Fathers

A couple months ago, I had the opportunity to speak to a room of delegates on the importance of the family. In doing so, I shared some statitstics from the State of Our Unions Report in 2010 about the structure of the family in our nation. The numbers were a little staggering. From the decreasing number of marriages to the increasing number of births to adolescents and unmarried women, it is obvious our country could do well to focus more on the family, the basic unit of society.

Today, though, since I have fathers on my mind, let me share this statistic with you:

Only 63% of American children grow up with both biological parents (that’s the lowest percentage in the Western World). Twenty-three percent of children are growing up without their fathers. The implications of this are extraordinary. In his book, Fatherless America, David Blankenhorn writes:

“Tonight, about 40% of American children will go to sleep in homes in which their Fathers do not live. Before they reach the age of eighteen, more than ½ of our nation’s children are likely to spend at least a significant portion of their childhoods living apart from their Fathers. Never before in this country have so many children been voluntarily abandoned by their Fathers. Never before have so many children grown up without knowing what it means to have a Father.

Fatherlessness is the most harmful demographic trend of this generation. It is the leading cause of declining child well-being in our society. It is also the engine driving our most urgent social problems, from crime to adolescent pregnancy to child sexual abuse to domestic violence against women. Yet, despite its scale and social consequences, fatherlessness is a problem that is frequently ignored or denied. . .

If this trend continues, fatherlessness is likely to change the shape of our society.” (Introduction, page 1).

As a voice for mothers, may I also be a voice for fathers? If anyone thinks fathers are not vital to the upbringing of children, they are in serious error. I cannot begin to describe the powerful influence of my husband on my children. And I can say right now I could not do it alone. He is an anchor in our home and an example of stability and strength my children desperately need. I thank God for him every day.

I recently had an experience that drove this topic home in a very clear way. I was away visiting family while my 10-year-old son opted to stay home with Dad so he wouldn't miss one of his baseball games. This was a great choice, but it did mean he was home alone for just a bit each day. His father left him with some work to do each morning while he was gone to keep him busy and things were working out great. But while he was home one day, something happened that upset him greatly.

I was visiting my brother when the phone rang. My son was sobbing. He could hardly speak as he begged me to come home. This was highly unusual behavior for this child, and I felt immediately that something was terribly wrong; however, I was over 2 hours away from home, so there was no way I could offer immediate help. The best I could do is tell my son to hang up the phone and say a prayer for comfort while I called his father in hopes he could get away from work to come home (looking back, I wish I would have done one thing better--prayed with him myself on the phone).

Fortunately, I was able to reach my husband right away. I explained that I didn't know what was going on but that I felt our son needed him right away. We talked for a few moments, then hung up. In the mean time, my son had called his dad and left a message. When my husband listened to the message, he too sensed an urgency to get home and left immediately.

As a mother my heart was greatly concerned for our precious child. I felt helpless, wishing I had insisted my son come with me instead of staying at home. At the same time, I was relieved that my husband works only 5 minutes from home and could leave right away. In the end, what I felt most was complete humility and gratitude for the way my husband handled the situation and what he did for my son, and I realized that maybe this situation occurred while I was away for a reason. My son needed his father. He needed his embrace, his encouragement, his understanding, his calm and measured influence. He needed someone with the Priesthood of God to comfort him and reassure him and pray with and for him. 

My heart goes out to anyone trying to raise children without a husband and to children who are growing up without a father. I am certain God watches over both with extra special care. One thing I am sure of--children need a mother and a father; at least, I know mine do. Here are a few pics of my husband with our children. Man, am I blessed to be married to this guy! He's such a great father.

Bear Lake (look how tiny our baby was!!)

Lagoon--he's the only one brave enough to go through the Haunted House with the kids.

Ice skating--I was the wimp on the sidelines taking pictures.

I love this picture for some reason!

Bountiful pool for Family Night.

Love this picture of him with our baby, taken just a couple weeks ago. His tie even matches her dress--how did that happen?:)

So, I dedicate this post to my husband, to my father, and to all men everywhere. Know you are so needed and so loved.

Happy Father's Day!

A Family Vacation

I grew up in a family that didn't go on vacations. Ever. My dad was (is) a rancher, which meant he never really had time off, and then add the expense of travel, and we just simply didn't do it. Instead, we went as a family to State Volleyball and Basketball tournaments to support one another, something we all loved to do. We went on one family vacation my whole life--to Yellowstone--and had a great time together (that is, until the ride home, when we kids fought incessantly the whole way). So, I didn't really even know what a family vacation should consist of when I got married and started having children.

