Daddy's Girl

My very favorite time of the day is when we put the couches together after dinner and have "snuggle scriptures" as a family. It's just a little bit of time we have together at the end of the day to be close and to learn about the gospel. But I swear something tries to keep us from making it happen, because inevitably the phone will ring, or someone comes to the door, or we'll get in a little tiff right before this special, sacred time. I love this little tradition, but sometimes, when the kids are being... well... kids, I wonder if it's making any difference. But I know that it is. I really appreciated what Elder Bednar shared in conference last week...


"Sometimes Sister Bednar and I wondered if our efforts to do these spiritually essential things were worthwhile. Now and then verses of scripture were read amid outbursts such as “He’s touching me!” “Make him stop looking at me!” “Mom, he’s breathing my air!” Sincere prayers occasionally were interrupted with giggling and poking. And with active, rambunctious boys, family home evening lessons did not always produce high levels of edification. At times Sister Bednar and I were exasperated because the righteous habits we worked so hard to foster did not seem to yield immediately the spiritual results we wanted and expected. Today if you could ask our adult sons what they remember about family prayer, scripture study, and family home evening, I believe I know how they would answer. They likely would not identify a particular prayer or a specific instance of scripture study or an especially meaningful family home evening lesson as the defining moment in their spiritual development. What they would say they remember is that as a family we were consistent."


Consistency, (not perfection) is what we are striving for! And all of this matters because "No success in life can compensate for failure in the home." (David O. McKay) I remember when Elder Rasband of the Seventy came to visit our church in Ohio, and he said something about this statement that gave me great hope. He shared that quote and then added, "and the definition of failure... is when you stop trying."

So every night after we finish reading, we give a big group hug we call, "Hudson Hugs" (I know it's so cheesy ha ha!), and we all say, "I yuv yew famiyee!" (This is how Benny and Charity say it since they can't pronounce their "L"s- the funniest is when they ask for "yucky charms") But anyway, just this simple embrace seems to dispel any contentious feelings, or lingering negativity that might have built up among us during the day. It reminds us how much we love each other. And I think it's important to end the day on a good note.


So tonight, during snuggle scriptures, Charity climbed on Daddy's lap, and they both fell asleep. She had been a little lethargic for most of the day. I think she might be getting sick. :( It was too sweet, so I had to stop and capture the moment. She is such a Daddy's girl!

I am grateful to have a husband who is such a wonderful man and a kind and loving father. And I'm grateful for my little sweeties. They are each such a tremendous blessing in my life. I just yuv my famiyee. ;)