i'm always in need of some good reminding...

you know how i said i crashed at 9:30pm the other night. well, since i crashed on the couch, i woke up at 12am and dragged myself to bed. i was crossing my fingers that the little walk over wouldn't wake me up for good. all that crossing turned out to be in vain. i tossed and turned, and finally decided at 2am that my time could be more productive elsewhere. i stayed up until 4am - i don't remember the last time i ever stayed up that late - editing photos. i crawled back into bed after being horrified at the time of day. the next night wasn't any better. as soon as i get my energy back, the insomnia that accompanies pregnancy seems to smack me awake. :( 

this morning i didn't wake up until 9am. so much for making sacrament meeting. very disappointing. in the midst of our dismay, we still had to get ready for a quick trip to green bay. and when i say quick trip, i mean quick. we stuffed the kids in the car as fast as we could. the drive was filled with pleasant conversation between sam and i - made possible by distracting gadgets that kept our kids' attention and kept them quiet. samiyah was fast asleep.

we stopped, hugged aunt "m" hello. thanked her for the cakes. went to another friend's house, dropped off their photos, and were driving out of town in a matter of thirty minutes. 

we had to get back in time for dinner with sam's other cousin, and the green bay packers game. we had a great time getting to know our new cousin "j" and her family. 

we had to rush off from dinner as well. sam had the task of setting up for the christmas devotional broadcast at the chapel. we weren't planning on staying, but we did, and i'm so glad. the kids played in the nursery so i could actually sit in peace and listen. i miss temple square and the lights during christmas.

the message was beautiful and thought provoking. here is the MESSAGE if you'd like to listen to it. so often, we forget the true meaning of christmas and forget to include Christ-like actions/behaviors into our daily routines. so often, christmas becomes deluded with deals and shopping, and the perfect christmas decorations. this was a great reminder for me to refocus my energies and improve my thoughts and actions. not only today, but every day. 

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today i am grateful for:

*aunt/cousin "m." i about cried when i saw the gorgeous cakes she had whipped up. she is crazy talented!

*aunt/cousin "j." all this time she's been in madison, and it's only now at the tail end we are getting to know the sweet and giving person she is. at least we aren't wasting any more time. 

*staying for the christmas devotional. if we hadn't, the poor missionaries wouldn't have had a ride home...or dinner.