Easter

I can't believe how long it takes me to update my blog! I have every intention of updating it every day, or at least every other day, but then life takes over and I collapse at night without a single drop of energy left to type. I know you moms out there understand what I mean. Anyway, I really am going to try to update this more often.

Things that made me laugh in the last few weeks:

~ When I ask Hailey if she needs to go potty, she says "No, I'm just dancing for normal."

~ Sarah calls cashews "seashoes".

~ They both call their back packs their "pack-packs".

~ Sarah trying to crawl into the computer to hug my family while on Skype.

~ Sarah feeding her bunny-bear (aka, Baby) everything she eats.

There are many, many more which of course I will think of as soon as I publish this post. I am so thankful that I have two beautiful, funny little girls with wonderful imaginations. Here is a picture of them playing peek-a-boo with the easter eggs they found at church:

They were too cute in their dresses. Here's a picture of them at church with their daddy, and then one with mommy:

We had a great Easter, but I have to admit that I was having somewhat of a rough day. I was really, really missing my family a lot. It was the first Easter that I have been away from them, and the first one without my Grandma Peggy and her world famous potato salad. (Well, Gig Harbor famous anyway.) It was also the first Easter where I did everything for my own little family; from the filling of the Easter baskets, to cooking our Easter meal, etc. Don't get me wrong, I loved seeing my family so happy. It was just...weird. Weird that I was "Mom", the one in charge of making the day special. I'm so used to going over to my parents house and being with our large family, where everyone brings something to share and we all sit down and eat together. Where my mom is the one in charge of the meal, making sure the table is set just right, that everyone has what they need to make their day special. I gained such a new respect and such a longing for my mom that day, realizing what she goes through every holiday.

There are times when it hits me that I am a mom in charge of raising these two precious children that I have been blessed with. You would think that this would have hit me a while ago given the fact that Hailey is almost five years old...smile. But, I think I was so busy in the early "baby days" that I didn't really have time to stop and think about it. It's really been hitting me lately that I have such an incredible responsibility. Do any of you moms ever feel this way? I am so honored to have this responsibility, but it's also a wee bit scary sometimes. Here are some scriptures that have been meditating on lately:

"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall." - Psalm 55:22

"If you make the Most High your dwelling - even the Lord, who is my refuge - then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." - Psalm 91:9-12

"I lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." - Psalm 121:1-2

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." - Prov. 22:6

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal." - Isaiah 26:3-4

The Lord says in Isaiah 55 that his thoughts are higher than our thoughts, and his ways higher than our ways. He also promises that his word will not return to him void, but will accomplish what he desires, and achieve the purpose for which he sent it. Whenever I start to feel the weight of the responsibility of motherhood, I sit back and remember that the Lord is in control. He knew my children before they were born, he formed them, and he will take care of them. Sure, it's my job to raise them in the ways of the Lord, provide for them, be there for them. But ultimately, I must give the weight of my "job" over to the Lord. Otherwise, it will crush me. The Lord will give us everything we need to be the mothers he has called us to be. As long as we rest in the shadow of the Almighty, we'll be ok.