Five things I {love} about being a mom.

{Moments}  Like when we were riding bikes Thursday and I heard a little voice from the trailer I was pulling say, "Mom, you're really strong.  I love you".  Or when a certain chubster throws his head back and grins from ear to ear, bearing the pink gums that show signs of beaver teeth about to pop through in the coming months.  Or when a little boy holds my hand all the way to Kindergarten Round-up, and we talk about the signs that help us cross the street safely, and when the first day of school is, and how nice his teacher will be, and about all the letters in the Chicka-Chicka-Boom-Boom tree that come crashing down.  It's these little moments I live for.  

{Forts}  This couch of ours has been jumped on more than any trampoline I've ever seen, but it has also been the foundation of even more forts.  Along with every pillow in the apartment (that's 23 pillows, mind you) and every quilt or blanket (14 to be exact), we are constantly building forts and cleaning them up (Taylor built 5 today.)  As of late, they are built in the four-foot space between the front door, couch and bookshelf...so if you ever come over and we can't get to the door, you might have to crawl through the window, or come around back.  I love seeing their imaginations run wild!

{Stillness}  At bedtime, while napping, during prayers.  But especially at church during Sacrament Meeting.  My heart swells with gratitude and loving pride when I see my boys, all three, sitting quietly, sitting still, and sitting reverently.  It doesn't happen every week for the whole three-hour block or even during all of Sacrament Meeting, but it happens sometimes, and it's those times of stillness that I'm so thankful for obedient children.

{Today}  What better time to be a mother, than today.  I think of all the wonderful principles and values that my children need to learn to be a good citizen, a loving family member, a righteous missionary, a worthy priesthood holder, a good brother, and I just love that I am the one who gets to plant these seeds at home and watch them grow.  I'll admit, that sometimes this task is overwhelming, if not daunting, but it's what our Heavenly Father wants for us and his children, so I try my best, and pray that they'll get it.  I love to see the wheels in their heads turning as they learn these principles and values.  I honestly don't give them enough credit.  They know far more than I think they know or should know... They amaze me every. single. day.

{Smiles}  Real, genuine smiles that say, "This curry and rice is yummy!" or "I found my shoes right where you said they were!" or "Thanks for taking us to the library and the park" or "I love to play with your shirt while I nurse" or "Can we have some more marshmallows to shoot in our catapults?"  This is a very, very, very small sampling of instances where I've seen smiles just today.  It hurts when their faces are sad because they're hurting...but it is so beautiful to see their happy faces for any reason.  I love their grins, mischievous and happy, excited and surprised.

My heart is full with even more reasons that I love about being a mom.  Especially that I have a loving and hard working husband that is willing to work around the clock just so I can stay home with our charming boys and be their mama.