6 Years

Life is good... No worries.

David's Baptism Talk

Today my 5 year old preschooler gave a talk in Primary at church. He chose to read the following and then bore his testimony:

"Baptism by immersion (going completely under the water) by one having authority from Jesus Christ is necessary to become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Jesus was baptized and set an example for all of us. To be baptized we must be at least eight years of age so we will be old enough to know right from wrong. When we are baptized we covenant, or promise, that we will follow Jesus and keep His commandments. Each week when we take the sacrament, we remember our promises to Jesus and what He did for us."

Did you see what I wrote?! He read that! I helped him with two words: necessary and covenant. No joke, he did the rest by himself. Just wanted to capture this moment somewhere, so that in 20 years when he perfects cold fusion, we'll be able to look back and see where it all started.

6 Years

No great meaningful things to say this year. I just miss her. And I love seeing her in my sister as she follows in my mom's footsteps of beautiful, loving, enthusiastic mothering. 

Her favorite song... made even more meaningful now than before she died. We got to see Garth Brooks live this last September, and no live song has ever touched me more. 

Finite and Fleeting

Read this in Parents magazine tonight in an article titled Savor the Moments:

"Try this mental trick to help you readjust your thinking: In the course of a crazy day, imagine your biological parenthood clock wound forward to the time when your children have grown and left home. Picture their tousled bedrooms as clean and empty. See the backseat of the car vacuumed and without a carseat or crumbs. Playroom shelves neatly stacked with dusty toys. Laundry under control. Then rewind the imaginary clock back to now, and see today's minutes of mayhem for what they are: finite and fleeting."

When I read this I honestly pictured that old west scene right before a gun fight when the music comes on (wowowow weeyoweeyo...) and the tubleweed blows by. Dusty, dry, and deserted. Sad.
I've been complaining a lot about all of the things I have to do each day, but can't because my feet are sucking the life out of me. But I don't need perfect feet to spend more quality time with my kids. I can snuggle more, read more books, play more games, build more Lego-masterpieces, and dress more Barbies for the ball. The powerful image of my house being clean, empty, and devoid of the whirlwind that is my children is devastating.
I still feel it's important to maintain a clean and orderly house, have well fed and healthy children, be punctual, and fulfill all other responsibilities. However, it is more important that I savor this time as a parent, because once my kids are all grown up and important, I'll need a big vault of extra special memories to carry me through the lonely days in between grandbaby visits.