Memories of my Grandpa Whitaker

I love thinking about my grandpa. 

I have so many sweet memories. 

He often made me laugh with his silly jokes or by scarring me or startling me. 

He always gave tight warm hugs. 

He always had a kind smile and words of love as we greeted or departed. 

He told many stories from his past which I cherish. 

I loved playing games and watching him tease grandma. 

I loved hearing him pray. It was sincere and a true conversation with our father in heaven. 

I loved seeing how much he loved my grandma. He showed her by sweet gifts like roses and jewelry. But it also showed as he gently held her shoulders or put an arm around her or gave her a sweet kiss. 

I miss him dearly. My heart aches for my grandma! How hard it must be to have the person you have lived with for 67 years gone. Only temporarily of coarse, but still gone. It was an emotional day for me. A speaker at the funeral services said something like, "being sad doesn't lessen your testimony of the plan of salvation. It's painful because you love them and miss them." I know we will see him again. 

How exciting and glorious that day will be. I'm so grateful for the love my grandpa had for me. 

Sometimes I wonder how our Father in Heaven can love us all so completely. 

But my grandpa loved all us grandchildren in a similar way. 

I think it was my aunt Trisha who said our love never stops growing. 

As much love we pour out of our pitcher the pitcher continues to be full. 

I hope I can love like my grandpa loved. 

I hope I can work hard like he did. 

I hope I can serve like he served.

I hope I can continue to transform into the daughter of God I am meant to be like he transformed into the Son of God he was meant to be. 

I hope I can continue his legacy. 

How I love my grandpa and am grateful for the choices he made and life he lived! 

Pictures from a family party 2012

Grandpa probably joking around

Immediate love afterwards

Tickling toes was a common occurrence

My dad's funny family. My dad constantly provokes his sisters.

Pictures from the funeral.

my Son.

This is Charlie.

 Charlie is sweet but sometimes mischievous.

Charlie is patient but sometimes throws tantrums.

This is me.

Watching Charlie. 

I wished i was looking more lovingly at him.

Here is Charlie taking a stroll around the park. 

I'm pretty sure he is on the look out for loose balls of any kind.

I think its time i invest.

 

Charlie loves to read.

His favorite books right now are:

Oh the places you'll go

i haiku you

Dream Animals

The Cat in the Hat

Toys Galore

Quiet

Oh yep, he found a loose ball and a bat!

He may or may not have gotten in a fight with the kid who owned this.

We were lucky he was willing to take turns.

I love this boy Charlie. 

I feel so lucky to be his mom.

All photography by Andrew Kinji Watanabe

Quiet

I haven't talked about MBASA yet i don't think. Well, MBASA is the MBA spouse association here at BYU.  They do a bazillion activities and you participate where you are interested. Its been a lot of fun and i have made a lot of friends. Its been a life line here in Provo.

Well, i am in the MBASA book club. The latest book we have read was Quiet. I really enjoyed reading this book because i felt like i could relate in so many ways. Yes, i love the comfort of my home!  Yes, I dread having an unexpected phone conversation! Yes, parties can make me anxious and when i do go i have only an amount of time before i feel the need to skip out! And many many other things i felt like i could relate.

But i realized i'm not 100% an introvert and i don't think there are many out there who are. I felt that she was more negative to extrovert personalities. Portraying them as social beings who don't care about the real issues in life. She said something to the effect that introverts are typically brainy people which made me laugh cause i don't consider myself brainy in any way. But i'll keep this brief.

It was a good read.

Like any traditional book club after reading the book we get together to discuss. The introvert in me loves to attend be hates to participate, having all eyes on me makes me squirm and then my brain stops working. So i stay quiet and enjoy listening and feel a tad guilty for not participating. I liked the book because i felt like she was saying to me, "it's ok to just listen." And so, in certain settings, i will continue to happily listen.

A new stage

We are staying at Andy's parents house tonight but the crib was taken. Andy got a couple blankets and a pillow to make a bed in the closet in our room. 

Charlie laid down excited about this new and different bed and I shut the door behind me in shock that he was going to bed this way. He has been in a crib since the day he was born. It's a funny feeling seeing little people grow up right before your eyes. 

Well Charlie didn't last long in his his new little bed. First excuse for coming out, "Mommy hug?" Then it was, "daddy?" Then I tried laying with him and it was, "grandmas coats." Then finally he said, "mommy bed" as he pointed to the door for me to leave. Yes Charlie I am happy to go to bed. Thank you. 

