gymnastics...

A few months ago, I switched Reese to a new gymnastics gym and I have nothing, but good things to say about it. The coach assessed her and put her in the older girls class. She just turned 4 and she was put in the 5 and older class. After her first class, she came home and was so upset. She said, "Mom, I'm the only 4 year old in my class and I'm the smallest."  I told her that was a good thing and it was because she was working really hard. She was then excited! I have been so impressed with Reese's progress. Her technique is better, she is getting close to having her kick over, back handspring, and getting more comfortable on the big beam. 

When I signed Reese up, I noticed that there was a class for Nora at the same time. I wasn't sure if she would want to do it, but she has loved it. I have been impressed with her focus and ability to follow directions. I wasn't sure if she would be able to take this class without me holding her hand, but she is so confident and loves gymnastics. She loves her teacher and is doing really well with the skills. One of the cutest things during gymnastics is when I will watch Nora waving to Reese from across the gym. If Reese is going to get a drink, Nora will run over to her for a quick hug. Then there is Ren. You would honestly think our little man could run by the way he is tries to get to his sisters. I think I'm in trouble with that little guy. I'm sure he will walk early and when he does, I'm guessing I will be trying to keep him off the mats for the entire hour. I love how busy he is. 

Racquetball racquetball racquetball

 Last Saturday, Ron had a few of his racquetball friends and their families over for a little BBQ and some racquetball. All of the guys are open players and the 2 women that were there play on the women's pro tour. Everyone that came is sponsored by HEAD. So what I'm really trying to say is that when Ron asked me if I wanted to play, I quickly declined and volunteered to watch all the kids. I can usually hold my own when it comes to sports, but I wasn't about to get hit with a 90mph racquetball. Those things hurt. LOL! Anyway, racquetball is an interesting sport. Until I met Ron, I honestly thought that racquetball was pretty much extinct and only old retired guys that wore headbands played racquetball. I have learned otherwise. Ron mostly plays indoor racquetball, but a few years ago, we went to an outdoor racquetball tournament at Huntington Beach and Ron loved it. When we built our house, he made sure we had space to build an outdoor racquetball court. Ron couldn't find a lot of information about how to build an outdoor court and so he decided to create a blog so people would have a resource for building a court. In a matter of days, the World Racquetball Association saw the blog and people from all over the world were asking Ron questions. Pretty neat for Ron. He was excited.

Anyway......Ron had a great day playing racquetball and it was great to see him having fun and playing hard.

Family Selfie

 I have to admit that this was our first family selfie. I don't like to take selfies, but Reese really wanted to win some lagoon passes so I entered us into a family selfie contest. Unfortunately, she did not win the lagoon passes, but these family selfies are priceless. I'm so grateful for my goofy family that I love so much!!

The Motherhood Project

 I can't say enough how much I love these pictures....I had the amazing opportunity to be a part of "The Motherhood Project" in May. I was nominated by a friend to be a part of the this project and it was such a neat experience. The talented Jalene Taylor created this project to document motherhood in action. Specifically mothers with a unique view on motherhood. One mother had cancer, another young mother had just lost her husband, we have had some unique adoption experiences, and there were more inspiring stories about motherhood. I truly felt honored that I was nominated to be a part of this project. I truly love being a mother and nothing makes me happier than being a mother and a wife. I love that every thing I have ever done or worked for in my life has prepared me to be a mother. I love that there is no limit to motherhood. There is no limit to teaching my children, loving my children, and helping them develop their talents and gifts. I love that I get to be an instrument in our Heavenly Father's hands everyday to teach my kids the things that He would have me teach them. As I pray about their needs, how to communicate better with them, to have an understanding heart, to have greater patience, use my time wisely, look for teaching moments, and many more things that change from day to day, I feel the hand of the Lord working in my life. That is a great feeling! Being a mother has changed me so much and I am grateful for how my kids have changed me for the better. With each child, I have been able to lose myself a little more and with each child I am happier than I was before. I love that motherhood is a refining process! Before each of my children were born, I have always prayed, pleaded, and spent a lot of time talking to Heavenly Father. It is such a refining process to plead for this baby to come into our family if it is Heavenly Father's will. It is a feeling of complete submission to prepare for this baby and if it isn't Heavenly Father's will, it is a complete acceptance of His will and preparation for what is to come next. The refinement continues everyday as I pray for help to raise my children. The Spirit continues to guide me and help me know what things I need to change, when I need to spend more one on one time with one of my kids, when I need to play more, which areas Ron and I need to strengthen our marriage to be better examples to our kids, and so many other things. It is a constant process of becoming more like our Heavenly Father and there is nothing that will change my heart quicker than my children.
I feel so honored and blessed to be the mother to my 3 miracle babies! They truly are straight from heaven and I feel the presence of heaven in our home everyday. Motherhood is amazing and I thank my Heavenly Father everyday for the blessing I have been given to be a mother. Not just a mother is general, but specifically the mother to Reese, Nora, and Ren.