I Miss This

And this.
Sometimes I rewind myself to a year ago and I can almost smell it. [Sigh]. To attempt to make up for it, we are picking our own pumpkins out of a real pumpkin patch. Even if I have to drive an hour. The end.

HOPE

I love this Church. I am so grateful for the power of hope and for the Atonement of Jesus Christ that allows me to experience true hope and joy - even when I face difficult trials.

Cousins

We Miss You

Our Baby is ONE!

I think all mothers go through that little bittersweet moment right before the first birthday where they think back through the past year. Joe and I have started a tradition where we each write Norah (or any child) a letter on each birthday. I know she will enjoy reading them as she gets older. We love our bug!!

September 22, 2008

September 22, 2009

Before I Was a Mom

Before I was a mom,

I never tripped over toys

or forgot words to a lullaby.

I didn't worry whether or not

my plants were poisonous.

I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a mom,

I had never been puked on.

Pooped on. Chewed on. Peed on.

I had complete control of my mind

and my thoughts. I slept all night.

Before I was a mom,

I never held down a screaming child

so doctors could do tests. Or give shots.

I never looked into teary eyes and cried.

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

I never sat up late hours at night

watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a mom,

I never held a sleeping baby just because

I didn't want to put him down.

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces

when i couldn't stop the hurt.

I never knew that something so small

could affect my life so much.

I never knew that I could love someone so much.

I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a mom,

I didn't know the feeling of

having my heart outside my body.

I didn't know how special it could feel

to feed a hungry baby.

I didn't know that bond

between a mother and her child.

I didn't know that something so small

could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a mom,

I had never gotten up in the middle of the night

every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.

I had never known the warmth,

the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment

or the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,

before I was a Mom.

-Author Unknown