It was a sweet night with him. He grows up so much every day. I am sad to say the terrible two button has officially switched on. He is super independent, demanding, saying "I need it!" and "mine" a lot more. He is making messes and becoming more destructive. I don't love him any less despite it all! I still think he is a great little guy. This phase won't last forever so I'll just enjoy it.  

And by these pictures you can see he still is sweet and wonderful, but don't let that fool you. 

This boy is TWO! 

My New Life

Well...
I thought life was busy. I thought "at least I have Sunday's with my husband". I thought I was handling things pretty well. But we were surprised with Andy's new calling in our ward. He is now the Executive Secretary. The Bishop thanked me in advance for sacrificing my husband. And it does feel like a sacrifice. Andy will now be at the church most ALL day Sunday. Plus extra time during the week.
First reaction. What about me!
Talk about selfish. I have now come to grips with it. I will accept it. I will expect blessings from the Lord. "Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven." That was a lesson I learned as a missionary.
I have realized that this period of my life, feeling like a single mom, is a growing period for me too, just as it is for Andy. It will be good for me.
I'm excited for Andy. He has never served in a position like this. He is nervous. But i know he will do great! He will learn quickly. And he will help in doing the Lord's work. He is a good man.

Sunday Thoughts

We opened up the Christmas boxes put on the music and started decorating. 

It was fun to have Charlie be a part of the festivities. We will be gone Wednesday- Sunday, which is December 1st and i wanted to come home to a Christmas house in December. I feel like i have to explain because this is a bit early to be putting up the decorations. 

Its so fun to be decorating and listening to songs about Christ. It feels so good to feel the love of God so abundant in our hearts and home. 

I have started many MANY projects for Christmas gifts. 

I had been praying for some inspiration on what to give and a bunch of DIY projects came to mind and now i am busy crafting away.

 I love it!  

I have enjoyed reviewing a few of the talks from General Conference. 

This talk from Elder Soares, Be Meek and Lowly of Heart in particular felt like it was for me.

 I need to work on being meek and lowly in heart. 

That is who the Savior was and is. 

Andy and I do a weekly review on Sundays. He got the idea from a business model :) And we are implementing it at home. It has been so good.

We review what worked the previous week and what didn't. Then we make goals of how to do better.

I have so much to learn. So much to change. 

I am grateful for Sundays: for reflection, for renewal, for inspiration, for family, for the increased measure of the spirit, for the focus on the Savior and his Gospel which makes me whole. 

i love...

Today i am feeling super lovey. So here it goes...i love being a mother. i love finding toys in my drawers and random stuff in every nook and cranny. i love tight squeezes from Charlie. i love hearing him say mama.  i love hearing charlie talk to himself when he plays. i love reading stories and making forts. i love when charlie reminds me that its nap time. i love teaching charlie new words. i love hearing him say things i never taught him. i love the times when i have patience during a tantrum and smile about the situation. i love Olive's smile and hearing her coo. i love feeling Olive's warmth. i love staring at her sweet little face. i love being with these two little ones every second of the day and i miss them when i am not. i love being a mother. 

i love Andy for making this all possible. 

He is a wonderful husband and Father. 

Life would be empty without him. 

He is the ultimate LOVE of my life.

Conference & Baby-Mommy Prep

So i think Baby girl's name is going to be Olive. 

After being shut down name after name this is the first one i suggested that Andy said, "yea, i think i like it". And now it feels so good. Olive. Thinking about a middle name still, but happy she has got a name!

She is of coarse on my mind a lot. 

I attended Women's Conference with my mom and sister Brook. I want to share the "gems" i received in helping me prepare for Olive's arrival, both physically and emotionally.

