The Work of Salvation

Today was a spiritual feast. Our whole bishopric spoke in sacrament meeting about being content with that which the Lord has blessed you with, about magnifying the power of the Priesthood in our homes and lives through keeping our covenants and the commandments, and paying an honest tithing and generous fast offering with faith. I want so much to follow all of this counsel our ward was given, and be obedient, and I will do it.

Then, tonight, Seth and I watched the worldwide church broadcast, The Work of Salvation. If you haven't watched it yet, you should. It is life changing. It made me want to do more to share the wonderful good news about Jesus Christ, and to pray more fervently for, to look for and to take advantage of opportunities. I felt the great responsibility placed on me, when Pres. Packer said, "The most influential and effective teaching is by mothers in their homes." I want to be a mother who influences her children and husband for good, who prepares them to serve the Lord and to do His work. I know that the first step to teaching is doing. I must work to do the things I want my children to do, to be the kind of person I hope they will be.

When we were just friends, before we started dating, I asked Seth what kind of woman he was looking for. He said, "I want someone who I would want my daughters to be just like." I was interested from that point onward. That was a good answer, and I knew this guy was a keeper. I am so glad that he thinks I am that kind of woman, and I want to do better to be someone he would be proud for his children to emulate.

I know that is such an essential role in the work of salvation. As I watched the broadcast, I saw the throngs of missionaries, and in my minds eye, I saw their mothers. I thought of the swelling pride in their chests for their children that they were sending out into the world to preach the gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. I thought of the tears in their eyes, and their heartfelt prayers for them. I will help those missionaries. I will help the missionaries whose mothers and fathers have entrusted them to the Lord.

And I will prepare myself and my family to serve the Lord in any way that He has for us. I don't know what is ahead, but I know the possibilities and opportunities are great, if I will have the faith to go forward and take them.

John's 10 Months Old! 5-31-13

 Our little boy is 10 months old! So close to 1 year, I can hardly believe it.

John has started crawling the week he turned 10 months. He has taken 8 crawling steps at a time for his biggest stretch. He bounces on his hands and knees a lot, and then he'll take a couple crawling steps, but when he sees something he really wants, he goes to his tummy so fast and army crawls to it as fast as he can, which is pretty fast! I really have to watch him or he'll be across the room in seconds! John army crawls with his left arm and his right leg. His right arm is usually holding something, and he kind of drags his left leg along. He is also getting really good at sitting up all by himself.

John is our little explorer. He loves to play in boxes and laundry baskets. Check out his squishy thighs! He is so cute and pudgy. I just want to squeeze and cuddle and kiss him all day long! So I do.

Bath time is Daddy and John time. John does so well, and is very cooperative in the bath. He like to splash and feel the water. And his hair is getting so long now that it can do some fun styles!

This month, John enjoyed his first parade, and especially loved the marching band music, and a visit with Abuelo John and Abuela Terri, and Tio Trey and Tia Ashley. Earlier in the month, we also visited Seattle to see  Tia Hannah, Tio Michael and John's cousin, James. James was definitely John's favorite. John laughed and smiled every time he saw James, this novel person, a similar size to himself who could smile and talk and walk. John couldn't take his eyes off James. It was so fun to see them play together! Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera on that trip...

When John is sleepy, he puts Bert and Ernie, his favorite fingers on his left hand in his mouth to suck on, and he puts his right hand on top and strokes his lip with his pointer finger. It is adorable.

 John is a READER! He has finally gotten the concept, and he isn't as interested in chewing on books anymore, but he actually sits still, snuggling in my lap, and intently looks at each page and listens! Sometimes he looks back at me to watch me talking; it is so sweet. He even helps me turn the page now, and he knows there is going to be something good on the next page. I am so thrilled!. I am translating the children's books we have into Spanish (by writing the words in with a Sharpe) so Seth can read in English if he wants to, and I can read them in Spanish to John. John loves word books that have 1 picture on each page with the name of the picture. We have one that has a couple photos of children, and he lights up when he sees them like they are old friends. He loves people! He loves babies so much. We have a book that has all pictures of babies, and flaps he can lift up with more pictures of babies. He is so anxious to lift the flaps to see them and is often sad when I turn the page, as if he wasn't done playing with that one.

John loves swinging in our baby swing we recently put up in our back yard.

He has also tried out park swings for the first time and liked that too!

John has really begun responding to clapping. He even tries to clap his hands together, although one of them is always in a fist. He is getting close though!

John's top 4 teeth are coming in strong! They broke through his gums and are getting more and more visible. Next month, you'll probably be able to see them in photos. He does not like it when I try to lift up his top lip to see them though, so I just have to catch glimpses from the right angle. Though he bites everything he can get his hands on, he has thankfully lost interest in biting me. He clenches and grinds his teeth a lot, it sounds like nails on a chalkboard to me. Maybe it makes his teeth feel better; I know they bother him sometimes. 4 at once is quite a lot!

