They Grow up So Fast

I can still remember when I was 18 years old and my sister asked me to watch her little baby while she and her husband went out of town. It was the first time I experienced a little child actually WANTING to be in my presence. Little babies typically cried around me (and usually still do). I can't say I blame them as I usually want to cry in my presence too.

However, my niece is all grown up now and today entered the MTC (Missionary Training Center) to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She will head off to Boise, Idaho in a mere three weeks to serve as a missionary. I was lucky enough to have her visit briefly before she entered the MTC as well as see a couple of my sisters and my brother-in-law.

Sierra is excited for her choice to serve as a missionary and I know that she will have many wonderful experiences in the next 18 months. We will miss her but we know that she is serving the Lord and will help many people in Boise, Idaho.

Ringing in the New Year

Well it is official. We are old fuddy-duddies. I don't know when this happened. It may have snuck up on us quietly but I would definitely have to acknowledge the official time as 10:50 p.m. last night when we went to bed instead of staying up to ring in the New Year.

As midnight hit this is what we were doing...

Well...that's not entirely true. That is what we WISHED we were doing but we were woken up by all of the wilder people in our neighborhood who had much more energy and life in their bodies. The sound of their fireworks scared us awake and kept us awake for the next half hour.

I must admit to being a little jealous that they could stay up for fireworks. After too many late nights with sick kids we just couldn't face another one however and snuggled into bed treating New Year's Eve like any other.

I told my sister that I haven't made any resolutions for the New Year. But that isn't entirely true. I have some secret resolutions. I don't want to say them out loud or write them down. That way I won't be too disappointed if I don't keep them right? :)

Change is hard. It is hard to accept and hard to accomplish. But the beauty of a new day and a new year is the opportunity to try again.

Seeing as this is my very first post I suppose I should explain the title of my post.  Serenity Now was inspired by my four boys.  A little over a year ago our family increased in size from one to four through adoption.  Our family doubled in size overnight and it was incredible and scary and overwhelming.  Over the past year and two months I could probably write a book on all of the things that the boys have said and done that had me saying "Serenity Now"!  They have had me crying, laughing, and shaking my head in confusion.  It has taken the boys a while to adjust to our family and to living with rules.  So although I try to seek quiet moments for myself in the midst of all the many things I do as a mom... Serenity Now is also about helping my children find peace and serenity as they heal from their past and start a new future.