Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Life Lately

Oh hey there, long time no blog!

I have had lots of choice moments the last few months and I truly feel myself stretching and growing in ways I didn't think possible. OH how our little Camden keeps me busy! I guess it is time for a bit of an update...

Being a Mom is definitely the hardest most challenging thing I have ever done in my life....but oh so worth all the sweet hugs from those tiny arms around your neck and kisses from those sweet little lips. There is a place in my heart that has been filled that I didn't know was empty. My love and joy overflows daily for being blessed to raise such a sweet and valiant spirit. I know that our Heavenly Father loves us so deeply because of how much I love Camden. Heavenly Father's plan of happiness for us is so perfect. 

Our trip to DC really made me ponder how extremely blessed we are to live in the country that we do, to have the loving family that we do and of course the ultimate knowledge of the gospel and God's plan for us. Out of all the knowledge in the world we are equipped with the most vital and important knowledge of what we need to do to get back to our Heavenly Father.  
 
We are so so blessed and have little to be down about. I've been thinking lately how what I think are my worst days are most likely someone's version of the very best day. I need to be more aware of that and live with gratefulness every day for the wonderful blessings that are mine.  
 
I heard a quote the other day that says, "Abundance is not what we acquire, it is what we tune in to." So good huh?! & another one was...."Gratefulness turns what we have into enough!" Love it! They have become my new personal mantras. 
 
We heard a story at the Holocaust museum about this Jewish woman who was finally liberated from the death camp she was imprisoned in and a English solider asked if he could get her anything. She asked for warm socks and a bag of sugar. He brought them to her and the socks were falling off her bean pole legs (she only weighed 70 lbs) and she downed the whole bag of sugar all at once. Out of all the horrific and awe inspiring stories I heard I started crying after this one because of how she had been so stripped of her humanity and not even allowed warm socks and sugar....not even allowed these simple mundane everyday pleasures that we don't even think twice about!  
 
It gives me a lot of strength thinking about the survivors of the Holocuast....how they made it through such hard times that were so unjustly thrown at them. They endured and came out stronger for it. My trials are nothing like there's but I have hope that I can endure mine because of all that they triumphed through. If they can survive what they went through surely I can survive my trials. 
 
President Eisenhower visited some of the Holocaust remains after the war and said, "The things I saw beggar description...The visual evidence and the verbal testimony of starvation, cruelty and bestiality were...overpowering...I made the visit deliberately in order to be in a position to give first-hand evidence of these things if ever, in the future, there develops a tendency to charge these allegations merely to 'propaganda.'"  
 
It was amazing all the emotions we felt in visiting the Holocaust museum. We felt anger, disgust, compassion, helplessness, and resolve. I am still haunted by it but it is good to remember the past so that we learn from it! 

I've really been learning to lean more of the Lord even more now that Scott has been traveling more. He has spent time in China and Honduras....traveling for a week long period out of every month. It is such a comfort that we are never alone & that we have full access to the infinite atonement! If we just really take the time to pay attention and stay intune with the spirit we can feel of the Lord's literal presence at all times. 
 
Short story...When Camden was a few months old we were driving somewhere in our car....Scott was in the front seat, I was in the passenger's seat and Camden was in the back in his rear facing infant car seat. Scott got out of the car to get gas. Camden started to cry! The car was stopped and he couldn't see us. He thought he was all alone....but I was right there. I was always there. I was just behind him! It occured to me that that is how God feels about us sometimes! He is ALWAYS there for us we just have to tune in! 

{I am also so so thankful for the countless friends we have made while living in North Carolina who have lightened my load and shown me what true friends do. I couldn't have gotten through some of these weeks without them!} 
 
Camden is turning into such a big boy with a big personality. He is almost 17 months now and is the smartest little thing and such a crack up. Scott and I were saying the other night how, as busy as he is we miss him after we put him to sleep....It makes it all the more exciting for a new day to spend with our little sunshine! More Camden stories and updates to come...

Scott hasn't had to travel much in Oct or Nov so far. It is so nice to have him home during this beautiful time of year! :) So looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas time to spend time with family and have a few weeks off to celebrate! 

1 comment:

Summer Naylor said...

Thanks for some good reminders, and I snagged those quotes. I have been thinking about some of the same things lately as I try to appreciate what we do have and not spend all my time dreaming about what we could have once Brian finishes school. There is always plenty to be thankful for if we just choose to see it. Camden is adorable... I'm sure he and Thomas would have fun together!