“I make a special appeal to fathers: Please be an important part of talking to your children about the Savior. They need the confirming expressions of your faith, along with those of their mother.

“If a child is not listening, don’t despair. Time and truth are on your side. At the right moment, your words will return as if from heaven itself. Your testimony will never leave your children” (Neil L. Andersen, “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus,” Apr. 2010 general conference.

As men of the priesthood, we have an essential role to play in society, at home, and in the Church. But we must be men that women can trust, that children can trust, and that God can trust. In the Church and kingdom of God in these latter days, . . . we cannot afford husbands and fathers who fail to provide spiritual leadership in the home” (D. Todd Christofferson, “Brethren, We Have Work to Do,” Oct. 2012 general conference).

“Fathers, you are the primary model of manhood for your sons. You are their most meaningful mentor, and believe it or not, you are their hero in countless ways. Your words and your example are a great influence on them. … Listen to them, and connect with them in regular, focused conversation. Talk with them in depth about their feelings and desires. Pray with them, and give them blessings as they face the important decisions in their future” (M. Russell Ballard, “Fathers and Sons, a Remarkable Relationship,” Oct. 2009 general conference).

Happy Father’s Day to all the wonderful men in my life!

2. I’ve been taking pictures with my phone lots and trying to pick up my big camera lately. It’s easier to shoot with one hand with my phone since I usually have a small child in one hand. See at LEAST one a day… but mostly more each day. This is a great app BTW!

3. I love this blog and the photographs shared there! I’d love to collaborate in something like that!

4. I feel like Lucy and Oliver especially have very expressive faces.

5. I used to have people over in our house a LOT for supper. Like once or twice a month at least. And then we moved out to Raymond and I was pregnant and I felt a little strange about doing it here (it seems in small towns people seem weirded out by the whole idea….) and then I had another baby. And then I realized… I LOVE having people over for dinner. So I’ve started again. I love feeding people and it’s a great way to get to know people. So… it’s back ON!

6. I was thinking back the other day about all the wonderful women I’ve gotten to know over my life. Especially as an adult. Women who really have made a difference in my life. It’d perhaps be a nice blog post to document some of them.

7. I’m having a lot of back pain again lately. Lame-o.

8. I love having Reg capture pictures of our family too!

9. School’s almost out hey?

10. Lately Lucy has started becoming even more of a mother hen to Oliver. And I LOVE it. Love love love love love it. She takes him out on the tramp, reads books to him, plays toys. It is sooooo awesome. Especially when she chooses to do it cause its fun!

We stopped at Frank’s slide on the way out so the kids could climb around. I was trying to set up the camera in my van on a car seat to take a picture of our family on the rocks (since I forgot my tripod)… but between the wind and how far away the van was and how long my focus was and all that. This shot with Lucy’s head  cut off was the only one that was in focus…. whoops. HA!

The neat thing about the weekend was that it was also the blossom festival. So there was a parade on Saturday morning.

And then we went to the pool to have some fun too. GREAT pool there!

Then we went back to my brother & SIL’s camp site. (They brought their trailer…. we stayed in a motel… which was…. interesting)

Then after the church on Sunday was a big family affair. Grandma was pleased as punch.

This is my grandma and all her living kids. (One passed away a couple years ago)

Grandma and her sister Aunt Fay.

And Oliver and his favorite find of the day…. (Lucy’s too!) My cousin Garth’s girlfriends dog. The kind of dog that makes you want a dog (but no I don’t want a dog….)

My cousins who were there (missing one that left earlier). And yes I have a LOT more. Just me and my one brother Brad were there from our family.

The next generation down. I’d like you to notice Eli in the front…. he really hates pictures.

Last evening before we came home, we had a campfire in the campground where a lot of family was staying. My mom just stayed in our room so I could put the kids to bed and leave them  there. It was a really nice time to hang out!!

It was a great weekend. But I was glad to get home to my own bed.

Go see what family life looks like to these lovely ladies….

  Amanda, Carla, Hanne, Heather,  Janet, Jenn, Tracey and Tracy

I missed last month. But I’m just gonna keep on going with writing to you each month this year.

I was sitting on my bed the other afternoon with you. Oliver was sleeping. Eli, Alden & Lucy were all at school. It was a quiet little time. In the beginning I was just wishing you’d go to sleep. I was tired and wanted to sleep myself. But I tried to change my attitude and enjoy my alone time with you. Since you are baby number 5, it seems just me and you time is harder and harder to get. Half the time I am breastfeeding you, Oliver is trying to climb up too. Or I am quickly trying to feed you under a blanket in the car at the grocery store or a soccer game. Not exactly the relaxing one on one time that most of the other kids got.

But this afternoon the house was quiet and my bedroom was filled with soft, afternoon light. And I laid with you  on my bed and just took you in. I enjoyed your little facial expressions, the way you wave your arms (to me it looks like you are leading music), the little notes in your voice (perhaps the singing to that music?). I was just loving you. And it was so nice. It filled up my overwhelmed over tired momma heart.

I love that you laugh now. It is my favorite. You are seriously SO ticklish. Sometimes when I am trying to change you quickly because of the spit up (I seem to always smell like spit up lately) and I take off your shirt you giggle because my hand brushed your side. You are THAT ticklish. Every time it stops me in my tracks to smile at you and enjoy that little giggle. I think it’s a little tender mercy from Heavenly Father. It seems like a small thing but it brings me such joy. Little moments when I know we are connecting with each other. I love the way you look at me too. With complete adoration. Lately I’ve been feeling worried about if I am raising you and your siblings right. If I am adequately preparing you for all that this big old world is going to throw at you. But when you look at me with such love in your eyes, I am filled up. My cup runneth over, as some say.

