Saturday- July 5th

Today I had good parenting moment.
I felt that I had done something right as a parent. That somehow I was "good."
But I did not feel so at the time.
It would not be until later that I would see the benefit of my actions.
We had family pictures this morning with all of Jay's family, and we had 1 child that just would not
cooperate.
And as soon as the photos were over he perked up. (with the help of his Aunt Susan)
It made me so angry.
I wanted to give the boy a quick swift swat, and tell him to straighten up.
All I did was say I was disappointed and that he did not get his gum that was for after the photos.
You know you go through so much work to get a family photo.

So we were driving around this afternoon and all of a sudden he says from the back of the van,
"Mom, I am sorry that I was not good when we were taking the family pictures."
Wow, he apologized on his own. He felt sorry for something that he had done.
And he did not do it out of fear.
More than anything that is what I want our children to do.
To obey out of love, and desire to do what is right.
Not out of fear, or just trying to please.

highs and lows

So glad that the day started off so wonderful-
and it's not that things got terribly bad, but ...

It was a normal day with a family of 6-
children's age ranging from 18 months to 10 years.

It was a normal day with that family of 6 trying to listen to the 2nd day of conference.
It was a normal day of trying to encourage the kids to get along.
It was a normal day of trying not to step into the kids arguments.
It was a normal day of stepping into the kids arguments.
It was a normal day of the constant barrage of sounds coming at me like a strobe light for my ears.
It was a normal day of trying to meet everyone's needs and stay sane.

This is the first conference that I can remember not coming away feeling better, or uplifted. Not that there was anything at all wrong with conference. It's just that I could hardly hear, or catch the feeling of it.
(Except the first session where we sustained the Prophet, and then today when we sang How Firm A Foundation and my whole family stopped the fighting and sang)

There was a moment that I caught what someone was saying. About mothers. And needing to enjoy it ... and I thought, "wait-am I enjoying this?"

There are times and seasons, and I need to recognize this one for what it is.
And remember that there is no way to be perfect, but a million ways to be good.

It was a normal day that ended like most. After everyone is in bed, and I go peek at them one last time, and feel so grateful for who they are, and that they are here.