A mouthful...

I actually had a completely long and whiny blog typed out and posted, but after reading it I decided it was more about me than the family, so I am giving this another go. Usually when I havent blogged in a while then I have a while list of things to rant about! Just the usual Mommy woes.
Anyway, I cant believe it is almost October and Fall is here! My Maddy is going to be three on Oct. 11th. She is quite the girl, and has had her birthday planned out for almost a year now. She loves parties and holidays and anything that involves presents, like every kid. I hope I don't dissapoint! She even thanks Heavenly Father in her prayers for birthdays, parties, christmas, and pools, along with family members. So that is what we are looking forward to next.
Kaitlyn had her six month checkup last week and she is getting big! 17 1/2 lbs! She is all cheeks and rolls. Her new thing is looking at every one she sees and saying "Haa!" (I am pretty sure this is hi) to get their attention and then she will proceed to tell stories in her baby language. She is just as wiggly and active as Madelyn was at her age, and I wonder where my calm and laid back baby went? But I am glad she is healthy and strong. I am feeding her mashed up pieces of banana right now and she is loving it.
Cameron is still busy with work doing a lot of grid sampling in the fields and building maps on his computer in the evenings, so we have really missed him. Its definitely hard not to have a break when I get tired in the evening from taking care of the girls, but I have gotten to be pretty strong mentally (if not a little bit looney :) and I think slowly I am getting used to this job of his. I dont know how military wives are able to do it for a year or more at a time. My sister is a military wife who is enjoying her husband home right now and I look up to her for her strength and her positive spirit. If she can get through the eighteen month deployment, then I can make it through five months of hedoublehockeysticks. I am consigned to deal with it if Cameron decides to have this career for a long time. If he decides not to at some point, then I would not object. I might even have a party. I am of course always grateful he has never been without a job, and he has been able to support the girls and I. He wouldn't let me get a job even if I wanted to. I am glad we both agree on that.
I really have enjoyed living in our neighborhood and our ward is great. I feel so blessed in so many ways. My children are huge blessings to me. They are healthy, smart, energetc. Madelyn is so kind and thoughtful, fun-loving and lovable. I truly love to be with my family and I am looking forward to us being able to go to Salt Lake for Maddy's birthday weekend. Maddy has been wanting to see the temple so bad. She talks about getting married in the temple almost every day. Today was the primary program in sacrament meeting at church, and as soon as the kids started to sing "I Love to see the Temple", she jumped up and tried to get to the front. She said"I want to sing that, my turn!" I can tell she is ready for primary, but also, I can see her testimony starting to bud, her faith starting to grow about things she has only heard of. I think little children who arent able to express their testimonies with words show them in other ways, and often the joy they feel when they talk ab out Jesus, or se the temple, or hear primary songs is so inspiring to me. Its obvious she doesn't know a lot about doctrine or the scrptures, but she knows who Jesus is, she is learning to communicate with Heavenly Father through prayer, and she has already told me she wants to get married in the temple when she gets big, like mommy.
I hope she will always have that desire in her heart. Sometimes I just feel like bearing my testimony for no particular reason, but that it brings me such joy in my life! I am so thankful to have married my husband in the temple so we can be a family unit for all eternity, not just until death. I am thankful to know that our loving Heavenly Father cares about each one of His children and desires for us to live with Him again. I know that we have a Savior who came to earth to live among men and establish His church. I am eternally grateful that He was able to live a perfect life and overcome temptations and trials, to atone for our sins so that we can repent and be forgiven if we come unto Him. It makes me happy to know that His true church has been restored again to the earth in our day through Joseph Smith the prophet, with all the priesthood keys and ordinances. I am glad that God has called living prophets and apostles today who lead and guide His church and in whom He gives continuing revelation for our day. I am thankful for the priceless gift of my testimony, it gives me the strength to go on when I get discouraged or feel like I am overwhelmed with the calling of motherhood. And, because our Savior experienced everything that I am going through, I know that I am not alone
and He will give me the strength I need to be a "mommy warrior"! I heard that term from Jenny McCarthy, of all people, on Oprah* :)

*Disclaimer: No, I do not agree with or endorse EVERYTHING Oprah or think she is all -knowing and wise....but she is pretty entertaining, dont you agree?)