You know I’d really like it if you started sleeping more. I mean, you are doing better. But frankly you had no where to go but better. But I’m kinda feeling over the every 3.5 hours. Can we get one of those 11 hours? Alden used to do that. And it was AWESOME. I am so glad you decided to go for the soother. You wouldn’t take it and so I gave up. But then I tried again close to 3 months and low and behold you took it. It was strange. And SO awesome! I am sooo glad. It makes putting you to bed so much easier. And now I can hold you off sometimes to feed. That was another tender mercy and I’m grateful.

You are so willing to let anyone hold you. You are just happy someone has you. You love to look and smile at everyone and anyone. I have caught the other kids stopping to talk to you when you are laying on the floor so many times. You stop them with your smile. Just like you do to me and others. It is a lovely little gift. My mom always told me I was like that as a baby too. I feel like I am starting to understand your cues better. Knowing when you are tired or hungry or just that you want some attention. That is making things easier too.

I love you little one. Even though I am scatter brained and over whelmed and over tired, I love you so much. I am enjoying you. I hope you’ll always know I love you more than I can explain.

Love Mom

2. Eli and I made a book about his dragons. Some days I wonder when these dragons will leave. Not that I want them too, I’m just curious how long he’ll hold on to them!

4. We had mother’s day. I was meaning to make a post about motherhood and my feelings, but I just haven’t gotten to it yet. Perhaps tomorrow. (or more likely tonight.)

5. I’ve gotten up and come back to this post already 4 times… and I’m on number 5. hahahahaha

6. Oliver loves to play in the sink. I love it and hate it.

7. On Saturday I shot a wedding. And I was a little worried about Norah. Actually a lot worried. It all went good. I am so glad! She even took a bottle!

8. I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. (Just got up again….)

9. I think spring is sprung. And on a side note, whenever I think or hear that I think of my dad and his saying he always said when I was a kid… “Spring is sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where the birdies is…”

10. Taking wedding pictures made me pull out my big camera again and that was awesome. Lately I usually have a kid in my hands too so taking my big camera out is near impossible. But I use that as a scape goat too much too… so I’m going to pull it out again more.

]]> http://rhondasteed.com/10-in-tuesday-5/feed 1 http://rhondasteed.com/why-my-husband-is-so-awesome http://rhondasteed.com/why-my-husband-is-so-awesome#comments Wed, 08 May 2013 19:01:50 +0000 admin http://rhondasteed.com/?p=5705 How’s that for a good topic for a blog post? I’ve been thinking lately about how I am married to a really truly awesome guy. A few years before I met Regan I would have never thought I could be with a guy who is so… good. Just so good in so many ways. Daily I am thankful that through various experiences the Lord helped me realize how right we were for each other. And how He brought us together.

Regan is so, so kind. As in so kind that if he hates your guys you’d have no idea because he treats all people with kindness. Even when someone is openly unkind to him, he handles it with grace and wisdom. If I am ever upset (who me upset with someone…. never! ) with someone he often is reminding me of the right way to act or tries to help me see how they must be feeling. Helping me to show love to others even when I have trouble finding that in me right then.   Regan is so humble. Always trying to be better and do better. One of the very  very first things I loved about him.  One of the generalizations I hate the most about doctors is that they all have god complexes and are so full of themselves. Regan is a living example that that is so not true. He is always trying to learn more and be better at not only his job but in life too. He is sincere in his approach to people and to life. He knows he isn’t the best but he’s trying to be HIS best. Really that’s what all of us should be doing.

I always get a good laugh when people get to know Regan often they comment on how he is funny. When you first meet him, you often don’t realize his humor. Because he isn’t the center of attention, he doesn’t seek it out or need to be it. His humor will catch others off guard because they don’t think he’s going to be like that. But we have so much fun together. And it’s such a big part of our relationship that it always makes me smile when people see that thing that is so obvious to me. He is the one in our relationship that is more upbeat and positive. He brings the laughter to the kids and to me. He is a big goof. Dance parties and water fights in the house and all kinds of crazy shenanigans.

Regan is smart. Smart about a whole whack of things. Every day things to specific medical things. He would never ever say that he is smart, but I live with the man. And he is smart. He knows stuff. He often is sharing information with the kids and it cracks me up some of the conversations that they have. It’s so funny. Regan is a great husband. He is supportive of me and all my endeavors. When I was smaller I thought the role of a husband was to take care of me, but I thought in a way that I was like a helpless girl. (I even dated someone like that) But Regan takes care of me in an empowering way. In a “my wife can do anything” kind of way. And that is so much better. When I get in those woe-is-me-I-can’t-do-anything-right kind of moods, he often gently encourages me too see my faulty thinking and gives me a boost.

I’m just so proud of who he is. Recently someone sent him a facebook message telling him that he had made friends with someone who knew Regan. And how this person, who is of a different faith, was impressed with Regan. And how he stood by what he professed to believe.  Part of his message…. “it seems that a good portion of that respect seems to have been derived from her (and I suspect others) watching you remain true to those things which you profess to believe. One might conclude, then, that you were “An example of the Believers, in word, in deed”, etc. Well played, sir.” What a wonderful message to hear and I said a little hear, hear when I read it. I’m sure Regan will be a tad bit uncomfortable when he sees this. Maybe even kind of annoyed. He really doesn’t like attention drawn to him. But I want him and everyone else to know how truly fantastic he is. And how lucky I am to have him now and for eternity. I love him so much. He’s awesome