  I love how when he speakes, he does it with conviction and emotion.  I am so thankful for our Prophet and for Apostles.  I am thankful for reminders we receive during Conference to keep going, keep doing, remembering to better ourselves and to not give up. 

Insta Love and Hard Things

These guys give me the opportunity each day to strive to be a better person. Because of them, I want to work on being more kind and loving, patient and forgiving.  Heavenly Father knows us all so well.  I know that without my children I would be more selfish.  I would be stagnant, unwilling to grow and stretch more as a person.  Being a parent is hard work and without the constant struggle it affords, I know that I wouldn't be doing the hard work it takes to be molded into what Heavenly Father wants me to become, who He needs me to be.  I am learning to love hard things.  

Here's the thing about life....

Seriously.  When did life become so hard? 

I mean life is usually difficult with challenges and parts that are sweet and parts that are dark.  Not everything goes your way but you somehow manage to roll with the punches.

Then one day it just seems hard all of a sudden.  There isn't any specific event that happens....it's just all of it.  All of everything that is going on.  You sit down and think about it.  Everything is happening and you don't have time to catch your breath.

It sucks being honest.
It sucks realizing you have no control over your feelings.
It sucks admitting you have a problem.
It sucks when you try to sweep it under the rug.
It sucks when you realize it only makes it worse.
It sucks when you realize it will take much longer to feel better than you wanted.


Saying it simply, depression sucks.  Labeling things sucks too. 

I wish life didn't have to be so serious all most of the time. 

And here is where I say that I understand that life isn't bad all the time.  It is beautiful and precious and fleeting.  It is a series of moments and choices and consequences and I love it.  I love being here gaining experiences.  I love my family.  I love my children.  I love my husband.  They give me the strength to become a better person. I am so thankful for a wise and loving Heavenly Father that put me in the midst of these wonderful spirits.  It is also because I have a knowledge of the Plan of Happiness and am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that I have hope and faith.  I have a testimony of the Atonement.  I know that my sins, illnesses and unhappiness has been atoned for.  I am blessed.

With that said, life is good.  I feel like our family is on the right path.  The direction we should be going.  We want to be better, we want to do what is right.  We love the Lord.  We want to be better, so that we can then focus on others and help them.  I guess this is our family theme :) 

Here is to being more persistent and consistent in the future. 

General Conferene April 2012

I want to print out these for one of my walls.  It was a inspiring conference....I have a lot of work to do :)



Struggle

strug·gle/ˈstrəgəl/

Verb:	Make forceful or violent efforts to get free of restraint or constriction.
Noun:	A forceful or violent effort to get free of restraint or resist attack.
Synonyms:	verb. fight - wrestle - strive - combat - contend - battle noun. fight - battle - combat - conflict - contest - wrestle   Life is kinda like a struggle right now.  In every area of my life I am in a struggle to keep it together.  It is hard to make progress and get "back to normal" but hitting a brick wall repeatedly.  I am hoping to get to posting more and getting little thoughts down for the kids to look at later in life...for them to remember that even though things are really hard for me (for US) and we are feeling sad or mad or a hundred other emotions that I love them and I am not going to stop trying.  (I love Pres. Hinckley for that quote).