Thornton Mom

We celebrated John Derek's Birthday this past week.  He has been so excited for it.  He reminded us for at least two weeks how long we had until his birthday.  We took him to Mellow Mushroom for dinner and then on to a toy store where he bought a Spinner.  It has been fun to see him play on it. John Derek is a good kid.  He truly tries to do what is right.  After we got his toy we picked Elizabeth up from the airport.  John Derek and I dropped Daddy off at the counter and we parked the car.  He was a perfect gentleman.  Helped me pull into the parking spot, opened the door, and even pushed me in a wheelchair (It was fun he went as fast as he could go down this long stretch.  I laughed and giggled it was fun to move so fast.  When he came to the end he said, out of breath, "Mom, your heavy!")  I am grateful to have him for my son. Chapter 1...

A few days ago I was feeling burdened by the role of mother.  I was feeling more like a maid/cook/caretaker and not someone who my children valued.  A few hours later Samantha, John Derek, and Maddie came in with several roses that they had picked off our rose bush and gave them to me and told me that they loved me and thanked me for being such a good mom.  It was the pick me up I needed.  God has so many tender mercies, He lets me know He is listening, that He cares and that I have value to Him. Michael was fussy a few days ago and would want to sit with me and read a story.  3 days in a row he fell asleep on my lap.  He never does this and it was so sweet to cuddle and sing my little boy to sleep. Derek got up this morning and brought Michael into our bed.  I had not even heard him cry.  It was cute to wake up to them both sleeping soundly.  What a sweet husband I have. "Mothers, cherish that role that is so uniquely yours a...

Samantha turned 10 last week.  She was so excited!!   Samantha wears her emotions on her sleeve so you always know what she is feeling.  It was a delight to see her skipping down the isles at the store as we looked for the perfect bike.  When our children have a birthday they get to go out to dinner with mom and dad, then go to the store to pick out their present.  When we went out to dinner she chose a Mexican restaurant because she knew they would sing to her.  She was so eager for that moment.  Then out came fried ice cream and a group of servers all singing "Happy Birthday" in Spanish.  She loved it. She is such a sweet girl and so good.  We had her in counseling about a year ago to help with some anxiety and negative thoughts.  At one point she had told the counselor that she heard voices telling her bad things to do and say.  The counselor encouraged her to tell the voices to go away.  We have not had the nega...

Today I was reminded of an experience I had last year that I need to write down.  I have a sweet and loving daughter who has fallen on some hard times emotionally.  Things were getting so difficult that Derek and I decided to seek help from a counselor.  We knew that if we did not get help now that when she hit her teen years we would have no way of helping her.  We wanted her to learn how to deal with these difficulties now so that when she was older she would know how to handle them.  She started to see a counselor and eventually was tested by a psychologist.  After the testing was done but before we knew the results I had an experience that made me realize how much the Lord is aware of us and loves us. We had to get our flu shots.  I had made an appointment with the doctor for all of my children.  As I waited in carpool line I felt very strongly that I should not tell the children where we were going and what we were going to do until ...

You got to love Muffins for Mom.  This is a time that I get to go into the class room and be honored by my children.  Maddie had hers two weeks ago we played "guess the mom" and I found out that my favorite food is pancakes (later I learned it was German Pancakes) and that my job is to take care of my family.  It was sweet. John Derek had his last Friday.  John Derek's class sang the song "Because You Loved Me," by Celine Dion.  I was brought to tears when he sang "you were my voice when I couldn't speak," I thought of how hard I have worked to have his teachers help him with his reading, realizing that I was the voice that they would listen to.  I was also saddened to see my son growing up and knowing that this would probably be the last time he would let his mom hang on him in public.

Here are a few moments from our lives: My kids love their dad.  They love to wrestle with him and really play hard.  Here is one of those moments. Michael has discovered the pantry.  He loves to go in there and get into what ever his little hands can find.  Usually it is ramen noodle or packs of lemon aid that he hasn't figured out how to open.  But this day it was rice.  He had been so quiet I knew something was up.  My Visiting Teacher has chickens and occasionally brings me eggs.  She is so sweet.  These were so pretty and so colorful I didn't want to crack them so I took a picture.  What fun God must have had making "Easter Eggs" for the whole year. Elizabeth loves Michael.  She loves to hold him, take care of him, and be his second mommy.  She is a wonderful girl and very good and very responsible.  I am so grateful that she is my oldest child.  She fits the role well.  I truly don't know...

The Infinite Atonement by Tad R. Callister (Illustrated Edition) pg. 41 . "Melvin J. Ballard, who was privileged for a brief moment to dream of being in [God's physical] presence, recounts: 'If I shall live to be a million years old, I shall never forget that smile.  He [the Savior] took me into his arms and kissed me, pressed me to his bosom, and blessed me, until the narrow of my bones seemed to melt! . . . The feeling that I had in the presence of him who hath all things in his hands, to have his love, his affection, and his blessing was such that if I ever can receive that of which I had but a foretaste, I would give all that I am, all that I ever hope to be, to feel what I then felt!'" I desire to feel that joy.  To feel that Love.  After reading things like that my heart can catch a glimps of that Love and it yearns for it.  I think it is my spirit remembering and yearning.  I do look forward to the day that I can be in the presence of my Savior and act...

Before Michael got his first hair cut. His bangs were getting so long that he either needed a hair clip or a cut. I didn't think his dad would be happy if I put a clip in his son's hair so I made an appointment and away we went. He was very cooperative and let the stylist trim his hair.  She didn't cut a lot off which I was actually really happy about because then he still has a little curl in back and doesn't look too much like a big boy yet.  Even dad had a hard time noticing that he had gotten it cut. I do think it is really cute. After  Today I read a talk We Are Daughters of Our Heavenly Father , Elaine S. Dalton, April 2013 General Conference As daughters of God we are each unique and different in our circumstances and experiences. And yet our part matters—because we matter. Our daily contributions of nurturing, teaching, and caring for others may seem mundane, diminished, difficult, and demea...