Well, this year we were so excited to get away and do something together as a family, we left two days after school ended. Our destination? St. George, Utah. Doesn't sound very exotic or amazing, I know, but for us, it was perfect. For one thing, not too far to travel in a car, and for another, most of our children hadn't ever been to southern Utah, so it was a new adventure. Lastly, it was rather inexpensive. What could be better?

Dreading the long car ride, I tried to plan ahead. After all, I the last thing I wanted was for our vacation to start off on the wrong foot. I bought a $5 movie I knew my kids loved, a coloring packet of felt pictures, snacks, and some great reading material and shoved them in what I lovingly called, a "Grab Bag," then explained my plan to the kids. If they could ride peacefully for 30 minutes, we would choose something from the bag to do. It worked! So often, my hair-brained ideas fail, but this one was actually effective. My kids were entertained the whole way there and didn't start asking, "How much further?" until we were nearly there. Here is a shot of the wall of pictures my kids colored on the way.

We arrived on a Sunday evening, so after moving in to the condo and going on a walk to scout out the premises, we snuggled into bed and hoped for sleep, despite our uncontained excitement. The next morning, we woke up and the fun began! I'm warning you, lots of pictures follow (and these are only a fraction of what I actually took). I just kept loving the moment so much, I had to snap a picture of it.

Nate, flexing his muscles by the pool

Hallee, lounging by the pool, shooting self-portraits of her beautiful face . . . and her feet apparently:)

Berkley wasn't too sure about her new swimming apparatus

Dan and I even managed to have matching swimsuits. Are we cool or what?

Kids PEACEFULLY playing games at the condo. Had to snap that.

Monday night we went to Tuacahn to see Aladdin. It was so awesome! I am so sad that my phone is having problems and I can't get it to send me the pictures I took that night. This was the first showing of Aladdin, a preview night, so we got in for a discounted rates and had great seats. It was completely full of people but so worth it. The only problem was that the show didn't start until 8:45 p.m. and it lasted for 3 hours, so by the time it was over, Regyn and Boston were so exhausted they could hardly stand it. The Genie was fabulous! It was truly a ton of fun.

Now, on to more pictures . . .

If there is one thing I have learned as a parent, it is this: kids love it when you're crazy! Seriously. My kids thing I'm a rock star when I let loose a little bit and act like a kid. And I just have to say, I enjoy it quite a bit myself:) I've gotten pretty good at it, too, I might add. Here are a few photos of me at the pool, acting even crazier than my kids. It was so much fun!!

Not exactly sure what I was going for in this one.

Or this one. I just needed someone to kiss and it would have been the perfect "kick back kiss." LOL!

CANNONBALL!!!

Even more pictures of our fun:

Love this picture of "the Guys." Boston may need to work on his muscles just a bit.

While there, we spent an afternoon at the LDS Temple Visitors Center and watched a short but touching movie on families (I bawled my eyes out, as usual, but that stuff just hits me to the core). We saw some beautiful art on the Martin & Willie Handcart companies, then took some pictures outside the St. George Temple. These are my favorite. There is just such a special spirit around the temple, no matter which one it is.

This picture was too precious to not share. Love it.

Then we went to tour Brigham Young's winter home. So interesting.

Had to throw this picture in. The kids took the lenses out of our 3D glasses from Tuacahn and decided to sport the "nerdy" look. I love it!

On our last day, we visited Zion's National Park. We had a good time, but in truth, we should have probably not waited until the last day of our vacation to go. The kids (and Dan and I) were pretty exhausted from the week of fun and were less-than-enthusiastic hikers. Still a good experience though.

Berkley loved riding on Dan's back.

Loved this. I couldn't help but think to myself, I hope I can always teach my children to look up--for answers, for help, for guidance. They were looking at the "Weeping Rock," a beautiful structure of rocks that trickles of water fall from constantly, but seeing them all holding hands and looking up seemed so symbolic to me. Glad I caught a snapshot.

When we pulled in the driveway last night, Boston (5) said, "I"m sure glad to be home." I was surprised. We had just immensely enjoyed our time away together and I wondered if the kids would feel disappointed at being home again. "I love home," Nate (10) said, and he sounded almost giddy. My heart swelled within me at these simple comments. They meant more to me than my kids could have imagined. I work constantly at creating a family culture that is full of love and acceptance and forgiveness and happiness--one that is stronger than any other outside influence--and to hear my children express their gratitude to be home again made me feel like my efforts are not in vain. I love home, too. There is nowhere I love more. I hope my children always feel this way about coming home.

