Perfect Moments--Tender Mercies

I was going to write about how this last weekend both Friday and Saturday were the kind of days that I always hoped I would have when I grew-up. They were awesome. However, as I had to let the post sit for a couple of days I got to thinking about how not even those two days of my life were perfect, but in almost everyday if I look hard enough there is a perfect moment. There is a moment, short or long, that is just perfect. Sometimes that perfection is after the kids have fallen asleep and we move them into there bed and I get to see those two peaceful slumbering daughters of God and revel that they are mine. I will be honest I don't often think about that all day because they are usually wanting something, giggling, laughing, running around, or whatever but in the peaceful moment right before I turn in for the night I get to see how truly blessed I really am.

Anyway, I don't have have perfect days. I do have moments were I feel like things are just what I had hoped. I have really seen them this last week and want to share them with you.

On Gaupo's birthday, I was going for wife of the year award. I made chicken fried steak, fries, texas sheet cake, and steamed vegetables. However, I didn't know exactly when Gaupo was going to be home and it turned out later than expected, so everything was over done. I didn't think the sheet cake was that great. Gaupo liked it, but for me it was just okay. However, when Gaupo did get home we gathered around the table and we ate this dinner I prepared. That is when the moment began. I was perturbed because the food wasn't what I had hoped for, but you know I married a really awesome man and he thought it was the best and told me so. He even ate leftovers of it even though the fries were SUPER crunchy and dry. He loved his cake and even let me put matches in it for candles. I forgot to buy candles. Anyway, another great moment happened there after and that was that Gaupo's girls could no longer wait to have him open his presents. For me, it is so great when my kids catch my enthusiasm and excitement for a holiday, birthday, or whatever. So, it was so fun to watch them beg their dad to open his presents, to sing him happy birthday, and just have their eyes shine with love for their dad. Kylee was also so super. She really, really thought he needed chocolate milk on his birthday. I couldn't help her with it because I had to go take Tia to OT. So, I poured the milk and chocolate in the cup and told her to stir it up. Well she was so pleased. She stirred it good and then apparently went and got Gaupo, so he could put it in the fridge for her because she was really afraid it would get warm. She was so sweet it was so cute.

Our wonderful Guapo!

Tia, Kylee, Daddy being silly.

Present Time.

Another just oh so perfect moment was the afternoon of my birthday. To be honest my actual birthday was really rough. So, I wasn't having a great day. I had gotten the kids down for a nap and was going to lay down myself, because I was have a grumpy day and needed a restart. Well, just about the time I got to laying down I hear little kid knocks on my door. I open up and there is my friend Bethany Blaine with her kids Jensen and Calvin and their cousin Jacob. She gave me a present and then asked if the kids were in bed. I said yes, and she said oh, these guys were hoping to play. Then she needed to use the bathroom really quick and so while she was doing that I made the choice to ask the boys if they could play quietly. They of course said they could, so they came in. Then when Bethany got out she sat and talked with me for about an hour and a half. I don't know if she really had time to do that, but you know what it was so what I needed. It really changed the whole rest of the afternoon and evening. I have kind of had a hard time finding like really good friends like that, so it was so perfect for her to just drop in and take me as I was and lift me up. It was so awesome. I was so grateful to have a friend come over. It was so perfect to just chat with a friend while the kids played.

Tia, Me, and Kylee with my Birthday cake!

Friday was another dream moment. So, I have always wanted to be a cool Mom, but I also have rules and expect my kids and their friends to follow those rules, so I wasn't sure that my kid friends would ever really want to be at my house or think doing things with us was cool. Well on Friday, I picked up Ryker Atkinson and Kylee from preschool and decided to take all the kids to Flander's Park which boarders Macintosh Lake. Well, we got out and the kids played at the park for awhile. Kylee was really pretty tired because she woke up super early, so she was kind of not being very fun, but I made her stick it out anyway because everyone else was. Then after they played for a long time, I could kind of tell the park was kind of done, so I asked the kids if they wanted to go home or go down to the lake for a minute. They of course agreed to go to the lake. So, we went down and put our feet in the water. I loved that even though the water was gross, it didn't stop me from playing in it. Although, it really did gross me out when the kids sucked on their hands. Oh well. Anyway, I was so pleased that my kiddos didn't mind feeling the mud on their feet and had fun exploring. I loved (well sort of) how the kids were so fascinated by the dead fish body that was all dried out on the shore. They were so great, but eventually we had to head home and that is when it was really great. So, we were driving home and here I am driving my minivan with my kids and their friends in it. They are laughing and talking about things really only they get. They are laughing and being silly and filling my car with joy. So, there I was the mom that these kids wanted to be with. True they wanted to be with their friends, but they still wanted that even if they had to be nice and play with everyone. It was just so golden, my kids and their friends enjoying being together and not caring that I was there. It was so great.

Kylee, Ryker, Tia, Tori.

Kylee in the lake.

Tia in the lake.

Saturday was a pretty awesome day. I can't quite call it a perfect day, because I got way to huffy at my kids and hubby when when we were trying to do yard work. I felt like Gaupo had stranded me with the kids and that I was the sole person responsible for teaching them that they needed to work even if they didn't like it. Tia kept wandering away into the garage which didn't help matters, and so I just didn't handle the situation all that great. However, I got myself pulled back together and we slowed down and had family scriptures and prayers. So, when we had to go finish I was much more who I wanted to be. However, after we were done with chores we loaded up the bikes in the van and went to Rogers Grove. The best part was I didn't even have beg my family to go out and adventure--they wanted to. Gaupo was more than happy to load up the bikes. I don't even think he was really ready to leave when we left. We had a great time. We were out there for a good hour. The girls and I did play in the river for a little bit, of that time, but that was totally awesome. Gaupo was so okay with going and doing his thing for a bit and my girls were pleased as punch to hangout with me in the river. They didn't complain that it was cold. They loved seeing the moving water and the different stones. They chatted and tried new things it was AWESOME!! Kylee didn't want to do the last little bit we did, but she still did it and did awesome. We loaded up and came home.

Gaupo, Kylee, and Tia. This isn't from Roger's Grove, but from the ride my family humored me with when we celebrated my birthday.

Kylee and Tia jumping with the sprinklers on.

Gaupo getting the potatoes started.

After lunch and naps we went grocery shopping. We took the kids in the bike trailer to do that. It was so great. It was made even better by the fact that Gaupo wanted to do it and it was actually his idea. Then when we got home we made dutch oven potatoes, and cherry cobbler while the girls jumped in the sprinklers on the trap. Once again my whole family outside without me having to beg them to go out. Then we finished of the night with Moana. It was a good movie and I loved the movie nights we had as a family for awhile as I grew up and, so I love that after a day of activity we could relax with a movie together. It was so great.

I think our lives are filled with these perfect moments and what they really are, are tender mercies. They are the Lord showing us that yes we can do this. Showing us that even though we sometimes get upset or aren't the nicest He is still there looking out for us. I think He loves sharing his joy with us, and His joy comes from His children. Heavenly Father knew the desires of my heart. He knows I really do want to be great Mom, and wife. He know that I want my children to grow-up and appreciate the wonderful world He created for us. He knows that I want my kids to know how to work. Because he knows these things, He allows me to see moments of when things turn out right. It doesn't mean it all turned out right, just a few thing. Just enough to motivate me to keep going and keep trying that it will be worth it. My kids and husband are worth my time, love, energy, and fun. People say life isn't perfect and its not, but there is defiantly joy in the journey.