Lessons From the Unlearned

(Baby Nixon)

I recently loaded up my three terrific tots and headed northward to the land that I love, Logan, Utah. My sister and her husband have been attending my Alma-mater, USU, so they have intermittently taken up residence there. In order to make some extra cash to stuff in their student-sized bank accounts, they spent a few days delivering phonebooks to the fine citizens of Cache Valley.

My sweet mother had been recruited to help with little Nixon, and we were kindly invited to be a part of the hullabaloo.

(I know, this seems like it is going nowhere fast, but buckle your seat belts, here comes the point)

As soon as I exited Sardine Canyon and made the downward decent to my former home, I was immediately taken back to simpler times. When Launey and I lived there, we were both going to school, and Luke was just a knee-height-to-a-mite.

Now my little sis is in a very similar situation with a family of her own. They always say hindsight is 20/20, I wouldn't go that far, but I wanted to share with Kylee a few lessons of motherhood I have learned along the way.

When it comes to raising kids, always have a plan and a few backup plans. Try your best to execute the plan closely as possible, however, the key is realizing that life's most precious moments are often the unplanned ones.

Love the simple things. There is nothing better, in my opinion, than the dimples in a baby's tiny hands. Before you know it, you will look at those baby hands holding a crayon and realize that the dimples are gone. I am always amazed at how fast they disappear and how they could have left without me even realizing it.

Try not to stress. (I know, like I have any say in this matter). It is amazing how life seems to work itself out. I think back to life with one baby, why on earth was I always so stressed? Those times , the simple ones, when your family is just starting out and that one baby is your whole world, those times will be gone before you know it.

Don't forget, as much as you love your little guy, it is so comforting to know that somebody else loves him too. So much that He was willing to suffer for his sins. Someone who was willing to feel all of the sorrows and pains that your children will feel, so that they will never have to walk alone. And somebody else, our loving Heavenly Father, who was willing to sacrifice His own son to save our souls, because He loves us all too. Isn't it great that if you do happen to get stressed, or concerned about your family that you can pray to somebody who cares just as much about them as you do.

Enjoy the journey. I know it's cliche, but it is critical. That's all there is. Every step of life is a journey. If we spend so much time waiting for the next step, the enjoyment may never come.

Take comfort in the fact that it takes kids a few years to realize that you don't know everything. I fear the day that my kids realize that I have NO idea what I am doing and that I have spent their entire lives pretending that I do.

Lastly, take this for what it's worth, or don't take it at all. Everybody's journey is their own, filled with their own lessons, theories, and memories! Good luck, I know you'll do great.