So thankful for children

Last week in church, I was sitting on the stand with sixty something children. It was the annual *primary program for our church. I looked out at the hundreds of people there to watch—Moms, Dads, Grandmas, Grandpas, neighbors, and the general congregation of our church. I was overwhelmed by special spirit these young children brought into the chapel. I admit that I teared up—multiple times. Okay, I was practically bawling for the first half! I have to admit that I absolutely love children.

I have loved children since I was a child. Baby-sitting was my absolute favorite thing! A couple friends and I even tried to start our own babysitters club. Most girls grow tired of babysitting after a few years. It seems like once they start getting good at it, they get interested in friends and boys! Yet I never really grew out of it—I baby-sat all through college and that was after I would get home from working at a day care teaching preschool.

I love the innocence, their capacity to love, their quick ability to forgive. I love their imagination, determination, and curiosity. I love their creativity, tenacity, and sponge-like ability to soak up knowledge. I have so many awesome memories of babysitting, teaching, after-school programs, and the such. I am so grateful to be able to teach *primary. It is by far the best calling in the whole church.

I haven’t always felt this love of children since I became a mom. I was overwhelmed for a lot of years with so many young children needing my attention 24-hours a day. I was so stressed out, burned out and just ready for something different that I lost my ability to see just how special these little ones are. I forgot for a while. I am so grateful that lately I have been able to see again. Maybe it is because my little ones are growing up too fast, or maybe they aren’t as needy, or maybe because I am taking better care of myself. All I know is that today my heart has been brimming with a love of little children. I am so thankful for children.

I have always loved children. So much, that when I graduated from college, my mom gave me a small porcelain version of this statue as my graduation present. 

This post is one of gratitude of all children. I am sure that there will be a post about being grateful for MY children but this isn’t it. But on that note, Turner did rock his scripture in primary today. The scripture he shared was Doctrine and Covenants 98:1   “Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks;”