Happy Easter!

Today was such a great day. Conference weekend is my favorite. I am always uplifted and inspired to be a better person, and more specifically this conference, a better mother. A repeating theme, at least to me, was loud and clear: My work as a mother is the most important thing I can and will do in this life. I am grateful for a prophet of God who gives me the same counsel that He would give me if He were here. I have really thought a lot the last two days about being a mother. I think I take it for granted, and maybe even sometimes wonder what the heck I'm doing! Benson and Bela bless my life in a way nothing else could. They stretch me, try me, test me, help me, teach me, and in the end make me a better person and allow me to feel pure love. I am grateful to be a mother. And I realize the great task that it is. It is my responsibility to teach them to be good, Christlike people, and to understand who they are. I have been thinking about the idea that actions speak louder than words, and that my example will teach them more than anything I could ever try to tell them. Am I spending my time doing things that will result in them knowing what is really important in life? Do they know how I feel about my Savior through my actions?

It is so easy to forget sometimes how blessed I am. I thought today about the prophet Joseph's wife Emma losing 6 of her children during childbirth or in infancy, and then, of course, her husband. Not to mention everything else she endured so well. She is one of my heroes. I have so much to be thankful for in my life. I am trying to push out the fear I sometimes feel about Bela's situation. Fear and worry do me no good, and faith cannot grow where fear is present. I need to move forward in faith and put my trust in the Lord. I am going to try harder to stop thinking about the 'what if's' and the 'when's' and 'why's', which for me is a hard thing to do, but the only thing to do.

As for little Bela, she has stayed well since my last post and has been doing outstanding. After she lost some weight eating on her own, I have decided that it is MUCH more important for her to get some meat on her skinny little bones than push eating right now. In the last month she has gained the weight back, plus 2.5 pounds!! We are feeding her overnight again and although it has it's challenges and annoyances (is that a word?) it is really helping her right now. It seems like she's been constipated the entire last year, but since we started nighttime feeds again it hasn't been an issue. She just simply wasn't getting enough food or liquid. I have seen an increase in energy and better health this last month. Her little body works so hard just to be here, so I can definitely help her out by giving it optimal nutrition. She's certainly the healthiest eater around here. Developmentally she is doing fabulous, testing in her own age group. She says everything, I can't even count her words anymore, and loves to make her point clear. However lately, the only point she wants to make is that she wants to watch Dora, by repeating it a thousand times. And if I don't respond right away, she'll put her little hands on my cheeks and put her face so close to mine our noses touch and say, DORA, OKAY? She's got the best personality. She is doing better going new places and meeting new people lately as well. I have nothing to complain about, and everything to be thankful for.





P.S. For my birthday my wonderful husband got me a MacBook and I feel like a new person. This was the fastest post I've ever done without the computer freezing up on me 5 times. You just might be hearing from me a lot more now... :) I'm out of the dark ages!

Comments

Such a great update!! I am so glad that Bela is doing so well!
Courtney said…
I loved conference too and got the same message. I think it was directed at me! I am glad things are good with Bela and glad you had a great bday!
Thank you for your thoughts on being a parent. I felt that repeating theme was directed at me personally too.

While we were all at the park a few nights ago I was watching Bela and thought she looked wonderful and so happy!

You are a great example to me!
Angie Milne said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Angie Milne said…
aves you are an incredible mother! anyone who knows you at all can see how much you love the lord and how much trust you put in him every day.

k missy, i expect at least a post a week from now on! haha
Sarah said…
Avery,
I hope you remember me! BYU SpEd seems like a loooong time ago! I don't even know where to start. I have been reading your blog for over a year, and keep wanting to comment, or say something. I haven't been able to bring myself to do it. I cannot believe how much your family has been through. I cried the first time I found your blog. I cried for you, and for Bela. You have been through so much! I am amazed at how well Bela is doing now. WOW. She is so lucky to have you for a mom. Good luck in the future. I'm so happy that things are finally turning around for you guys. I with I lived closer, and could offer some kind of actual support, and not just words :)

Love,
Sarah
likeschocolate said…
I am so glad that you had such a great Easter. I know that movie on Emma has made me reflect. She has suffered so much. How can I complain when it is only surgery that my child has gone through and will need to go through again. We just got new that Roman's pulmonary valve does not seem to be growing they think he will need to have another surgery sometime in the near future. This was a shock to us since we thought he would escape another surgery until he was in his late teens. Ugh! Anyway, I am just counting my blessing will each day that I have with him.

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