The grass isn't always greener

I remember when I first moved to Tennessee and I went to an enrichment night at our ward. We were having a discussion about life and I remember one lady saying that she had three kids and no time to get anything done. She went on about it for a couple of minutes and after she was done I raised my hand and said that the grass isn't always greener on the other side because at that time I had a six month old baby, my husband was in his first year of law school, and I had no car! I remember being so bored, and thinking that I can only clean the house so much. That time of my life was hard, but I made it through, and now I am saying to myself, "What did I do with all my time when I only had one kid?" I can now empathize with that lady at enrichment and know that three kids does keep you busy! WOW! I am now facing new challenges (and being bored is not one of them). Adjusting to more kids is tough, but times like these I try to think of someone like Emma Smith. Now that lady had trials. She went through things that I cannot even imagine, but she stayed faithful, and she made it through. I know that life is not going to be perfect and as Elder M. Russell Ballard said speaking of mothers who stay home with their children, "There are moments of great joy and incredible fulfillment, but there are also moments of a sense of inadequacy, monotony, and frustration." I totally agree with this. I really love being a mom, and I pray that I can just take it one day at a time and live for the times of great joy and incredible fulfillment.

Pictures at the park

My friend Becca and I went to the park the other night to take pictures of the kids. Here are a few of my favorites. Okay so the one of Parker isn't at the park, but I thought it was cute!

New Updates

My mom and dad came out to visit when Parker was born and it was soo fun to have them here. My dad is a busy body and can't stand to just sit around, so while I was in the hospital they decided to redo my bathroom! It was the only room in the house that hadn't been redone before we moved in and they gave it a major face lift. I absolutely love it too! They did a great job. I love my family so much and I am so grateful that they were here to help with everything after the baby. My mom was here for ten days and I don't know what I would have done without her. She is an amazing person and is the best example to me. The kids loved playing with her everyday and she even introduced them to water painting. (This is where they paint with water on the sidewalk, it is great fun and no mess! Thanks mom!) I was so sad when she had to leave. I miss her dearly and I am so grateful for cell phones so I can talk to her everyday! I hope that I can one day become the kind of mother she is because she really is wonderful. I had to include picts of the bathroom and the shelf in the kitchen to show off my parents masterful decorating talents, and of course a picture of my cute mom with the kids!

Happy 30th Birthday Doug!!!!

So this is only two weeks late, but I have been a little preoccupied and am just now getting around to wishing my Hubby a happy 30Th birthday. I even got around to making his favorite strawberry pie for him. I wanted to write this post to remind myself just how blessed I am to have a husband like Doug. To say the least he is absolutely wonderful. I could not have hand picked a better husband and father if I tried. He is a very busy man with his job and faithfully serving in his calling, but he always makes time for the important things, like our little family. I was telling a friend once that it is not so much quantity time we have with him,but we make sure it is quality time.
He is always so good to me, and I just might vote him as worlds greatest listener, a trait that I wish I was better at. He is always there when I need him the most, and I know he would do anything for me at anytime. He is just so good. He loves people so much and he is always giving of himself in one way or another. It is interesting to be in the background as the Bishop's wife because so often someone will come up to me and thank Doug for helping them and I don't even know what he has done,but I never doubt that he has done something to help. That is just how he is. He is also a wonderful Dad. There have been times that I have seen him come home at night and get so sad because I have already put the kids to bed. He gets so much joy being with the kids in the yard and wrestling and playing with them. He even pretends that he is the prince when Brielle wants to play princess.
I love this man more that anything in the world. I am so grateful for him and all he does for me. I am a lucky woman that I get to spend eternity with the handsome man I love. Happy Birthday sweetheart, I love you!

A day in the life of three kids!

So, I decided that everyone I ever talked to was right. Three kids is a bigger adjustment than two. It is not so much that it is so hard, it is just that your attention has to be split three different ways and they all seem to need your attention at the same time! I absolutely love having our little baby Parker around though. Besides the lack of sleep we are doing really well. Parker just gets bigger everyday and is such a good baby. His only flaw is that he sleeps most of the day and is awake a lot at night. But he rarely cries and is pretty easy going. The other two kids really love him too.

I was worried about Benson's adjustment but he is doing fantastic. He loves Parker so much and is always petting his head and giving him kisses. Brielle is having a little bit harder adjustment, but she loves Parker too and asks me constantly if she can hold him, kiss him, and babysit him.
I know the next few weeks will be a test to get my bearings, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I love these three kids more than anything and I feel like I am the richest woman alive. This is what we as women were born to do. To be mothers. And I wouldnt have it any other way.

Introducing Parker Dee Rose

6 lbs, 14 oz; 20 inches long; 1 lb of thick black hair (to spite his poor father); one healthy mom; one happy, quite baby; and one giant, humbling blessing!