A poem about President Hinckley

Bryson's cousin Kristen forwarded this to me today. I thought it was so beautiful I wanted to share it with all of you. I wish I had the talent to express my feelings like this. I am so grateful for the example of President Gordon B. Hinckley. He exemplified the title, disciple of Christ.

Prophetic Passing

I imagine he's running to Marjorie now,
Yes, running, not waving his cane.
I see him embracing his father and mother
While they keep repeating his name.

I see him now meeting his forebears,
Brother Brigham and Joseph are there.
Sweet reunion of prophets, united by service
That only such noble men share.

I see him embraced by the Savior
While Father says, "Good and well done.
So faithful in stalwart endurance, I welcome
My noble, most excellent son."

I then hear the ripples of laughter
As he says the reception's just fine,
But he hopes that he'll get an assignment or two
Since there's no need to waste any time.

I can hear his clear voice in the stillness
At the close of this sweet Sabbath day,
Have faith and move forward - there's work to be done.
President Hinckley would want it that way.


Anna M. Molgard
January 27, 2008

Uncle Tyler's birthday

Hunter protesting his picture being taken :-)

Daddy, Hunter and Great-grandma Rasmussen

Hunter and cousin Kyser playing dolls

Hunter getting a fresh diaper-what cute little legs!

Hunter and Grandpa Great

Hunter pinching Kyser

We usually go to my mother-in-law's house for Sunday dinner and this last week it was Tyler's (Bryson's brother) birthday. Grandpa and Grandma Rasmussen were able to be there and we had a great time chatting and playing with the kids after dinner.

Physical therapy

This is a picture of Hunter with his physical therapist, Tiffany. That (cute) mad expression on Hunter's face says exactly how he feels about physical therapy. Right now Hunter is working on head control, sitting, and rolling. Mom is a slacker so Hunter was still in his pjs when Tiff arrived this morning. (At least they were his cool robot pajamas!)

Snuggles

This is me trying to put Hunter (who is quickly getting too big for mom to pull this off) down for his nap. Dad ambushed us with the camera! At least the flash didn't disturb Hunter. And I guess the picture turned out pretty cute too. I love quiet moments like this one with my little guy.

I Am A Mother

I finished reading an amazing book a few weeks ago. It is called I Am A Mother by Jane Clayson Johnson. I was thinking about a few of the passages from the book this morning and wanted to share this quote, along with some of my thoughts. The quote (which is from the book) comes from former New York Times reporter and Pulitzer Prize nominee Ann Crittenden. She writes,

"Any woman who has devoted herself to raising children has experienced the hollow praise that only thinly conceals smug dismissal. In a culture that measures worth and achievement almost solely in terms of money, the intensive work of rearing responsible adults counts for little. One of the most intriguing questions in economic history is how this came to be; how mothers came to be excluded from the ranks of productive citizens. How did the demanding job of rearing a modern child come to be trivialized as baby-sitting? When did caring for children become a 'labor of love,' smothered under a blanket of sentimentality that hides its economic importance?"

Last night, I was catching up with an individual when, after sharing details about the job she was currently working full-time at, she asked me, "What do you do?" Once again, I found myself conceding with a twinge of embarrassment, "Oh, I just stay at home and do the 'mom thing' with Hunter." The look on her face encompassed the first sentence of the quote I shared above.

Since I started this blog, a few people have joked with me that blogging is the pastime of every stay-at-home mom. I believe there to be some truth to this, and this morning, I want to assert to all of my fellow mothers that, "The world can only value mothering to the extent that women everywhere stand and declare that it must be so." (I Am A Mother, 8.)

I know that I need to stand a little straighter and declare a little better that there is NOTHING more significant I could be doing with my life then mothering my precious son. "Motherhood is not what was left over after our Father blessed His sons with priesthood ordination. It was the most ennobling endowment He could give His daughters, a sacred trust that gave women an unparalleled role in helping His children keep their second estate." (I Am A Mother, 50.)

Motherhood matters-I feel it in my soul and it makes my life sweet everyday!

Vision therapy

Hunter gets visits from his occupational therapist, physical therapist and vision therapist every month. Jamie, his vision therapist, comes nearly every week. A few of the things they work on together include tracking objects, opening and using his fingers to explore different textures, and lifting his head to see toys. In this picture, she was having him track his fish from side to side in a sitting position. He is sitting in the new chair KOTM (Kids on the Move) brought us this week. Hunter and Mom spend a lot of time attending his therapy appointments and practicing exercises on our own. Hunter works very hard and we are very proud him!

IT'S A GIRL!

We had the big ultrasound this week and it was confirmed-to our delight-that we are having a little girl. Everything appears to be normal and she is right on target for her growth. I hope her feminine sensibilities weren't injured during the ultrasound, because the doctor made a comment about her having a big foot! It was so fun to see her in my belly moving around and playing peek-a-boo from behind her little hands. Poor Hunter won't stand a chance once his sister realizes he has the potential to be the best "dress-up dolly" ever. I am sure, despite his mellow temperment, that we can expect some fierce protesting from Hunter when she tries to make him play house. We can't wait for her to get here! My due date is May 27.