Project 365 {2013} - Day 181

While our numbers were fewer today because a lot of people were out of town, this is my view every Sunday in Primary. I have found myself in a bit of a funk lately and have been grateful to be here each week. Even though it requires a lot of energy, I love that I can count on pure simplicity. The gospel in it's purest form. No judgement, just wiggly, wonderful, smart, intuitive kids.

Project 365 {2013} - Day 180

I swear Brynna is going to be 6 feet tall someday! Today the girls and I went to Target to see what some options were for school shoes. (I can hardly believe the summer is already halfway over!) As we were heading to the back of the shoe section, we passed through a clearance rack of ladies high heels. The girls, just wanting to have fun, pulled some on to teeter around in. Brynna pulled down a ladies size 7, slipped them on and they fit her just right....a ladies size 7 at 8 years old! I am a full grown adult with larger than average feet at size 9 1/2! My 8 year old is only two and a half sizes smaller than me! It was so crazy to me how fast these daughters of mine are growing up!

Maryn immediately started razzing Brynnie about how she had gigantic feet. You better believe that I nipped that in the bud pretty dang fast right then and there. I told Maryn sisters don't ever talk down to one another like that. That if sisters do anything, it is build each other up. That her sister's feet are the perfect size for her and that she can walk proud in them and in who she is.

Brynna grinned and took a couple laps around the aisle. She said "I like being tall because then I can always reach high things!" I hope Brynna, and all my girls for that matter, always feel comfortable and confident, despite what sets them apart or makes them different, in who they are. That they will always humbly know how beautiful and smart and capable they are and never let anyone diminish that. That God made them perfect just as they are.

Project 365 {2013} - Day 179

To me family is everything. Time and time again it has been family (and friends who are loved as family) who have been the hand of God in my life. This past Christmas Justin's brother, Kevin, and his wife, Missy, were so dang good to us. It was one of those years where the company Justin was then working for had taken some really big hits and things were not good. I am not really a material person and it's never been my big focus at Christmastime. But I still hoped we could pull off a few gifts to put under the tree for the girls. Then a package showed up from Kevin and Missy and it it was Christmas morning in a box. Everyone had something and everyone was so thoughtfully considered. I was blown away. This was so much more than our usual family gift exchange. Kevin, knowing how much Justin loves taking Instagram photos, had a collage of some of our photos printed off on a poster. It was really cool. Finally this past Father's Day I had it framed for him so we can hang it up in our house. When I look at it I get such a wash of emotion. Partly because the photos tell stories about our life together as a family and places we have been. But also because it represents to me that cementing love of family, both immediate and extended, and I am again reminded that through them I know God cares.

Project 365 {2013} - Day 178

There is something you should know about me...I hate crying. The only thing worse than crying is crying in front of other people. So imagine my excitement on Tuesday when in a moment of feeling completely overwhelmed by work and just life in general, I just started crying. I couldn't hold it back and was so embarrassed I had broken down in front of everyone. Today when I came into work, my co-worker Randi had left this on my desk (in addition to a much loved bag of peanut butter filled pretzels from Trader Joes! But needless to say those didn't take too long to get torn into!) Her words in the card and beautiful flowers brightened my day and gave me courage to keep my chin up. I am grateful beyond words that I have the opportunity to work with such a great group of people who love and support each other. Each and every one of them have extended love or encouragement to me at one time or another. I am so blessed and hope I can be the bright spot to them in some way that they all are to me.

Project 365 {2013} - Day 177

Within minutes of me picking up Devyn and Lauryn from my friend Kathleen's house today Devy was OUT!! I think this is the sign of one very fun and successful day!

Project 365 {2013} - Day 176

Fourteen years ago today Justin put this ring on my finger and promised to be my partner in crime for all time and eternity. It has been a wild ride and I can say without a shadow of a doubt that there is not another person on Earth that I would rather share my life with. I am simply crazy about him.

Project 365 {2013} - Day 175

I was at Publix (shopping while hungry, mistake #1) and had one of those moments where you feel like Chris Farley in the skit where he is dressed like a girl, scarfing his friends' fries and growls, "Lay off me I am starving!!" At that moment there were sushi and Little Debbie's in eyesight...so I grabbed the sushi and raced to the register before I... a.) got violent from hunger or b.) set a world record for downing a box of Oatmeal Cream Pies in record time. (Thankfully now that these are in my belly I am feeling much nicer!)