Growing, Teaching, and Learning

Although I'm so grateful for the opportunity to watch my kids grow up, I'm also sad that it's happening so fast. I really can't believe how fast Ayden is growing up. I feel like time is flying by too fast and there's nothing I can do to slow it down. I've watched him grow so much this year. And now with him in preschool he's growing faster and faster. I know kindergarten is a year away but every time I think about it, I tear up. I hate having my kids away from me.

I just wanted to quickly share an experience from today. I always thought my kids would see Brent and I bare our testimonies in sacrament and one day want to do the same. So when Ayden told Brent and I today during sacrament that he wanted to get up and talk about his testimony, we were both blown away. I kept thinking, "you're too young to want to do this already". Before I could even comprehend what he wanted to do or decide who was going up there with him, Ayden just started walking up to the pulpit. I hurried after him and grabbed his hand. We sat up next to the stake president for a few minutes waiting and Ayden kept saying, "when's it my turn?" I couldn't believe how brave he was. I was up there with him and I was shaking so bad. I honestly thought I was going to pee my pants because I was so nervous. As soon as it was Aydens turn, he jumped up there smiling and just waited for me to tell him what to say. I'm so grateful for his example. After he went, I of course wanted to go. I was prompted to tell a story about Ayden where he, again, blew me away. It was about a week ago and the kids were driving me insane. I was losing my mind. So being the mature mom I am.....I ran into the kids room and climbed onto Aydens bunk bed trying to hide. They, of course found me and I explained to Ayden that I was frustrated because he and Olivia were being bad and I was having a hard time feeling the spirit in our home. I then asked Ayden, "what should we do?" His reply was, "Say a prayer." I asked him to say one and he said the sweetest most sincere prayer I've ever heard. He thanked the Lord for the day and for his family and asked the Lord to help us remember to be good. I got teary-eyed and immediately felt the spirit back in our home. From then on, whenever he gets mad or fights with Olivia, I ask him what we should do and he immediately says a little prayer. Most of the time he goes off and says it by himself.

I'm so grateful for the person Ayden is becoming. I know without a doubt, he has a testimony of the gospel. He's so interested in the gospel and good vs. evil. He knows how Satan works and how the Holy Ghost will comfort us and help us to be good and help us to love one another. He thinks of Satan as the "bad guy" and the Holy Ghost as a "super hero". He also knows that when we listen to the Holy Ghost and obey we become stronger against Satan. He always says, "mom, it's so hard to be good." And my reply is always, "the more you try to be good, the easier it is." I love him so much and really can't believe how lucky I am. As a mother, our greatest joys are to see our children succeed and words can't express how grateful I am for Aydens success. He's learning so many wonderful things, letting them sink in and trying to apply them to his life. I really couldn't be more proud of him.