OK, so I've commandeered my wife's blog, and am making my first (maybe only?) entry since I don't have my own blog account.
This morning I had one of those experiences that seems to come most commonly for me early in the morning. I was sitting at my desk at home, and looked over and saw a toy on the ground next to the loveseat. My first inclination was to reach over and pick it up and remove it from my office. You see, I have a thing about "clutter"; I seem to be able to think better when there is no clutter and no distractions.
The toy was a little whale, and somehow this morning that little whale represented something about my two little boys; and as that impression came to me, I no longer wanted to move it. In fact, I almost simultaneously had two quotes come to my recollection (even though I hadn't thought of either of them for a long time).
The first was from President Thomas S. Monson in his October 2008 General Conference address entitled, Finding Joy in the Journey. He says:
"If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly."
The second was quoted by Elder M. Russell Ballard in his April 2008 General Conference address, Daughters of God:
Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: “The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less”(Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11).
Having had three children already grow up and leave the home, and a fourth getting close to that point, I have already experienced what it feels to "miss them profoundly." Wow, life just seems to have a way of tricking you into thinking that everything takes such a long time; but then when you get down that road and look back -- it suddenly seems like it all happened so fast!
I can't possibly express how much I love our oldest four children. Oh, how each and every one of them has brought such great joy to my soul. We have had fun, we have laughed, sometimes cried, kept trying when we have failed, and have always been friends. And as for our two sons that married our daughters -- wow, how lucky we are! They are both such great men.
Had it not been for my dear and wonderful wife, Belinda, we would have stopped after four children. Well, we also had help from the endless prayers of our son Benson (who had greater faith than any of us).
When I think back on the sacrifice and suffering that Belinda endured to bring each of these children into our family, I am amazed…. She entered into almost all of them (except the first I guess) knowing it would be very hard. She had such courage and faith and vision. To me, she is truly an Elect Lady. I am so thankful … and so lucky!
And what of those last two? They have been so fun! They have brought such joy. I love them like unto the others. They have extended the season of life wherein we can have so many wonderful experiences as parents with young children -- during those truly magical years. Yes, I will be an old man when our 6 year old is finally grown up and on his mission. But until then, we really are having a whale of a time!
This morning I had one of those experiences that seems to come most commonly for me early in the morning. I was sitting at my desk at home, and looked over and saw a toy on the ground next to the loveseat. My first inclination was to reach over and pick it up and remove it from my office. You see, I have a thing about "clutter"; I seem to be able to think better when there is no clutter and no distractions.
The toy was a little whale, and somehow this morning that little whale represented something about my two little boys; and as that impression came to me, I no longer wanted to move it. In fact, I almost simultaneously had two quotes come to my recollection (even though I hadn't thought of either of them for a long time).
The first was from President Thomas S. Monson in his October 2008 General Conference address entitled, Finding Joy in the Journey. He says:
"If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly."
The second was quoted by Elder M. Russell Ballard in his April 2008 General Conference address, Daughters of God:
Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: “The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less”(Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11).
Having had three children already grow up and leave the home, and a fourth getting close to that point, I have already experienced what it feels to "miss them profoundly." Wow, life just seems to have a way of tricking you into thinking that everything takes such a long time; but then when you get down that road and look back -- it suddenly seems like it all happened so fast!
I can't possibly express how much I love our oldest four children. Oh, how each and every one of them has brought such great joy to my soul. We have had fun, we have laughed, sometimes cried, kept trying when we have failed, and have always been friends. And as for our two sons that married our daughters -- wow, how lucky we are! They are both such great men.
Had it not been for my dear and wonderful wife, Belinda, we would have stopped after four children. Well, we also had help from the endless prayers of our son Benson (who had greater faith than any of us).
When I think back on the sacrifice and suffering that Belinda endured to bring each of these children into our family, I am amazed…. She entered into almost all of them (except the first I guess) knowing it would be very hard. She had such courage and faith and vision. To me, she is truly an Elect Lady. I am so thankful … and so lucky!
And what of those last two? They have been so fun! They have brought such joy. I love them like unto the others. They have extended the season of life wherein we can have so many wonderful experiences as parents with young children -- during those truly magical years. Yes, I will be an old man when our 6 year old is finally grown up and on his mission. But until then, we really are having a whale of a time!
5 comments:
Wow, what a pleasure it is to read a blog post from you daddy-O. I love you. Thanks for all the nice things you said and great job for returning to your thesis statement about the whale. You definitely have a writers hand in you.
Oh daddy! This touched my heart! It seriously is wonderful to hear from you and your thoughts! I indeed am very lucky to have both you and mom for my parents. Being a parent myself has made me more fully appreciate, not only the work and worry involved, but the profound and deep love that a parent has for a child. Thank you for loving me through the years.
Also thank you for the reminder to enjoy this moment with my boys. I think you are definitely right . . . the time does pass quickly and it can be so easy to miss if we just coast along instead of fully enjoy it.
Thank you again! Love you!
I love you sweetheart. You made me cry as I am traveling home from Boise. I struck it rich when I married you. We are having a whale of a time
I love this post! Stan should become a regular contributer to this blog. He's got some really good insight.
Thanks Stan for reminding me of some important things. And you're right...Belinda really is and 'elect lady.'
so beautifully written, thank you for sharing your thought. How right you are, I am feeling the same about my own kids. But it is especially tender coming from a dad. You should write more, your thoughts are beautiful.
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