Give Yourself Permission to Take the Time

#18 Grandchild came into our family on January 27th. Miss Jaylee Mae Gardner and I was so thankful to Julie Kaye for making this experience open to her sisters. Babies are the greatest gift God gives to us. He trusts us to nurture & care for them while we truly come to understand the power of Love.

And each one of these precious souls are so perfect. Beauties to behold......much like their mothers were to me. And yet the hardest lesson in mortality that we mothers have to learn is to "Give ourselves permission to take the time."

It's the hardest lesson for women. Especially when they have been as active, involved and busy as my daughters have been.

Oh if the vision & years of my growing motherhood could rest sweetly into the mind of my daughters it would be the greatest gift I could give them right now. Life with all it's pressures seem to weigh down & consume our hearts and send us into emotional orbit. Babies DEMAND that you sit down & hold still and busy women just don't get it! As the time clock of life ticks forward for me, I long to bring peace into the weary souls of my young mothers of two. How I wish I could give them 40 years of my experiences and gift to them the spirit to settle their restless souls: "Peace, be still." Don't worry about to morrow, don't concern yourself with what "might be" and burden yourself with "I can't!" Just be still & treasure this moment in time. Allow the spirit to calm your spirit and fill your potential. Just take one minute at a time. Poopy pants will change, screaming children will sometime sleep, and things out of order will find there way back into place........sh-h-h-h-h......it's okay! Everything is really alright! And God has given you the power to handle this minute in time right now.

I've watched all three of my daughters grow into priceless women. Strong, righteous, full of faith & vision.....but stopping their life to love being a mother has been difficult. They are always saying, "Mother, how did you do this with 7!" But somehow they don't hear my answer: "One step at a time, one day at a time......always praying and learning how to listen." My wish for them is what I could go back and wish the same thing for myself 40 years back. But I too had to learn the same lessons God is teaching them right now.

"Quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep, I'm rocking my baby, 'cause babies don't keep!" That's the poem that was between the two bedroom of my 4 boys......years before my daughters arrived. God was trying to help me understand that my motherhood was the greatest gift I could every enjoy.......so I'd better enjoy it.

So sweet daughters of mine: You started your motherhood 8-10 years later than I did so you have more expectations to quiet down. But be patient with yourselves. Enjoy the moments you have with your little ones! Take down your rulers of expectations & thinking you have to do and be everything to everyone around you.....neighbors, the church, friendship groups! Your little ones grow up much too fast. You will someday hunger to hear the words, "I want my Mommy!" Your arms will ache to feel their hug and catch their tears. And some day these little girls will be asking you, "How did you do it Mom?" Then you will smile and say, "It's okay darling. Laying down your life for your children has nothing to do with the delivery table."

Christmas is .....

Christmas is new family pictures. And we are always thankful to update our wall as our children grow in size and number. Grandma & Grandpa get new school pictures from each of the families to go on the wall. This year we started a new tradition. We've given the kids a Christmas book each year that correlates with our Christmas Theme. Now the binder of feelings has grown in size, we decided to give faces to some of the memories. For the next 7 years we will write a book about each of our children. Aaron was selected to be the first book. Pictures with memories, the lives of each of our children will be depicted.

Christmas is dear friends visiting. Becky & Anna Tyler made our Christmas day special as Anna reported her success up at Utah State where she is enhancing her education.

Christmas is gathering to eat & daughters helping in the kitchen.

We have 4 of the greatest daughter-in-laws.

Christmas is also son's & son's in laws chatting about their businesses.

We already know & realize how great our sons are but Tim & I have 2 of the finest son-in-laws.

Christmas is embracing Grandchildren. Izzy is beautiful & so full of mischief. (Just like her Dad)

Christmas is children laughing & loving each other.

Christmas is opening gifts filled with love.

Christmas is Aunts loving nieces & nephews.

Christmas is talking with loved ones that live so far away & feeling their love seem so close. (Thank you God for making Skype!)

And Christmas is attending a Elementary School Christmas program and realizing your children are now the teachers.

Christ Serves....So can We

All Shoe's off.....it's time to gather, laugh, and get ready for a BIG surprise.

Working together, means having fun, wrapping, and anticipation.

Little ones big ones, each having an assignment & participating.

These are some of Grandma's favorite reindeers.

Grandpa went to Idaho with his friend and missed the entire event.

Uncle Davy really set a high standard & an excellent example of leadership.

He spent an entire night the day after Thanksgiving collecting desired items the family could use. God took a few dollars and literally made them into hundreds. Crockett's believe in miracles.

It's times like these that a Mother is SOOOOOO grateful for the unselfish hearts of her children.

And the Goofy parts too!

This is the smile of an Angel!

Boxed wrapped and ready to go, this is just part of Santa's surprise.

And this is the fierce leaders of Action!

Little ones, big ones, taking from their personal earning to Give! We loaded in the cars and secretly made the delivery. Grown up cried. Little ones were filled head to toe as cries of surprise echoed through the darkness. "Mom, theirs foot prints all over the lawn!" "Mom, our porch is full of packages." "Mom, we get to have Christmas after all!"

And then in a joined chorus, not knowing who they were yelling too, in unison the air filled with, "Thank You!"

Being Thankful! I AM!

This year our Thanksgiving was gathering at the church.

What fun, these Crockett's have just being together!

Grandma & Grandpa play games with the little ones, while the big ones occupy the basketball court to play with each other.

Nothing feels better than cousins binding with each other & building friendships.

And this year we are especially thankful to have little Afton Victoria with us.

Even if her parents were "Stinkers" for not telling us she was coming to our family.

Big girls & little girls......little Jaylee Mae is inside of Julie Kaye. She comes in February!

Mary Ann got the little ones involved in "Red Rover, Red Rover!"

Look carefully into the face of little Sydnee Sage! She loves to hide & surprise.

Chelsie continues to be patient, listening to her music & avoiding the chaos.

Abby is growing into such a wonderful young woman.......and she's not 11 until January.

Samantha is a little mother!

Just like her mother!

And to start the day, Lori McIntire wanted to "Hang" with the Crockett girls.

So we did!

But the most wonderful thing about the day, was as the children gathered around the feasting table, their thoughts were on the less fortunate as they discussed their desires to make life easier for someone else this Christmas. With David as the leader, they plotted & planned to create a miracle happen.

Emma Michele Crockett is Blessed

Hauni's best friend has always been her mother and what greater gift could a good friend give than naming her precious daughter after her best friend. Many of the same priesthood bearer's standing confirming Benjamin David on Saturday, now stood in the front of the chapel surrounding Emma to give her a name & a blessing.

Once again family gathered to worship & bear testimony.

Karen, Shauna, and Becky renew their frienship while celebrating this wonderful event.

And the same Hauni's siblings. Love flows freely in the Casper family.

Aaron too was grateful for Alan & Karen's sacrifice to be here to join in.

And Grandma Crockett is in total "HEAVEN" when her children fill up the back yard.

Julie Kaye & Travis announced another little girl will come into their family the first of February. #20 Grand child for Tim & I.

Little girls are coming down from Heaven in bunches. I think Great Grandpa Price is meeting his mortal demands from the other side of the veil.

Sydnee Sage & Elle show off their "Pretty Pink" matching shoes.

The Crockett boys like climbing high into the Shabin.

And what's a party without little ones searching for their name on the kid's table.

Life is so rich & priceless when family gathers at the right times because they have chosen to do good good things. I really love my family!