"Thank heaven, for little girls!"

A few weeks ago, we had our first baby shower at our new house! It was so much fun! A dear friend is having her first girl, after three boys!! Congrats, Elisha!! It was fun to see friends from the ward I used to attend. It made our new place feel more like home!

Thanks to some amazing sisters who coordinated and made it all happen (thanks Carmen, Trish, Amy, Amber, Tammy), and the excellent company, it was a great success! It was by far the least stressful shower ever to be had in my home!! I pretty much just provided the house! :)

It was a breakfast potluck, very delicious! We played a fun game, watched her open presents, helped with a craft...and afterward my family got some delicious leftovers, and I was able to visit with a very special lady!

And of course, thanks to Jason, who took the kids for the bulk of the day. (They had a blast. They went swimming, for burgers, swimming, Dairy Queen, then back home:) )





Times like this, helps remind me how wonderful the gospel is. If it weren't for the gospel, I may not have met any of these incredible women. They bless and enrich my life and my family members' lives immensely.

Recently, Jason and I were watching the news. A 13 year old girl was riding her bike home from one of the county middle schools here in Grants Pass. A man in a truck took her into his vehicle. After driving for about a mile, she jumped out of the truck, and ran about 3 miles to a friend's house, where she called the police.

This struck so close to home. This happened on New Hope Road. When we first moved here, the house we were renting was just off New Hope Road. Makayla is in middle school. Not much younger than that brave young woman. The family was understandably very shaken by this, and did not want to appear on camera. I am so glad that she was protected.

There is so much to be afraid of, or angry about. Yet, I can't live like that. I don't want our children to live like that. I'm glad to have the gospel to give me perspective. I'm also glad to have special things to celebrate, like the birth of a sweet baby girl, to a dear friend.

There have always been and will always be horrible things that happen, but also many wonderful things, if I choose to focus on those. It's all about agency. As I was growing up my Mom would repeatedly tell us, "What we do effects other people." How happily, and tragically true I'm finding that to be!

I came across a quote in a Facebook post of a friend, “Being humble means recognizing that we are not on earth to see how important we can become, but to see how much difference we can make in the lives of others” -Gordon B. Hinckley

"Thank heaven, for little girls", who've become the women that have had such positive infulences in my life! (And of course, thank heaven for little boys, especially when they become wonderful men, and positively influence me as well!:) )