Tuesday Tell All - "Mom's Day"

When I first started reading Cheryl's Tuesday Tell All's on her blog I was so excited to be a part, but lately life has been busy, and I've fallen off the wagon. But after seeing everyone's fun posts I've decided I'll give a crack at it again.

Today's topic is anything about being a mom. The quote for the week is "Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."
~Elizabeth Stone

My choice today...the decision to have a child. The decision to have a child for me was a really hard one. It was like the decision to get married...something I knew I wanted more than anything...but I also wanted the timing to be right...maybe even perfect. I knew I wanted to marry Joseph, but I couldn't get my head around the timing of it all. I really had to study it out, I knew I loved him and wanted to be with him more than anything, but I had to make sense of it in my heart AND my mind.

Deciding to have a child was a similar experience for me. I was filled with so much fear about it. I wanted it more than anything, but I was so worried about the logistics of how everything would work. I wanted the timing to be perfect! (I still wouldn't be a mom today if I had waited for that :) I wanted to make sure I was ready to meet the needs of yet another human being. It was a giant leap of faith for me. We talked it over and over and over and prayed and prayed about it and our answer came in a few ways. We typed them up and placed them on our refrigerator so that we had a reminder when the doubts crept back in. The first was a line from my patriarchal blessing, the second was a quote from President Hinckley.....

"It isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don't worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. If you do your best, it will all work out. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us....if we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers."

The third was a line from one of my favorite hymns, "Come, Come Ye Saints".

"Why should we think to earn a great reward, if we now shun the fight? Gird up your loins, fresh courage take, our God will never us forsake; and soon we'll have this tale to tell - - All is well, All is well. " Every time I hear that song I get a lump in my throat because I think of this experience and what a reward each of my little ones have been.

And the fourth we included with the rest on our fridge to keep us from backing out of the promptings we had already received. :) From the Doctrine and Covenants section 6

"Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God...Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not."

I had to have these posted on my refrigerator because I am a very forgetful person. I needed the constant reminder of what I had personally felt.

If you know me, you'll know that each decision of when to have each child is always very thought out...we've waited for the timing to be right, not perfect (#2 was due Christmas day), but right for us, and just like we were promised it has always seemed to work out. And on that note, as some of you know, we are thrilled to to welcome baby #4 to our family!

Being a mom is the hardest, most rewarding and funnest job I have ever had!