You're Gonna Miss This

There is a song by Toby Keith called, You're gonna miss this. It starts with a teenage girl talking to her mom saying that she can't wait until she is 18 and making her own money and rules. Her mom tells her that she is going to miss this stage of her life some day and not to rush it. It then talks about her being a newlywed and her dad stops by their small 1 bedroom apartment and he says how nice he thinks it is and she says that it is fine for now and then begins to talk of houses and babies. He tells her the same thing that her mother told her about her youth. 5 years later she has 2 kids, the phone is ringing the kids are crying and she is apologizing to the plumber who is at their house fixing the water heater. He again tells her that she will miss this stage of her life as his kids are now grown and that it went too fast. I see myself so very clearly in that song. I am always looking forward to the next stage of my life, sometimes sadly not enjoying the present as I should. If I recall my fondest memories they are my first real job and new apartment, young adult ward and friends made there, of the walk Darren and I took in the snow one night the first month we were married, the day that my first baby was born, yet each time I can look back and remember what I was thinking at each stage. I was so excited to be out on my own, then I couldn't wait to be married next of course was to have children. I don't know that I would change anything I would just enjoy the journey at lot more and focus on the future a lot less.

Happy Birthday Sister Salvisburg

Today we spent the day with Grandma doing one of Emma's favorite things, shopping! Grandma told us that as well as being Emma's birthday it was also Naomi Salvisburg's. Sisiter Salvisburg is a favorite around here and happens to be Emma's primary teacher. Emma's first response upon hearing the news was, "Well, we will have to buy her a present". She is my girl, that's for sure. Happy birh

Happy 5th Birthday Emma

Emma turned 5 today. As every parent always says, I can't believe that she is 5 already and yet I can't remember life without her. She is such a special kid. She is so individual. Like all the kid's she brings something to the family that no one else does. I always tell the kids stories about how they came to be in our family. With Noelle I say that I really wanted a little sister, but I never got one so instead Heavenly father gave me her as my daughter, I call her my daughter-sister and then Bergen, I say that we thought something was missing and so heavenly father gave us our brown sugar boy as we call him. He was so soft and he had such golden brown skin when he was born. Then we still felt that something was missing from our family and Heavenly Father knew just what we needed, a little ginger snap that would make us laugh every day. She does that! Happy 5th birthday Emma. We love you.

Sunday on Saltspring

We had the opportunity to go over to Saltspring Island for church on Sunday. It was so very wonderful for so many reasons. It was my first Sunday back since getting sick, the weather was beautiful, the ferry ride was so very exciting for the kids, our dear friends baby was blessed another baptized, and we visited the Moore's for the first time since they moved over there. (Better late than never, I guess) It was a great day filled with many, many loved ones and will always be a special memory.

Say Cheese!

Trying to get four kids all to sit still and smile at the same time is just as hard as it sounds. I guess that is what makes the memory though. When I look at these pictures I will always remember how silly Tate was being and how much I love him for it!

Sleeping on the stairs

After watching conference on Sunday we were able to go to Sidney and visit with some family. The kids had a wonderful time as always. They love their cousins. We left a little late so of course everyone feel asleep on the way home. When that happens Darren usually carries them in one by one while I tuck them in bed one by one. When I had Tate and Noelle tucked in I called down the stairs for Bergen and Emma. No one answered. I looked down the stairwell and this is what I saw. They were so sound asleep that I think we could have left them there and they would have slept all night. Nothing feels better than a good sleep after a really fun day!