Family

Ever since I was little, I've always wanted to be a mom. Crazy I know :), .....but it's true. Most of my friends had all these great aspirations that they wanted to obtain, and yet w/ me the thought always remained, ...'I just want to be a mom," plain & simple.

Growing up, family was always very important to me... (it still very much is). It seams we did everything together. Whether it was going to visit our grandparents in southern Utah, going to the park for our family get-together's, going to some sporting event we were involved in, or our annual family reunions, and so on and so on. I could go on forever. But no matter what it was, family was always top priority. (okay...that & sports :).

Anyway, for as long as I can remember my parents were always actively involved in our lives. From chauffeuring me to & from work, (keeping the books and doing the scoreboard ,for the rec-center games {basketball, softball, baseball}, before I got my license); to & from practices . Taking me to Softball clinics. Practicing pitching with me in the backyard. To cheering me on at my softball & basketball games; to my little sister's tennis matches; and to my 3 brothers wrestling matches and football & baseball games.

To be honest I don't know how my parents did it!!! That wasn't even including, taking us to our friends houses, to dr./dentist apointments, to the store, etc., etc. I'm surprised they didn't lose their sanity. (Although a couple of times we did question it :).

But with all that craziness going on, my parents made sure that we knew how important each one of us was to them. That they were there for us no matter what. That we could go to them with any problem, with any question, with any heartache and they would do their best to help fix it, or help us to get through it. That's the type of parents I had (still have) and that's the type of parent I've always wanted to be.

Mom & dad if you ever read this, I just want to say thank you for everything!!!. For always being there for me, for always believing in me when I didn't believe in myself, for your constant encouragement, your strength, your love, your example. You have lifted me up more times than I can count. I want you to know how much you mean to me. I love you very much!
---
I myself have been blessed to be able to be a stay at home mom to 3 beautiful children...1 girl & 2 boys. Even though some days I'm ready to pull my hair out :) and question my sanity :), I love being able to be at home with my kids. To watch them grow and develop their own unique individual personalities. To watch them grasp new concepts with such innocent amazement. To watch their whole faces light up with pure joy, when something makes them happy.

But especially, for those special moments, amidst all the chaos, when you're asking yourself what else can go wrong?... When without warning those same beautiful children who created that chaos :), come up to you and give you that special hug, or that little peck on the cheek, and they wrap their little arms trustingly around your neck and just melt into your arms....and in that split second everything else just fades away, and you know without a shadow of a doubt that it's worth it.

I don't know if my kids will ever get to read this, but if they do, I want them to know how very much I love them. My life is full, because I have them in it. I feel so inadequate at times, when I think of what a huge responsibility I have in helping to shape the kind of people they will be. I know I'm far from being the best mom in the world, but I want my kids to know that I will always love them, I will always be there for them. I'll always be their #1 fan. Whether they want to play sports, play an instrument,...heck play chess, :) I don't care. I will love them no matter what.

When I got married to my husband, I thought I knew what love was. It felt like my heart was bursting at the seams. I was so happy! Then when my daughter came, and I held her for the first time, I was so overwhelmed with how much love I had for her. I couldn't believe how much I could love someone I literally saw for the first time. I was so afraid, when my second one came, that I wouldn't be able to love him as much as my daughtert. (I know, sounds stupid.) But it couldn't have been farther from the truth. I felt the same with both of my boys. With each additional child, the love just got deeper & deeper. (If that makes any sense.)
I want my husband & kids to know how very much I love them!!!

I want my entire family to know how much I love them as well!!!