Thoughts

Lately I have been thinking a lot about why I always get in such a hurry for things to end. You've probably noticed that I love counting down to events. I've been waiting for the past 9 weeks for school to get out. Today was officially my last day as a full time employee, baring any unforseeable events. I was just thinking about a few things I've learned since Alana was born, and that I'm glad I've learned them. I just thought I'd share.

First, I've learned that I can do hard things. I have also learned that hard things are not the same for all people. For example, for some people it is very possible to have a natural childbirth. I don't know if I'm one of those people yet, though I'd like to try. Some mothers love to outside of the home and find it possible to balance all of the demands on their time. For me, that is incredible difficult! And many people wade through trials that seem so daunting, I don't think I could do things that hard. There are too many examples to count. But I know that if I have to do something, I can. I guess like Nephi, the Lord gives me a way to accomplish the things he commands, even if they are hard.

Next, I've learned that being a mother is hard, but intuitive. That doesn't mean I always know why Alana is crying, or that I don't worry about why she's not eating. It doesn't mean I don't get exhausted when she wakes up to eat at 3 am, and then again at 5 am. But I do feel like I have the capacity to do what she needs me to do. I also know that I will be able to teach her the things she needs to learn. Of course, I'm not perfect by any stretch.

Back to hard things: I've learned that you can do ANYTHING if it's just for a little while. Like working full time. I wouldn't want to do that forever as a mom, but I could do it because I had to, and knowing it was only for 2 months really made the time fly.

I've learned that kids are forgiving. Especially if you ask.

I've learned that kids are really good at playing games, and catch on quickly even if you don't explain the rules very well.

The sweetest sounds in the world are the coos and giggles of my baby. The saddest ones are her cries. She's cooing right now, I love it!

It's important to do things that you love to do. Elder Ballard recently mentioned how important it is for mothers to take time to rejuvenate themselves. Those weren't his exact words, but I was grateful for that counsel!

I've learned that books on how to get babies to sleep at night don't necessarily work...some babies just need to eat at night! And it's ok for me to get less sleep, I can still survive (even when working full time, ha ha!)

I've learned that it is hard to have husbands out of the country, but it's awesome when they come back!!