Perfection

I love that no matter how upset my little man is, if I give him his soother and hold him close and lay down with him on my bed, he will be asleep in a matter of seconds. What tremendous power I have over that little boy. Once he is asleep, I love to lay on my bed beside him and watch my little man sleep. I honestly could watch him for hours...if only it didn't also make me sleepy. I love watching as his eyes dart back and forth underneath his closed eyelids. I love the peaceful look on his face. I love the feel of his warm hands and cheeks...I can't stop myself from kissing him. I love it when he makes little cooing sounds or when he smiles and giggles. I wonder what it is that someone so small has to dream about that will make them laugh right out loud. As I watch him, I lay in wonder at how absolutely perfect this little man is. And I often wonder what I have done to earn the right to be his mom. What a huge responsibility! It is my job to take this perfect baby and nurture him, teach him, love him, care for him...and along the way help him to become all that his Heavenly Father wants him to be. He wont stay perfect forever, but if I teach him that he is a child of God, that he has on older brother who came to earth to fulfill the Fathers plan and if I teach him to pray and read the scriptures, then he will know what he needs to do to become perfect once again. He will know that he will make mistakes, but that through the atonement of Christ he can repent and be forgiven, and when his journey here on this earth is over, he can be made perfect once again through the grace and love of our savior Jesus Christ.

It is indeed a huge responsibility...times four. But I believe that I am up to the challenge. The past 8 years have been a challenge and learning experience. But as I look at my nearly 8 year old daughter, I feel that we have done a pretty good job. She is ready to be baptized. She reads her scriptures on her own. She writes her own talks for primary, on the theme for the month. She prepares and gives a family home evening lesson all on her own using either a story from the Friend, a lesson from a previous primary class, or from something she has read in the scriptures. I beam with pride when I see her do these things.

So far, we've got one going in the right direction. Now to help keep her there and make sure her siblings follow her example. That statement just made me think of something that was said in James' baby blessing. He was told to follow the example of his oldest sister, because she would be a good example. I remember thinking what a great responsibility that is for her, but that I knew she would live up to that promise.