Happy Birthday Clark!

My uncle, Charles came to the hospital to take these beautiful pictures of Clark. Until I had Clark I didn't realize how important pictures would be to me. Thank you Charles! He does such excellent work! These pictures (and so many more!) are treasures to me!


He has already changed so much in the past 2 months. But I will never forget this little face that I know so well and love so much!

Clark is just perfect! Happy 2 months, Clark!

I love you!

Clark's Quilt

I made this quilt for Clark when I was pregnant with him. It was fun to pick out the material with Diane- I had an idea of what I wanted, and it turned out perfectly (especially if you look at it from far away). Again, Diane was a very patient teacher! I hope to some day be even half as skilled as she is!

Clark--born January 2, 2009-- wrapped in his quilt just minutes before placing him. Thank goodness for waterproof mascara! (thank you Annie!) He is beautiful!

With the leftover material from Clark's quilt I made this wall-hanging quilt. It will be a good reminder to me when I see it of how much I love Clark!

Clark's Birth

Clark Samuel

January 2, 2009

9 lbs--21 inches

Holding Clark changed me. I will never be the same. I am a mother. I have never loved as much. I cried the moment his little wet body was placed on my tummy in my arms. How has anyone placed their baby for adoption after holding him? I still don’t know how.

I am so grateful for those 2 days, and more than 9 months, that I had with Clark. He's perfect!

Look at his long feet. So cute!

Quilting

In June I started a quilt with my Aunt Diane. She is an accomplished quilter and a very patient teacher. We picked out the fabrics together and I started cutting. That's as far as I got until I came to Fairfield in January. My mom started one like mine with different fabrics and we have both finished the top of our quilts and they are ready to be quilted. They are beautiful.

My quilt will always bring back wonderful memories of my months spent with Diane and this time with my mom.

Mom's is even more amazing:

First Date

Friday morning I got a call from my parents' bishop's wife. She wondered if I would go on a blind date with a man who had admired me at the Oakland Temple. "He was smitten," she said, and was anxious to meet me. The fellow is a thirties-something attorney who lives more than two hours from Fairfield. He had gone to the temple and ended up in the session for the Fairfield Stake temple night that I attended with my parents. He called friends in the Fairfield Stake to see if they knew a tall, thin, brunnette with long eye lashes. The next Sunday -- our first time meeting as a new ward -- his friends saw me and wondered if I could be the girl. They snapped a shot of me on their cell phone during Gospel Doctrine class and sent it to him. Apparently, I was the girl. Eventually he called me and we went on a date yesterday. Who knows what will come of this, but it was certainly a flattering experience to include on my dating resume.

Come What May

...and love it!

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin's talk in October conference came at a very appropriate time in my life. It has been a rewarding challenge to heed his counsel.

Quotes from Joseph B. Wirthlin’s talk in the October 2008 General Conference:

• In spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser and happier as a result.


• The Lord in His wisdom does not shield anyone from grief or sadness.


• I believe that the way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life.


• These experiences, while often difficult to bear at the time, are precisely the kinds of experiences that stretch our understanding, build our character, and increase our compassion for others. We experience hard things so that we too may have increased compassion and understanding for others.


• Sometimes the very moments that seem to overcome us with suffering are those that will ultimately suffer us to overcome.


• That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude.


• He who descended below all things will come to our aid. He will comfort and uphold us. He will strengthen us in our weakness and fortify us in our distress. He will make weak things become strong.


• Come what may, and love it. I know why there must be opposition in all things. Adversity, if handled correctly, can be a blessing in our lives. We can learn to love it.

This blog is dedicated to all those things, thoughts, ideas, and experiences that help me remember Elder Wirthlins challenge.