Being a mom is hard work, sometimes frustrating but always rewarding.
Today was one of those rewarding days.
It was a day when Afton woke up happy and cheerful.
It was a day when she played happily with her stuffed animals by herself while I got things done around the house.
It was a day when she went down easy for a nap and slept for an hour and a half! (almost unheard of for her)
It was a day when she went down easy for a nap and slept for an hour and a half! (almost unheard of for her)
It was a day when she ate ALL her lunch AND dinner without whining or throwing anything on the floor. (It could have helped that her lunch was chips and salsa and her dinner was grilled cheese and apples.)
It was also a day where she was just uncontrollably cute. She kept giving me hugs and kisses and rubbing by cheek.
It was a day where she obediently got ready for bed. Jammie's, books, teeth brushing and prayers.
It was a day where she repeated every word of the prayer I said and it just melted my heart.
And after all this, it was a night where I rocked my baby and we talked.
What? You don't think you can have an intellectual, back and forth conversation with a two year old? I beg to differ. Here's how ours went:
Me: Afton, do you know that I love you?
Afton: ya.
Me: Do you know that Heavenly Father and Jesus love you?
Afton: yes.
Me: Do you remember Heavenly Father.
Afton: *Nods her head yes*
Me: Do you know why Heavenly Father sent you to me and daddy?
Afton: *shrugs her shoulders*
Me: He sent you to us so that you could get a body and so that you could be a part of our family. He wants you to grow up and live a good life.
Do you know what Jesus did for us? He died for us because he loves us so much. He wanted us to live with Heavenly Father again so he gave his own life so we could. Did you know that?
Afton: yes
Our conversation continued and I told her about Joseph Smith and Mormon and the Book of Mormon and why we have it and what it teaches us.
Yes, she is young and probably didn't understand half of what I was telling her.
But you know what? She listened to every word with rapture. She was truly interested in what I was saying and was answering every question with some kind of response. This is miracle considering she is a busy two year old who hardly has enough time to sit still while I change her diaper most of the time. And you can forget about her listening to my every word most of the time, unless it's food, then she listens!
After we had our talk I just had this rush of overwhelming love and emotion for this little spirit encase in this beautiful body of my daughter.
I have never loved anyone so fully as I love her. Of course I have a wonderful marriage with a wonderful husband who I love more than anyone else, but your love for a child is different in many ways. They are perfect and in my opinion that allows us to love them perfectly. They may be terrors half the time and destroy our possessions, wardrobe and sanity but it doesn't matter. The minute they kiss us we forget it all. It's like it never happened.
I am so lucky to be this little girls mom and so lucky that my Heavenly Father trusted me enough with such a special spirit. I know everything I told her tonight is true and my greatest hope for her is that she can grow up and gain her own testimony of these truths.
For now though I will love her every day and teach her everything I have learned in my own short life and hope that is enough.
I love you Afton!
Thank you for a wonderful two years.
