I'm a big fan of the TLC show Jon and Kate Plus 8. It chronicles the lives of a family who had twins and then sextuplets. A few months after our twins were born, I was watching an episode in which they took all their kids to the hospital where the sextuplets were born and the condo nearby where they lived until all six kids could come home. At the end of the episode, Kate talked about how many great memories they had of that condo because it was the last time they were a family of four. She said something like, "It was the last time things were simple." As I watched, tears started streaming down my face. I vividly remembered looking at our family portrait from 2007 about a week or so after the twins were born and wishing for the "good-old" days of three kids. Of course, I wouldn't wish the twins themselves away for anything, but at the time, I was lamenting the huge upheaval in our household.
Our lives have been turned upside down over the past year, but in so many good ways. I find myself crying often these days, just so overwhelmed by all of the blessings we've been given. As I watched the annual Nativity program at my in-laws' house on Christmas Eve (with S and N as angels, A2 as baby Jesus, and H and T as wisemen) I cried once again at the blessings of five happy, healthy kids; two jobs that pay the bills; a house that keeps us warm and safe; wonderful family and friends who drop everything to help us; and the Savior, who has truly carried us through all of the events this year. We are truly blessed.
Happy New Year!
5 comments:
What a lovely post and wonderful pictures. Zack is very impressed with the clone trooper costumes. In our life before boys, we had no idea the need for star wars at every family occasion, did we? I often recall an Ensign article by Janet Lee about crayons and choosing from the options life presents to us, but also learning from what we get. She talks about even though Rex got sick and eventually died (although after this article, I think) and she wishes that didn't have to happen, she wouldn't trade the growth or what she learned as a result for anything, even to not have the trial in the first place. You have had a crazy year, but a bounteous one and it's so great that you can so easily see the hand of the Lord in your life, despite the crazies and wistfully remembering an easy time (though it didn't seem that easy at the time) seems normal and reasonable to me.
OK, I just had to write and tell you that I love picture 1 and 3 the best. The look on A2 face in picture 3 is priceless. Your family is very blessed to have such great kids and the other half of my husband. HA HA
There were SO many times, especially right at the beginning when I missed having just one so bad. I can understand why people only have one child. It's just so nice to be able to focus and actually know what's going on with that one. Weeks after the twins were born I was like, oh, didn't Cash have a cold a while ago? What happened to that?
I love the twins eyes in all of their pictures :-)
Your Christmas picture on the post below is perfect too!
Seriously, these pics are AWESOME. They are going to just crack up when they are old. Especially T and his silly faces.
Post a Comment