The Aftermath

Only a sunset on Valentine's Day could be this radiant.

Gifts for the boys were simple but special this year.  Mommy and Me journals, love letters, and three love coupons.

I had planned a Valentine's evening for Patrick, and even though my gift for him had not arrived in the mail yet, we both enjoyed the night.  Through words and service and music the Lord smiled down upon us and blessed us to grow in love and adoration--more than we dreamed possible.  And I really didn't think I could be happier.  But when Patrick gave me my gift, I was stunned and thrilled as happy tears welled in my eyes.  Wrapped in Thera-band was a can of beans...and wrapped around the outside of the can was this:

And this:

I have always been the one to plan and prepare adventures, dates, and anniversaries.  I really can't explain just how loved I felt when I opened this gift.  

Patrick, thank you for making this Valentine's Day experience one in a million.  But even more than that, thank you for just being you.  Thank you for the thousands of daily things you do for me that speak love...the kindness, the compliments, the little and big acts of service.  These morsels do add up to such an outpouring of love.  The sun shines a little bit brighter, the air smells a little bit sweeter, and my life is just so full of heaven because of you...

A Day of Blessing.

On Sunday we celebrated our precious Maylie's baby blessing.

My goal this time around was to simplify and enjoy the day to it's fullest.

So my thoughtful parents suggested sack lunches in pretty pink sacks and we filled them with muffins, bananas, and juice.  At first I was a bit reluctant to abandon the traditional sit-down dinner, but I'm so grateful we did.  The sack lunches were perfectly simple.  It was such a lovely day.

Dear Maylie,

     You were blessed on Sunday, February 5th, 2012...six years and one day after your your Daddy and I were engaged.  And for this reason, I will always remember this special day of yours.

     You looked so lovely in your blessing dress that long ago belonged to me...

      So many of your family members were gathered around you on this day:  Gram and Pop; Great-Grandpa Johnson; Grandpa and Grandma; Papa and Nana; Jacee and Chad (Holland, Eliza, Nelson, and Madeline); Payton and Melissa; Molly and Chris (Colbie); Nicole and Jason; Natalie; Megan and Sadie; Lynne and Gregg; Eva and Sid; and Grandpa and Grandma Lystrup visited last week.

      Daddy gave you the most tender blessing, relaying to you how you are a choice daughter of our Heavenly Father reserved to come to the earth at this time to shine as a light and a star to guide those around you.  You were blessed with the light from the Savior to shine in your countenance that you might be an example throughout your life.

      Maylie, words cannot express how blessed we are to have you in our family.  We have felt that you have been waiting to come for so long...and now you are here in all of your glorious radiance.  Your angelic sweetness fills my heart with joy so abundant that my cup is brimming.  I could not be happier.  Thank you for coming.  Thank you for the grace you have brought to our family.  Thank you for the edge of refinement you have brought to this household of little boys.  Thank you for the heavenly aura you have bestowed on our home.  Thank you for being you.  You are the ray of light that I needed...that we all needed.  And I'm so glad that Heavenly Father sent you to us.  You are Grace my little Maylie.  And I love you.

Love always,

Mommy

Cure for a Heartsick Soul.

I woke today with a feeling of heartsickness...for no apparent reason.  The day loomed on like drudgery, but I did my best to wear a smile of love for my loved ones.

My prayers were answered in late afternoon when I least expected it...

...leaves ablaze with sunlight...

...clouds floating atop the mountains behind our house...

...a red water pump...

...an antique gas pump...

...a paper-thin leaf all perfect on the wet cement...

...a stone firepit that waits for summer...

...wheels turning to the rhythm of time...

...little boy laughter breaking the solitude of a small farm town...

...witnessing how even though we fall we're "still okay..."

...Tate telling me to look up and see the "beautiful clouds..."

...and seeing it all, the windows, this cottage, these trees, this world, from a new perspective.

I thought I was enjoying the beauty enough from the large picture windows throughout our home.

But experiencing it firsthand, with the wind on my face and the cold in my ears was invigorating and awe-inspiring and consuming.

I guess all my heart really needed was to join hands with nature and breathe in the scent of aging winter.  Maybe His creations could be the answer to many of our sorrows and sleepy eyes and bad moods, and even aches in our hearts that spring up from nowhere.  It seems that winter brings withering of leaves and shrubs and oft-times a withering of our hearts.  But this withering, only makes room for new growth and a vibrancy of green.

Maybe the ache I felt today was only a longing for communion.  A communion with His creations.  And a communion with Him.  And sometimes it's much easier to feel His love and His whisperings when you're standing in the majesticness of His handiwork...