Happy 5th Birthday Jacob William

This past week, our sweet boy turned 5 but sadly he was sick on his birthday. We had a party planned but had to cancel. He was also sick Christmas Day but we are do glad that he's doing better. We are even more glad that he is in our family. I feel especially grateful this year that I am blessed to be his mother. Some of his favorite things right now are: school, the avengers, transformers, pizza, candy, and playing outside. Jacob William loves to be outside.

Holiday fun

Jake spent a weekend with his dad on November 30th- December 1st in San Antonio to attend the Spurs game. While I am certain that he had fun, the kids and I began our holiday fun too. Jacob William, sang Santa in at his pre-school for the city of Bartlett,
 
we celebrated Eliah Reed's 1st birthday,
 
 
and went to the ward Christmas party.
 
The this past week we enjoyed the pre-school program, Ginny's 5th note performance, the girls signed Silent Night at the ward Christmas program, the cousin's gift exchange, and Ginny's DARE graduation. The holidays are busy but fun.

My daughters have also taught me two important lessons here in the last few days. Aubree and I were delivering a couple of meals and I told her how proud I was of her and that I loved her. She just said "mom, it is better to give than receive." Then last night after a fun time at the cousin's dinner party (dinner, sugar cookie decorating, craft time, new pjs' from Nana Eaton, and gifts from one another), we got home and went upstairs to Ginny's room. She, too, is a great kid but last night she informed Jake and I that "you guys get it all wrong". We are hitting the pre-teen stage and I really do hope that I get it right and am able to teach my babies all they need to know. I also want them to know that I love them beyond measure. My babies are my everything! (with Jake of course)

With a heavy heart

The past three days my heart has felt weighed down and heavy. Friday morning, I was preparing to run a few errands when a CNN report popped up on my phone about a Connecticut town that just experienced the unthinkable. An elementary school was attacked by a gunman and 26 people are now deceased. Among the 26, are 20 children and other school faculty members who died trying to protect their kids. Immediately, I wanted to be with my babies, so I carried lunch to the school and later returned for Ginny's 5th note (choir) performance. She did very well and her solo was perfect. I wanted so badly to take my girls out early Friday and not send them today (Monday) but I know that is not the solution. One can not comprehend what may have possessed that man that day to kill his mother and then raid and elementary school or even begin to understand why but one thing that I know is that God lives and those sweet, innocent babies are being encircled in the arms of the Savior. I can not even begin to imagine nor do I want to. This past weekend, my heart has turned to the parents, teachers, and staff. Adults died trying to save their kids. Being married to a teacher, I know that Jake would have done all within his power too. Weekly, I volunteer at the girls school and I can only imagine that as a parent I would have done all that I could have to gotten all the children to safety, not just my own. Each time that I turn on the news, mt heart breaks and tears flow down face. It is easy for people to point fingers and say more security in schools, more gun control, etc. but the reality is that neither of those things are the solution, if a crazy wants, he will get in and if he wants a gun, he will get a gun. What needs to happen is we need to rally around those families, extend love and heartfelt prayers, listen to the heroic stories, and treat our teachers a little better. Teachers are with our babies eight hours a day, five days a week, and we know now from experience that a teacher will truly take a bullet to save our children.