I have to tell you that in the next video, there is a fan going on high that is loud. It was about 85 degrees inside our house, and so John was drenched in sweat whenever I put a shirt on him, so I didn't that day.

John babbles quite often. Each week it seems like he focuses on a different sound. Now he is putting a lot of different sounds together.

Truly, I feel to thank the Lord every day for this sweet boy He has sent to me. John is so loving, and he makes everyone happy. He reaches out to people he has never seen before and lets them hold him, and he always has a smile for them to brighten their day. He doesn't judge people by their age, race, education, size, position, etc. He just loves them, and if they have a smile for him, he always has an even bigger one to return to them. John is teaching me to see people more as the Lord sees them, and to love them as He loves them. John values each person he comes in contact with, and it helps them feel important. 

John's favorite foods are Spinach and Hummus. He loves an assortment of fruits and vegetables, and week to week, it seems like his favorites change, but he is a cooperative eater (most of the time), and will open his mouth for me when he is ready for the next bite. John hates puffs, those little dissolvable cheerio type things for babies. He will pick them up and play with them, but has no desire to eat them, which is fine with me. We'll just keep letting him work on the motor skills by playing with them. 

I am so thankful for this wonderful family I can call my own. We are so happy together. Seth has been studying so diligently for the GMAT for the past few months. It has been busy, and our family time is so precious. We all look forward to that excellent hour and a half from 5:30-7:00 that we all get to spend together before John goes to bed, Seth goes to study, and I go to do some housework and take care of other things. John gets fussiest around 5:00ish. It's as if he is impatient for Daddy to come home. He can hear the sound of the door opening, and he is so alert, intently waiting for Seth to come around the corner. Then when he sees Daddy, he lights up like a firework. He smiles and laughs, and flaps his arms and kicks his legs and says his favorite, and only, word, "Hey!" When Seth picks John up, he continues his antics and hugs and pats his daddy and smiles the biggest smile he can muster, which is pretty big! I am thankful that Seth is such a great father, and that he is so involved. The moment he gets home at 5:30, he clocks in as Husband and Father. John and I are very blessed, and we know it.

Memorial Day 2013 in Palatine

We drove out to Chicago to visit my family for Memorial Day weekend. We took two cars because we were selling one to my parents. That is the longest stretch I have driven since we were married 6 years ago! It was not easy, and it was hard on my muscles, not being able to move my legs around. It took us 9 hours to do a 6.5 hour drive with construction, traffic and baby stops. But we made it! And it was sooo much better than taking a plane alone with John. John was as good as a baby could be, and I was so thankful.

Uncle Trey and Seth

We went to the Palatine Memorial Day Parade to see my sister, Ashley play her clarinet in the marching band. It was Johns first parade! I was a little cold, but we bundled up, and thankfully it didn't rain!

I was really glad to be at the parade and clap for the veterans. It helped me to remember what the holiday is really about, and to be grateful for all who have lived and died so that I can have the wonderful life that I have. On Sunday, my Dad gave a lesson about that, and I really wanted to follow what he said, and make it not "just a day off," but a day to be thankful and to remember.

Grandma Terri and Baby John

John was mesmerized by everything going on, the motorcycles and flags, the firetruck and the band. He was very quiet observing everything, but he wasn't scared at all.

Ashley is in the center of this photo, marching and playing in the band.

John was really happy that someone gave him a flag. He is proud to be an American! And he thinks that freedom tastes pretty nice :)

The first real fire truck that John's ever seen.

Grandma Terri and Grandpa John

John loved the band music!

Ashley did a great job playing! The band sounded wonderful!

Aunt Ashley and Baby John

John was also very excited to see Aunt Ashley, and he loved her hat!

Seriously, these 2 Johns have a special bond. I have never seen my dad so happy before, and John sure loves his Grandpa John.

I just had to include this picture above. It's kind of creepy. I don't know if Uncle Trey was trying to smile, or just be creepy, but Baby John sure thinks he's funny!

Uncle Trey and Baby John

And he likes biting Uncle Trey's nose. He was gentle though.

Grandma Terri, at my request, played my favorite song she plays, "Clair de Lune," by Debussy. It was beautiful as always. Baby John loved it.

I have to say that John sure loves his Grandma too! They are buddies, and he likes to cuddle with her, and laugh too.

Grandpa John and Baby John

When we had to leave, my Dad said they would just have to keep Baby John. They looked about to cry when we drove away. They sure love this little baby, and so do we! He just makes people happy, and feel loved.