A Tribute of a Mother to Her Firstborn

Love is a word that is often thrown around in a variety of contexts. Love is discussed in movies, books, diaries, on television and within the confines of a romantic relationship. Since becoming a mother over twelve years ago, I have discovered a love that is unconditional, uncompromising, unpredictable and admittingly frustrating at times. A love a mother has for her child is unique, completely unexpected, and stronger than I ever thought possible. It is a love that has no boundaries, limitations or expectations.

At times, the love I have for my children can be fraught with insecurities, frustrations and feelings of helplessness. Daily, I ask myself if I am doing everything right; I seek validation and encouragement. However, my love is constantly present even when I'm making dinner for my family, as I'm helping them with homework, when I'm tucking them into bed at night -- the list is virtually endless.

There are no boundaries or limitations to the love I have for my children. My love comes from a desire to provide the best possible life for my children. I never want them to suffer pain, go hungry, be rejected or see the harsh and dreadful realities that all too often comprise the human experience. But part of love is the ability to let go. As a parent I have to let them fall so that they can learn to walk, let them cry so that they learn to self-soothe, and be left alone to think and feel on their own. To love is not to ensnare but to set free.

Spencer, my firstborn, recently turned 12 years old. As I watch him grow both intellectually, physically, spiritually and emotionally, it's amazing to see the love I have for him to continually grow as well. Someday he will leave home to go on a mission, go to college and will likely become the father of his own baby whom he will love. I know my love for him will still be as strong and continue to grow as I watch him become more independent and self-sufficient. Someday I will probably rely on him for the things I do now for him. But for now, and I know in the year's to come, I am proud to be his mother and proud of the young man that he has become.

MY BABY BOY THROUGH THE YEARS:

My Newborn Baby Spencer - March 14, 1996

Halloween - October 1996

Spencer's First Birthday - March 1997

Cutie boy at the park - June 1997

18-months-old and ready for nursery - September 1997

2-years-old - June 1998

3-years-old - June 1999

Preschool Picture (3 1/2 years-old) - October 1999

4-year-old birthday - March 2000

4-years-old - June 2000
(after just moving to Michigan)

Ready for pre-school (4 1/2 years old) - September 2000

5-years-old - September 2001

6-years-old - April 2002

7-years-old - December 2003

At his baptism (8-years-old) - March 2004

10-years-old - May 2006

More Disney World Pics

My Mom took many, many more pictures than I did during our visit to Disney World a few weeks ago. She was nice enough to make and send me a CD with all the pictures she took while we were there -- THANKS, MOM!! Here are some of them:

Detroit Temple

Joshua had Friday and Monday off work, so we were able to have a four-day weekend! We wanted to go to the Cranbrook Science Center last Friday but it snowed all afternoon so we decided to have a lazy day at home instead. But today, the snow is starting to melt (don't fret -- it'll be back later in the week ... sigh..) and it was forty-something degrees outside (Hey! That's good weather to us right now!) so we decided to give the science center a try again. We had a great time but I forgot to bring my camera into the museum, so I didn't take any pictures. But on the way home, we passed by the Detroit temple. Since Joshua and I usually go without the children, and Spencer and Jessica have only seen it once a long time ago, we stopped in the parking lot and walked around the grounds for a while with the kids. It was nice for them to see it up close and not just in pictures.

We have a picture of the Detroit temple hanging in our meetinghouse and I remember about a year ago, Alex and I were looking at it and he asked me if we really did have a temple close to us. I said "yes", and he said, "Well, I want to see it for real then!" I told him that someday I'd take him to see it. Well, I kept my promise to him. I'm glad he and all my other kids got to see it today. I also got the opportunity to use my camera after all. See pictures below;

Easter 2008

We had a nice, but cold Easter this year. Joshua had Good Friday off and we had planned to take the family to a science center that is close to the Detroit temple, about a 25 minute drive away. But that morning, we looked at the weather forecast and it was predicted that we would get 5 - 7 inches of snow that day. So instead of braving the cold and snow, we stayed home and had a movie party. It was nice having a lazy, fun day at home together.

On Saturday morning, we went to our ward Easter party at church. We ate breakfast, had a nice Easter program in the chapel, and then the primary children hunted for Easter eggs hidden by the youth around the church. In year's past, the egg hunt was outside, but this year the weather prevented it from being an outdoor Easter hunt. (Having snow on Easter weekend was a real downer!) I brought Easter baskets for my kids to collect their eggs in, even bringing one for Spencer --- I almost forgot that he is in Young Men's now. He helped to hide the Easter eggs with the youth instead. It's been hard getting use to the fact that he is in the YOUTH now.

