Happy Mother's Day to me!!

Every Year, I have been less than excited for this holiday.  I think it's because I had some big expectation of how wonderful the day would be to just enjoy being a mom, and then for some reason it all turns out that I'm mad at my kids and they are crying and we aren't happy at ALL!!!  But I had a change of heart this year (and last) and now I will look forward to this day EVERY YEAR!

I mean look at these cuties... who wouldn't be grateful to be their mama?

 Mother's day was absolutely beautiful here in the city and we took our morning walk in the park before church...

 Taylor was working in India, so the boys and I just had a lot of time together.  Usually, that would make me exhausted, and put me in a bad mood... but it was really fun to be with my boys.

 The best thing about having kids close together is to watch them have fun together.  Going down a slide is not NEARLY as fun by yourself....

Taylor prepped them all before he left that they had to be extra helpful to me while he was gone.  He was so thoughtful even though he was on the other side of the earth.  The boys were great.  Mother's day started with them making me breakfast in bed.  I loved our walk in the park and then opening all their cute handmade gifts from school and church made me smile.

I documented all my deep mother's day feelings in my journal, but the gist of it was that it is such a trial for me to be a "good" mom.   And it is through our trials that we become refined and strengthened.  Without these cute boys, I would never learn patience, love, humility, selfless service and many other necessary traits to become more like my Savior.  Although it's not all roses all the time (usually just thorny), this opportunity to be a mom is one of my greatest blessings.  I am so far from perfect, and fortunately I have some amazing and forgiving boys that help me to learn and grow.  I hope they don't give up on me... EVER!  Happy mother's day!