Parenting

I'm sitting in a very quiet home, just got done watching conference and I am thinking about Haleigh today. She is in Guatemala with Habitat for Humanity building homes. During the past 6 months she has been through so much watching me struggle with the VILLAIN, so I am glad that she is able to get away. On Thursday she spoke at Seminary General Conference, she was asked by Brother Chatwin last week to speak about OVERCOMING ADVERSITY. Eric and I went to listen to her speak, she did an incredible job and I was very touched by her spirit and maturity as she spoke. It is hard to believe she is my baby and that she is graduating this year from High School. It seems the years have flown by, all of my children are growing up so quickly, sometimes I wish I could slow things down.
When I look back on the years of raising my children I know there were mistakes we made, but I am grateful for those times, for in those times we were taught important lessons by the Lord. I'm sure many mothers and fathers wish that if they knew what they know now they would maybe do a few things different. If we didn't make a few mistakes how could we grow and learn what the Lord wants us to? Those years of growing and learning help us to be better grandparents. We never stop learning, and I am so grateful for that.
When Kayla got married I was so grateful that she and Jeremy were going to live close by, and looked forward to her and Jeremy's visits, now I look forward to seeing Kayla, Jeremy and Recker. They are such great parents and now will raise their children in the Gospel and teach them to follow the Prophet and listen to their leaders, they will teach them to pray and fast and give primary talks, bare testimony and serve missions.
When Blake left on his mission it was bitter sweet for me and still is. Leaving him at the MTC in Provo was so hard, I watched him walk away with the other Elders knowing I would not see him for 2 years. When I got home from Utah, I entered Blakes bedroom sat on his bed and cried. Each letter and email that comes from him reassures me that he is where he should be, one of his recent letters to me said "mom when President Bednar visited us his wife spoke and this is what she said... If every Elder will be the missionary that they think their mom wants them to be, they will be successful" then he said "don't worry about me mom, I am trying to be the missionary you want me to be" Oh how I miss him, the Lord is watching over him and helping him, I know when he returns home he will be the man that he knows he can be.
Kaitlyn lives in Utah with her husband Brian. The day she left our home we were so sad, she and Blake have always brought the humor in our home, I miss her laughter. Now that Haleigh is the only child at home (and she is rarely home) it is so quiet. I have learned that each one of my children have survived ha ha...we, Eric and I have survived ha ha.... I don't think parenting ever ends, motherhood is the best thing I have ever done in my life and I am proud of each one of them, not because Eric and I have been the best parents in the world, but because they have each learned to BELIEVE.