Blessing

“Every member of the church of Christ having children is to bring them unto the elders before the church, who are to lay their hands upon them in the name of Jesus Christ, and bless them in his name” (D&C 20:70)

This morning was glorious. The sun shone bright and the air was crisp and clear. It was the perfect day for a baby blessing. Miss B got dressed in her new white dress, ruffled diaper cover, and fancy flower headband. And we headed to the church.

It was perfect except for one thing.

Oh how I missed the presence of my family. I missed my dad. And my mom. And brothers. I missed my sisters and their husbands. I missed my nieces and nephews. Usually we fill the first three rows in the chapel during occasions such as this... blessings, baptisms and such. It's quite a showing when we all congregate. It's one of the advantages of living near family. I miss that.

But we were surrounded by good friends who properly fussed over Miss B in all her finery. It helped immensely.

And perhaps most important was the spirit that was felt. So strong and powerful. I was brought to tears as I heard Jake address Miss B in her proper full name. He noted her always cheerful disposition. He blessed her with the the ability to be an example of Jesus Christ to those she meets. As he spoke and conferred blessings upon her, my heart was filled with the most amazing peace.

Our Heavenly Father knows each of us. He loves us. He has a plan for us.

He knows our sweet Betsy. He sent her to our family, to bless our lives in ways we never knew possible. She carries His spirit in her countenance.

Today {especially} I am thankful for my family. I am thankful for my husband, my sons, and our dear Miss B. I am thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the light it shines on our lives.

*For more pictures of Miss B in her blessing day finery click here.

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Here comes the sun...

*Picture courtesy of big brother Jacob

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Family Field Trip

The other morning we went with our friends to the Kodiak Laboratory Aquarium and Touch Tank.

It's part of the Kodiak Fisheries Research Center.



The freestanding aquarium holds 3500 gallons of water and features fish from Chiniak Bay in Kodiak.

Including prowfish, flounder, rockfish, and greenling.

There were other creatures like king crabs, sea stars {including giant sun sea stars}, and anemones.



But it was the touch tank that captured our attention.

The water was frigid and made your hand go numb if you left it in too long.

I suppose that's a great natural defense against little hands disturbing the creatures too much.

Although it can also cause the little hands of a three year old to set a sea star down on an anemone...

Which then allows us to watch the circle of life in action.



But despite the cold

we touched sea cucumbers, sea stars and anemones.

I use the term we loosely.

Jake did most of the handling.

I used my index finger.

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A Few Extra Hours... Too Much to Ask?

This morning I sat on the edge of my bed at 5:09 am. My alarm was beeping. Time to work out. But I hesitated. I wanted to linger. I wasn't ready for my night to be through. And moments later when Jake's pager alerted him to a C-130 launch (he being on the alert crew) I breathed a sigh of relief and texted Dani alerting her that I would not be joining her at the gym this morning. I could have dragged Josh or Jacob out of bed to relieve me as Betsy's bed buddy, but I didn't have it in me.

I was lingering over a night where my husband took me to the movies. Spontaneously. He held my hand as we sat in a near empty theater and let the cares of the world fade away. A night where our children gathered with us in our room before we went to bed to read scriptures and Little Men and pray together. A night where my husband held me as I fell asleep... until Miss B awoke and cried to be snuggled between us.

I just wanted to hold on to the night a little longer.

Last week I found myself in conversation with my eldest son. A conversation about our life... then and now. And I wept. My husband sat near me and listened. My son looked slightly uncomfortable. I'm sorry, I whispered.

We live in a different universe than we did last year. And it is mostly my doing. And I feel sadness for the change. And yet I'm not willing to go back.

Last February I had three sons. Three amazing sons. A full life that revolved around my sons and my husband. Date nights, homeschooling, and family outings. It was simpler. Much simpler. I had no idea.

Life is simple no longer. It is overflowing and often overwhelming.

Mornings like this morning as I sit on the edge of my bed and steel myself against the day, I miss the simplicity.

I still have three amazing sons, but now I have a Miss B too. She is joy. Pure joy.

And so much work.

Thanks to my fourteen year old son, we still get date nights. Much needed date nights. Like last night when my husband announced at 6:45, I'm taking your mother to the movies. You boys are gonna watch your sister. And we were out the door in five minutes. I needed that.

We still homeschool. Thanks to Williamsburg Academy it looks different too {at least for Jacob}. More intense. And much more rewarding. School with Josh and Sam is slightly more complicated as we add Miss B to the mix. She likes to eat their homework.

But the biggest changes {outside of an inquisitive 8 month old} include a new photography business, training for a triathlon, and changing my eating habits. Simply b is rewarding and challenging. But I feel guilty over the time I spend away from the family and the time I am distracted as I edit photos and ponder marketing strategies. Yet I know it is part of who I am. Something I need to do. But at times it leaves me conflicted.

Training for a triathlon includes hours spent early morning or late evening {and sometimes both} away as I torture my body into compliance. It is challenging... and rewarding. And tiring. I spend most of my days exhausted and hoping it will all be worth it on April 21st. My guilt resurfaces to nag me about focusing too much on myself. I push it away, reminding myself that a stronger, healthier mommy is a good thing. And a mom who realizes a decade long dream is a good example too. But still the doubts linger.

Changing my eating habits just makes me an ogre. But I'm working on that. That's a personal battle that I will overcome. The answer isn't always treats. At least that's what I tell myself... every day.

And this afternoon I start my Constitution class. It is fit snugly between swim team and Boy Scouts. Yet again, I am called to participate. There are some things that are just too important to miss.

I suppose that sums up my life right now. Overflowing, but with the best things. The things that will make the most difference in the long run. Some mornings I miss simple. But I wouldn't trade my world... for anything.

But a few extra hours in the day would be nice.

*Daddy and Miss B on a field trip to the touch tank.

Jake always reads the informational signs... must be why he's so smart.

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8 Months

February... already?


That means I'm 8 months old!


Did you notice I'm sportin' some hair?





No?

Look closer... it's there.






Told ya!






I'm getting around pretty good too.




Hair... crawling...

I'd say it's been a productive month.

Maybe next month I'll get some teeth...

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And dance by the light of the moon...

When you train with someone six days a week, several hours a day you can't help but talk. Eventually deep seeded issues will rise to the top and come tumbling out... thankful for the release. My friend Dani knows more about what is cycling around my psyche than she probably wants to. BFF Kim from North Pole also knows all about how I like to babble while exercising. I just can't help it.

But I learned a little something about Dani during one of our workouts. She hasn't had a birthday party since she was a child. What?! It was definitely time to rectify that situation. So I called {actually I texted... it suits the recluse in me better} my friend over at Ton of Fun and the plan for a surprise party was set in motion.

Last night we enjoyed the culmination of our efforts. With Melanie's connections and amazing party sense, I believe a good time was had by all.

We ate...




We played games...





Who knew Jake was so flexible?





We talked...





And entertained kiddos...








Or rather, they entertained us...





This poor little boy got all tied up in the balloon ribbons...




We sang Happy Birthday...





And we finished the night with a gorgeous view of the moon and its reflection on the ocean.

{It was a welcome sight after a week of fog so thick it precluded airplanes from landing, which in turn kept our mailboxes empty.}





So... when was the last time you had a birthday party?

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