The Lovelies

The Lovelies...you ask?  Yes, my gorgeous lovely lovely children.  I have to take the moment to express my complete gratitude and appreciation for my sweet, wonderful, healthy children.  I am such a lucky mama to be blessed with two absolutely, exquisitely and perfectly lovely children.  During those moments when I think being a mom is super tough, and I think motherhood can't get any tougher...I have a day like today at work.  I have a sweet little 7 year old with an inoperable brain stem tumor come through for a post chemo scan.  I see two parents who are holding back so much grief and pain, and simultaneously exude the most tender love and concern for their bald, swollen and weak son.  I see a son cling to his mother as I slowly medicate him to sleep, and I see his mother wiping her tears away and clinging to weak threads of hope after her son is sedated and unaware of her grief.  I see a pale, sweet 7 year old with agonal breathing from his tumor, a disgusting blob in his brain on the computer, a non vascular tumor with little hopes of being reached with chemo.  I see a family preparing to say goodbye to their son before the end of the year. 

I see all of these things, and inside, I weep for this family.  As much as I am aware of the eternal plan of happiness, I mourn with those that mourn, and I send a million silent prayers.  Then...I realize how lucky I am.  How incredibly blessed I am to be the mother to these sweet, wonderful children.  To have the chance to love and be loved is by far the most incredible blessing our loving Father has given us.  In spite of the loss that we will all experience at some point in our lives, we have the chance to make a difference in the meantime.  We have a chance to smile and hug and kiss and touch and laugh and find joy in the meantime.  I have the chance to love my sweet children and make this childhood the best it can be...after all, it's the only one they will get.  And so, they are my lovelies, and I can't imagine never having a chance to love them...as much work as motherhood is, it's the hardest things in life that are the most worth it.

So here are my lovelies!

We had a happy birthday dessert-party at Gourmendise for Barry the other night, and Marin got some piggy tails from aunt Melodie.

 A little decadence.....

 Owen plowed his way through his strawberry kiwi tart.

 And he got to sit next to his gal-pal, Estelle.  He was a happy guy!

 Marin and Estelle, the cuties.

 This girl is just like her mama and get's waaaaay too excited over dessert.

 Strawberryyyy.

 Owen *loved* the glass cases, I could not peel him away (except to eat his dessert).  And after he was finished, he ran back up with his sticky hands and slapped them all up and down and side to side on ALL the glass cases....oy vey.

 Soooo excited to choose her dessert!

 If I wasn't about to turn 29...I might be doing the exact same thing with my face pressed up against the glass!

 Silly kids!

 And we went to the park the other day, and ended with playing in the riverbed.  I've read that if your kids get grumpy/cranky/bored...put them in water.  It works....every time.  These kids LOVE water.

 Just happy to toss pebbles and dip their toes.

 Look, mama, look!

 I love the shadow vs. real and child-from-womb concept in this picture.  Maybe it's just me.

 One of the few times that they are not picking/squeeling at each other.  Let's just say I've really become a referee lately and it is my *least* favorite job.  I just want my kids to be nice to each other!

So grateful for my little family and I'm grateful that we are going to be a FOREVER family, not just until death.  What a wonderful feeling knowing that we can be eternally connected through the sealing powers of the temple.