“Near the end of his life, one father looked back on how he had spent his time on earth. An acclaimed, respected author of numerous scholarly works, he said, ‘I wish I had written one less book and taken my children fishing more often.’
“Time passes quickly. Many parents say that it seems like yesterday that their children were born. Now those children are grown, perhaps with children of their own. ‘Where did the years go?’ they ask. We cannot call back time that is past, we cannot stop time that now is, and we cannot experience the future in our present state. Time is a gift, a treasure not to be put aside for the future but to be used wisely in the present.” ~ Thomas S. Monson
Knowing that we are done with the child bearing chapter in our life, I have been wanting to get some family photos done to preserve this moment in time when our kids are little. Right now we are in the phase where it often feels like the years are short, but the days are long.
At times I wonder if the sibling rivalry will ever end. I wonder if I will ever stop sounding like a broken record or if the selective hearing my kids have will magically disappear. I wonder if there will ever be a day when there are no sticky crumbs all over the floor and I will be able to eat my dinner when it is warm. I wonder if I will ever feel like I am getting adequate rest.
But when I stop and think about how sacred my family is to me, I feel joy and peace. I realize how lucky and blessed I am. After all, there is nothing quite like the sounds of little ones giggling with no worries in the world or the warmth your heart feels when tiny hands and arms wrap around you in tender hugs.
At the beginning of June, we had an outdoor family photo shoot done by the talented photojournalist, Jenn Ireland. To say I was pleased with her work is an understatement. I was thoroughly impressed with the moments she was able to capture with her camera and her artistic eye. Our personalities definitely shine through in the pictures she took! I am incredibly grateful I will always be able to look at these photos and remember clearly and vividly the joy that comes from mothering young ones. What a treasure I have been given!
