The Munchkins

I've been thinking a lot about parenting, about my abilities as a mother, our abilities together as father and mother.  I don't think I could ever love more than I do now as a mom, but with that great blessing of motherhood comes great responsibility, a responsibility I do not take lightly.  With a very spirited almost five year old, I worry sometimes I'm doing it all wrong.  She will be a leader as she grows older, and am I teaching her the right things so that she will be a positive leader?  In counseling with our bishop on this matter, he recommended Shaun and I read an article from last year's General Conference titled, "What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?"  The following excerpt is from that talk.

"A sweet and obedient child will enroll a father or mother only in Parenting 101.  If you are blessed with a child who tests your patience to the nth degree, you will be enrolled in Parenting 505.  Rather than wonder what you might have done wrong in the premortal life to be so deserving, you might consider the more challenging child a blessing and opportunity to become more godlike yourself.... Could it be possible that you need this child as much as this child needs you?"

The talk goes on to point out that discipline and disciple  come from the same root, and both imply patience and teaching, and should not be done in anger, but rather as taught in the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 121, "by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and be love unfeigned; by kindness and pre knowledge."  The article goes on to point out that we should separate our children's behaviors from who they are (a point I have often made to Shaun), that they are not bad, but their choice was bad.  And he encourages parents to teach from the scriptures examples of being a good person, not only doing good things.  If we focus our energies on helping them become good people, they will be motivated to always do good things.  "Our children are God's children.  That is their true identity and potential."  So Shaun and I hope to work on teaching Christlike characteristics through the scriptures, and also by our own personal examples.  It's my hope that as we move into this Christmas season, that we can have the Spirit here in our home more, and that the spirit of contention can decrease.  I'm not saying it's always contentious here, but it's more so than I would like.

I love my family.  I love both of my girls and my dear husband, and I pray to be the mother and wife that the Lord would have me be to them.

 My girls can have these really sweet moments together.  This was this morning at breakfast.  They were just chummy, and then they wanted me to take their picture.  So stinkin' cute.

 My Amelia is a cuddle bug.  She let me curl her hair this morning for church.  This was a first so I had to get a photo.  She has the most beautiful hair (in my unbiased opinion of course)

 With her daddy before church.

My beautiful, spirited Ella on her favorite horse before church.  She only would pose for me on her horse, but I'll take it if I can get her to smile pretty like this.