• Perfect love casteth out ALL fear. Preparing for a natural birth for the second time has been a bit harder because i know its really hard (but worth it). Whenever i get scarred i think perfect love will take away that fear. So far this little gem has helped me think more positively. 
• During the sacrament i ponder about Christ. When taking the bread, which represents his body, i remember He had a physical body. His body experienced suffering and pain and afflictions. His body felt it all. And because he did, he can come to my aid and be my support; in labor, in time of recovery, in sleepless nights etc.
•  Be grateful! Gratitude helps us see clearly. When burdened with the challenges of motherhood i need to remember to be grateful! I want to be like the Jaredite people who praised God in the MIDST of their trials. Gratitude gives us power to overcome temptation. 
• "Love the skin you're in" We had a great class about good health. I want to remember this gem because i can get down on myself and my appearance after having a baby. 
• Joy is a paradox. We can't enjoy it until we feel misery.  That is one of the reason's i want to have my children natural, the way my body was meant to. I think to feel the fullness of joy with having my baby i need to experience the pain. 
• The Family: the proclamation to the world is my title of liberty! Its scary thinking about raising my children in a world of sin, chaos, and violence. I know that as i cling tightly to the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ our family will have peace and joy! 
• Make the scriptures the 1st place you turn to when facing a trial. God speaks to us directly through the scriptures. So my new goal is, when facing a problem, which i will have many to come,  first seek the council of the scriptures. 

There were so many other things i learned and will treasure. I want to live these truths and have joy in my journey!

It's beginning to look like...

Christmas. And i love it! I can't help pulling out the decorations and listening to festive music. I know i'm a little early but it snowed almost 2 feet this weekend and i have been in awe! As the holiday season approaches, i can't help but thinking about all the different things i want to give the people i love. I love this time of year!! It really is the most wonderful isn't it?

one year ago

This is what happened one year ago today.

My body is healed from the birth of Charlie and my memory of that pain, gone. I know it was bad...i just don't remember how bad. I love thinking back to being pregnant! I loved having a baby inside me moving. I felt alive and great! I have had two new babies enter my life and newborns just melt my heart.

 It's hard to believe its all ready been a year. I have been reflecting a lot on Charlie's first year of life. Its been a really fun year. I had several very tough days and nights. I had many sweet moments. I have watched the wheels turning in his head as he has learned how to roll, crawl, walk, throw a ball, take lids off stuff, play with blocks, make sounds with his voice, etc. He just becomes more sweet everyday and i am loving being his mother!

I often ponder when it will be time for another baby. I started thinking about that since Charlie was born! I say that cause i want Charlie to have siblings close to his age to play with and be close friends. Who knows when Charlie will get a brother or a sister. I love thinking about names. If Andy had no say in name giving, our next boy would be Dean Whitaker Watanabe and if it was a girl she would be Demi Yvonne Watanabe. I also love Andy's grandma's name Suyeko. If we named a daughter after her i would love to call her Sue. Anyway, now i am just rambling. Life is wonderful.

Happy First Birthday to my sweet baby Charlie.

No Regrets

My favorite talk from Conference was President Utchdorfs. Watch it Here! He talked about how life is short. I know I have been wondering how the years pass so quickly. 

He gave three things people regret at the end of their life.

1.They didn't spend more time with the people they love

2. They didn't live up to their potential

3. They didn't let themselves be happier

I don't want to have ANY regrets when my life comes to an end. I am going to resolve to make deeper connections with those who i love! I want to spend meaningful time with my family and friends. I am going to spend more time on the things that matter, like my family, and friends. I am going to fill my time with uplifting reading, and developing good habits. I am going to enjoy the moment and find joy in my journey. Everyday there is something to be grateful for. Everyday there is JOY to be had! If I follow the example of the Savior I will have No Regrets!

       

This is one mess i don't mind letting Charlie get into

Leaving the Crime scene

i love charlie

Chuck

I am not a fan of the name Chuck. I didn't realize that some people might call Charlie, Chuck, until after the name was official. I cringe every time a person calls my sweet little boy, Chuck. But no matter. It is growing on me, a teeny tiny bit. Why? because we have been watching a TV series called Chuck, which we enjoy. Its a spy show. And now i have crazy spy dreams about being on missions with Chuck and Sara and running from bad guys shooting at me. It gets a bit intense, the dreams that is. The TV series is a perfect balance of action, romance, and comedy.

Anyway...the name Chuck is OK, i still prefer Charlie (like 200 times more).

Here's the team!

