Jonah's baptism

What a great day!

It's a really long story as to how it turned out this way, but suffice it to say that Jonah had his very own special baptismal service.

Jonah felt so special.  I was sharing my testimony toward the end, and he was on the front row just beaming up at me.  A couple of times his eyes filled up with tears as he felt the Holy Spirit.

I read his journal entry that night, and he said "Mom and Dad gave special talks just for me."  (We were invited up to share our testimonies right before the Bishop spoke.)

While we were waiting for him to change clothes, we handed out index cards for everyone to write a little note to him on his special day.  I need to get them all in a book so he can look at them over and over.

Jonah with his Grandpa Alston, whom he adores and idolizes.

Jonah is such a sweet boy.  He seems younger to me than his brothers and sisters did at this age, but I'm in no hurry for him to outgrow his little boy-ness.

He is kind and thoughtful, and generally undemanding.  If you let him, he will talk your ear off, but he's  patient when he needs to be.

He's got some great ideas, and the wheels in his head are always turning.  At any given moment you could ask him what he's imagining, and he would have an answer for you.  That makes it hard sometimes for him to stay focused on an assigned task!

At the end of second grade, he won the award for class clown.  He couldn't have been more proud!  He's always trying to come up with good new jokes.  One of his favorites that he claims to have made up:  What did one apple say to the other apple?  I wish we were a pear.

I sure am grateful to have Jonah in my life.  He is my little buddy, and such an important part of our family.

The Good Life

It's late at night as I type this.  It's rare for me to find a time when I can use MY computer.  And even more rare to have a few consecutive minutes that I won't have to answer any questions.

I was at my parents' house for a few days, which was great.  The kids had non-stop fun with cousins.  Swimming... movies.... Nintendo...treats every day.  They wanted to stay all summer!

Ever since we got home, though, I have had such a feeling of gratitude for home.  My home.  I love the new bathroom Jeff just finished for me.  I love the view out my back windows.  I love my fluffy white bed.  I love all of my trees.  I love knowing where everything is in my kitchen. (Or at least where it should be!)  I love that I have comfortable rooms and enough food for all of my children.  I guess I'm just feeling very blessed.

Today for family home evening I took the kids bowling.  (Jeff and Eli stayed home, sick.)  Afterward, we had pizza and cookies.  Caleb asked if he could have another cookie, and I said yes.  Simon let out a quick laugh and said "Two cookies?  I didn't see that one comin'!"  Funny kid!  We all cracked up!

Eli has been so much fun lately.  He's starting to talk quite a bit.  We can get him to repeat almost anything... except for the kids' names.  He calls them all Gecka.  At first it was just for Becca, but now it can apply to any of his siblings.  He is constantly exploring around the house.  He especially loves my make-up drawer and the girls' room.  He can usually find gum or candy in there.

Maybe Eli's love for life is rubbing off on me.  I sure hope so.  He spends almost all day, every day, happy.  He is pretty much always smiling, and is always busy, looking for a good time!

So I guess the point of this post is that I have a really great life.  Sometimes it gets so hectic that I forget to notice how good things really are.  But years from now, when I try to recall the details of these years, it is this feeling that I want to remember.