And after putting his feetie jammies on (I LOVE those pjs, I used to wear those as a kid too) he fell fast asleep on Daddy.
Daisy Dukes:
A "plunging" neckline:
And a "bear midriff":
But the real highlight of course was when the young women modeled thier outfits. They modeled casual styles as well as more formal gowns and each of them just radiated true beauty. They really showed that you can be beautiful and still maintain dignity by not showing too much skin. After the show, there was a brief talk by the emcee who did a great job. We discussed the standard from the "For the Strength of Youth" guide: "Your body is God's sacred creation. Respect it as a gift from God, and do not defile it in any way. Through your dress and appearance, you can show the Lord that you know how precious your body is. You can show that you are a disciple of Jesus Christ. The way you dress is a reflection of what you are on the inside. When you are well groomed and modestly dressed, you invite the companionship of the Spirit and can exercise a good influence on those around you." And offered them resources online to find modest clothing and of course it was all followed by refreshments.
It was so much fun, and thanks to the help of the other leaders, and volunteers who assisted with hair and make-up, it turned out great. I just love these girls! I know they are trying to live the standards of the church in a world that mocks virtue and chastity. I am amazed at their willingness to stand up for their moral convictions even when it is unpopular to do so, and when they feel pressured from the media and their friends to do otherwise. I hope this fashion show helped them feel inspired and encouraged to keep trying.
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This is my all time favorite piece of artwork. It's by Jay Bryant Ward and I saw it in an Ensign once and was deeply moved by it. Jon bought it for me the next Christmas, and I've had it hanging up in our room ever since. It's called "Seed of Faith", and it depicts a mother and her son who is a future strippling warrior from the Book of Mormon. This little boy grew to be one of the young men of tremendous faith who said, "We do not doubt... our mothers knew it." In this print, she's using a seed to teach him about faith.
Then one day while I was scrapbooking, I was flipping through our photos and came across this picture that reminded me of that print. It immediately brought me to tears. Just the way Benny is looking up at me, with such trust in his eyes, completely dependent on me and his Daddy not only for survival but for knowledge of the restored gospel. What an ENROMOUS responsibility, to not only teach the truths of the gospel, but to model them, and to set up and maintain a home where the Holy Spirit can witness these truths to them.
I worry a LOT about measuring up to this monumental task. It's actually pretty ironic because this picture is of a mother teaching her child about faith and as the Prophet Joseph Smith once said, "Faith and worry cannot exist in the same mind at the same time." I guess I don't have enough faith yet because like I said, I worry a lot. I often fear that I'm inadeqate for motherhood which has been called "the highest and holiest service to be assumed by mankind". With all my weaknesses and shortcomings, I just don't feel good enough. But I guess the faith part comes in when I remember that I'm not alone in this! If I were to be relying on my own knowlege, strength and abilities, I'd be terrified of this calling. In fact, I don't even think I'd want to get out of bed in the morning. But it's such a comfort to know that these are really His children, and that they are on loan to me and my husband. That He is more invested in their eternal welfare than I am because His love for them is perfect.
So now both of these pictures hang in my room as a constant reminder of the sacred and holy responsibility of motherhood. They inspire me to get up every morning and try to do my part in raising these children to be faithful and grow up unto the Lord. I know that my husband and I don't have to parent these kids alone. I know that we have a wise and all-knowing Father to call on anytime day or night and that I can draw on his perfect strength. And I know that he is willing and eager to help me... all I have to do is ask in FAITH. And with this faith, I can go on... trusting that His perfection will make up for my weaknesses as a mother. I am so grateful for the joy these children have brought into my life. They are so precious to me... each of them. Each of them is God's own child, with a unique and distinct mission to perform on this earth. I can only hope to raise them in a way that would please Him.
I Hope They Call Me On A Mission
I hope they call me on a mission, when I have grown a foot or two, I hope by then I will be ready to teach and preach and work as missionaries do.
Here's my little rag doll baby!
This was when Benny was 4 days old. You can tell by the look on her face that Celeste wasn't too impressed with this little crying creature who was invading her home and consuming her mommy and daddy's attention. 
Little Charity being crazy!
Benny's thinking... "What in the world is this?"
Our little hillbilly girl!!
Benny was so tired one day he just crashed on all his stuffed animals!
Celeste meeting her first clown (who was pretty unenthusiastic). She certainly doesn't look too wowed by his antics!
Yummy piggy toes!
Can you BELIEVE I got my hubby to dress-up like this for halloween?!!! This was on the way to the church halloween party. Just to make me laugh, he stopped by the KFC drive-thru, he did his best pooh-bear impression and asked for a packet of honey. The cashier said, "Um... ok... is that all?" When we got to the window, she saw the enormous pooh-bear and busted up laughing. Then Jon said, "Goodness, I've got a rumbly in my tumbly" in his pooh-bear voice, and sped off. It was hilarious! I bet that girl is still talking about it.