In the afternoon, we decided to go out to lunch with the kids and then we met some friends at the movies to see "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who". I wasn't sure if I'd like that movie or not since the previews made it look kind-of dull, but it was much better than I thought it would be. The kids especially enjoyed it. Afterwards, we went home and colored Easter eggs. The kids LOVE doing this every year. It seems like I never make enough boiled eggs for them to color. This year I made 2 dozen .... and, in the kid's opinion, that still wasn't enough! They wanted more! But I didn't want to be eating boiled eggs for the next month so I told them two dozen would be sufficient this year.

They got real creative with their eggs this year. Alex decided he wanted a black one, but of course we only had the colors red, yellow, orange, blue, purple, and green. He spent about half an hour dipping the egg in every single color until it was black. Spencer and Jessica made multi-colored striped eggs. And Logan used the white crayon to write words and draw pictures on his eggs before dyeing them different colors. Logan has become the craftiest of all my children. He could spend all day writing, coloring, stamping, gluing, and cutting to create all sorts of unique and interesting crafts. He loves it! I find his "masterpieces", along with bits and pieces of cut-up paper, all over the house. So while we were coloring eggs this year, he wanted to write and draw all sorts of things on them. And after they were dry, he put wanted to finish them up by putting stickers and stamps all over them. What a funny kid!

I wanted to do my "Easter Walk" (see post below) on Saturday with the family this year, but since it was so snowy outside, I thought we would wait until Sunday morning to do it before going to church. It's been important to me to make Easter more spiritual for the children this year. Sometimes we focus too much on the Easter bunny and candy, but this year, I wanted it to be different. I still like making it fun for them, but I wanted them to really think about Christ's Atonement and resurrection a lot more this year. We're going to make the "Easter Walk" a tradition every year from now on.

Sunday morning, the kids woke us up at 8:00 and we went downstairs for our Easter morning egg/candy hunt. The Easter bunny comes to our house every year and hides candy and eggs all around the house and fills the kid's baskets with lots of goodies and surprises. Each one of them got a Webkinz stuffed animal in their basket which was the BIG HIT of Easter! Then, we had our customary Easter breakfast of boiled Easter eggs, bacon, toast and OJ. After cleaning up breakfast, we all went outside to find the items we needed for our "Easter Walk", which instead ended up being an "Easter Sit-in-Our-Living-Room". We brought the items inside and had a very uplifting and spiritual talk as we read scriptures on Christ's Atonement and sang some songs and hymns. It was really, really nice. I saw tears in Spencer and Jessica's eyes when we talked about Jesus suffering in Gethsemane, when He hung and died on the cross, and when He was resurrected that Sunday morning long ago. I bore my testimony to them and the spirit was very strong. I could tell that they were very touched.

Then we got ready for church and watched "Enchanted" (a surprise from the Easter Bunny) until we needed to leave. Our ward doesn't start until 2:00 but we needed to be there by 1:15 to practice for the choir's Easter program. Joshua is the ward choir director and I sing in choir (mostly because of Joshua's consistent urging). We had some really beautiful songs that I believe were very well received. Joshua had lots of compliments after Sacrament Meeting was over. And speaking of the sacrament, Sunday was Spencer's first week to pass the sacrament. He was so nervous before church. I think he was afraid to mess up. I told him he would do a terrific job, and he did, although he was obviously the youngest boy passing the sacrament. He looked so little and so young; it was so sweet to watch him. Afterwards he told me it was easy and he wasn't sure why he was so worried. He's excited to do it again next week.

After church, we were invited to eat at a friend's house for Easter dinner. It was nice not to worry about a big Easter dinner after a long day of church (it felt really long that day for some reason ...). I brought rolls and Strawberry Shortcake for dessert. We talked and playing games until it was pretty late, but the guys don't have work on Monday and the kids don't have school all week. This next week is our Spring Break week. We are excited to have a slow but fun week off school. Too bad the weather won't be very good. We have highs of only 40 degrees and more snow is predicted. Won't seem like much of a "spring" week. I had visions of bike rides and picnics. Guess we'll have to wait another month or so....

Coloring Easter Eggs

Getting ready for our Sunday morning egg hunt

The kids had some REALLY FULL Easter baskets

The Webkinz stuffed animals were the favorite thing in the kid's Easter basket this year!

Spencer found an Easter egg

Alex is finding a lot of goodies!

