Wednesday, September 17, 2008

My Sweet Daughter

Tonight after a really long day of life, I got a reminder of how amazing my daughter is and how much I love my kids. As I was cleaning and gathering things from upstairs to bring down, I overheard Zoe telling Sadie something about being seriously and sad. I paused on the stairs to listen for a moment, something I love to do. Zoe proceeded to talk about how she was singing a song for Grandma Conway in heaven. She very sternly told Sadie it was not funny and that she was seriously(or as we might say serious). Sadie then sang a very loud and goofy version of something like this, " Oh, Grandma Conway died and now she is in heaven." Zoe now tells Sadie ever so calmly, "I'm crying right now and I am seriously." During this brief exchange, I actually never heard the song Zoe said she was singing for my mom. She only kept relaying to Sadie how sad she was and how she wanted to see Grandma Conway. Both girls have been really doing well with my mom's passing and we talk about it often. I think tonight might have been brought on because Zoe took a baby blanket made by my mom to bed. I love my girls and hope that they may grow up with some memories of my mom. My mom loved and adored them and I know she is smiling down on them. I am learning that even with her death, we can still have her be a part of our days, sharing stories and history of her can help my children to know who she was. It's ok to miss her and be sad, but we can rejoice in the knowledge that we can see her again!!!

Monday, September 15, 2008

I Love My Dad




This is a picture of my parents. This picture was taken two years ago tomorrow. We were hiking around Madera Canyon, which is in South Tucson where we lived for about three years. We had such a great day and my parents were so happy to be together. My dad had not seen my mom for almost six months before this trip reunited them. For those of you who may not know, my mom passed away December 1, 2007. She lost her courageous fight with cancer and returned to her Heavenly Father after years of being sick. She had been living with my family in Tucson undergoing chemo while my father remained in Utah working. His work kept him away for months and he had such a hard time being away from her. They were everything to each other, and more to me. My dad is my hero for many reasons, but mostly because he loved a woman for 41 years who battled insecurities, depression, and MANY health problems. He never left her or his children. I have no doubt that many men, even men of God, would have left their families had they gone through the struggles my father did. But he did not complain or blame. My father only loved more and worked harder. I thank my Father in Heaven for my dad and his example.

Life is full of ups and downs. We are going to face challenges in our lives and our character will be tested. My father I'm sure was not always happy to have a sick wife who couldn't be active with him. He wanted to travel around the world, she had a hard time making a trip four hours away from home. He loved the outdoors, she wanted air-conditioning. She passionately loved many sports, he wasn't as excited. He wanted to talk, she didn't. She loved QVC and shopping, he liked to save money. She loved to decorate and he didn't see a need. Their differences did not affect their love for one another. They learned to accept their differences and not try to change the other person.

Life is also full of happy times and laughter. We are supposed to enjoy life and each other. My parents did just that. They loved the Gospel more than anything. They each had and shared powerful testimonies of their Savior. They loved their children, even during many rebellious and difficult years. They respected and honored one another and their eternal covenants. They laughed, cried, prayed, and on occasion even disagreed. But no matter what obstacles they faced, they did it together. The did it together and with faith in Heavenly Father that they would not be given more than they could endure.

In D&C 58:4 it reads, "For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour in not yet, but is nigh at hand."

Their love for one another, their children, and their Savior never wavered. Their life was a not a fairly tale, but their love was. I love my parents so much and express my appreciation for their commitment and strength. I strive to have a marriage built upon a rock, the rock of our Savior. If I can lovingly, graciously, happily, and faithfully endure life's challenges, I too can hope for those eternal blessings and glory.

I am so honored to have a father who taught by example. He never asked of us what he was not already doing himself. His desire to serve the Lord, his wife, his children, and his fellowman, was a great indicator of his value and conviction to do what is right. Thank you dad for loving my mom with all your heart and treating her with respect and kindness. You are a righteous man who loves the Lord and your family more than anything. I love you dad!!!

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Sadie LOVES Babies!


This is Sadie when she was 11 days old. She now talks about having one of these for herself almost every day. Some of you know that I have been unseccessful in staying pregnant recently. As you can imagine, my 3 year old who has literally cried in Wal-Mart because she wanted a baby so bad, is pulling on my heart strings. She told me she wants a baby so bad she could die. And her latest is that we should call the hosptial and get one next week. Cute huh, but almost not when I am trying my best!! Sadie is so soft and loving with little babies and would be a great big sister,(maybe a bit smothering) but she means well. She is praying for a baby in my tummy, in daddy's, in Zoe's, and in her's. So I was thinking maybe Heavenly Father wants David to be the second man to give birth to a baby!!!!