Time has a bad habit of moving far more quickly than I am prepared for it to do... hence I am VERY thankful for the technology that makes family pictures possible. I love to be able to look back over the years, remembering all that has passed and, because I am a visual person, I love having photos to help me remember the colors, the smiles, and even the feelings of those moments. Family is VERY important to me, and because of that I try to have family photos taken every year - that way I can preserve at least annually the dynamics of our family. I also LOVE seeing everyone together, smiling, and this year, all dressed up. We are missing one important family member, this year in our photos - Shylah. Hopefully next year we can all be present.
There we are, all dressed up. These are the people +1 that I want to give the most time and love I can. They are the source of my joy, my happiness and my contentment in life. I am SO grateful for each of my children, and I am thrilled at the prospect of more children being added to my family through marriage! What a wonderful blessing marriage and children are!!! So saying, here are my children...
First we have the girls and their dad. How precious they are.
And then me and my boys, flanked by the priesthood. This is a group that will definitely grow over the years...
Alisha and her special man... Brandon.
Beth...
Breanna...
Charity...
Myles...
Naomi...
And if Shylah had been with us...
After our photo session we went for one of our traditional family picnics. We discovered a new park this time and had a pleasant meal, despite the breeze that wanted to blow our potato chips off our plates! ☺
And there you have us all. If anyone had told me 20 years ago that I would have eight children, I probably would have told them that they were nuts. But I am so blessed to be the mother of eight. They are a precious group of people to me, among those who I hold most dear, worry over more than any other, and invest the most time, effort, love and prayer in behalf of. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of every one of them, consider what I can do for them, what words they need to hear, what I can do to lift them up, or just simply give them a smile and a hug. These people, have made life worth living. They have filled my life with meaning and purpose. While I have invested the most in them, the rewards in joy and happiness have been exponential and far outweigh the effort. The investment in ones own family proves to be the fruits of the greatest treasures on the earth. No money, job, or career can replace them. No relationship, possession or hobby can bring as much joy and satisfaction to life. When one loses themselves in the work of building and strengthening a family, they indeed begin to find themselves. They discover talents, attributes, abilities and characteristics that are fulfilling and joyful. For as you lose yourself in your family, you become better. Your goals reach new heights, and you stretch and grow in ways that you never could have imagined - finding in the growth a person you like... it is important to like yourself. ☺
I am so thankful for the institution of marriage and the children that come as fruits of the love that joined me to my husband. This life is so good.
First we have the girls and their dad. How precious they are.
And then me and my boys, flanked by the priesthood. This is a group that will definitely grow over the years...
Chad and I...
Alisha and her special man... Brandon.
Beth...
Breanna...
Charity...
Myles...
Naomi...
And if Shylah had been with us...
After our photo session we went for one of our traditional family picnics. We discovered a new park this time and had a pleasant meal, despite the breeze that wanted to blow our potato chips off our plates! ☺
And there you have us all. If anyone had told me 20 years ago that I would have eight children, I probably would have told them that they were nuts. But I am so blessed to be the mother of eight. They are a precious group of people to me, among those who I hold most dear, worry over more than any other, and invest the most time, effort, love and prayer in behalf of. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of every one of them, consider what I can do for them, what words they need to hear, what I can do to lift them up, or just simply give them a smile and a hug. These people, have made life worth living. They have filled my life with meaning and purpose. While I have invested the most in them, the rewards in joy and happiness have been exponential and far outweigh the effort. The investment in ones own family proves to be the fruits of the greatest treasures on the earth. No money, job, or career can replace them. No relationship, possession or hobby can bring as much joy and satisfaction to life. When one loses themselves in the work of building and strengthening a family, they indeed begin to find themselves. They discover talents, attributes, abilities and characteristics that are fulfilling and joyful. For as you lose yourself in your family, you become better. Your goals reach new heights, and you stretch and grow in ways that you never could have imagined - finding in the growth a person you like... it is important to like yourself. ☺
I am so thankful for the institution of marriage and the children that come as fruits of the love that joined me to my husband. This life is so good.
No comments:
Post a Comment