Spring Fever.......

I am so excited for spring I cant stand it!! We have been planting our bulbs and pruning our plants and just being out in the beautiful weather. there is just something about the newness in the air. I have just been thinking about mothers day with it just around the bend and how much I love my mom and the other matriarchs in my life.
I am always amazed at the strength my mother had being a single mom of four. ( my three keep me on my toes, with Toms help). What a special job for us mothers to do, take care of our Father in Heavens precious spirits. Not only do we want to see them grow and thrive he is guiding us to help his children so that they may live with him once again.
I look at my kids and know that I would walk through fire for them so I cannot imagine the strength of our Fathers love for all of us. I wanted to say thank you to my mom for all the lessons she has taught me. I have learned to be humble and thankful. She has taught me respect for all people and she has taught me a great work ethic. I have also learned from her that our children can become great friends. Enjoying time with one another I love being with my mom and hope my children will want to hang around when they are on their own. I also want to thank my sister-in-law Brenda she has been a great matriarch figure to me as well, she is always self sacrificing and wanting to do the best for her kids, she is so patient and fun loving, she is always ready to try new things. I am amazed at how many lessons i have learned in my life by just simply sitting back and observing, looking at how people react to situations and then deciding if that is how I would like to be perceived.
My best friend steph has taught me that its ok to be a mother bear ready to attack anything that messes with her cubs! I can sometime be to complacent and need reassurance that I have the right to tell anyone what I think when it comes to my babies. My sister Kristy always takes the time to do "fun" stuff (even if it means a mess) and she reminds me to take it easy and not sweat the small stuff! How I miss my grandma Swanson, she taught me one of the greatest lessons of all, leave whom ever you come in contact with better than when you found them,(if they are in a good mood or not!!) and she had a way of making each one of us feel special. I think to her we all were. I cannot express my gratitude enough to all the women out there that have shaped and inspired who I am and who I am striving to be. I know that though my kids can be a handful the Lord placed each one of them in my hands with the confidence that I would be able to give them the love and direction to become successful when they reach adulthood. I am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to be a mother and to be able to cherish all the blessings that come with it. Thank you to all the moms who inspire me daily to do the best that I can. with love Keri

Pre-school!!!

I had the pleasure of going to Haidyn's pre school with him today! What a loving little boy! He made sure I was included with every activity they were doing. He is turning 5 this month so he will be off to kindgarden and I know he will do fine he is so thoughtful and fun loving. I on the other hand am super nervous. I know it's inevitable he's growing up! the sad thing is he has all of our families "last firsts!" and with that the knowledge that time must move on. I must move on and continue to grow as well. I look back 5 years ago and it is almost unrecognizable so much has changed in the last few years. My children are all in school (most of the day). They need me less and less for those everyday things, things that used to be tiring. Now I almost miss those few uninterrupted moments of 2 a.m. feedings. (Not that I miss no sleep) just the simple quiet connections.
I know this new chapter is still full of firsts... I just am glad I can revel in the moments .. these ones just before the changes when I am still close to the past but, am excited for the future. I challenge you to look at the past 5 years?? whats new?? whats easier?? whats missed?? Thank you Haidyn for reminding me that courage comes in all sizes and for showing me unconditional love every-single day!!

Stuck in a Rut.........

The fraise "Stuck in a Rut" has new meaning to me. Have you ever been stuck in one?? I have repetedly. I guess im just a creature of habit. It occured to me that the "rut" really isn't the problem it's the forward or uphill movement that is or the effort that we know it will take. I don't know about you, but I've never been a fan about working out! I think the "rut" is the Lords way of saying "O.k., this isn't seving you anymore. Time to move on." but we get attached to Comfort even if that comfort is no longer good for us. It's like those old jeans that are comfy but the seat is a lilttle worn and saggy so they really aren't flattering anymore. We like the idea of change looking at diferent stores and styles of jeans, but then you see the price tag and its "I'm not paying that! were they that expensive last time??" but, you really do need new ones.... so you grab them and off to the dressing room, which I hate. Do they really have to use that bad lighting? you think they would sell more if they used one of those "skinny" carnaval mirrors! At any rate they look ok and after trying a few styles on and finding the right price range you decide. Thats the important part, deciding!

Be a filler upper not a dumper!!

Mckaydee came home from school the other day and said "Mom, do you know you have a bucket on your elbow?" puzzled I looked at her and said "I do?" of course looking down to see if i had anything stuck to my arm. Nothing there. "Yeah, everyone does." she said, " when someone does something to you that makes you feel bad. They dump out your bucket, but if someone does something nice for you, like... pick you up when you fall down or tells you sorry they fill your bucket back up! Its filled with rainbows! I'm a filler upper, not a dumper." I told her I was proud of her for always being so nice to her friends and gave her a hug as she bounced out of the room to be off on her next adventure. I sat there for a minute amazed at the unique ways the Lord comes up with to remind me and everyone else these simple precepts to live by. One simple concept can change the way we view things. Its something we all know but just need to be reminded. I am so proud of my kids for learning and understanding these lessons and striving to do the right things. So look around you, picture a little bucket attached to everyones arms around you, are they full?? is your own full?? what are you doing to fill them?? Imagine a world or even just your world with filled buckets! I imagine those rainbows shine quite brightly. Today be a filler upper, not a dumper!!