Monday, May 12, 2008

Dave's 40!


Back from our trip. It was amazing to say the least. I am so grateful to my sister Nicole to stay 10 days with the kids. They had so much fun with you coco! They all had cute new haircuts when I came back too. How is that for a wonderful babysitter. These pictures are taken on Dave's 4oth birthday in a rain forest in Puerto Rico. Dave's favorite place on earth is a rain forest, in case you were wondering. We went to so many cool places starting in Puerto Rico, than St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, and St. Kitts. We went with some of our dearest friends the Hardings. Adventure, laughs, and food were never in short supply. A perfect vacation. So happy to be back home with my babies though. It was the best feeling to all be cozy in Rachel's room last night and read the scriptures together, and pray. I really love to teach my children the gospel of Jesus Christ. To see their spirits brighten when they feel the spirit is even better than anything I saw in the Caribbean. Thank you Heavenly Father for letting me be a Mom. It hasn't always been easy, I clearly recalled as I felt for the Mom on the plane last night who had a fussy toddler for 5 hours. It has been really hard and humbling to the max! But the rewards!!!! I could go on for hours. I just feel like right now in my life is a golden time. A time I will always look on with the sweetest of feelings. All of my kids are home and ages that are so fun. I feel like I am finally tasting the sweet fruit after many years cultivating the tree. It is all paying off. The day in and day out of dealing with temper tantrums, and teaching them the same things over and over. Not that their rooms are any cleaner, but they know how to love and serve others. We were reading last night in the book of Mormon about when Christ came to the people in America. The first thing He said and taught was that he paid for our sins and we just need to repent and become like a child and be baptized and He gave authority to men (such as Nephi) to baptize people in his name. The only other thing that he mentioned was to not contend with one another. To not argue and fight, that is what Satan wants. I talked about that with my kids. He didn't say don't lie, don't drink, don't smoke etc. etc. He said to be loving and kind. After repenting and being baptized that is the most important thing. That is his gospel. I am so so grateful that I have the tools that I need to raise my children to be happy and successful adults. They are free to make their own choices, but I will make sure that they know the ones to make that will lead them to happiness and peace in this life and joy for all eternity with our Heavenly Father. I am so happy that I have a husband that feels just like I do. We live in our own happy world. It's a good place.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

hello! happy birthday to davide!!! i am glad that you had a great trip! can't wait to see and hear more about it!
--nunzia

kirsti osborne said...

heather, so i have been looking at your page for awhile and though your pictures are awesome and your kids are beautiful,your words of encouragement and faith are what i keep coming back for time and time again. keep it up. you are so insightful and such a good example of being a mother as your first priority. tell your kids hi for me even though they probably don't really remember me. thanks for always being such a great example.

Amie said...

wow, what an awesome vacation! Welcome back! (My brother used to live in St. Kitts!)

Leslie said...

I was wondering why you hadn't posted in awhile. I should have known you were off traveling the world with your favorite traveling companion. Happy birthday to Dave! And I am so looking forward to reaping to the rewards of raising children. I do not want to wish away the baby years, I so love my babies. But to have them wipe their own bottoms and buckle their own seatbelts sounds like heaven. Glad you are home safely. Drop me a line sometime!

Leslie said...

by the way, cute photos of you and dave! Such a beautiful couple!

Linsey Farley Jameson said...

Sounds like such a fun trip!!! Those pictures are so beautiful!!!

Anonymous said...

Cute butt heathie!!!!