Whack!

As parents, we all have parenting pet peeves. Nose-picking, whining, spitting, etc. Among mine are screaming, taking toys away...and hitting. Oh, I can't tell you how much it annoys me when my kid hits. Which means I'm pretty much constantly annoyed lately, as that is her new preferred method of expressing frustration. Please, please tell me I'm not the only one whose child has gone through a hitting phase. Please? And if you would be so kind as to tell me how in the frick did you get them to stop.

Close to the spirit

Do you ever have times when your heart feels so soft & the slightest tickle from the Holy Ghost makes the rivers run down your cheeks? When the tears aren't because of a trial you're facing or anything in particular, but simply because your heart is close to the spirit? I love those times. Those are the times when I feel closest to my Savior. Sunday was one of those days. Hollie was amazing through all of Sacrament. We didn't have to take her out once. I don't think that has happened in many, many months. With so much time on my hands, not wandering the halls or frantically whispering "shush" every 30 seconds, I actually got to listen to the talks. I found myself in tears as one of our sweet high council members talked of enjoying each moment & finding joy in the journey. I was uplifted & my heart was touched.

That was nothing compared to the emotional overflow that would occur in our Sunbeam class later that day, however. It was the Boy's turn to teach & the lesson was on the scriptures. Sam was telling the story of Christ coming to the Americas & asked the class if they remembered what happened to the Jesus when he died. When Noah began telling the class about the nails in our Savior's hands, the most profound silence came over our group of 4 year olds. I know that they could all feel the spirit as strongly as I did. It was almost palpable in our little classroom. I could not ebb the flow for the remainder of class. They ran freely.

Apparently today is one of those days, too. It began like any other day. I got up, got ready, edited, posted a session, then decided to read some blogs. I first read the inspiring story of my friend Lindsay & her little Andrew. So moving. I was in tears by the 3rd paragraph. Afterwards, I figured I was already bawling, so I might as well see how Stephanie Waite is doing. I don't know her. We've never met. But she is the strongest woman I've ever seen or heard of. I can't adequately tell her story. But she has strengthened my testimony. She does every time I read her blog.

I have many more things to post (you'll die when you see Hollie in her Halloween costume), but today I had to express my gratitude. For my Savior. For His gospel. For my Sam. And for her.

Clinique.

I really tried to be mad when I found the little twinkie like this. I tried to conjure images of all the money she wasted in my Clinique make-up, but I came up dry. All I could do was laugh...and grab my camera. Indian war paint it up, little one, because you're only a toddler once.

Play

The Boy wasn't feeling so hot today (don't worry, Les. He didn't ruin his record). His uber fantastic birthday dinner at Ruby River last night apparently didn't sit so well. Anyhoo, when the boy feels yucky, the girls play airplane for hours in the living room. We spent a majority of our evening like this. It was bliss.

P.S. Please excuse the super ugly "dark spot" on most of the shots. My new monster lens gets in the way of my itty bitty body flash (and I was too lazy to put on my big one :O).



P.S.S. Hollie says thanks, Annie, for letting her borrow your sweats! She desperately needs new ones for Christmas. Hope you don't mind.