8 1/2 months....

So it's been almost 9 months since I last posted on the blog. Honestly, there hasn't been a spare moment since then. Even as I type, there are piles of laundry, errands, phone calls, dishes, food, and probably something that involves bodily fluids that need my attention right now.

For this time of our life, I find comfort in these words from Pres. Monson:

"We should make the most of today, of the here and now, doing all we can to provide pleasant memories for the future. If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will — to your surprise — miss them profoundly."

I had only been home from the hospital a couple of days when I was called to serve as the Young Womens president of our ward. I was at home, and people were texting me from sacrament meeting! Yes, I knew the call would be coming. Jason and I had told the bishop to wait until after we had the baby, we just kinda sorta meant wait more than 5 days.

Life has been crazy. Good, busy crazy. Adjusting to a family of seven has been a little more overwhelming than expected, but we're dealing, and trying to keep our heads above water.

The family pic was taken in my sister's backyard last November. It turned out beautifully, after lots of yelling. The smiles ultimately came after I yelled out "Look at the giant green booger hanging out of Aunt Sherry's nose!" Crude, yes. But we did capture genuine smiles on everyone's faces!!!

Porter is growing up so fast, the time just speeds by. He has sweet, soft long baby hair, which I just can't bring myself to cut yet. He has 6 sharp teeth, and rolls like a pro!

There's so much I could say, and about 900 photos I could post, but I'll sum it up with a list of things I have really appreciated and learned over the last several months.

1. I have overcome feeling ashamed when my house is messy and someone stops by.

2. The crockpot is awesome. It rarely even gets put back in the cabinet.

3. I treasure the dear friends that you can go months without speaking too, and pick up right where you left off.

4. I'm grateful for breastfeeding. Life is so busy that without nursing, I don't think I would actually take the twenty minutes to sit down, be still, and just give him mommy time.

5. My natural hair color is very dark brown. I have the 4 inch roots to prove it.

6. People are pretty predictable.

7. It's perfectly fine to take too many pictures.

8. It's 10 x's harder watching your children go through social hardships in school, than it was for yourself.

Well, there's lots more, but I've exceeded my computer time limit. Duty calls.......hopefully they're not injured.