I have so much in my mind I want to capture about life right now.

The little things like how good it feels to be back on a schedule as a family.

Or how Max and I are totally caught up with our challenge to read the Book of Mormon by October 10th. (Dave and Elle are lagging just a teeny bit, but I’m sure they’ll catch up too…they’re on it.)

I want to remember how Claire comes home from school, face flushed bright red from the heat…and she radiates not only that heat but complete excitement from school and how much she loves it.

And how amazing it feels to have a light at the end of the tunnel on my home organization stuff.

I love that we’ve started having our lunch dates again, and how Claire told me approximately 36 times that I was the best mom in the world when I took her out, and how I really hope that next time she’ll choose something other than McDonalds (I am NOT a McDonalds fan).

I want to forget how I was a horrible mom last week and took my kids to the Mall for Family Home Evening while Dave was out of town (Max has been in desperate need for something to clothe his ever-growing body and we never seem to be able to squeeze in a moment to remedy that). I had thought, mistakenly, that it would be a fun, serendipitous adventure but I quickly re-thought my brilliant idea when everyone was fighting in the car on the way and clinging to me crying while trying to check out at nearly 9:00 on a school night. Yeah, not a highlight of my mothering career.

And while we’re on the topic of “great motherhood,” I was so sad last week after I sent both Grace and Claire out to school crying because they were in trouble about something or another. I hate when that happens.

But back to the good stuff…I love how Lucy calls ponytails “pretty-tails” and I love the way she described the cactus outside our car window the other day as “gorgeous.”
I loved the feeling in the room when my nephew opened his mission call last week (he’s going to Argentina…we’re SO excited for him!).

I want to remember how Grace lamented to me how sad she was that Elle was moving out of Primary when she turned twelve because she will miss how they make funny faces at each other during singing time. And I want to remember the slow, knowing smile that spread across Elle’s face when I told her about that.

I love how Max glowed after his first couple days of volleyball and how Grace and Claire have started a new gymnastics class they are head over heels in love with…and how Claire calls the warm-ups “air conditioning” instead of “conditioning.” And how Grace and my eyes meet, twinkling, when we hear her say it.

Yes, there are so many little things that make the fabric of life so rich and rewarding. If I can only hold on to them in my brain that sometimes feels like a sieve. Even though they seem so be such little things, to me they are priceless.

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16 Comments

  1. hi shawni,

    i just drop by your nice blog & find out that we have the same idea of header, but i think yours is better.

    i have a passion on photograaphy too, but i'm a newbie.
    i really enjoy your photographs, it's so nature & bright.

    i have some difficulty when facing sunlight, i see some of your photo is facing sunlight brightly..

    maybe someday you could share your knowledge to me, i really appreciated.

    xo,
    zethra

    http://www.zethrasyam.blogspot.com

  2. That was a sweet thing to read over breakfast, on a beautiful morning. 🙂

    I love hearing the cute things your kids say and do, but especially smiled at Lucy describing the cactus as "gorgeous." How cute is that?!

    It really is the little things. Every day I realize with more intensity and gratitude that the little moments with my family are what I want to remember most. And yes, my brain is also a sieve. Isn't it wonderful to have blogs, photos, and journals to record it all. I think perfect recall will be a joyous feature of a ressurected body. Well, mostly joyous. 😉

  3. I love posts like this. It makes me stop and think about all the little things like that in my own life. Thanks for the reminder of where I should be focusing.

  4. I just found your blog about a month ago. I love how your words are the thoughts floating around from my heart on the subject of motherhood. Really lovely.

  5. This is one of those journaling type posts that I think are so beautiful. These are the things we want to remember later. And, I appreciate that you admitted and shared the things you'd like to forget. We all have those days and it's nice to know that we're not alone in it!

    It's also nice when the remembers outweigh the forgets!

  6. i'm not sure how i came across your blog but i've been browsing through your archives for the past hour or so. your family and photos and writing are so beautiful. i'm in awe at your travels and your photography. i hope you don't mind a stranger popping in to follow your happenings. ps i'm not a crazy weirdo, just a fellow mom from SLC 😉

  7. Your posts make me love being a mother – consistently. Thank you for sharing so much of yourself and your family. I am a better person for stopping in every day.

  8. I actually came to your blog from the 6th St. Design feature. I love blogs about decor but am super thrilled when I come across a blog about Motherhood and everyday life. Especially, when it's a blog from a Mom who journals about the good, the bad and the ugly – (and of course when it's a blog from another LDS mom. I appreciated reading through all your honest posts. I felt myself relating on many occasions, especially with sending your kids off to school- crying. That happens quite frequently in my home as my girls are not the best of friends in the early morning. I hate it when I find myself yelling and making threats to get them out of their grumpy moods. 🙂 Anyway, as I read through your blog I instantly became a Lucy fan. Every photo that you post of her just warms and melts my heart. I can see how you want to gobble her up each and every day.

    Thanks for putting it all out there and being so open and honest. I am off to add your blog to my blog roll.

    Ps. I too am going through that "this is my last baby". If only I were younger. 🙁

  9. I don't know you, but happened upon your blog from Kirsten's at 6th Street Design School. Love your cute little family. Thanks for the candid peek into your home. I also love the name of your blog. The other night as I bathed my three little ones I said "Hey guys! Did you know we have 50 toes in our house?!" We all laughed. 🙂

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