Long time...

As I'm sitting here in a quiet house with kiddos tucked into bed (yay! Me time!), I am also thinking about how amazing it is that Heavenly Father knows us so well. While I was in AZ a few months ago doing a training for Let's Play Music, I stayed with my good friend April. It was an especially tough time for me then, and her husband David gave me a Priesthood blessing. The details are too personal and sacred to share, but I will share that I felt an incredible wave of His love and how much He hurts when we hurt and how much He truly does know EXACTLY how we feel. Because of this, He knows EXACTLY how to comfort us and what we need when we need it. Sometimes it seems that we are all alone and that we are stretched to our very limits (or even past them!), but then is when that light, that comfort, that "just enough", comes. When Joseph Smith was in the Sacred Grove, praying to know which of the churches to join and was overcome with a darkness so much so that he was unable to speak, when he was stretched past his limit and he "was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction" (JSH 1:16), "I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of the them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other, This is my Beloved Son. Hear Him!" (JSH 1: 16-17). Joseph was overcome and unable to speak, ready to give up, when the light appeared and he had an incredible experience in which Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ, appeared to him. Now I don't expect to see a vision like that when I am at my limit :), but I DO know that when I am at my limit (or feel that way), He will provide the light that I need in whatever form is best for me, whether it be a scripture I read that day, a friend who stops by, a phone call, an email, or a lucky call of "I'm on my way home early and I can take the kids to school and you can get a nap" from my husband, He will help me because He loves me and because I am precious to Him and He knows what I need. One of my favorite parts of The First Vision is that they called Joseph BY NAME. What a blessing it is to have a Heavenly Father who knows us so well that He calls us by name and comforts us individually, sharing in everything we experience in this life. The Spirit testified to me again through my experience in AZ that He had been there, holding me, crying with me, and comforting me when I thought I was all alone and just couldn't keep going. He knows and loves me and is always there even when I may not think so.  I know that is true and I am grateful for the "stretches" to my limits as they have helped me come closer to my Savior and to striving to become the person He wants me to become. 

Crawling and other news...

Benjamin turned 10 months old this past week (April 3) and the day after, he started crawling! He was so proud of himself. I was sitting down with him and asked him to come to me and he just got right up on all fours and crawled. It was the cutest thing! I can't believe he is crawling. Already I have had to get things off the floor and childproof many things. He is into everything! He often goes after something, turns to me and smiles, then continues to go for it. It's pretty funny.

I am excited for him that he learned this new skill, but it's also been hard on his bedtime and naptime. He wants to move around so much that it's hard to get him to settle down for bed. I put him down and he just rolls over, sits up, looks at me, and smiles. That kid is going to be trouble ;) Before he falls asleep, he gets super silly and starts to giggle---he loves it when I nuzzle him and his little giggle is contagious. We both start to laugh and giggle and go on for a few minutes before he gets really tired and drowsy. It is absolutely adorable!

Benjamin has started clapping and signing "more" when he wants more food or to do something again. He also has started shaking his head "no", although I don't know if he realizes what he's saying yet. The other day, he scooted over to me and said "MaMa" as he pulled up onto my knee. I so wish I could get all of these moments on video! I have gotten a few, but the little stinker doesn't repeat things when I want to get it on video after it happens the first time. Ha ha. Ben has also started reaching for me when he wants me to hold him and has started to crawl towards me as well as pull on my pant leg when he wants me to pick him up. He now has 4 teeth on the top and 3 on the bottom. 7 teeth already?! What?! Stop growing so fast :(

Our little guy is getting so big---he has smiley eyes, loves people, laughs a TON, is into everything, is very curious, loves cords and strings, loves food (his favorites are meatballs, sweet potatoes, pears, peas, yogurt, smoothie, zucchini, chicken, bread, and grapefruit), loves to cuddle, loves his fuzzy blankets, and is an all-around happy baby. He brings such joy to our lives and I look forward to seeing his cute little face every morning when he wakes up and smiles at me. He melts my heart and I love him so much. I never imagined I could love a little person as much as I do this little guy. It's crazy to think he has only been with us for 10 months---I can't imagine my life without him!