"It Will All Be Worth It"

Abby has been working on her balance. She can stand up against the wall for a good minute now without falling. She really has gotten taller since last May. I've known this for a while because she started needing bigger sized clothes. But it is so obvious when I see her standing. And I really, REALLY like to see her stand.

I just thought this next picture was too funny not to share. A few nights ago Anthony gave Abby an afro. Doesn't she look like she belongs in the Jackson 5?

A few times this week I have seen Spencer go up to Abby when she is in her chair and give her something that he was done playing with. I think it is so cute. It shows me that Spencer thinks of Abby as more than just a lump. Their relationship is very important to me. Abby has been obsessed with him since the day he was born. Anthony and I were talking the other day about how funny it is that she still tries to get him every chance she can. She hasn't lost that desire one bit. However, Spencer usually doesn't want anything to do with it! But every once in a while he will hold still long enough to give her a hug or to try and eat her hair (which I consider to be a kiss). I like those sweet moments. The rest of the time they are fighting over toys like normal siblings do.

About a month ago our neighbor let us borrow the movie 17 Miracles. It has been sitting by our TV waiting for a night when the kids were in bed early enough for Anthony and I to sit down and watch it. But since a certain 3-year-old girl in our house won't go to sleep until 9 or 10, and then wakes up at 3, staying up late to watch a movie has not been an option for a long time. Finally last night I decided if we were going to watch it we would just have to start it while the kids were still awake. The movie is about the Willie Handcart Company. To be honest, I have never been interested in pioneer stories, but now I understand that there is so much to learn from them. Their faith was incredible and there were a lot of things that stood out to me during the movie. The main thing was that I am on a trek of my very own right now. We all are, in one way or another. We have our own handcarts to pull each day and some days we get stuck in the mud, but we have to keep going. My favorite line from the movie is, "It will all be worth it." The things this company faced along their journey were almost incomprehensible. But they each had faith in what they were doing and why they were doing it. They had to endure so much before they reached the Valley, but they understood that being with the other Saints in Zion and receiving their temple blessings would offset all of those things. They knew what mattered most. It was a nice reminder for me. Sometimes I get bogged down with the difficulties of the journey and forget that one day it will be worth it.

"It will all be worth it."

The sleepless nights

The carpets and upholstery that are tarnished with the smell of vomit

The mental exhaustion

The pounds gained and lost from stress

The tears of sorrow

The loss of normalcy

The depression

The self-doubting

"It will all be worth it."

The relationships that have been strengthened

The new friendships that have been cultivated

The desire to serve others

The tender mercies that have been seen

The increased faith in the Savior

The knowledge gained of the importance of sincere prayer

The realization of my true potential

The lives that have been touched

The opportunity to bear testimony

"It will all be worth it."