Finding Joy In The Journey and In The Moment.

AFTER a fun filled weekend, Monday mornings are always hectic, right?

WELL... these kind of mornings usually lead me to questioning my abilities, patience, and to say it quite plainly... just feeling like a lousy mother. I am convinced that every mother has these moments, though.

AFTER lunch, Emma fell asleep on Wesley's shoulder while watching a cartoon. It was so sweet and when I went to pick her up to lay her in her bed, Wesley only held her tighter. He was NOT going to let her go. I decided to watch them snuggle. It was just one of those moments...

LIFE is created by single moments, moments that don't always merit a graceful entry or a red curtain curtsy..... these ordinary moments present themselves in blue jeans and tennis shoes. I've learned that the rainy moments in our lives are often revitalized by rainbows, reminding us to find joy in the journey. These are the humbling moments that are most prominent in the story of our lives.

READ: Finding Joy in the Journey by President Thomas S. Monson (http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-947-26,00.html)

WORDS from the article that stood out to me: "If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly."

THINK ABOUT IT: messes = memories. DON'T BE AFRAID TO LET YOUR CHILDREN MAKE A MESS!.... AND most importantly, don't be afraid to make a mess with them! Set aside time to make messes with the children.

"Stresses in our lives come regardless of our circumstances. We must deal with them the best we can. But we should not let them get in the way of what is most important—and what is most important almost always involves the people around us. Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. Wrote William Shakespeare, “They do not love that do not show their love.” We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us."

We are capable.

It is essential. WE need to recognize and ponder these ordinary MOMENTS in our lives!

WHY?....

These MOMENTS will bring your families the inspiration, the encouragement, the empowerment, and the gratification necessary to remember what is most important in life.

Make memories. Make them matter. Enjoy them. Treasure them. Forever.

Just one of those moments:

It is the good and the bad MOMENTS that equally bind them to me.

I FEEL their engravings deeper and deeper on my HEART.