Well, I was thinking about how sweet, thoughtful and cute my dear husband and family is and I thought--why don't I post a blog?! I haven't done that in a long time. This past month has been so busy, but a good one. I have noticed more and more the sweet little moments of my children. I have been praying to be able to cherish and enjoy them more--not to get after them for the silly little mistakes and messes they make so much, but to see how they are trying and the good, innocence they have. I think that may be part of it. I also think my pregnancy softens my mother-heart. I think that is partially because I have a new spirit from Heaven in my body and it has influence on me. She is very sweet and I look forward to being her mother and holding her in my arms (Yes, I am having a little girl this upcoming September).
My little Jonathan is still my baby and such a mama's boy--and I love it. He is very full of energy and very much a boy. He climbs, gets into things, everything is a gun, sword, or light-saber. He is also very tender. He likes to be with me and help me with things. Sometimes it is hard to remember that even if it makes things a little harder, longer, and messier--I will one day regret not letting him help me out. One of his favorite things to do with me is to cook--he just really loves to help me fix meals and treats. He is really good at helping with chores and he is always happy to help Aubrey and Mariah with their chores--"Jonathan will you help me sort the laundry?" "I will Mariah"--very cute and I love to see them work together, even though it often turns into playing and they take a long time to complete the morning chores. He loves his dad--he looks forward to seeing him each evening--all of the kids do and rightfully so.
Jon is the best father anyone could ask for. My kids will have a hard time finding a man as good with children as their father is. He loves to play legos, he-man, star trek/wars, and anything else they want him to play with them. He is very imaginative and makes up silly stories at bedtime for them. He loves to use puppets and their favorite toys in his stories. They will all sit up in the bunkbed while he tells a story to them. He is very patient with them and sincerely enjoys them. He also reads to them--currently reading "Voyage of the Dawn Treader". He loves how Aubrey can read many of the words in scripture study and is excited with her as she tries to read her verse on her own. He is very good at being excited with the kids and enjoying with them what they are enjoying. He really is the best father ever and it makes my job as a mother so much better. I love being a parent with him--besides the fact that he is my best friend in the whole world. He would do anything for me. He is absolutely patient and kind to me in every way. He has never yelled or gotten really mad at me. He cherishes me and I can tell and feel it every day. I am so blessed.
Now I have talked about my Jon's, on to my sweet little girls. Mariah really tries so hard to please me--well all my children do actually, just in different ways. She needs constant encouragement and nourishment. She needs hugs, "I love you's" and a helping hand with responsibilities. She is very delicate and tender. I love holding her tiny hands--so delicate and precious. Yet at the same time, she is very daring and adventurous. She wants to fly--that is her dream. She is full of energy and gets so excited when she accomplishes something--she seems that she is about to burst with excitement! She does not like confrontation and if Aubrey or Jonathan want something in particular--she will usually let them have it to keep things peaceful--a peacemaker. Every morning I let the kids take turns handing out the vitamins. When it is Mariah's turn, she will let Aubrey and Jonathan both have the color they want--even if there is only one and she wanted it. When I have called on her to bless the food--if Aubrey or Jonathan really want to, she will say, "why don't you let Jonathan or Aubrey say it", and I know she wanted to as well. She is very sweet that way.
Aubrey is so responsible. She is an amazing helper and I will very much miss her this fall as she goes to 1st grade (why do they have to be gone ALL day?!?!). She gets up, does her chores (they each have to get dressed, brush their teeth, say their prayers, and make their bed (I am pretty easy-going on that one), and they have an assigned chore (unloading the dishwasher, sorting the dirty clothes, picking up a certain kind of toy in the play-room, etc.)--anyway, she will try to do her things without being asked. She is very quick and thorough with them as well--like I said, very responsible. She is very tender too--she is very good at helping Mariah and Jonathan to be happy when they are sad or upset. She is very aware of others and their feelings. At Mariah's birthday party there were a couple of kids that weren't playing with the group and weren't too happy. Jon asked Aubrey to include them--immediately she did and they were having fun the rest of the time.
All three of my children are generally very good and really are trying to be good. They are kids--they do fight, hit, get upset, and disobey. But overall, they are kind, thoughtful, and trying to be good. Another thing I love about them is that they generally play very well together and are dear friends with each other. I love that. I love that we don't have friends over all of the time because we are just happy as our own little family. We have done a lot of yard work/gardening this month and the kids play very well outside while Jon and I work. They come and help us on and off as well. They all helped plant a few plants and seeds into the garden. They helped stomp down the furrows. They helped water the plants with fertilized water after being planted. We discovered a nest with robin eggs up in one of our trees. The other evening while we were out there working, we noticed the eggs had hatched. Jon held up each of the kids on a ladder to see. Though I was VERY nervous and scared, I climbed the ladder (had to stand on the very top) to see. It was a cute little moment with our family.
Last Saturday (Mariah's birthday), she took a new polly pocket outside--shoes and all. Of course one of the shoes fell off into the grass. Aubrey and her looked and looked and could not find it. I decided to go help them, though I didn't have much time as I was getting ready for her birthday party. We said a prayer together to help us find it. Aubrey was sure it must be in this one section. We were all looking there--I thought I should step over a few steps and continue looking where Aubrey had said. There is was--in the grass. We talked about how Heavenly Father guided us to find the shoe. We said a prayer of thanks. It was a really sweet tender mercy and lesson to the girls that they have a loving Heavenly Father who listens to them and will help them in their concerns. We have had many sweet moments like that and I wish I had written more of them down--some are on paper fortunately.
Like I said, my kids are so sweet and my husband is amazing. I am so blessed and we have many blessings and tender-mercies in our daily lives.
For now, I will close and head to bed before I actually turn 30 years old!
