It has been an interesting couple of months for us. Jackson is done with Kindergarten and heading off into the 1st grade. Julie is going into 2nd and Jeffrey into 9th grade! James finished the Ogden Marathon in May. Jenni got her substitute teaching certificate and found out she loves it! Julie got student of the month for her class. Jackson won a bike from school for reading 100 minutes a week the entire year. Julie was in an opera and played a duck. Jeffrey was diagnosed with scelosis but after a second opinion, the degree of curvature was not as bad as we first were told. James sang in another recital and made me cry with his beautiful rendition of Face to Face by Kenneth Cope and he also made another appearance with the Righteous Brethern and Sister Jan. Jenni (with the help of a friend, thanks Joy!) planted her first vegetable garden and it is taking off! James and Woolley fixed the side yards and laid sod down. Jackson had his first birthday party with friends (his favorite gift was a surprise visit and a card from his two favorite dogs!). And we got an inflatable waterslide that the kids love!
A lot of stuff has been going on and all the rollercoaster of emotions that go with it. It seems like lately though, I have been focused on a single word, time. In some regards it feels like I am trying to push time to a stand still. I am having a hard time with the thought that my children are getting older! I can't believe Jackson is 6, and going into the 1st grade. I don't like it. I enjoy having him to myself for a half day. He brings me such joy and happiness with his smile, humor, and craziness! Yet, I know he will thrive in school all day. Being with his friends, playing, learning so many new things. I feel so selfish in wanting him to stay this age forever. And it is the same with both of my other children. To think that Jeffrey is in his last year of Junior High makes shake my head in amazement. As far as Julie, we are reading the Book of Mormon (in a variety of different ways) and memorizing the Articles of Faith as a family to help prepare her for her baptism. Can you believe that?!
Yet, it seems like I am always trying to speed up time as well. Trying to hurry and get through the summer so I can get Swiss Days over with. Trying to hurry up and get all my housework done. (Never going to happen!) Trying to speed up the time so that my children can babysit themselves so James and I can go on a date without the stress of finding a babysitter! (We have great babysitters.....I'm just saying!) Trying to hurry and finish reading the Book of Mormon so I can meet my goal.
Why can't I find that happy median in between the two? I am hoping that in the next couple of months I can find a place where I can accomplish that median that I feel like needs to happen. I know I can't stop my kids from growing, and I know that Swiss Days will be over with in it's own due time but where can I find the happy middle ground? That is what I am searching for this summer. I will let you know how that quest goes. But in the mean time, if you see me sitting outside with a book watching the kids play in the backyard, know that I am savoring the time I have with them this summer. And when I say my prayers I am not going to worry about how much time I am taking so that I can make sure that my loving Father and I have the proper time to communicate. I always feel like I will have the time to let Him know how thankful I am with everything in my life but I need to take the time to do that more often. I am going to take the time to relish in the fact that I am married to an amazing man who truly loves me with all my weaknesses and faults. He makes me laugh, is my best friend, and loves and serves the Lord in ways that amaze me. I need to take the time to remember these things.
Thanks for letting me go on and on but I needed to get this out. (Hey, you didn't have to read the whole thing if you didn't want to!) I also want to take the time to thank all of you who support our family and are our friends. We love you!
Oh, and Jared, good luck.....We are proud of you! Jonny, keep it up....you are doing incredible things with such a great spirit! And Chris, stay safe and be careful, we need you back here!
1 comment:
Thanks for the great post and the visit today. I needed your words especially today as I thought of all the time that seems to fly by and that I need to take more time to be in the moment, to relish each second I have with those I love to be completely present, and to not always be looking ahead. You are great.
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