Sara, Chuck, and  John Casey

Heaven is Here- final thoughts

Well I finished the book Heaven is Here. My heart has been filled. I think my favorite part of the book was reading the epilogue. Stephanie is just a completely real person with real challenges dealing with them in real ways. She does it phenomenally!! The two lessons I learn from her book and that I want to take with me and become me are: 

#1 

At first Stephanie didn't want to be happy, she didn't believe that she could be happy ever again because of her situation. But she figured out that she could choose happiness everyday. No matter what our situation we can choose to be grateful, find joy, and be happy! I need that in my life. I need to remember that. There are times when I realize I'm a grumpy pants, i know i can choose to be happy and sometimes i choose not to. What good does that do for me? In those moments I need to pray for a desire to choose happiness. The last few days i have repeated in my mind, "choose happiness"...and it helps. After i think about choosing happiness i think of my blessings and all the things i am grateful for. My gratitude list will never end!

#2

It's ok to dress up and look beautiful but ultimately our hearts needs to be beautiful! Stephanie is in a very real situation where she does not look like the same beautiful vibrant person she was before her plane accident. She went through a very hard process of accepting her physical body. She was the same Stephanie but when she looked in the mirror she looked very different. She learned that she was NOT her body. She was the same beautiful vibrant person on the inside. As much as we work on our outward appearance we need to work even more on making our hearts beautiful by becoming more kind, compassionate, full of love, etc. I hope to worry and work more on my inner beauty than my outward.

I am a mother and reading Stephanie's book has helped me want to be an even better mother than I was before. What impressed me the most was even though her body had undergone so much physical pain she still wanted to have a baby. She knew the effect that pregnancy had on her, the nausea especially. But she still wanted it and chose to do it. She was willing to sacrifice her own comfort to bring another little child to their family. Wow! Go Stephanie, we need more women in this world like her. This book really changed my heart and added a little bit more beauty to it :)

Here is a picture of this incredible family who made it through some of the hardest of life experiences!

You can tell they conquered triumphantly, and especially with the help of Jesus Christ.  

taking out the two BIG ones

I am gonna do it. It's been a long time waiting but it's time. The doctors told me as a child, "if you get strep one more time we'll take 'em out". I guess that cured me...until i became an adult. They say the recovery from the surgery is worse the older you get. I have had strep twice in the last year. I get these awful stones, which consist of food, just rotting back there in my throat. i gross myself out just writing about all this. But the time has come. I just have to do it! Something that gave me courage was reading Andy's family history. His grandpa on his moms side got his taken out as an adult. In his journal he wrote that they went camping for his recovery. CAMPING!? If Grandpa Beyeler can go camping for his recovery i think i can recover here in my bed. the only trouble will be caring for an almost one year old boy while trying to recover. I know i will have some help. Help from my Heavenly Father, medicine, and family. I am just not looking forward to this. Friday October 5 is the dreaded date. On that day i will be having my two BIG tonsils taken out of my throat. Two things that i am looking forward to about it 1. No more doctors saying, "wow your tonsils are huge!" 2. Getting to see what they look like outside of my throat.

a day of white

 This is our niece Alia. This last weekend she was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The moment i walked into the building to see her baptized, i felt the spirit pour over me. Everyone feels the spirit differently. And so i will describe the way i felt, you may or may not feel the spirit this way. For me, on Alia's baptism, i felt like the air was thick and full of warmth. My heart felt full of love and gratitude. She made sacred promises with Heavenly Father and in return she received the gift of the Holy Ghost. How grateful i am for the gift of the Holy Ghost, to guide and direct me, to correct and comfort me, to teach and warn me. We can always have the Holy Ghost with us as we are striving to keep God's commandments. In church this last Sunday, one of the speakers quoted Elder Packer, "If we are willing to change, we will have the spirit". Since then i have been pondering, what can I change? Change is just another way of looking at repentance. Repentance is when we change our will to Gods. I know i am happier when i am doing just that! Back to the baptism- it was a perfect day! Alia's white dress represents how clean and pure she was after entering the waters of baptism. It made me also reflect on taking the sacrament. Every Sunday when we take the bread and water, we can be as clean as Alia on her baptism day. 
We had lunch with all the family afterwards. The kids took off running and playing. I love this picture of Harrison.

Cute Graeme is walking everywhere these days!

This is Will, he is a sweet boy.

Charlie enjoyed his first taste of strawberries! 

Can you say cracker?

My brain is a little fried right now. I don't know why i do it. I know that whenever i do, i feel like i don't know how to be a mom. Yes, i have been reading another parenting book. Its not all bad, i got a few things from it that i want to implement. I just don't like how these books make you feel like, "its my way or the highway". If you don't do it there way, your child is going to have no self-control and run crazy!

