Decembering

It seems as though I've been muddling my way through the last couple of months, obviously with a newborn, this should be apparent to me but it seems as though I keep forgetting I can't do it all.  I accepted a calling when I was 8 months pregnant to be the compassionate service leader.  I was totally hesitant to accept it, because I was totally, 100% in the middle of pregnancy brain.  BUT, I told the Bishop I would accept the calling with MUCH faith that it would be something I could do when I wasn't pregnant.  Honestly, it's been a ridiculously busy calling.  Who would have guessed?!  I've been on the phone with the RS president almost every day discussing needs and following up with people and calling, calling, calling for meals.  It's exhausting, but really, it's a great calling for me.  I enjoy really getting to know everyone in the ward and knowing where they live and a little piece of their story and just being a part of a 'helping team'...it's the nurse in me, I know.

So, here are some December happenings!

We bought a membership to the Treehouse Museum, I think it will come in handy this winter when we have nothing to do!

 We split up, Kris followed Owen around (Owen is *fast*), and I took baby and followed Marin.  This girl is growing up right before my very eyes.

 An engineer.  He is such a boy.

 I got to take my little buddy out on a date, just simple, I-Hop and DI.  He is such a cute boy, he really does make me laugh every day.  Every day there is something he says that is just so funny.

 Marin is such a sweet little helper with Rosie.

 I love these little footlets on these cute little feet!!

 Decorating the tree!!  Marin just about had the whole thing decorated in FIVE minutes, flat.  She was so fast.  We had to tell her to slow down. 

 We had a family home evening lesson the other night on putting on the armor of God.  Such a great lesson on Pinterest.  We talked about what knights wore to protect them and what would happen if they took off that armor.  Then we put two oranges in a bowl of water, and began to take the peel off one orange and watched while it gradually sank.  Comparing how we need that protection to keep us from sinking every day.  It was actually pretty fun for the kids.

 My big girl, and my little girl!

 Tiny little fingers.

 Winco, we love Winco.  And ended up taking all three kids with us...watch out for the Lyman train!

 O....M...G...look at that cute snuggly baby!  She is very specific about how she sleeps, three snuggly blankets, no swaddling, and one binky.

 Owen had been asking about guns...he loves them, BTW.  So, I pulled out my dad's .30-30 rifle the other day.  I took it home with me the week after he died, and it's the first time I've opened the case since then.  I miss my dad, and opening the gun case opened a lot of other memories.  I've thought about him a lot in the last week and I just keep missing him.  Such a good, good man taken from this earth far too soon. 

 Decorating the gingerbread house!  Once again, Marin was ready to blaze right through!

 They did a great job, and worked very well together.  Sometimes these moments can be full of contention, but it was a good time.

 Oh, my son.

 There's my happy girl!  She is so sweet when she smiles, it totally makes up for all the crying.

 The kids made our elf, Nicholas, some elf donuts (cheerios covered in chocolate and powdered sugar), it was such a fun activity.

We have so much to be grateful for.  We love our growing family and while there are days filled with tears, they are moments of growth and maturation.  I feel as though this third child has brought me to the bridge that crosses over into the next land of my life and that bridge is scary and dangerous and terrifying and I don't think I can do it, but there isn't a choice because I'm on it and the piece of land I used to be on is already gone....faded into nothing.  I'm crossing this scary bridge into the next part of my life, my thirties, with three children and 8+ years of marriage.  It's exhausting, but it's a story, it's a life and it's mine and I'm so proud to own it and be the author if it.  The tough times will come no matter what.  Pain will come no matter what, and I can try to avoid it or I can feel every ounce of it and live to tell the story.  I'm going to have a great story someday.