Being a Mother

Posted by Chandra May 30, 2016

Being a Mother

I've started to have this irrational emotional breakdown regarding my children growing older. The thought had seriously never occurred to me-that I could work super hard to get my children through school, off on missions, and then off to college, never to return home again! How sad and depressing! My daily goals are to keep my chicks safe and warm under my wing, in my cozy nest. A nest in which I try diligently to keep happy, clean, spiritually strong and filled with unending adventures. I want them to live next door forever! Now that Parker is out of school and is home with me each day, the missing puzzle piece is found! He's my little buddy and partner in crime and I am so glad he's a part of our family! It makes me wonder what other children of ours are still up in heaven waiting to join our clan! But what will I do when Parker leaves.... for good? I sincerely laud his independence and accomplishments. I anticipate with excitement his future endeavors. But to REALLY sit down and attempt to feel what that time will be like for me.. in my heart.... I just can't handle it. Stay close, little ones. There will ALWAYS be a place for you at the table. The most common living situation for people ages 18-34 is living with their parents. I am OK with this statistic. In fact, I will plan accordingly for this inevitable circumstance. Bring it on. Bring on the in-laws and grandchildren. Fill every crevass of this home with laughter and light and messes and mistakes and forgiveness and love. Bring. It. On!!!!!

After expressing these tender emotions to Tanner the other day, I asked him to take some pictures of me with the children- just being us. In the moment. Before we could get started Ray climbed into the hot tub in her church dress. Silly girl. My little Ray of sunshine.

Cutest little shoe bandit!

They love to play back there in the corner and get all muddy and dirty. Usually I just let them because what's a childhood without a little dirt. But not on picture day!!!! ha ha

Ray's favorite games: Airplane, choo choo train, and Fee Fie Foe Fum (or, "Foe Fum, as she calls it- which is basically hide-and-go-seek)

Talking about MineCraft, or Lego Star Wars, or Pokemon, or EvenTube, or Dan TDM, or his new favorite: Would You Rather? We play in the car all the time and my favorite response to date was: Would you rather live in the desert for a year or antarctica for a year? I said the desert: I picture Zion or Moab, camping and hiking, warmth and stars. He completely disagreed. In the desert he imagines snakes and scorpions. No, he'd rather live in Antarctica with, "all the cuddly penguins" and the ability to "build as many snowmen as I want." Maybe we should send him to Idaho next February and see if he changes his mind!

Parker brought me some flowers. He's always so thoughtful, sharing with me his many treasures. But Rayleigh wanted to share too so she brought me a handful of dirt. Awwwww