Reverence is more than just quietly sitting...

It being Mother's Day, the primary children had a part in the Sacrament Meeting Program:  singing a medly of songs for their mothers.

I quietly whispered to Tanner that after the current speaker was done, he could go up on the stand with all the other primary children to sing some songs.  He seemed indifferent and kept coloring.  Ryan had taken Taylor out into the hall to help him be reverent...

When the time came, I helped him to the end of the bench we were sitting on, where he loudly proclaimed, "Mom!  I can't go up there, my bum needs to go poo!"  Through muffled laughter, I assured him I would take him after he sang, and he could hold it.

He agreed, and walked up to the podium with our huge primary, and found a place on the front row...

...the singing began...

...I was nervous as all get-out because we attended a different ward for Ryan's niece's daughter's (that make sense?)  baby blessing last week, and Tanner didn't get to practice the songs...

...then his hand reached for the microphone...

...I shook my head and folded my arms in a large enough motion so he could see me on the back row...

...and a miracle happened:  He folded his arms and quietly stood there, with the biggest smile in the world.

After the first song, I smiled and gave him a thumbs up.  He returned the thumbs up...I was starting to cry happy tears.  My baby is growing up!

...Then the singing began for the second song...and Tanner left the podium and ran back to me, exclaiming even louder than his parting comment, "Mom!  I didn't brush my teeth before lunch!  I need to brush my teeth!"  and I busted a gut laughing with the people around us.

Tanner quickly replied, "Sorry mom, I didn't know the words."  My reply amidst happy tears and more laughter, "It's okay Tanner.  It really made me happy to see you reverent and smiling.  I love your big smile."

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For the past three years, our ward has given the mothers giant (like the size of a 8" plate) cinnamon rolls with the most delicious frosting from Geraldine's Bakery for Mother's Day, instead of a potted flower...and I was SO looking forward to it today...

This year, however, the money they would  have spent on such a delicacy, went instead to a chocolate kiss and a beautiful poem for the mothers, and the remainder to purchase humanitarian aid supplies for the church.  What a wonderful gift.  It made my heart happy, and I forgot that my tummy was hungry from a lack of proper breakfast.  :) 

I spent quite a while today counting my blessings...and could probably spend more time doing so.  I am blessed with a wonderful family, a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and many, many more things.

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Taylor's nursery teacher had prepared marigolds in darling pots for the children to give their mothers today...and Taylor was ecstatic to give me mine.  She even let them finger-paint on the pot.  He was so excited I thought he was going to drop it as he handed/tossed it up into my hands after church.  

We tried to get a picture of Taylor holding his pretty flower...but Tanner wanted to instead...

Do you think I could get either son of mine to look at the camera and smile at the same time?  Yeah...but they're still cuties.  

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While I fixed cheese samwiches for lunch (in Ryan's defense, he's prepared nearly every meal for the last year and a half) he and the boys tried flying a newspaper airplane off the porch...

...it didn't go too well, combined with the brisk wind we've had for the past three weeks...

...I love my boys...my hubby included.  My heart is happy.  My heart is full. 

♥ Happy Mother's Day! ♥