Gabe is 5

I need to take a moment and gush over Gabe for a minute. He turned 5 years old last week, and I can't seem to get over that little fact.

Honestly, I tend to worry about this one...because he worries so much (hmmm...I wonder where he gets that from), but he is such an articulate little boy, and I've really enjoyed learning from him this past year. I often marvel that I get to be his mom. He's doing better more all the time with sharing his toys and finding joy in helping. He has a hearty laugh that seems to get attention wherever we go.

AND the fact that his eyelashes are longer than any fake eyelash extensions I've ever seen -- naturally makes him a wonder, I say.

I love you, son.

SplashDown Cove

Most of what I remember from last summer revolves around a St. Bernard dog, a neuroscience class I took on-line, and losing Gabe in McCall. It was a little stressful (ha!), but one of my favorite memories lies in mid-August when we went to SplashDown Cove here in town one evening after Jared got home from work. Carlie won a free family pass at a birthday party earlier that summer, so we had to take advantage. We happened to go at a time when very few people were there, so it turned out to be the perfect summer night in my book. Looking at these pictures gets me so excited for the upcoming months.

Stepping Into the Light

I’m so grateful to be blogging right now.  This winter has been such a blessing - as hard as it’s been some days to feel all cooped up inside away from the cold - I love the solitude it’s granted. I have a lot on my mind...thinking about adulthood and overall, this day in age that we live in.  I saw a quote on Facebook months ago that said something like, “I’m at that point in life where I don’t even care if people like me anymore.  If you like me, cool.  If you don’t, okay.”  I’ve thought about that quote almost every day since!  

Being a primary president, or the president of any auxiliary in the church — it’s not for the faint of heart, especially when you actually care quite a bit about what other people think.  I’m not saying I do or I don’t.  I care about what my Maker thinks of me and how I treat His children, but regardless, I’m not the person I once was.  The Book of Mormon has been teaching me that leaders in the Lord’s kingdom must be meek and lowly of heart, yet full of strength to carry out His will.  Captain Moroni remained faithful, righteous, and strong at a time when death, suffering, and hatred were everywhere.  

I want to be true and faithful, completely honest — letting nothing compromise who I am inside, regardless of what a person will think of me as the result.  I appreciate the opportunity to work on this every day as I strive to feed His little lambs through my calling.