Brooklyn 21 month update

Attempted to get a couple of pictures of Brooklyn at 21 months and this is the best it got.

 Overall, Brooklyn is a very good little girl. But yes, she can be a little stinker sometimes. I am starting to see some of her independence shining through. Sometimes when you tell her "no" she will put on the pouty face and boy she sure does know how to pout those lips. Other times when I tell her no she will give me a scowl and then hit something which I guess is her way of telling me she is not happy about that. And on a few occasions she has ran off to the other room crying and pouting. And in all cases it is hard not to chuckle a little at her.

She is finally starting to talk a little more saying momee and dadee, hi, ball, bubble, and does some babbling which I don't understand. But at least I can play the "say ___" game with her and she will attempt to repeat what I say if she is in the mood. She is still using a binkie but we have cut that out to only using it at bedtime. But I have to keep them hidden during the day cause if she sees them she will want them. Hoping to get rid of them completely before baby is born but we will see.

She loves being outside every chance she can get. Most of the times dragging her inside causes tears. She is quickly growing up. No longer my baby but still my little girl.

More Spring Soccer

Craig also signed up for 2 seasons of indoor soccer in Tulsa. He played with several friends and his brother and his sister. He keeps telling me he is getting to old to do this but I know better. We all came to a couple games but several times he would take Austin with him. Craig had a fun time playing but I will admit after about 14 weeks of him traveling down to Tulsa every Saturday night for games, I am happy that is done and he is back at home.

Spring Soccer

We made it through another successful soccer season.

For about 8 weeks things get pretty crazy with shuffling for practices and games, trying to fit in dinner, and keeping the girls entertained on the sidelines etc...but watching Austin do something that he enjoys and is good at makes it worth all the effort.

 He participated in one of the tournaments, had a good time, and his team won their age division.

He doesn't look to happy in the picture because it was after the 2nd game and after being outside in the sun all day he started feeling pretty yucky by the time it was over.

 Lots of family came out to cheer on the Bastings boys.

 Craig coached his Academy team. They had a good season.

 A couple action shots.

 Teammates and cousins

Love this picture of these two.

Glad they get to share this special bond over something that they both enjoy and are passionate about.



Motherhood Moments

There are moments of motherhood that you will never forget.

Like that first moment when you became a mom.

Austin born December 2006

and the moment when you became a mom again

Mikayla born September 2008

and the moment when you became a mom again

Brooklyn born August 2013

 

Time stood still in those moments!

 

And then there are moments of motherhood when you just don't feel adequate enough to do the job. When you feel like you are failing. When being a mom is hard and tough and you are physically and emotionally exhausted. There are lots of those moments.

But luckily those moments pale in comparison to the moments of motherhood that feel your heart with love and joy! Like watching your children grow up and learn how to do new things. Watching your children laugh and play and enjoying the simple things in life. Receiving all the hugs and kisses and "I love you's."

Those are the moments of motherhood that make the hard ones all worth it.

Becoming a mom has opened my eyes to all the sacrifice and service my mom willing gave to our family! And as I struggle to manage life with only 3 kids (and 1 on the way),  I have no idea how she managed it all with 7 kids!! I have learned so much from my mom and am so grateful for all she did and all she continues to do to bless the lives of her children and grandchildren!

 It was a great Mother's Day filled with sweet cards that the kids had made. There were also flowers from Craig and flowers the kids picked out that we planted in our front yard that will continue to bloom all summer long.

I love being a mom! It is such a great gift and one that I truly do cherish and enjoy!

Where Can I Turn For Peace?

In church, our ward has been asking members to choose one of their favorite hymns to sing as the intermediate hymn and bear testimony of the gospel truths found in the hymn. So a couple Sundays ago I was asked to choose a hymn and this is what I shared:

I love music and I have a lot of favorite hymns. So when I was asked to pick out a hymn to sing for today I chose to pick one that applied to some of the things I have been thinking about the last couple months and weeks.

I chose hymn #129 Where Can I Turn For Peace?

Where can I turn for peace?
Where is my solace
When other sources cease to make me whole?
When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice,
I draw myself apart,
Searching my soul?

Where, when my aching grows,
Where, when I languish,
Where, in my need to know, where can I run?
Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish?
Who, who can understand?
He, only One.

He answers privately,
Reaches my reaching
In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend.
Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching.
Constant he is and kind,
Love without end.

I know that we can all agree that life doesn't always go as we had planned and we all at times experience as this song says a wounded heart, anger, malice, and anguish. And to that I also add pain, sorrow, grief, guilt from sin, betrayal, disappointment, and loneliness.

So where do we turn? We can do our best to try and deal with it ourselves which is my favorite way of handling things or we can look to the world for answers and distraction. But none of that will fill that ache in our hearts and make us whole. The only way we can feel true peace through times of adversity is when we turn to Him who is The Prince of Peace.

This song reminds me of the scripture in John which says "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

I know that Jesus Christ experienced all things in the Garden of Gesthemane and so as it says in the 2nd verse, He is the ONLY one that can say "I understand exactly how you feel." And because of that when we find ourselves in our own Gesthemane moments of pain, guilt, disappointment, etc...He knows how to help us, how to give us the strength we need, and can bring peace to our hearts even in adversity.

The 3rd verse reminds me of the Greg Olsen picture of the child on the rocks in the river who is reaching up and grasping the hand of the Savior who is reaching His hand down to her. I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us and that His hand is always there reaching to us and that when we reach out to Him that He will always be there to help us.

And just as the last phrase of the song says--He is constant. We can always count on Him. He is always there. He is kind and His love for us is eternal. We can turn to Him and he will give us peace. I know these things are true!

Pinewood Derby

In April, Austin participated in his first Pinewood Derby with the Cub Scouts.

 He chose this Humvee pattern

 Luckily, his cousin's grandpa knew a lot about making pinewood derby cars so he was a lot of help in getting the cars ready.

 After the cars were shaped and sanded came a coat of primer

 Then the painting

 Austin chose to pain his Humvee in army camoflauge

Next came getting the wheels ready and put on the cars

 Then it was race time

 The boys raced and raced and raced their cars down the track

 The rest of us enjoying the show

All of the cub scouts did a great job with their cars and all had a fun time racing each other.

Austin's car did a great job and was one of the fastest ones out there.

He got the award for "Best Paint Design."