Seasons, Temperatures and Climates

Dear Gabriel,

Being in St. George for the past couple of years I have become very warm blooded! This morning I opened my shades and there was SNOW on the ground. Your dad came inside from starting the car and just said, 'This is why we are moving back to St. George!'. It is amazing to me that just 30 minutes away the temperature and climate are so different.

Isn't that amazing how different the landscape is around us? There is always a new adventure and beautiful season to appreciate. I really do love the snow. I love the winter. I love the spring. I love the fall... and of course the summer. It leads me into thinking about how different the temperatures are inside of each day of life. Just a matter of minutes and each day can be completely different.

You never know what season, temperature and climate will come with each minute of our personal lives. Each moment can bring pain, happiness, frustration, excitement, gratitude, tragedy... such different temperatures and climates. The most important thing is to find peace no matter what the temperature, climate or season comes with each day.

I love you,

Your Mom

The 'Inside Stuff'

Dear Gabriel,

Moving is a lot of work. We are moving back down to St. George next weekend, which we are very excited about, but it is a lot of work. It has given me a lot of 'brain free' time when I have been packing boxes just to think. Mostly what I think about when I am packing is... 'We have a lot of STUFF!'.

Life is just full of stuff. Stuff in stores. Stuff in cars. Stuff in purses. Stuff in houses. Stuff in planes. Stuff in suitcases... stuff, stuff, stuff. Some of the stuff is worth keeping around and the other, it's just time to toss! Now that is so symbolic of our 'inside stuff'. We have stuff in our heart. Stuff in our soul. Stuff in our mind. Stuff in our energy. Stuff in our thoughts. Stuff in our motivation... stuff, stuff, stuff. Hopefully most of the 'inside stuff' is worth keeping, and the rest... well, it's just time to toss.

The most important stuff is the 'inside stuff'. Making sure the 'inside stuff' is in order and harmony causes the outside stuff to just work out. Any time my 'inside stuff' is at peace, then no matter how much I have going on with the outside stuff, I am able to handle it and with a smile. Mostly, I can handle it because God teaches me how. He is really the maker of the good 'inside stuff'.

I love you,

Your Mom

Dancing Through Life

Dear Gabriel,

Music is the soul of the spirit. I had a very wise man tell me that one time, especially because the power of music has so much to do with my life. It has been fascinating in the last couple of weeks to watch you and how you respond to music. You are starting to sing, dance and wanting to play the piano with me all the time.

The other day I put on some music while cleaning the house and you just started dancing to the rhythm. It was adorable! Because of you dancing naturally as a baby, I started thinking about how much I dance as an adult. I believe there are ways we dance, and the most important is the way we choose to 'dance through life'. Relationship communication, starting the day right, working hard, enjoying the smells, eating well, accomplishing goals... so many different kinds of ways that we 'dance through life'.

I hope you know that I am 'dancing through life' with a smile, love and excitement. There is so much to be grateful for. There is so much to love. There is so much to laugh about. There is so much to enjoy. There is so much to see. There is so much to hear... so much around me all the time. I am so grateful especially we get to dance through life together... especially with the music blaring while we clean the kitchen floor under your high chair ;-)~

I love you,

Your Mom

Kissing Christ

Dear Gabriel,

This is a great story. So we were downstairs the other day. Your dad and I were folding laundry and you were just playing, talking, laughing and having a great time crawling (aka 'stink bugging'). Our downstairs is still not really put together and among it all is a picture of Christ still leaning up against the wall, in the spot we want to hang it up. It is just a picture of his face with a slight smile.

Well, at one point while you were crawling past him you stopped. You sat in front of his picture and looked at him for a moment. Then, all of a sudden, you leaned forward and kissed him. You got all excited and started talking to him, leaned forward and kissed him again, and kept talking (I am sure going on with a story you were dying to tell him). You laughed for a second, smiled at him, then turned and kept on crawling around and playing with your toys.

Both Brent and I saw the whole thing. Immediately when you stopped in front of his picture I swatted your dad on the arm and said,"Check this out." Then when you leaned forward and kissed him, I just about lost it. Tears welled up in my eyes as you talked to him, kissed him again, and told him your story.

What an amazing lesson for me. That night, in my prayers, I visualized being in front of him, as you were. I visualized talking with him, just like you did. I remembered what it was to truly 'be as a little child' and wept. Thank you for kissing Christ.

I love you,

Your Mom