Three

Our little girl turned three yesterday. I distinctly remember some of my thoughts and fears when I was pregnant with her. I remember being comfortable with the thought of being a mother to an infant, but couldn't fathom the idea that eventually she would be 2 or 3, or heaven forbid, 5! That scared me to death. I just hoped that by the time she was had reached those ages, I would have learned enough to have some idea of what to do with her. That plan has worked out pretty well so far. I still don't know how on earth to be the mother of a five year old, but we survived the twos and I think I can handle the threes. Each year truly gets better as I come to understand and love her more, so I'm exited to see what the next year of her life will bring.

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I'm grateful today for the chance I have to serve our daughter. It certainly would be an easier lifestyle to not have children. Scott and I would have more freedom to do and go where we want. We wouldn't have had to deal with sleepless nights, diapers, whining, extra laundry, tantrums, etc. But I wouldn't trade her for an easier life. I wouldn't trade the early mornings, the endless hours spent coloring, or the meals made for her. Serving her brings me joy. I feel a deep sense of purpose to my life. As I serve her, my love for her grows and I slowly become a less selfish person. Some days are very monotonous and feel like drudgery, but I am thankful for the chance that being a mother has given me to grow as a person.

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This is one of my favorite quotes:

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"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully tailored clothes, my hair expertly coifed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking the kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

-Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Valentine

My valentine gift today was having my husband arrive home safely with all of our things from Texas. I even get to sleep on my own mattress tonight! It may seem silly to finally move our things so many months after we came here, but we truly never thought we would live here for any extended period of time. Since we still don't have our own place to live, most of our belongings will go back into storage, but at a much lower rate. At least we will have access to whatever we may need, especially our baby items. There's something comforting about knowing that all of your belongings are just a couple miles away instead of a couple thousand.

It's a ....

It's a BOY!!!!!!

We couldn't be happier. Madeline is even starting to admit that she's going to have a baby brother. We're glad she's getting used to the idea.

Fabric has been bought, shopping has begun, and we might even start thinking about names sometime.