Logger found a lot by the piano

Eating a green Peep

Easter dinner at the Larsen's house

Spiritual Easter

This year, Joshua and I wanted to focus on the true meaning of Easter with our children. We started the Sunday before Easter. After dinner last Sunday, we sat down with the kids and discussed the last week of the Savior's mortal ministry. We also told them that at dinner each day this week, we'd discuss what happened to the Savior each day before His resurrection and read a scripture with the kids. Schedule below ---


SUNDAY -- Triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matt. 21: 1-11)
MONDAY -- Clearing the temple (Matt. 21:12-15)
TUESDAY -- Scribes questioned the authority of Jesus and asked about paying tribute money (Matt. 21; Matt. 22)
WEDNESDAY -- Discuss the Parable of the 10 virgins (Matt. 25)
THURSDAY -- The Last Supper and the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26)
FRIDAY -- Trial, Crucifixion, and burial of Jesus (Matt. 27)
SATURDAY -- Discuss missionary work in the spirit world (1 Peter 3:18-20; 1 Peter 4:6)
SUNDAY -- The empty tomb and Resurrection (Matt. 28)


This Saturday morning, we'll go to a ward Easter breakfast; but in the afternoon, before we color Easter eggs, I want to take the kids on an "Easter Walk" outside in our neighborhood (weather permitting, hopefully!). Below is what we'll do on our walk:

1) Look for a branch -- Tell the kids: The week before Christ's crucifixion, He entered the city of Jerusalem and the people waved branches from palm trees. (Read John 12:12-13 - Sing "Easter Hosanna" CS #68)

2) Look for a piece of wood -- Tell the kids: For it was out of wood His cross was made. (Read John 19:16-17 - Sing "To Think About Jesus" CS #71)

3) Find something prickly or sharp -- Tell the kids: His crown was made of thorns. (Read Matthew 27:29)

4) Find something no longer alive -- Tell the kids: For truly, the Savior did die. (Read Matthew 26:59 -- Sing "He Died that We Might Live Again" CS #65)

5) Find 3 things that are dark in color -- Tell the kids: There were three days of darkness, light could not be found following His death (Read Luke 23:44-45, 3 Nephi 8:20 and 23)

6) Find a stone -- Tell the kids: It was a huge stone at the opening of the sepulchre that the angel moved. (Read Luke 23:51-53 - Sing "Did Jesus Really Live Again?" CS #64)

7) Find something living -- Tell the kids: To remind us that Jesus Christ died and was resurrected and He surely lives today. (Read John 11:25-26 - Sing "I Know That My Redeemer Lives")

Happy St. Patrick's Day

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

The "Leprechaun" always visits our house on St. Patrick's Day. This year, after the kids got home from school, they found a sign on front door telling them that a leprechaun had been to our house while they were gone .... and the race was on to find all gold candies he had hidden in our house! They found lots of yummy treats!

For dinner, we had "green" foods on our menu. We ate green pancakes, green scrambled eggs (with cheese) and green jello. The green eggs were hard for me to eat, but the kids loved it! Of course, they tasted the same, just looked wrong. It's kind of funny how your mind psyches you out like that.

Hope you had a fun day too!

Spencer's Birthday Party

A few years ago after Logan was born, Joshua and I decided that since we had four children now, we needed to contain the number of birthday parties in our household. It got too crazy and too expensive to have a birthday party for each of them every single year. So instead, we decided that when our children turned an even number, they could have friends to their birthday party. Well, Spencer turned 12 this year, and since his friend party only comes around every other year, he's been thinking long and hard about where to take his friends for his birthday. He's changed his mind several times the last few weeks but finally decided on having his party at a bowling alley and then go down the street afterwards for pizza at "Pizza Hut". Two years ago when he turned 10, he had a party at "Zap Zone" to play laser tag with his buddies. When he was 8, he brought his friends to an indoor swimming pool. So, he's had lots of variety.

He got lots of presents, mostly Legos and video games, all things he told his friends to get him when they asked. We took lots of pictures. See below ---

He is 12!!

Since Spencer was a baby, I've always told him to stop getting older and taller -- that I'd like him to stay my small, little sweetheart. But, he doesn't listen to me and gets bigger and older every year. Well, he's gone and done it again -- But this time, he is twelve, making his Dad and I feel older than ever! My baby is almost as tall as I am!! Well, at least every year he gets better and better looking. I have an incredibly sweet & handsome boy on my hands!

This birthday is a big one! He's outgrown the primary (just as I got put in as chorister) and now he's onto the Young Men's program. He'll be a deacon and pass the sacrament. Pretty soon, he'll be going to dances and youth conference ... How did this happen? How did my baby grow up so quickly!?!

