Motherhood

Words cannot express how much I love my family! I've been thinking a lot about the blessings that have come to me because of the love, support, and innumerous prayers by the members of my family. The thought of family have been on my mind lately. A few days ago, I had a really good conversation with some girlfriends the about what it means to be a mother. Some of the things that I learned about Motherhood are as follows. Bearing children is only a small part of motherhood. You don't have to have your own children to be a mother. A mother is essentially love. When you love --all of God's children-- you're in fact practicing and using motherhood. After having this rather deep conversation, I walked away thinking of all the children I've mothered and my thoughts instantly came to my family. I have 23 examples of being a mother to my nieces and nephews. How blessed do I feel to not focus on the fact that I have not bore my own children, but that I can help mother 23 wonderful, beautiful, talented sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father!? Here are some examples:



Isaiah just turned six and on every birthday, I remind him (half jokingly) that I cut his umbilical cord. I had the pleasure of being there for Stephanie during the pregancy, delivery, and first few precious months of Isaiah's life. I look at this picture of him today and see that beautiful smile, full of joy and think how blessed that I can, in my own way be a mother to him!! At times I feel like his sister, because I tease him like he's my brother, but I had an experience months ago that reminded me how much Isaiah KNOWS I love him! Stephanie called me and told me that she had been telling Isaiah that he can pray for people who love him. He responded, "And I can pray for Monica, because she loves me." Such simple words, yet it immediately brought tears to my eyes because when he thought of people who love him, he thought of me. I am so blessed to be his auntie!

And then there's these crazy girls! I LOVE being an auntie to the older nieces! It's such a blessing to see these beautiful girls and their desire to do what is right. Being a teenager is hard, I remember that much. But how wonderful it is that I have the opportunity as a single woman, to be an example to them? While it's hard to imagine, these girls look up to me and actually WANT to be my friend! It is such a blessing to be able to be there to give advice, listen, and LOVE them irregardless of the decisions they make.

Yes, I see, I truly am a mother! Being a mother is so much more than having your own children. I am so glad that I had this discussion with my amazing girlfriends and realized that I don't need to long for some abstract, distant future but that I can use all of those qualities of motherhood now! Afterall, ETERNITY IS NOW!

You Cry Like a Girl!

The day started beautifully. It was a warm, early September Saturday and the Tanasbourne Thundercats had a bone to pick. Five other Singles Wards would meet on the dew kissed grass for a battle of the greatest! Little did the Thundercats know that the World had plot against them that day. No one wanted to compete against them, as they were the most fierce in all the land. Soon they would fight for their lives, as countless crazy, wannabe football players would pick fights with a fair maiden named Monica. She really was a helpless victim, as she is not one to speak her mind nor act in any manner other than the most delicate of ladies. She was pushed, pummeled, kicked, grabbed, and even thrown to the ground as she loyally defended her QB with her life. Soon, she would walk off the field, bruised and battered in body but never in spirit! The Mt. Hoodlems may have won the battle that day, but she won their hearts as many would ask for her number and she steadily would decline! Booyah!

Meet the Thundercats!

One of the many bruises to the body. But before you feel bad for her, you shoulda saw them!!!

One of These Things is not Like the Other

I recently went line dancing with Molly and some of her friends. Now, I've been known for my liberal spin in the past and maybe even known for my dislike of things "country" as it is often quite conservative. Toby Keith may be one of the most ignorant men I know, but that's neither here nor there. Let's be honest, country western isn't known for its intellect. Before you think I am bashing the western way of life, understand that I did learn quite a few things during my boot scoot and boogy.

Lessons in Line Dancing:

1. Having a ton of signs posted on every corner of every wall is not white trash, it's country. Especially if it's bashing anything that isn't white, male, conservative, alcoholic, or middle-aged. The lesson? Make fun of everything that doesn't fit the mold-- You'll feel a whole lot better about the fact that you are attempting to fit the mold when in reality you don't fit the mold because no one fits the mold. 2. Arriving late for instruction and attempting to "wing it" doesn't work for line dancing and it doesn't work for life!

3. Need I say more? Low expectations are the way to happiness in marriage... Literally!

Hey Molly and I may not have fit in at the Ho Down, but we sure had fun. In fact, it's going to become a regular occurance-- these little line dancing lessons of ours.

*Disclaimer: My banter is mostly sarcastic. Please do not post any comments about me being a tree-hugging, save the ferrets, liberal hippie. Read with an open mind and as lesson three indicates, have low expectatioins!

Welcome Christopher!

My sister Erica recently adopted a sweet little two year old from Kazakhstan. His name is Christopher and he is a little bundle of joy! I love him already! It was a challenge getting him here, but now that he is, it's weird to imagine him not in our family! I look up to Erica and Bret for their faith and patience in waiting through this process of adoption. It really is not for the faint of heart!

I tried desperately to get him to let go of the toothbrush for the "tricks" but he wouldn't give. He clutched it with his life!

He's the littlest bugger, but has probably one of the sweetest spirits I've seen in a two year old. I can't wait to get to know him better!

Everytime we played the "flip over the legs" game, he would go limp like a wet noodle. It made my job a little more difficult, but he really enjoyed it!

I love how kids never get sick of doing the same thing over an over. The simplicity of children really amazes me. I wish I could learn to be more content with things in the moment the way kids do. You really could learn a lot from a kid, if you wanted to.

I love that we are both laughing hysterically in this picture. Everytime we'd get to the end of the flip, he wouldn't put his feet out so he could stand. He'd just lay there until I would drop him in which he would land on my face! It was really funny. Mostly because he doesn't speak English, so I couldn't tell him what he was supposed to do.


One of my fondest memories as a child was doing tricks with my sisters and dad. These tricks included doing flips while sitting on their feet, doing the superman, and standing on their hands and being lifted to the sky! I really felt special. Christopher LOVED doing tricks! He was cracking up the whole time. He's so sweet.

One of the very endearing qualities of Christopher is his love for all things that can be used as toys but are indeed used for other purposes, such as: toothbrushes, tupperware, dish soap, and granola bars. He would not part with the toothbrush, no matter how much I bribed.

Blue Coast... Really?

As many of you readers may already know, I ran a half-marathon a little while ago. This being my first half-marathon, I didn't really know what to expect and I was really nervous I wasn't going to do very well. The course was extremely hilly and heaven knows I am not a hill runner! So, here I am cruising along, thinking of all the hills I have to conquer before the end. I hit the first hill-- the biggest of them all. When I FINALLY get to the top, there is a water station and all these volunteers yelling, "blue coast!" as they hand out the water. I take my water, gulp it down, and sigh with relief as I run DOWN HILL for about a mile. I thought to myself, "Gez, that's nice of the volunteers to tell us a down hill was ahead." You see, they were saying blue coast and I so logically figured that was some kind of catchy new phrase they coined for coasting down hills.

Then, off in the horizon I see the second hill. Not bad compared to the first but it IS about six miles in to the race, and I have another seven to go. Again, at the top of the hill, another water station. And you guessed it, more volunteers yelling, "blue coast" as they hand out the water. But the strange thing was there was no down hill. I mean the smallest decline, maybe, but nothing to give me a rest like the first "blue coast." This happened about three other times and I was starting to get frustrated because I was getting myself all jacked up for a bit of a break but the breaks never came. Now, I get to another water station and grab some water from one of the volunteers who is yelling "blue coast" and I'm thinking to myself, "yeah right, I'll believe it when I see it." I put the water up to my lips and instantly spit it out thinking how gross that water tasted. And then I realize it wasn't water... It was some kind of sugar water. I don't know how many of you have seen Friends, but there is an episode where Chandler gets a glass out of the fridge at Monica's and thinks it's cider when it's really fat. Well, if you've seen it, my reaction to the sugar water was similar to his... I wasn't expecting it.

Just then, I look to my side and see a sign that says Gluekos! Half the volunteers were giving out water and the others were giving out gluekos. No one was saying blue coast... they were saying Gluekos! Needless to say, I laughed at my idiocracy. I mean, who hears blue coast and instantly thinks, "Ah, yes. Just as I suspected. There must be a down hill coming up!" Leave it up to me and my selective hearing to get blue coast and gluekos mixed up! I finished the race a little slower than expected but I still finished... And who knows, maybe if there were BLUE COASTS I might have actually finished in my estimated time!

Save the Ferrets!

I am new to the blogging world, but hopefully with some time, practice, and motivation, I'll be able to have a wonderful blog up so my friends and family can keep in touch!

But before I end, how about a funny story. Yesterday, I decided to go grocery shopping since I had yet to buy groceries since coming back from Utah. I went to Whole Foods and did my usual shopping. The cashiers are usually really nice and I always have a great conversation with them but oh no, not yesterday. I bring in my own bags. For each bag you bring in, you can donate 10 cents to a given charity. They have three options: Saving trees, saving ferrets, or feeding humans. I kind of joked around with the clerk and with sarcasm said, "Oh I am SO saving the ferrets today... I mean, who cares if people eat when the ferrets of the world are dying." Unfortunately, I don't think the cashier caught my joke and was really excited that I was so eager to help the ferrets. She replied about how wonderful it is that these ferrets get the surgeries they need, etc. etc. I kind of just laughed and said, "I'm in healthcare and it's sad enough that humans don't get the surgeries they need. Sorry, I just am not into saving ferrets over humans." Needless to say, she was miffed. She wouldn't even look at me and it almost looked as if she was going to cry. I wasn't being mean or anything, but seriously!? Come on, it's a ferret!!!