Aleahhh Claire

Today. Today was one of those days. They come around every so often, but you know what else comes around almost ALWAYS on those days that I have one of THOSE days? A little piece of heaven. It always comes. And I feel like I'm starting to count on it...

Today I needed a happy heart to soften the heavy one that seemed to be sitting in my chest.

So I called my sister hoping I'd find some comfort. What I didn't expect was that little voice in the back ground to be the one I needed to hear from.

Rachel said to me, "Aleah has been wanting me to call you for days now to tell
you something. But I want her to tell you, so here she is..."

Let me jump back six weeks ago: Rachel had told me about a group of little girls at Aleahs school who created a club called the "Star Club". Only cool girls could be in it. (We all remember

those days. At least I do. Maybe I wasn't the coolest girl on the block in my day... ) I remembered how mean kids could be. It's not an easy life out there on the playground! So Rachel told Aleah it probably wasn't the best idea to be part of the "Star Club". And she listened. Even though they were her friends.

So I was babysitting Aleah a couple days later. I talked to her about it. And about how important it was to be nice. I asked her if she had ever seen anyone play alone at recess. She said yes. So I told her, "if you find someone playing alone at recess, I want you to go play with them. Be their friend. Boy or girl." She was a little hesitant when I said "boy", which I was secretely proud of... she's learning young- boys are baaaaad ;) . I told her that if she'd do it, I would take her anywhere she wanted to go. Just a date for the two of us.

Kids never forget what you say.

Back to present day: Aleah picked up the phone. I asked her what she wanted to tell me so badly!? In the sweetest most sincere little voice she said, "well I found a boy playing on the playground all by himself. I saw him on the swings. So I asked him if he needed a friend. And he did! So we played together the whole time on the swings!!"

Instantly remembering the promise I had made her six weeks previous, tears started streaming down my face (and no worries, I've been extremely emotional this entire week..) I was so proud of her. I also realized that she was being the friend I needed right then. A five year old.

Ahhhhhhh. I LOVE KIDS. I love how sincere their little hearts are. They mean everything they say or do. They don't do anything half-heartedly. They love and they love unconditionally. They're never too busy to listen. I'm sure they don't normally understand what you're going through, but somehow they always seem to offer the perfect sort of comfort at the perfect time. I think they would be considered one of God's little mercies. And they're SOOO adorable.

This little girl is dynamite. I've never been more excited to watch a little one grow up.

So this one's for you Aleah Claire- I love you stinkerpot.

The Ultimate Security System

(Upon Rachels request) ** Dont mind how fat Rachel looks in this picture she had a baby three weeks later. And her body was back to smokin hot within the three weeks following.

So I haven't blogged for a month now, and believe me- I think about doing it every day. I just haven't known exactly what I've wanted to say. Maybe thats because my final paper for English last semester drained my writing skills for a while.

But right now, I know exactly what I want to say.

I LOVE FAMILY.

I love that everyone has a family, I love the idea of a family, I love how no other word brings as much comfort as 'family' does, and I especially love my family..

Carson and Simone came up to Logan yesterday and stayed the night. I have never been more excited/happy about any other visitor that has come to our little house. We didn't do anything overly exciting or off the walls. We sat in my living room and played games with Christopher, Brandon, and Bailey. And that was all it took to make me excited enough to blog about it!

Sometimes I look back and regret not soaking up every minute of childhood I had with Rachel, Garrett, Carson, and Devin. Those four people have literally shaped me into who I am today, right down to every scar on my face. I wish I could go back to the days when none of us had a care in the world other than who was going to get in trouble for talking in sacrament. There's something about each one of these individuals that makes them beyond amazing.

Its a dad who will send you flowers when you've stayed up all night sobbing, a mom who stays up for hours waiting for you to call and tell her all about your night, a sister who set the absolute perfect example for the rest to follow, an older brother who can make anyone and everyone feel like a million bucks, another older brother who made the perfect best friend and advice giver through every trial life threw at me, a younger brother who is teaching me the traits that I should've taught him, and a brother and sister in-law who fit so perfectly in our clan that they feel like originals.

It is so nice to know that no matter what happens, what right or wrong decision I make, whether or not I'm successful in all my endeavors, my family wont feel one bit different about me. They're the people who know my heart inside and out, and love it. I'm not sure how I got so lucky to be part of the family that I am, but I did. They are like the ultimate security system. With them, I have no fear. And I love them.