 So I read the book wanting a few suggestions or tips that would be helpful but now i am a bit overwhelmed with everything it says to do, which by the way,  i will not be doing! I will do what i like and leave the rest. Anyway, that's not what i wanted to post about. I just needed to vent. 

On a much happier note: Charlie is growing up! He has started eating crackers. Its my new favorite thing. I break the graham crackers up into little pieces set them on his high chair table and watch him go for it. I just love observing him. He is figuring life out one little piece at a time. Its pretty sweet to witness.

I am trying to brainstorm what new thing i should try next. 

thoughts about: Missionary Work

I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. For 18 months i shared with people my love for the Savior. I taught them about His gospel. I desired to bring them happiness. I truly loved the people i met there. My heart yearned for each person to Come unto Christ!

I have had missionary work on my mind a lot lately. One reason is because the man and woman who were in charge of all the 150 missionaries in the New York, Utica mission, my mission President and his wife, just completed their 3 year mission. It was so good to here him and and his beautiful wife speak once again. To hear their testimonies took me back in time and reminded me of the duties that i still have to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

This morning as i studied i came across a few things that a former Prophet of God said. George Albert Smith was Gods Prophet from May 1945- April 1951. He said this about missionary work.

"I remember, upon one occasion, a man said to me, after we had talked some time, "Well, from all i can learn, your church is just as good as any other church." (I totally had people say this to me in New York. I wish i would have said what President Smith said.) I presume he thought he was paying us a great compliment; but i said to him: "If the Church I represent here is not of more importance to the children of men than any  other church, then i am mistaken in my duty here. We have come not to take away from you the truth and virtue you posses. We have not come to find fault with you or to criticize you...Keep all the good that you have, and let us bring to you more good, in order that you may be happier and in order that you may be prepared to enter into the presence of our Heavenly Father."

I love that! One last thing that President Smith said was,

"Oh! that we might be able to give mankind an understanding of our feelings, that they might realize that we do not desire to curtail their opportunities, but that they might feel that our hearts reach out to them in love and kindness, not with any desire to hurt. Our mission in the world is to save souls, to bless them, and to place them in a condition that they may go back into the presence of our Father, crowned with glory, immortality, and eternal life."

So with all that being said. I want to do better. I want to share my love for my family, friends, and neighbors by giving them the greatest gift! I don't know why its so hard for me. As i write this post i could say everything in my heart but when i am face to face, i stumble and hesitate and become unsure how to say what i want to say. I sure do miss wearing that name badge that said SISTER WHITAKER and underneath THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS. Sharing the gospel seemed so much easier when i wore that badge.

Evolution of Motherhood

Andy is studying tonight. Charlie is sleeping. Me, i am tired, but can't talk myself in going to bed this early! It was a long day with Charlie. I hope i don't sound like i am complaining. I love my time with Charlie!
I am sitting out on the deck looking at the amazing sunset! It was a warm day but the evening has cooled off quite nicely. 
I have been a mother for 8 months now. In that small amount of time I have felt myself as "Mom" evolve. When Charlie was brand new I was like,"What, i'm a mom?", "I have no clue what I am doing!" then I started to figure a few things out. I know this is only the beginning of my quest for true motherhood. I am finally feeling like I understand Charlie better. I am sure things will change as time goes on and therefore I will need to adapt. And I am sure as more children come I will need to continue to change and adapt. And so, my quest for motherhood will be a constant evolution! 
I love being Charlie's mom. I am tired still (I wonder when that goes away). I get my naps in when I can. He's growing and changing everyday! Two teeth are creeping in on his bottom gums. He is scooching around on his belly. I got a little emotional seeing him doing it the first time. He says, "da da da" all day long! It's interesting to see this little boy grow right before my eyes.

Life is good. I love my husband. I love the summer! I love the sunsets during this time of the year. Life isn't perfect but I am grateful for the little hiccups because in those moments I grow.

Here are some pretty fun pictures of Charlie. I'll explain!

Here Charlie is sitting on the bed. Its a ritual we have that once we get up for the day i set Charlie against the head board and make the bed around him. He loves it! He plays with the pillows and i take the sheets and blow air on him. He smiles and laughs. Charlie is the happiest in the mornings! I love this playtime. 

When Charlie finishes eating his meal i give him his spoon and he goes to town sucking it in all different  ways. This was too funny because all by himself he put his foot up on the table part of his high chair. He kept it there for quite a while so he must have been comfortable. We'll hold off on teaching him "manners".
'Sorry Charlie no feet on the table!'

