Simple Things

Today I'm thankful for

1. Crunchy Lo Mein noodles on my salad

2. The grassy hill across the street in the neighbor's yard that all the neighborhood kids like to roll and slide down

4. Cami's smiles and giggles, and how happy they make everyone around her

5. Bobby coming home before lunch time and having the rest of the day off

6. Liam's love for this small house. He woke up crying this morning because he said he was going to miss it when we move. Lillian got him out of bed when she heard him crying, and she carried him into my room to be with me while I was nursing Cami.

7. The way Liam calls Cami "Cams" and how he jumps up and down around her declaring how cute she is

8. Watching Sydney ride her bike and her scooter, and watching her catch fireflies

9. Bobby's willingness to change a poopy diaper and hold our crying baby or take her on walks down the street to get her to fall sleep

10. Friendship, love, compassion and hugs

Today I'm thankful for...

1. Naps

2. Sunshine

3. Neighbors who love holding Cami

4. A husband who finished taking boards yesterday! It's nice having a husband again, and the kids say Dad is "fun again." :-)

6. The blooming rhododendron bush next to our porch

Happy Mother's Day!

Today I'm thankful for...

1. My four beautiful children who call me Mom- for their love, affection, their beautiful blue eyes, their smiles and laughs, their hugs, their questions, and their endless imaginations. They challenge me in new ways every day and they help me be a better person with each moment. There are still moments when I look at them and time stops for a split second and my heart skips a beat. I'm so in love with them and so grateful to call them mine.

2. My mom. The more mothering I do, the more I realize how hard her job was and how good she was (and still is) at it. I've come to understand and appreciate all that she sacrificed and struggled with to raise us. I'm still in awe at the love and compassion that she always shows and I hope to emulate that amazing trait about her.

3. My mother in law. She raised an amazing son who is faithful, hard working and intelligent, and who I am grateful to call my husband. I'm grateful to her for accepting me into her family with open arms and for all the support she gives us.

4. My own private Mother's Day concert from the kids. I missed the songs they sang during church today, which totally broke my heart. Sydney even went up to sing which is a really brave thing for her to do. They knew I was really sad about it, so before dinner Bobby lined the kids up in front of me and led them in singing the Mother's Day song. I soaked it all up and cried. I loved hearing their little voices sing and seeing the big smiles on their faces and getting big hugs and kisses from them afterwards.

4. The delicious dinner Bobby cooked tonight. He grilled salmon and made my favorite pineapple-lime rice with cilantro. I'm so grateful for a husband who can cook!

5. The yellow flower that Liam gave to me. He said he found it on the bathroom floor at church. Delightful!

6. Priesthood blessings. Bobby's home teacher came over tonight to give him a blessing before he takes boards this week. He's been studying hard and trying his best to prepare. I know he's stressed about it. We've all been praying for him and I'm grateful that the blessing could give him the confidence and comfort he needed.

7. Sleep. As I've been writing most of this, Cami has been refusing to go to sleep. Her wide awake time is 9pm until 11pm. This is not conducive to getting anywhere near a good night's sleep, particularly with two night/early morning feedings to do. I've come to realize how much my body relies on sleep and how much better I feel and act when I actually get enough of it. So on that note I'm going to bed. Bobby has Cami and hopefully she'll decide it's time to sleep, too.

Today I'm thankful for...

1. The little fat rolls on Cami's wrists. She's the chubbiest baby I've ever had, and I just want to eat her up!

2. Lillian's tennis lessons at the park. We packed a picnic dinner tonight because we had to pick Lilly up from Girl Scouts after school at 5 PM, then be at the park by 6 pm for her tennis. It was too cold and cloudy to eat outside at the picnic tables so we picnicked in the van instead. When Lilly's tennis lesson started, I pushed Sydney and Liam on the swings. Sydney is getting really good at pumping her legs to keep swinging on her own, and she tried to instruct Liam on how to do it...he's slowly getting it. They had so much fun swinging and it made me so happy to hear them laughing and talking together. After the swings we huddled together under a blanket and watched Lillian play her tennis. When a ball would escape, Sydney and Liam would jump up and retrieve it. Cami was a good little sister and stayed asleep all bundled up in her stroller. I look forward to going back next week, I just hope the weather is warmer.









3. Mother's Day Tea Party at Liam's preschool. This is a tradition every year. The moms dress up in flowery dresses and hats and have tea and cookies with their preschoolers. The best part is when all the kids get up and sing a bunch of adorable songs. I loved the enthusiasm Liam had while he was singing. I could tell that he was really excited and proud to be part of the special Mother's Day program for me. He also gave me a flower craft with his picture on it that he made in class. He managed to keep it a secret all week long, which I know was hard for him. He only almost spilled the beans once, but he caught himself in time and said, "Oh wait, I can't say that! That would ruin the surprise!" Then a sheepish grin spread across his face. I love this kid so much and he's getting so big!







4. The official invitation to Bobby's residency graduation ceremony at the end of June. This era is coming to an end and I can't believe it. I'm excited, terrified, relieved, happy, and sad all at the same time. I can't wait to move on to the next phase in our lives, yet I want time to stand still so I can enjoy our last weeks, days and moments here in this place and in this phase before it is over forever. Eventually these last five years of residency and four previous years of med school before that will be a long distant memory, and part of me is struggling to come to terms with that, as this is all I've known for so long. We're about to enter the "real world" and I have no idea what to expect. These have been hard years, yet very precious ones also. I'm glad they're coming to an end, but I will always cherish them.

There is sunshine in my heart (but not much outside)

I'm thankful for...

1. Sleeping babies

2. The birds that chirp at 4 am

3. A warm fire in the pellet stove on a chilly, rainy afternoon

4. Watching Bobby play Spot-It with the kids, and how he manipulates the numbers to help Liam win

5. Other people who see rain as refreshing instead of depressing

6. Family dinner time

7. Neighbors who always have the missing ingredient you need to finish making dinner, and who let you borrow their blender so you can make smoothies