I could write all day about our precious 3 kids, but just as I like my personal journal to be more than a grocery list of what I’ve done that day, I would like to incorporate more of my thoughts, perspective and feelings into my blogging journal. I've cut and pasted pieces of tonight's journal here, so I hope it flows and is somewhat clear. Bear with me- or skip over these introspective posts I decide to share from time to time. Attending the temple on Saturday was wonderful! It has been a while since I've been able to go and I am so grateful for the opportunity I had this weekend to go with some of my family. I felt at home. I felt at peace. I felt the love of my Savior. I love going to the temple. I love the reverence there. I know I have felt peace at church and on several other occasions, but the temple is so different. Sometimes I get caught up in time. I’ve got to get home to relieve the sitter… but not this time. This time I enjoyed just being there. Learning. The most important thing I was reminded of while in the temple on Saturday was how much my Father in Heaven knows and loves me. Thankfully, I am not going through any major struggles in my life right now. I do have daily tasks I’m striving to balance with a husband, children and home life. I have an infant who won’t sleep at night, a very impressionable 2 year old and a 4 year old with a bit of a temper and these are all daily struggles that I am trying to prevent turning into bigger obstacles. But I have been thinking of some friends of mine who have gone through some pretty amazing struggles in their lives. I ache for these individuals and wish I could ease their pain of an empty heart. The ache is so real. I pray to have strength to endure the trials that come into my life and I am grateful for the examples of so many. I feel so humbled right now. I have a loving, caring, thoughtful husband. We have had experiences that have strengthened our relationship with one another and our faith in God. I am grateful to look back on obstacles in our lives as a couple and as individuals and see how we have grown through them. We have also learned to trust each other and trust in the Lord. So many times we would like to just be told what path to take and how to do things, however I know this is not the Lord’s way of teaching. The Lord trusts us to study things out and to make our own educated decisions. I am actually grateful for this. These past struggles have helped me realize current and future life obstacles come to strengthen us as individuals and families and as we endure such obstacles, we are blessed. I LOVE my children. I cannot get enough of them. They are amazing little spirits. I want to simply hold them. Anna is currently sleeping in my arms, and Elizabeth and James won’t be disturbed, so I am going to go down and do just that. Hold each one of them for a moment and give them an extra kiss from their daddy.