American Mothers/Power of Moms Recap

Okay, so this is not going to be easy but I'm going to attempt to catch up a little bit here and post about a few events I went to that were dedicated to motherhood this past month. I am going to apologize in advance for the poor quality of pictures (as well as the lack of pictures of some things). There was this really nice man at the National American Mothers Convention who followed us around and snapped tons of photos of everything, so I have been waiting on access to those pictures to write about my experience, but since I still don't know how to get to them, I'm forging ahead without great pictures. You may have to use your imagination a little. Lol.

Four weeks ago (yikes--has it really been that long?), my husband and his mother and I boarded an airplane and headed to Washington D.C. for the American Mothers National Convention. Here is a less-than-wonderful recap of our experience there.

Wednesday: Arrived! Somehow managed to hop on the right trains in the Metro, even if it did take us a while to figure it out. Checked into our luxurious hotel, the Mayflower Renaissance (don't know what happened to my picture of it--but doesn't the name sound so romantic and historical? Definitely more upscale than we are used to). Walked around the neighborhood searching for food. Finally decided on a little Italian number and enjoyed a quiet, kid-free dinner--again, not something we are used to. Crashed early due to jet lag and two-hour time difference.

Thursday: Toured the White House (my favorite room was the "Green Room". Met President Obama's dog, Bo (he's quite the dog, let me assure you). I only got in trouble once for sitting briefly on a chair in one of the rooms (apparently they aren't for sitting) when my back started throbbing. Visited the White House Visitors Center (I absolutely loved the photos of the past Presidents and their families--so cool). Tried to buy some postcards but the power went out unexpectedly and they couldn't get the computers up and running, so they gave them to us for free. Saved at least $2.25! Ate the most delicious breakfast at Ebbett's Grill--I am not kidding--amazing! Attended Orientation meeting and met the other Young Mothers of the Year from around the country. There were 13 of us in all. Met last year's National Young Mother of the Year, Shawni Pothier, which was a great privilege. She is definitely worth knowing (see www.71toes.com if you want a little taste of some wonderful reading). Visited the Capitol Building and ate hors deurves (felt very important--Lol!)Attended a Pampering Party for honored guests, where I got a free manicure, a 15-minute massage, and some yummy treats. It was so fun!

Me, Shawni Pothier, Darcy Ure (California's current YMOY), and last year's California YMOY (darn--not remembering her name right now but a wonderful woman!

In front of the White House.

At the Capitol Building. Shawni was so sweet. She got down on the floor to take this charming picture of us with the amazing done above us.

This darling girl gave me a manicure, and behind her was where the massages took place.

Friday: Enjoyed a delicious breakfast, then listened to all of the Young Mothers give their speeches. The topic was "Inspired. Empowered. Raising the Next Generation." Maybe I will post mine some day. Because I was from Utah, and they placed us in alphabetical order, I was the last one to give my 3-minute speech (talk about pressure--they told us we would be escorted off-stage if our speech went over three minutes). I absolutely loved hearing from these other young mothers. They were wonderful! I truly felt inspired and privileged to be among them. That afternoon, we listened to the more seasoned Mothers of the Year from around the country. There were 21 in all--amazing women. So much to be learned. That night, Daniel and I decided to skip out on the tour of D.C. and attend a Nationals baseball game instead (you can guess whose idea this was). I have a bad habit of wanting desperately to skip out on ball games after about six innings, but I was determined to see this one out. I made it nine whole innings this time! Unfortunately, the game went into extra innings, so my poor husband still didn't get to see the exciting end, as I flashed him my puppy dog eyes during the ninth, and he had mercy on me, agreeing to catch the end on television. What a guy!

Look at these wonderful women! They represented young mothers from the following states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, New Hampshire, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, and of course Utah.

Me giving my speech. No, I didn't really have demon-eyes, thank goodness!

My sweet husband, Daniel, me, and my dear mother-in-law. I felt so blessed to have such tremendous support.

