what's that you say?

Here are some funny things overheard at the Jones house within the past 24 hours:

5 min ago~
Me:  Paige!  Get out of there!  Parker just went pee in that corner!  *they were playing outside and I had just happened to see Parker drop his drawers over in his favorite corner--it must be a pre-programmed male trait--and then the next minute I saw Paige playing in the very same spot.  nice.*

1 hour ago~
Paige:  Can I have a sticker, peese?!
Me:  No, we get stickers if we keep our diaper clean during naptime.  But if you keep your underwear clean until bedtime, you can have a sticker.
Paige:  Can I have a sticker, peese?!
Me:  ....

she is very much into repetitive questions

Almost 24 hrs ago~

Parker:  Mom, did somebody put the baby down your throat?

Me:  No….

Parker: Then how did it get there? 

Me: Mom and Dad worked together to put it there

Parker:  But how did it get there?

Me: With lots of love. 

Parker:  How did the love put it there?

Me: seriously?  Stop asking… and then ensued a very miniature, hopefully age appropriate, lesson about how an egg is fertilized and becomes a baby with Heavenly Father's help.

Parker:  Oh.  Okay! 

Really?  He’s not even 4!

Best message ever...

Yesterday was Mother's Day. It is my belief that all women are mothers. It is our divine heritage as women. We have an innate ability and desire (whether cultivated or not) to nurture others and to love! Happy Mother's Day to ALL women!
Yesterday at church a sister shared the most touching message I have ever heard on Mother's Day. In essence, she talked about how we, as women, tear ourselves apart whether it be for physical flaws we perceive or character flaws we struggle with. The world is constantly bombarding us--particularly women--with an image that is not attainable for any woman on this earth: a perfect body. Really? Everything we see is Photoshopped or surgically "improved." And then when it comes to our character we compare and degrade ourselves rather than evaluating and improving.

Then, this woman who was speaking asked the question: How does God see you?

Do you really think He sees the scars, the stretch marks or the one last little role? No!

Does He see the woman who ate more brownies than she should have? No!

Does He see the woman who yelled at her children, or who was short-tempered? No!

What does He see?

He sees His beautiful creation! He created each of us. Why do we so easily forget that? He does see that we struggle, but He also sees what we can become! He does not see where we are now; He sees where we can be! He sees what we are working to be, even when we fall short. He sees our Savior who helps us become better!

This message touched me so deeply. Our Father in Heaven loves women dearly. We are a sacred creation of His. He loves us. And we should love ourselves too, as His daughters!