Reminiscing

How time flies! Was it yesterday that I held my firstborn in my arms? Nurtured her? Read to her? Taught her? Was it really 30 years ago? It seems just like yesterday. Now her youngest will turn one. Little Kailey! Can it really be that this much time has really passed? Next thing I know she is 10 and a big sister to 5 siblings. What a wonderful big sister! She helped teach her sister to pray together at night before they went to sleep. Then she is 16 and she works hard to help rear her younger siblings. She is in school full-time, works part-time, enjoys drill team and still gets up every morning for seminary. Then she is 18 and off to college so far away from home and anyone she knows. Will she stay strong? Will she falter? Will she expand herself spiritually and intellectually? Am I afraid..of course I am! My "baby" is so far away and I can't be there to help her. Oh, she blossoms into a beautiful and strong woman. Then she is 20 and married to a good man who loves her so much he takes her to the temple for an eternal marriage. Could my joy be any more full? Of course...within ten years they bring 4 adorable children into this world to enjoy, to teach, to love, to help them grow. Could my joy ever be more full? Multiply this three times with Laura, and Patrick. Soon Sean will join the ranks of those sealed eternally to a wonderful companion as his sisters and his brother. More on this later.

Here we have Shannon at 15 months and Kailey at 10 months.