At the ballgame (btw, Nationals won!, so we found out later:)

Saturday: Attended "Mom to Mom" Conference. Listened to Aundray Collins, then Ree Drummond (TV host on the Food Network and Pioneer Woman blogger). Ree was pretty entertaining as she shared her journey from being a housewife in the middle of nowhere to her success in blogging and hosting a food show. Allison Sweeney was the guest speaker at the luncheon. Her husband and little boy were there as well. Darling family. She talked a bit about juggling her career and taking care of herself, also her passion for what she does on the Biggest Loser. Heard wonderful messages from Shawni Pothier (she talked about Habits of a Dragon Mother--so awesome) and Ernestine Allen (last year's National MOY), listened to a panel on violence against pregnant women, then enjoyed hearing Rick Grandinetti speak about how to create successful relationships. He said you either contribute or contaminate--be a contributor. Also our new family motto: "You cannot fail if you never give up." Saturday evening we finished up the event by attending a formal American Mothers Gala. It was something else. Everyone dressed up in fancy clothes, eating fancy food. That's where the new National YMOY and MOY were announced. And the winners were . . . (drum roll): Carrie Leonard from Oklahoma (darling woman), and Ruby Cheves from Georgia.

Me with Ree Drummond.

Alison Sweeney at lunch with her husband and son.

All the Utah women got their picture taken with Alison Sweeney. She was very gracious.

Shawni Pothier, me, and Janny Gibson (Hawaii's YMOY) at Gala

I have to admit by this time, my experience was turning a little bittersweet. Saturday was my sweet baby's first birthday (yes, I missed it!), and although she never knew I missed her birthday (we celebrated when we got back), I knew it, and it was a bit painful. Also, my 10-year-old son hit his first out-of-the-park home run, and I wasn't there to see it. Man, I was missing my kids! My sweet mother had been at my home taking care of them while we were gone, bless her heart. I was definitely ready to head back home by this time.

Sunday: Attended the National Cathedral for services. It was an amazing building with many worshipers. Very different from the LDS services I am accustomed to. I appreciated all the people who took time on Sunday to come to worship and strengthen their faith, but I have to admit, my heart was wishing I was at fast and testimony meeting in my own ward back home. It's always good to miss something and gain even deeper appreciation for it, and I'd say that's how I felt. We boarded our plane and headed back home Sunday evening. I cried when our plane touched down in Salt Lake City and I saw the beautiful, majestic mountains once more. Then again when I felt my children's arms around my neck again. There's just no place like home!

In front of the Cathedral

Inside the Cathedral. This picture doesn't do it justice. It was huge.

And so . . . I came home so grateful for all I had, grateful to miss my normal life, grateful to have so much to come home to.

And then the following weekend, I attended yet another conference on motherhood, this one much closer to home, thank goodness. I had the privilege of attending a day of the Power of Moms Mother's Day Retreat in Park City, Utah at Richard and Linda Eyre's home (yes, it was absolutely a fabulous home and I had to keep pinching myself that I was there).

This retreat was a 2-day deal where 85 women met together to get inspired, encouraged, educated and uplifted in the cause of motherhood. It was truly wonderful! I highly recommend this opportunity to any woman who feels they need a boost in the area of motherhood. It was well worth the time and resources spent to be there. The co-founders of Power of Moms are Saren Loosli (who just happens to be Shawni Pothier's sister and the Eyre's daughter) and April Perry. I am amazed at what these two women have started and how hard they work to encourage deliberate mothering. It was such an honor to meet them.

Saren, Me, April

And then, if that wasn't awesome enough, they actually allowed me to participate! First, I was in a panel discussion with none other than Linda Eyre herself (I was shaking so hard sitting next to her--it was kind of surreal. She and her husband are the sources of tons of parenting wisdom) and Macy Robison (singer and presenter at Time-Out for Women). I felt so honored and so out of my league, but it was truly a wonderful experience. Then, I gave a presentation entitled, "I'm Not a Perfect Mother, and That's OK!" I truly feel passionate about this topic and was thrilled to be with a large group of amazing women, all trying to become better mothers, and share a few thoughts on this topic.

Linda Eyre and me. She is so darling and sweet, I'm telling you.

As the day wore on we heard uplifting music from Macy Robison, learned how to be deliberate mothers, how to use parenting partnerships, how to set up family legal systems and family economies.We talked about being a "benevolent dictator" and building a strong family culture, plus so much more! We shared a delicious lunch and some wonderful small-group discussions as well. All in all, it was a fabulous day! I went home feeling so uplifted and inspired. If you haven't heard of Power of Moms, check it out (www.powerofmoms.com). They are doing wonderful things! I am eager to become more involved and feel so strongly about their focus.

