Truly Tender: Big Sister

Morning Glory,

Thanks for helping her get all ready for church!   I really appreciate you!!

Love,
Mom

The Beach in a Bin

After a "trip to the beach" at Kindermusik class, she carefully saved her pink paper cup to take home so we could use it at the beach (dirt in the backyard) at home too.

It is so fun that such little things make her so happy.

Be Inspired,
Janelle Joy

Truly Tender: Canning

For Family Home Evening a couple of weeks ago,  we canned pears.  Everyone helped and we at least tripled the number of jars we finished together as I had completed on my own a few days before. Yum! 

Lady Slipper thought the whole thing was amazing fun:  juicing lemons, cutting peeled pear halves into small pieces with a butter knife, and especially drawing smiley faces on the lids after they cooled.

Thanks for helping, family! (Including the dolls)

Be Inspired,
Janelle Joy

My Own Moroni Man: "Can I work Outside with you, Daddy?"

Family Friendly: Feather Pillow Snow Angels

Lady Slipper:
"Mom!  Come see the snow!!"

Mom: "Wow!  All that came out of one pillow?!"

Did you have any surprising mishaps today that could become a fun memory if you choose to laugh?

Be Inspired, 

Janelle Joy

Thankful Thinking: Mending Time

I was able to mend some clothes with Lady Slipper. I prepared the needle and thread and started each stitch and then she pulled the needle through to complete it.   It was a fun and relaxing few moments as we listened to music and mended together. I remember doing the same thing with Morning Glory too.

Many other moments came back to enter my memories as we stitched.  I loved it when Grandma Mattie came to visit and she let me sit and mend socks and other clothing items with her.  I loved it so much,  that I searched extra hard for any tiny holes in my favorite play dresses (which often got caught in the wheels of my Powder Puff bike) just so we could have more mending time together.

Grandma's legacy of mending time also reminded me of my mom's favorite memory of home as she was growing up.  She loved the special quiet time each evening when she could sit quietly with her mom on the green sofa (which is still the one I always sat on at Grandma's house too) and watch TV while Grandma knitted.

Do you have any meaningful mending memories?

Be Inspired,

Janelle Joy

Truly Tender: Keep Crocheting, Mom

The most excited cheerleader for my crocheting hobby is definitely Morning Glory.  She spent quite a bit of time searching online for the perfect blessing dress pattern and gets so happy when she sees me sit down to crochet a row or two.  Often she sits next to me and helps with a few chain stitches and even learned to make a shell (two double crochets, two chains, two more double crochet in the same space). She rushes up to take care of little jobs she can tell I am about to get up and do saying "
I'll do it; you just keep crocheting."

Thanks for the break, Morning Glory. And thanks for choosing the pattern for me.

What tender moments have you had today?

Be Inspired,

Janelle Joy

Mommy Moments: Knitting a Vest.

I recently found out we are expecting a baby girl.  What does that have to do with the tiny white vest I just finished not long ago?  Well, I have a tradition to make my own special outfit for the blessing day of each of my babies. Even though this is my 14th pregnancy, I have made only three of these: two blessing dresses and this little white vest I just made for our son.

Hmmm. What to think now that I realize my strong feelings that I am expecting a son are incorrect?  At first I became scared.  "If I am not really having a son, does that mean I am going to lose this little girl too?" Picturing our little son in my mind is one thing that has given me hope for the possibility  of actually meeting this little life within me. "Does this mean I don't know how to listen to the Spirit? Was I wrong to trust so completely in my feelings this time?"
These and many other questions have battled within my heart and mind. 

However, peace continues to overcome the fears.  I have decided not to feel scared  or doubt my inspiration.   It is OK even if any of those fears really are true.  I know it took great faith and increased my hope when I decided to knit that vest and not wait until closer to my due date. Isn't that experience worth it no matter what the outcome is?  Yes!! I know it is.

Now I can follow my Morning Glory' s lead and get all excited about blessing dress patterns.   I can decide now to be happy and trust in God no matter what his plan is for me.

Did something surprise you today? Did your life take an unexpected turn?

Be Inspired,

Janelle Joy

What a Miracle!

  We are living a  moment to moment miracle and have made it almost 6 months, Little One (23 weeks and 2 days)!

Be Inspired,

Janelle Joy

My Own Moroni Man: "What Can I do for you today?"

My hubby often asks me what he can do for me that day.  Since moving to a new home, those queries have centered on asking what yard projects I most care about, or am most excited about, accomplishing.  I have realized I need to be very selective in what I reply, even in passing, since he literally takes every reply to heart.

I mentioned I would really like the old fence torn down in the back yard.  That same evening I heard a sound: My Own Moroni Man had already started knocking down a whole side of the old wooden fence himself. He wanted to surprise me.

The next day, when I woke up from a nap, I heard sounds from the back yard again.  As I looked out our bedroom window, I saw him and several of our neighbor boys knocking down the rest of the fence. 

Only one day later, and he had already found a way to do that just for me.

I definitely know he loves me.

What other ways has he shown me he loves me today?

Be Inspired,

Janelle Joy