BIRTHDAY BOY!

John turned the big 0-1 on Sunday, St. Patrick's Day!! How is this possible?! It seems like just last week we were taking him home from the hospital. Everyone always says that time goes so fast when you have kids & now I know what they mean.

Nathan surprised John by coming home on Friday from his TDY mission & we got to spend the whole weekend together which was AWESOME! (He had to go back Monday night... but he should be coming home for good at the end of the week).

Last week, we received John's birthday presents in the mail from my parents & my grandparents which John wanted to open so badly but, I made him wait.

Saturday we spent most of the day up in Ramstein & we bought John his presents there since our PX sucks & has the lamest selection of boy things ever.

Nathan & I made four cakes for John. We made a white cake that Nathan dyed green (barely) and a chocolate fudge cake. I divided each batter into two circular pans & stacked the white on top of the chocolate fudge for his smash cake & then a "nice" cake for us to eat.

Just a quick Instagram shot of the smash cake lol

Since there's a 6 hour time difference between my family & us, we waited until about 6:30pm our time to open presents because they wanted to watch him on Skype. It ended up working out good because he took a really late afternoon nap, which gave Nathan time to grill some porterhouse steaks. I chopped up strawberries & steamed asparagus for John too (his favorites!).

He got several beginner Dr. Seuss books, Madagascar, A Bug's Life, The Fox & The Hound 1&2 DVD's, and a check to buy him something "big" from my parents. My grandparents sent a Babies R Us gift card & we ordered his present from there yesterday- a little slide & play gym for the balcony. Nathan & I bought him a truck he can ride on, push around as a walker & "repair", an activity table that makes all sorts of ruckus & Cars 2, and Brother Bear 1 &2 DVD's. This little boy sure is SPOILED!! 

I had fun playing around with different photoshop tutorial actions. I followed the steps to add "creamy brightness" to this one & a few others. I played around with other colors too like white & peach for other photos...

couldn't decide... color or black & white?

After reflecting over the past year, my first year of many of being a mother, I've realized that I've grown & come a long way too. I've grown mentally, emotionally, physically & most importantly, spiritually. I could not make it through the day without first kneeling down to pray. Knowing that my Heavenly Father is there for me makes being a mother so much easier & I will forever be grateful that I have His help day in & day out. I've come to love in a way I didn't even know was possible. There aren't words enough in the English language for me to convey how much I love John or to express how eternally thankful I am that he is my son & that Nathan & I have have been given the great opportunity of raising him. 

I came across a video on Pinterest of a General Conference a while back of Jeffrey R. Holland's talk on mothers. I'd post the whole thing, but that would be incredibly long. There's a quote in there that he got from an anonymous mother that I just love & then there's one from Elder Russell M. Nelson that just sums everything up...

“Through the thick and the thin of this, and through the occasional tears of it all, I know deep down inside I am doing God’s work. I know that in my motherhood I am in an eternal partnership with Him. I am deeply moved that God finds His ultimate purpose and meaning in being a parent, even if some of His children make Him weep."

Motherhood - The Highest and Noblest of Work in this Life!

Elder Russell M. Nelson on motherhood:

“During my professional career as a doctor of medicine, I was occasionally asked why I chose to do that difficult work. I responded with my opinion that the highest and noblest work in this life is that of a mother. Since that option was not available to me, I thought that caring for the sick might come close. I tried to care for my patients as compassionately and competently as Mother cared for me.

Many years ago the First Presidency issued a statement that has had a profound and lasting influence upon me. “Motherhood,” they wrote, “is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels.

Because mothers are essential to God’s great plan of happiness, their sacred work is opposed by Satan, who would destroy the family and demean the worth of women.” Russell M. Nelson, “Our Sacred Duty to Honor Women,” Ensign, May 1999, 38