Whew! I am exhausted just recapping all of this. No wonder it has taken me 3-4 weeks to get it all down! I will end now by saying this. By far, the greatest blessing that has come into my life through being named Utah's YMOY is the women I have had the privilege of meeting and associating with. I have been humbled, uplifted and wowed by the many different women I have been able to rub shoulders with. They have taught me and inspired me to be better. They have reinforced my own feelings of the value and importance of motherhood and they have helped me realize even more how powerful a mother's influence in the home really is.

I've definitely experienced a month full of wonderful experiences speaking about and listening to presentations on motherhood. Now comes the hard part--implementing all I've learned!

What Matters Most

There are so many things I want to write about and I just can't seem to get to the computer and get it done. I want to share my experience in Washington D.C. when I went with my husband and mother-in-law to the American Mother's National Convention a couple of weeks ago. I want to share the amazing experience I had the following weekend when I attended a Power of Moms Retreat in Park City at Richard and Linda Eyre's home. I want to write about daily life and all I am learning, plus much, much more and hopefully I will get to it. But today, I have something weighing heavily on my mind, and so I just have to get it out.

What matters most in your life?

That is the question I have asked myself over and over the past couple of months as I found myself feeling over scheduled and overwhelmed. I, like many mothers out there, love my children to pieces and feel like they are amazing people who could capture the moon if necessary. I mean, they are smart and funny and oh, so capable. On top of that, they are good, good souls who can make such a difference in the world if they chose to. So, I've done what I thought a good mother would do.

I've provided numerous opportunities for them to develop their talents, hone their skills, learn responsibility and teamwork and goal-setting, and so much more by encouraging them to be involved in a lot of different things. On top of that, to set a good example and use my own skills in productive ways, I have added a heap of responsibilities to my own plate. And you know what I have reaped in return?

A bit of chaos, unrest in my soul, weariness, and a strong desire to change things.

The truth is, although my children are fabulous, they are really nothing more special than anyone else's children. They probably won't be president of the United States some day or find the cure for cancer or be Olympic gold medalists. And you know what? That's OK with me. Those things are all worthy goals and wonderful accomplishments, and I would be thrilled if any of my children achieved any one of those things. But not at the expense of what matters most.

And what matters most to me is this: that my children choose to be committed to the gospel of Jesus Christ and that each one becomes a better parent than I am.

Period.

If they don't play college sports or become valedictorian; if they don't master the piano and a foreign language; if they don't ever make football captain or become a volleyball MVP, I can live with that. Because, although all of those things are awesome and require valuable skills such as dedication and hard work, they are not what matter most. Yes, they can build self-esteem and team-working skills. Yes, they have value and they make life more fun and rewarding--all of which I am in favor of--but if my children do all of those things and yet do not choose to live what we believe or to be dedicated, loving parents, then what would be the purpose?

Now, don't get me wrong. I love sports! I love music! I want my children to develop their talents. I want them to be involved in activities they enjoy. And I am in no way implying that anyone else's family is too busy or needs to make a change. I am speaking solely of my own situation. And I know we have to be more careful. I am blessed to be married to a man who cares as much about our family as I do and who really wants to work with me in raising our children. Together, we have to be so wise. It's not easy. There is a lot of enticement and pressure to do many things. Good things. But I am simply not satisfied with spending too much of our time, energy and resources on good things.

I want more.

Three weeks ago one of my huge commitments ended. I was coaching a club volleyball team that required me to drive to Weber State two nights a week for practices and of course be at all of the tournaments (there were nine in all--one in California). I love volleyball and I love coaching. But when it was all over, I felt something I hadn't anticipated. Complete and utter relief and freedom. I went outside and played with my kids when they got home from school. I laughed. I soaked up the beautiful weather. I hugged my kids over and over and told them how much I loved them. It was almost like I had missed them, like I had been gone or something, when in fact, we had been living under the same roof all along.

But it had been too much. And the past three weeks weeks since it all ended, I have been able to give myself to motherhood again. I have been able to plan for our summer, get organized, and work on important family matters. Our days have been full of hugs, giggles, stories, work, play, and so much more.

And it has felt wonderful!

This is the life I truly want to live. Giving the best of myself to my husband and children. Not signing up for more than I can handle. Not having so many commitments that I go to bed at night exhausted at 9:00 p.m., having not spent most of my day's energy on my family. Not being overwhelmed by schedules and commitments.

