Mothering...

I feel like I have recently emerged from a funk. And let me tell you, it was a funky funk! The kind where I kept thinking 'If I could just get away for a while I'd feel SO much better' but knew, in all reality that going away for a while wouldn't help anything, because the problem was with me. So if I went away, the problem came too, but as soon as I was back, so was the problem! I didn't know what to do. I hated feeling so irritable and annoyed. I hated that I would get a ball of fury in my chest anytime someone in my family asked me for something (dinner, lunch, a drink, to open something, to read them something, to go somewhere, you name it!). Really, it was a funky funk! But, much to my relief the answer to how to get out of my funk came on Monday. My mom came to visit!! I didn't even realize that's what I needed, but it was. Just being able to vent to her and work with her, and spend time with her, made me feel SO much better!! I didn't mind doing my normal tasks and was able to see all the great and funny things about my kids (probably because she couldn't hardly be in the same room as them without laughing at their quirks that I take for granted!) I really feel like I was able to get things into perspective just by having her here. She probably doesn't have a CLUE how much she helped me this week. Sure, we got the kids rooms done, but that's nothing compared to the emotional make over I received.

Mom, I hope you know how much we appreciate you. EVERYTHING you do for us!! Sometimes I feel so ungrateful, because I don't know how to express my gratitude for you and dad. I just feel like it will seem so petty if I try to put words to it! It's no wonder you're everyone in my families favorite person (at dinner the night you left, Steven mentioned that Nana went home and Grant put his eyebrows down tight and kept whining 'Nana! Nana!' he BAWLED when you left, and he's usually pretty indifferent towards people, as we all know!) Thanks for the uplift and just being with you helped me realign my priorities! I love you!

Speaking of mothering: has anyone ever seen anything cuter than this?Grant fell asleep in nursery and his cute nursery teacher e-mailed me a picture of it!!Grant has started kneeling with us during family prayers. Every night after we read scriptures we sing 'As we gather in a circle, and kneel in family prayer, we thank our Heavenly Father, for the blessings we all share' as we all kneel down and get ready for the prayer. That has become Grant's new favorite thing. As soon as we start singing, he's the first one on his knees and folding his arms. I just don't think they get much cuter than this!!