He had a fun birthday this year. I got back on Thursday from my Florida trip just in time to celebrate his birthday. While he was at school on Friday, I baked and decorated his cake, decorated the house in balloons and streamers, and wrapped his presents. After getting home from school, I took him to the mall to pick out some clothes at "Hollister" (apparently, it is THE brand-name to wear at his school right now), went to "Build-A-Bear Workshop" to use his gift certificate from Grandma & Grandpa Williams, and we ate dinner in the food court. He also went to another store to buy a lego set with money he got from Grandma & Grandpa Dyal, along with some chore money since it's a pretty big set, to buy an Indiana Jones lego set that he has been eyeing for awhile. Afterwards, we came back home to open presents, eat cake & ice-cream, and play the rest of the evening.

On Saturday, he is having a bowling/pizza party with some of his friends from church and school. He is so excited!

Mother-Son Dance

There was a mother-son dance at Alex's school tonight. I bought Alex a blue boutonniere and we danced the night away! Alex was so much fun. He really got into dancing and we had a fun time together. He is a real ham, breakdancing on the floor and busting out some crazy dance moves! What a fun boy! He really loved being with Mom and having some individual attention. Last year I went with both Spencer and Alex, but Spencer is in middle school now. Next year, it will be Alex and Logan, so this is the only year with the two of us alone. Here are some pictures ---

Ready to go to the dance

Alex won a raffle prize

A kiss at the end of the night

80th Birthday Celebration at Disney World

I just got back from a trip to Disney World. I went with my parents, grandpa and sisters to celebrate my Grandpa Millett's 80th birthday. He had never been to Disney World, and since that is not acceptable in our family (teehee..), we thought he needed to go and experience it too! We had an amazing time. Here are some pictures from our trip ---

Our group at Epcot

Stuffed inside a phone booth in the United Kingdom, Epcot

Kristen, Julie and Kim with Eeyore, Pooh and Tigger

Julie with Sleeping Beauty

By a waterfall in Canada, Epcot

Grandpa in a racing car at the Indy Speedway, Magic Kingdom

My favorite mouse in a parade at the Magic Kindom

Mickey in the "SpectroMagic" evening parade at the Magic Kingdom

Snowstorm = Snow Day

We had a pretty big snowstorm last night. Joshua and I had plans to go to the temple, but we canceled them because we felt uneasy about the snow falling and threats of a huge winter storm. Our temple is about a 30 minute drive away and we like to go once a month. We have some friends from our ward that we swap babysitting with, so it's very convenient and ensures that we meet our goal to attend the temple every month. But, when Jessica found out that we canceled, she was very sad. My friend, Summer, always brings a fun game to play with the kids. Last month she brought an old "Sweet Valley High" board game that Jessica loved!

So, the kids are home from school today because of the snow. We got about a foot of snow, but maybe that's just the drifts around our house. On Monday the temperature was in the 50’s and all the snow melted. But, it’s back again …. And not just back, but it DUMPED on us! Hopefully it won’t last long. I was glad at least for the chance to sleep in this morning, so that was nice, but the kids didn't sleep in at all. They were up at the crack of dawn and played in the basement until I got up to get them some breakfast. Yesterday, I cleaned the entire house in hopes that it would stay clean for awhile, but that is unlikely now. I'm going to spend the rest of today hoping my house stays clean and getting ready for my trip to Florida. Yes, you heard me right! I leave for some much needed warmth and sunshine on Sunday morning to go traipsing around Disney World with my parents, two sisters and Grandpa Millett for his 80th birthday celebration. I am very excited! I am so pale and white right now, but let’s hope I come back with some color! I come back at the end of the week in time for Spencer's birthday on Friday, but the rest of my family is staying until Saturday and leaving Sunday. I can't wait to wear short sleeves and sandals again! Yeehaw!

I took some pictures this morning of our untouched snowfall. I love how beautiful the snow looks right after a hard snow, especially on the trees.

Play Day in the Snow

I hate it when the kids come ask me, "Can we play in the snow today?" Argh! That means getting out ALL the snow gear and helping everyone put it all on. It can take up to 15-20 minutes to get it all out, organized and on. We put on the snowpants, coat, hats, gloves, scarves, two pairs of socks, and boats. And of course, there is always someone who has to go to the bathroom just minutes after putting on all the gear, and that someone is a cute, little blonde 4-year-old, but I'm not naming names! And then, the clean-up afterwards! That's the worst part! I've had a pretty good attitude this winter about the cold weather, but now that it is March, I'm hoping to see some warmer weather soon. But even if I absolutely hate the snow, my kids love it! They love to run in it, slip and slide, throw snowballs, make snowmen. They act like it's not even a little chilly when they're outside. So, this last Saturday when they came to me with the dreaded question, I couldn't deprive them. I didn't have a good enough excuse. So, they played all afternoon in the snow around our house and had a ball! Here are some pics I took: