Blessings

i lay in bed the other night thinking about the many blessings in my life -- my parents who made sure that i went to church so i would have an opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ -- my husband who has loved me these past 42 years -- my four children and their spouses -- and of course my ten grandchildren -- and many, many more. but the ones that i want to focus on here are four particular blessings -- my children -- stephen, emily, matthew, and andrew.  as i lay there thinking and thanking God for my blessings i thought how each of my children are unique.  they each hold a piece of my heart and i love them each dearly. and yet my love for each is different but at the same time it is the same.  it is different because each child is different.  it is the same because they are each a part of me.  there is no room for comparison or for rivalry.  they are each unique and thus should be loved uniquely.

stephen is my first born.  he holds the honor of being the one to teach me the love of a mother for her child.  he will always hold the title of first for everything -- first to call me Mom, first to make things for me, first to make me hurt when he hurt, first to do so many things. because of stephen we became a family and not just a couple.  so it is only fitting that he holds a big piece of my heart.

emily is my first born daughter (ok she is also my only daughter).  she holds the honor of  being my second child but my first and only daughter.  she will always be the one who was first to do girly things, the first to be the little sister, she was the first to teach me the difference in a mother's love for her son and for her daughter. so it is only fitting that she holds a big piece of my heart.

matthew is my first born red head (i have red hair) -- he is my second son and my third child but he is the first to look more like me than his dad. he is first to be the little brother. he was the first to help me understand the blessing it is to be a red-head, he is the first to teach me the difference in 2 little boys and how alike they can be. so it is only fitting that he holds a big piece of my heart.

andrew is my first born last child -- he will always hold the honor of being the baby of the family. he was the first to teach me that there is always room in your heart for another baby boy even though you thought your heart was full.   he taught me that there is always something new to learn and you're never to old to learn. he also taught me that God is still a God of miracles. so it is only fitting that he holds a big piece of my heart.

for each piece of my heart given to each child, God gives back to me another piece to give away.

four children who have each blessed my life in their own unique way and i would have it no other way.

i love you stephen, emily, matthew, and andrew. i loved you the first time i held you in my arms and i love you even more today. i give thanks to God for blessing my life with each of you and for choosing me to be your mother.