Merry Christmas!

This year in an effort to make my life a bit simpler, I have decided to be lame and not send out a Christmas card.   I know, I know...a blog post is not the same and won't even reach many aunts and uncles and long time friends, but some little extras this season just didn't happen.  I am loving getting family and friends cards in the mail.  They are all up on the fridge and every time I see them I smile and think 'maybe I should send out cards'.  But this year it is just not happening.  Over the last few years (since being out of the baby phase around our house) I've felt like I was in a pretty set routine.  Now that Nicole is in high school, my sweet little routine just went out the window.  Now I get up at 5am and get her to seminary.  Then take my other 3 to school, then take Kurt to preschool.  Then pick up Kurt, then pick up my other 3.  Then teach piano then pick up Nicole from play practice or basketball practice or games or choir rehearsal or scouts...uh wait that's Nathan in scouts then take Nathan to basketball etc.  And now that we live 15 minutes out of town I drive about that in whatever direction I'm headed.  By the end of the day I feel like I should go out to my mini-van and collect my cab fare.  But then I realize that I don't do it all for a tip at the end of the day.  And then I start to really ponder why do I do this?  Why do I run them here there and everywhere from 5am to 9pm?  Why don't I just tuck them all inside the house and selfishly keep them all for myself?  It's because Dave and I love them all so much that we want them to have all the new experiences that church and school and plays and piano and scouts and sports brings.  They are learning and growing in the gospel and in their testimonies and in confidence in themselves.  We can't give them all those experiences here inside the walls of our home.  Dang it.  And in a way that makes me feel sad that they are starting to need things that I can't give them.  What we can give them inside these walls is love, patience, good counsel and a listening ear.  I can also give them their own laundry baskets and a list of chores so they can learn to pick up after themselves.  No more wet towels on the floor please.  We're still working on that one.   So this year is one of change and growth.  For us all.  That is what this life is all about right?  Learning how to become our best selves.  Growing-Changing and eventually Becoming who we are meant to become.  Becoming our Potential.  I saw a quote today that said "Life is a Happy Adventure".   So that is what I am looking forward to in the years to come.  Our family is growing, changing and becoming something new and it is my job as a mother to make sure that we are as happy as we can be while we have this adventure called Life together.  Here is the card that we would have sent out to you all.  We love you and merry Christmas!