teaching me

I often have others tell me how lucky I am to have good kids. I'm sure everyone hears that at some point. Lately I've felt off my game. Frazzled. I'm being re-introduced to what it's like to have a one year old. I'm so bi-polar when it comes to my feelings of the 12-18 month stage. It's exciting and new and SO FUN but at the same time it is difficult and often almost impossible.

Lately we have really been working to do family breakfast time. 15 minutes, all in the kitchen, all talking to each other and interacting. Dinner would be ideal but it has never been a possibility for us. Spencer usually gets home around bedtime or later. But Spencer has done a good job initiating family breakfast. He has also been really good about family prayer before he leaves. I have had to be the one who is "good" at doing Family Home Evening, but I haven't been as good at scripture time. It happens...but not every night. Yet, I see these things really working in our family.

I know the kids read their scriptures together at night. And to be honest, sometimes that's good enough for me.  Emma will read to Tyler, and then she'll read him a few chapters from whatever book she is into at the moment. As long as they're in bed and quiet I don't really care if they read until past their bedtime. Sometimes I will tell them to wrap it up and go to sleep and Emma will say, "But we still have to read scriptures!"

The other night I had finally gotten Tanner to sleep. I was burned out and tired and frustrated and was walking past her room on my way to the living room. I saw Emma and Tyler kneeling by the side of her bed, praying together. I stopped in my tracks. One half of me felt like my heart would burst and the other half wanted to sob. They were doing their own version of family prayer. I know they are good kids. They have a great dad who sets a strong example, even when he is gone so much. He makes the time home count. They also have wonderful primary leaders and teachers. I need to be better in compensating for his absence--if not for their benefit (they don't need it!), for my own. What a comfort to know that, in spite of my shortcomings, they are still learning and growing. I never thought my 6 and 7 year old would teach me such a powerful, quiet and unintended lesson.