The Miracle of Life

There aren't words to describe the feelings a mother has when they first place your baby in your arms. It's overwelming, it's joyful, it's tearful. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to be a mom again. Before we had Marshall I had some serious concerns. The first was that something would go wrong, and the second was that I wouldn't love him as much as I love Shep. I have learned my lesson concerning both things. I learned that some things are out of our control, no matter how much we worry about them. But, if we turn that concern over to the Lord we can feel peace. It doesn't mean everything will turn out how we want it all the time, tragedy does happen. It just means we can feel better and have peace in our life. Once I prayed my concerns to my Heavenly Father I felt like I turned it over to him and I literally felt a burden lift. The second thing I've learned is that love's capacity is evergrowing. Sure, I don't love Marshall the same as I love Shep, I love him differently. My love for him is young with experience, but deep with concern and charity. It is unconditional. And it will continue to grow as we experience life together.

Pride and Joy

Introducing Marshall Joseph Sloan. Born November 17th, at McKay Dee Hospital at 5:18. He was 7 Ibs. 10 oz and 20 inches long. The labor went well. And mom and baby are healthy and happy.

Horsey Boy

Shep got a new baby brother and a horse all in one week. Grandma Lu Lu thought Shep needed to get something special for being a big brother (to keep him busy while mom is feeding the new baby) He is in love with it. The horse actually brays and moves it's head. He was loving riding his horsey but then we put batteries in it and now he's scared of it. I think he'll get over, I hope he'll get over it.

The Story of the Sucker

Shep was especially good while I ran some errands, so I gave him a sucker. This was no ordinary sucker; it was the most delicious, carmel apple sucker. He was unusually quiet in the backseat of the car because he was in sucker heaven. Then I heard a little whimper. Shep faced his first big dilema. Somehow the sucker had landed on the top of his head! He had to make the choice to pull his hair out and have his sucker. Or endure the heartache of having a sucker so close to his lips without the possiblity of eating it. He was torn. He would start to pull the sucker out, and then stop because the pain was too great. That's when he'd whimper. I think this story changes the phrase "You can't have cake and eat it, too" to "You can't have a sucker, and lick it, too!"

Have you ever seen such a cute giraffe? I let Shep eat as much candy as he wanted on Halloween. I'll never do that again, he wouldn't eat real food for days afterwards. I thought I ruined him forever, but he is doing better now eating "good food". A few days before Halloween we went reverse trick-or-treating. Visiting neighbors and giving treats, instead of asking for them. He was so dang cute. He took the candy apple, walked up to the doors, knocked, and then handed them the treat. Sounds simple, but it was the cutest thing, ever. It's fun to see your kids do stuff like that.

Cowboy Up!

This summer we got to go to Riki's parents farm in Idaho, and pretend we were cowboys for a weekend. It was great fun. Especially for Aram, who loves to wear cowboy hats (and I don't mind how he looks in them), and for Sheppy who is crazy about horses.