iPhoto

I have run out of room on my computer. Forcing me to make some choices about photos I have been putting off. The plan that I have begun is to delete 50 photos a day each day for some time to get through them all and to stay on top of all the new photos. I am going three days strong!!!  I can't believe how many bad photos I have.

What do other do to keep on top of digital photos?

Cars.

For several years I have wanted to go the the Peterson Auto Museum. We made it happen this past Saturday and it was quite fun. We go to see so many amazing designs and learned the history of automobiles through the history of the backdrop of Los Angeles. My favorite was that we saw a 1981 Delorean (Back the Future car). The pictures I love the most are of Grace in the little fire truck push car. We went with Gwendolyn Wyne and her two kids and I think we all had a good time.

Swimming and Summer.

The past month seems to have already happened and I just felt like it started. The beginning of summer has brought many changes for everyone. I am reminded about the excitement of what it was like to finish school and think of long lazy days and swimming. Speaking of swimming, we joined the local YMCA here and in LA and have been taking Grace to lessons for the past three months. She has taken to the water quite well and get excited when we go the pool together. Both Will and I take turns and have enjoyed getting to know other parents with children close to Grace's age. We hope to keep this up! It sure is fun seeing your child discover the world around at this age.

Wyoming

As I was washing dishes today I couldn’t help but miss my childhood. I remember just how simple things seemed and how I was never let in on the worry of making ends meet for our rather large family. We just had what we had and made do with it. I think I was maybe 5 when I received my first brand new outfit from the store. My mom would make us all sorts of colorful summer outfits. Matching top and bottoms. I miss her and would love to talk about so many things with her today. The attached photo is of my mother's parents from 1984. This is how I remember them. Grandpa Shumway died four years after this. I am looking forward to sharing the beauty of where I was born with Will and our little Grace one day.

Those Eyes

This morning I woke up first thing as I always do to feed Grace. She was making some noise when I came in to get her and after I opened the door It was the most adorable thing to see her pop her little head up to look at who had coming to see her. Grace is a bit social and seems to cry out the most when she realizes that she is alone. After her morning feeding it is comical to see that way she takes a look at the world around her as if she is it for the first time. The wonder of seeing everything around her that causes me to reflect on the joy in life.  We could all go with looking at things in this fresh sort of way.

My Baby has a lot of hair.

I am still amazed at how much hair little Grace arrived with and how much it has grown. I thought I would never post a picture of her in the bathtub but this one is pretty priceless.

Mom

I am a Mom.

Wow.

I wish I could explain to my dear little Grace just how much I love being her mom. She has this way of making me feel so special and seems to know exactly how to make me feel centered in the craziness that may be going on around me. No matter what happens in life, I am so glad to have her to keep me centered.  I can’t imagine a day without the joy of teaching her and seeing her understanding grow. Everyday she seems to grasp more and more of the world going on around her.

Upon thinking of the moments I have had with Grace since she arrived, my focus is helping her know during each moment that I will always love her. Among the lessons I would like to share with her, I want her to learn: to face life’s challenges with confidence, to see outside of her own life by helping those around her, to listen to her heart, to be bold in her dreams and goals, to have faith to know that her Heavenly Father loves her and hears her prayers.

It is pretty exciting to now be celebrating my first Mother’s Day as the mother to my dear little Grace.  It causes me to reflect upon how my own mother must have felt about her own children.  She has been gone for 17 years, and not a day goes by that I don’t miss her.  I want to wish her a happy Mother’s Day, and for her to know how grateful I am for the opportunities and lessons that she gave to me.  I hope that I can be as good of a mother for Grace as she was for me.