A Special Guest Post

Today I am happy to say that Marshall is contributing his wisdom on the blog!

Tonight Max taught me a very valuable lesson on "teaching the principles of the gospel at the appropriate time and place."  Every night, Max loves to sit and watch the Mormon Message of I Am A Child of God on my iPad. He loves both the singing and the people in the video.  In just the last year we have probably watched that video over 150 times, and by now I am sure that Max knows that he is a child of God.  But tonight, after we watched that video, I clicked on two other videos just for fun. The first video he also thought was pretty cool, but toward the end I could tell he was getting pretty tired. The second video, however, was what I thought a powerful video by President Monson on the promises of the resurrection and the hope of being reunited with our loved ones in the next life.  By the end of the video, Lisa and I were both emotionally touched and almost in tears.  Max, on the other hand, was not feeling what we were feeling.  This poor little boy had gotten increasingly tired and restless throughout the video and started to squirm and shift around in Lisa's lap by the end of it.  As the movie got over, I looked over at him, and with a disgusted look on his face, Max took out his cherished binkie, looked at the iPad, and threw his binkie toward the closing picture of the movie.  Lisa and I couldn't help but smile. Was Max really showing us that he didn't believe and would never eventually believe in the principles that the movie had taught? No, not at all.  He was simply trying to tell us that this was not the time to teach him this principle of the gospel, that he was tired, and that he was ready for the evening to be over.  I wouldn't have thought much about this, but the Spirit has whispered to me tonight of the greatness of this lesson by this little boy--that the principles of the gospel are taught the best in the appropriate time, place and setting.  I'm very positive that someday there will be a time and place where Max will come to love the principles of the resurrection and eternal life, but that time was just not tonight. As it states in the scriptures, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven...a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted...a time to rend and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and time to speak" (Ecclesiastes 3: 1,2,7).

- Marshall

Nursery Valentines

 We had a Little valentines party with Max's Nursery class at our house. It also happened to be his little friend Lillys Birthday so everything came together for a darling party!The kids were all too adorable here are some pictures of the day!

 sweet mariah!

Little Buddy

This Sweet little man is almost 18 months! He has officially started nursery and is quite the charmer. I feel so grateful for Maxwell everyday. He is truly my best bud. He seems to have a sixth sense of me.. just when I need a hug, he knows when we need to just cuddle, he knows how to push my buttons, and then just what to do to make me laugh.

 My favorite thing about max right now is that he wants everyone to be involved and everyone to be happy. He runs around the house in the morning until he has herded Marshall and I to be in the kitchen at the same time for breakfast, he wont accept just one of us. Anytime he gives one of us a hug he opens up his arms immediately after to bring us all together for one big group. 

He gets excited about giving other people turns. Right now his favorite thing to do is swing back and forth in a blanket held at one end by mom and one end by dad. when he is done he wants his friends to have a turn or else we give his stuffed doll Ernie a turn. 

Max LOVES to do the laundry. I think it was Gods way of answering marshalls prayer for a cleaner house because everyday max insists on doing the laundry. He wants to put the soap in and slam the door shut but then he also remembers when the machines stop running to open the dryer and throw all the clothes in the basket.. he thinks it is a good time and he is so cute when he does it- and the laundry gets done! 

He also loves to help sweep the floor and just be involved in whatever I am doing in the kitchen. He is so proud of himself when I let him crack the egg or pour the sugar. He beams and points and jibber jabers to anyone that will listen about helping. 

He is getting so good at talking. he repeats alot of what we say in this cute baby tenor voice. my favorite is when he says "uh oh" its so soft and hi pitched with a big space in between and he will say it over and over again. 

Ahh he is just so sweet and I am truly grateful to have him in my life. On days like.. well yesterday.. and lots of days when I am feeling sad that we haven't been able to get pregnant again yet, and i think of how darling max will be with a little baby ( which he is darling with babies right now) I have to remind myself how lucky it is that we have Max. If Max is the only baby we get I will forever be grateful for his sweet spirit and the miracle he is everyday. He is my perfect little buddy and I never want to take him for granted.

We do however have our rough days.. especially lately...I would blame it on the language barrier. The last few days have been filled with little tantrums, it just too bad he is even cute when in a fit of despair.. so don't worry I took some pictures. 

 " PLEEEAASSSE MOM LET ME DRAW ON YOUR FACE AND THE WALL"

and my personal favorite.. 

And then seconds later he is making a face just like this.. 

 Another cute example of Max being a helper this week.. making Almond Milk. I set down the supplies and before I turned around Max had pulled up his chair and started putting the almonds in the jar for me. "see mom this is how you do it" and "hmm let me just try a little bite first.. yum!"