Sometimes I'm dying for something different to do. We can get stuck doing the same old thing.  Its in those times we both get a bit bored and "fussy". So I took a small box and set charlie in it and pushed him around. He thought it was pretty fun. Also, a side note, the bandanna he is wearing is his drool cloth. It was Andy's idea to use in place of a bib. I think it makes him look so cute! 

Once again, i am trying to keep things fun. So we played a game where i would set  blocks on  his head or mine. I think he was better at it then i was. I love this picture because it looks like he is saying, "look mom, i can do this with my tongue sticking out." 

This picture was taken at my grandparents house. We were visiting while Charlie rolled all over the room. He ended up under this chair. You can tell he was having a great time! 

Christ Centered Beauty

“We are living in enemy territory, “President Castillo quoted Elder Nelson in Stake Conference.  The first thing an enemy does when they capture you is take your identity.  They will disfigure you or take your name and give you a number. Our enemy, Satan, doesn’t want us to know who we are.

Moses 1- God appears to Moses tells him that he is a Son of God. Satan comes after demanding Moses to worship him. Moses knows who he is and tells Satan to “take a hike”. 

                 [_________________________}________________________]

        Self-Worship                                        Christ-Centered                                   Self-Hate

We can be anywhere on the spectrum. Both extremes of self-worship and self-hate are very selfish. Sister Anderson’s father told her, “You are much too valuable to waste”. I know Heavenly Father thinks that very thing about each of us. We are much too valuable to waste. If we get caught up on either side of this line, we are wasting the gifts God has given us.

We sometimes are more concerned about what others think of us: neighbors, friends, parents, spouse, siblings, teachers, co-workers, etc.  Remember Elder Anderson’s talk inGeneral Conference, “What thinks Christ of me?”

The world expects us to be: smart, thin, tan, beautiful, talented, busy, organized, creative, clean…the list goes on… but we know that these things don’t make us more valuable. At the judgment bar of God we will only be judged on spiritual things!

Don’t define yourself by what you do. True security is born when you know that you are a child of God. When we center our values on Christ we will be in perfect balance!

Alma the younger asks us in the Book of Mormon (Alma 5:14), “Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your heart?”  

(A beautiful lesson given in Relief Society yesterday. It truly inspired me. These are my notes. I hope i never forget this and always remember that true beauty comes from within. I am a Daughter of God!) 

When the lights go out

First of all, It was an absolutely beautiful day yesterday. We sat outside for dinner, all three of us, soaking up the sun! I love it.
One of my favorite things happened last night. Call me crazy but i think it's fun when the power goes out, temporarily of coarse. It went out before the sun was completely down so Andy and I had time to round up flashlights and candles. We soon had to rely on just those things for light. We thought this would be a great time to put together an Emergency kit :) So with our flashlights we went through some of  Andy's camping stuff to find what would be useful in an emergency. We found a water filter, this thing that cooks food (i wish i remember what it was called), a first aide kit, toiletries for on the go, some rope (I said, what would we do with that, Andy replied "make snares to catch stuff" i just laughed) and of coarse a few flashlights. We put them in a bag and now we are ready for an emergency. We did this all in the dark. I was feeling so adventurous in a silly way. I call the bag our Hunger Games bag. If we are ever in a bind we take the bag and run!

Getting ready for bed in the, mostly dark (using our flashlights), was fun too. Everything looks so different when the lights are off and you have just little amounts of light. I noticed things that i hadn't noticed before, like the water spots on the shower door were a lot more visible, shadows made the furniture look different. In a way i felt like i was in a different house. I took this thought and applied it to my life. I get comfortable in life and feel like i am coasting. I like those times and i am happy. Then out of no where i start to struggle or have a challenge of some sort. When that happens i feel like i am left in the dark trying to find my way. Its when i grab some light from my scriptures, prayers, and/or listening to the Prophet that i start to see things in a new perspective. I start to see things i didn't see before and find things i could do better. I find that i become even more HAPPY after one of these challenges because i have overcome something hard. Life is all about that, doing hard things and then growing from it!


P.S. This adorable little boy is doing really well. He is growing, rolling over, smiling, laughing, grabbing, playing, and making lots of noises. He is the funnest thing in the world! I am so glad to be his mom.