Sweet Moments

Our girls tend to wake up around 6:30 a.m.. The other night Kate was up most the night with a sore throat. Usually when the girls wake up in the morning, one by one they crawl into Mommy and Daddy's bed. Emerson could tell that Mommy and Daddy were tired that morning (and Kate was still sleeping). Even though she is only five she took Rileigh, got some turkey out of the fridge, got some bread and made herself and Rileigh turkey sandwiches and then got them drinks. She turned on PBS and let us sleep for an extra half hour. When we woke she was only concerned whether it was okay that they were watching television. She is so sweet and kind. We call her "mini-mommy". Even for such a young age she is so responsible and so thoughful. She is always telling us how much she loves us and how grateful she is for us.

Rileigh had a rough morning yesterday. I think she may have woken up on the wrong side of the bed. After spending a good deal of the morning in timeout, we drove to New Hampshire to spend the afternoon with my friend Sarah. We came home late that night. The girls fell asleep on the car ride home. So when we got home we laid them in their beds. When we woke up in the morning Rileigh was still asleep but she had two children Book of Mormon on her bed. She said that we forgot to read them last night so she got them herself. Mike and I were so touched. She really has such a good heart. I am so grateful for sweet moments like that to remind me how precious and innocent she is.

Kate has already spoken her first word, "dada". I cannot believe how fast she is growing. Wasn't it just yesterday I was pregnant with her? We already need to baby proof again. She truly has a smile that melts me. She loves following the antics of her big sisters. And her big sisters literally worship her. This little girl has all of us wrapped around her little finger.

I remember when we lived in DC, a man got up and bore his testimony at church. It had such an impact on me. When he stood I was really interested in what he would say because he was just promoted to General. But he got up and mentionned that his last child was getting ready to leave for college. He spoke about how it seemed like just yesterday that all his childern were home and young. He said he craved those times. He said that at times life can be hard and challenging for young parents. But when our lives are near their ends that this exact time, when our children are young and so needy, and they want nothing more than to just be with Mommy and Daddy, will be the time we, as parents, will wish we could relive the most. I often think of that testimony. Mike and I truly feel that way. It can be challenging, at time, to have little ones, but the rewards are so much greater. We just love this time in our lives. We love the girls waking us up in morning and crawling into bed with us. We LOVE all the hugs and kisses. We love their "special" drawings and stories for us. We love that Mommy and Daddy to them equal Super Heroes, actually even better. I cannot imagine anything better in this world than simply being their Mom. It makes me so sad that it goes so fast. I just wish life came with a pause button.