I woke up with a startling realization the other day. It was this: YOUR CHILDREN WANT YOU. I had just spent the previous afternoon playing 3-Square with my kids in the front driveway, laughing until we cried, being silly and goofy, enjoying time together. This had come after my children had begged me to go out and play with them, promising work and obedience if I would just give them ME. I realized all of a sudden that their desires to spend time with me was no small thing. It was nothing to be taken for granted. Surely there will come a day when I am not their first choice (or their second or third), so how can I not take advantage of this time in my life when my children really want me--my time, my energy, my focus? I simply can't let this opportunity pass me by.

Motherhood. Family. Our faith. That is what matters most to me. That is where true joy lies. That is where my heart truly wants to be. And so. . .

I'm going to reach out and take it. I'm going to choose it over everything else. I'm going to wear out my days in teaching, loving, guiding, working with, laughing with my children, and if it means we give some good things up in the process, so be it.

I only get one shot at being their mother and helping them understand and choose what matters most. I can never come back to this point in our lives and make a different choice. I have to make today count. And then I have to get up tomorrow and do the same thing. There will always be many choices. I want so badly to choose right, to be wise enough to go for the best things in life, rather than getting caught up in only what is good.

I make so many mistakes as a mother. So many. But I have to believe if I can accomplish this one thing--staying focused on what matters most--I will be a more successful mother. And although I know it will not be easy, these kids. . . well . . .

 

 . . . they are are oh, so worth it!

A Memorable Mother's Day

This is how Mother's Day started for me:

French toast. My sweet husband tried to copy a breakfast we ate (at Ebbitt's Grill) while in Washington D.C. the week before because I raved about it. So yummy.

Breakfast in bed. The "Special" plate. Warm, smiling children excited to present me with a plethora of Mother's Day cards and coupons.

And this is how Mother's Day ended for me:

A trip to Wee Care to get stitches.

Everything was going fine . . . until it wasn't. We had decided to go on a relaxing family walk together to enjoy the beautiful day and get some wiggles out. Dan and I buckled the baby in the stroller while the rest of the kids hopped on their bikes. Just as we rounded the first corner, we happened upon some friends. This was serendipitous due to the fact we were heading right to their home to wish them good luck in their upcoming move and tell them how much we would miss their family.

We started talking. In an effort to ward off boredom, some of the kids started riding their bikes in circles near the corner where we were standing. That's when my husband suddenly said, "Oh no." I turned just in time to see my five-year-old hop up off the gritty blacktop road and come running towards us, howling.

We were only about 20 yards away, but by the time we met (we running towards him and he running towards us), he was already bleeding profusely. Dan swept him up in his arms and we proceeded down the street back to our home, my hand pressed against his bloody head in the area it appeared the wound was.

We laid him on the counter and proceeded to try to clean him up so we could tell how bad he was injured. There was literally blood everywhere--on his shirt, on his feet--even his ear was full of blood. Not knowing exactly what to do, especially since it was a Sunday evening, which meant our medical options were limited, we called his Primary teacher, who just happens to be a nurse. She came right over with her medical kit. We finally got him cleaned up enough to tell he had a pretty bad abrasion and puncture in his skull above his left eye. She bandaged him up and suggested we take him to get stitches.

He was obviously not too happy about life at this point.

Ugh!

There is nothing like seeing your children in pain. This little boy happens to be a pretty tough kid, so hearing him constantly cry about his head hurting was agonizing. He had a humongous goose egg on his head and I was quite worried about a concussion due to the fact that he broke his fall off the bicycle with his head smacking on the road.

Thankfully, everything turned out fine. Four hours and three big blue stitches later, we returned home with a tired, achy, but happy, little boy.

It's amazing to me it looked this good in the end.

So, although it wasn't quite the Mother's Day I was hoping for, it was definitely memorable. And I just have to say it was meaningful as well. As I held my bloody little boy in my arms, waiting for our turn to see the doctor, my eyes filled with tears at how much I loved him. I thought of how blessed I was to be right there, holding my child in my arms, comforting him, trying to ease his pain. I thought of how much this little boy loves me back, despite all my flaws and mistakes as a mother, and I just couldn't help but feel part of something so much bigger and more important than anything else in the world. I looked into his trusting blue eyes and was humbled at the thought that God trusted me and his dad enough to take care of him and train him and teach him and protect him.

And so, at the end of the day, I went to bed happy and humble. Grateful my child would be OK and that his injuries weren't worse, grateful for my husband's strong arms and quiet reassurances, grateful once again to be a mother.