pioneer day

secret, not really a secret: I love parties. spur of the moment, Jenna and I planned a little barbeque for the 24th. Amelia spent the afternoon mowing the lawn. As soon as dad got home, we started cleaning and getting the pool ready.

 

Gosh, I love these two.
PS. Bosten only looks way bigger than Amelia because he's in a taller chair.

 

We watched our babes swim, cooked burgers on the grill, ate, laughed, played.

So happy to have Colten and Jenna as friends, and that our babes are so close in age. 

Only kinda sad we didn't get a picture of all 6 of us.
Thanks Fry Family for a perfect night. :)

Motherhood has been good to me. I have been feeling so blessed for my baby, so blessed that she chose us to be her parents. I spend most of my free time looking through her pictures from the last 14 months, unable to fathom how she has grown so quickly. Was she always this loud, curious, full of personality? Was she always this sweet? This helpful?

Gosh, she's learning so much and so quickly. She understands cause and effect. She understands "uh oh!" as a warning, and "just a minute!" when I need her to wait. She shows you her moves when she hears music. She smiles and waves often. Sometimes I just squeeze her; I love her so much I can hardly contain it.

I believe that Heavenly Father teaches us and guides us in subtle ways. And though we may feel heartache, we are able to learn important lessons, such as patience. I am grateful that I have my sweet baby to hold and to love and to nurture. I am grateful that we both have healthy bodies and I can continue to breastfeed for as long as we choose. I am grateful for my husband, who receives revelations for our family. In general, I just feel blessed for my knowledge of the gospel and understanding that Heavenly Father loves me.

Motherhood has been so good to me.

girl's camp 2013

As a convert to the LDS church, I've been grateful for my primary callings. I'm grateful to learn these foundations and principles of the gospel as I "teach" the class. However, ever since Amelia came into the pictures, I've been more concerned about her teenage years, when she's a young woman, when she is in a crucial, life-defining stage of her life and will need role models to strengthen her testimony.

 

God listened.

 

At the beginning of July, the stake young women's president called and asked me to be the stake camp nurse at girl's camp, the following week. The stars aligned, and I didn't have to work any of those nights, and we had willing babysitters. I was so excited for this amazing experience.

 

 

stake leaders' campsite

girls from the 10th ward, delivering truffula tree cupcakes.

 

um, tell me these aren't the cutest things ever?

The stake activity "the amazing race," where all the girls were running back and forth, ready to WIN (they got gold vs. silver vs. bronze painted oreo cookies. Intense right?) It was during this time I got patient after patient... oh you know, no big deal, I just assessed and wrapped a sprain arm, gave some pills, pulled out a tick, performed a neuro exam on a girl who fell on her head. Honestly, so happy I got to meet these darling girls in my stake one by one.

Also, I spend my downtime hanging out with the girls in my ward. Gosh, aren't they all so intelligent and beautiful? These girls have such strong, genuine, bursting testimonies and are so happy and willing to share; they made my whole experience at girl's camp! Proud to say I know all their names, and thrilled that they all wave hello at church, and offer to be babysitters for my baby. PS. They all tried to guess my age... averaging around 27. Hilarious, right?

4th ward, tie-dyed shirts!

pouring pouring rain at the end of the second night. 10th ward leaders made scones and had hot chocolate ready for all of us. I think I ate three scones. (don't judge me.)

 

 



We moved camp to the stake center a day early due to the rain, and flooded tents and wet clothes. The girls from my ward had their tents flooded and they missed out on their zip-lining activity, but they kept the most positive attitude. It makes me cry just thinking about it!

So grateful for the devotionals at camp, by both the stake leaders and the girls. So grateful to have met all the different wards in my stake. So grateful to learn about personal progress, and to start progressing toward these goals with the young women. So grateful for the conversations on motherhood and our gospel and how it all intertwines. So grateful to know that my Heavenly Father knows me individually and has tailored a life map just for me.

Gosh, how lucky am I to have found home.

happy birthday america!

 

 

 

I love Independence Day for what it represents: our right to speak, our right to worship as we please, our right to bear arms (Jeremy would say that that is debatable...) I so feel blessed for my freedom and agency. This fourth of July, I started with the Beat the Heat Half Marathon (#7). We joined with rest of the Bodtchers at the Murray Parade, where Amelia tried to pick up and eat parade candy, stole other people's seats, waved her tiny flag, met a fireman, stared her baby cousin Kohen down, clapped, and was an all-around ham! After brunch at the Bodtchers, we all had a nice nap before venturing to the Riverton fireworks. We were right in front of the fire station, so Amelia got to see the fire truck and sirens firsthand. Our busy-body enjoyed the fireworks every so often, but mostly crawled back and forth between grandparents.

 

PS. While we were laying in the dark together, Jeremy leaned in and whispered to me, "You get fireworks every year on our engagement anniversary. How well did I plan THAT?" Yup, that's my man, always planning... Geez, I can't believe it's been a whole three years! I'm so grateful for how blessed I am.