drudgery.

I feel a bit like I don't have much to blog about.

Chris returned on Saturday night to an adoring crowd of 2.

We were so happy to have our man home.

I do not sleep without Chris next to me.

I miss him.

And I get afraid of murderers hiding in the closet.

Carly slept great despite his absence.

~

On Sunday I taught in Young Women's.

I'm not much of a teacher, and usually I get more out of each lesson than the girls do.

Such was the case this time around, I'm sure.

My lesson contained this quote:

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“No matter what you read or hear, no matter what the differences of circumstances you observe in the lives of women about you, it is important for you Latter-day Saint women to understand that the Lord holds motherhood and mothers sacred and in the highest esteem. . . This is the great, irreplaceable work of women.

“Much is said about the drudgery and the confinement of the woman’s role in the home. In the perspective of the gospel it is not so. There is divinity in each new life. There is challenge in creating the environment in which a child can grow and develop. There is partnership between the man and woman in building a family which can last throughout the eternities” (“Privileges and Responsibilities of Sisters,” Ensign, Nov. 1978, pp. 105–6).

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How about that was put in the lesson especially for me.

I love that he uses the words "drudgery" and "confinement".

What great diction.

Drudgery is the perfect word to describe what motherhood sometimes feels like.

Divinity is the perfect word to describe what motherhood really is.

~

Oh, how I love our Carly.

She is too much.

I've been taking a million random pictures the last few days.

So here's a look at my "drudgery".

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Carly ready to go to Target for the 3rd time in 4 days. Hey, Chris was gone, its freezing out, and we needed to get out of the house. And Target is 5 seconds away.

Taking a 5 minute nap. Its the only kind she takes.

Mama kisses. Mom, that's our new $6 lamp glowing in the background.

Can't decide where to put it.

So right now its right next to the other one.

Enthralled by the Superbowl.

This exersaucer has been making its way through the ward and it finally landed on us.

I'm very grateful.

She will actually stay in it for like 6 or 7 minutes.

6 or 7 minutes of bliss.

The green beans didn't go over as well as the peas.

But you should have seen her down the sweet potatoes.

Little beauty on Love Day.

We spent it eating leftovers, talking with family, and being grateful we were back together.

Remember how I said she takes 5 minute naps?

That's if I'm lucky.

Usually there is screaming and I find this.

I'm working on creating a "naptime routine".

Read her a book, fed her, rocked her, in crib.

We tried it on Monday.

She fussed for a while, then slept a whole hour.

I didn't even know what to do with myself.

And because she is just so beautiful:

And finally, Carly got a doorway jumper for Christmas.

Before now she would just sit in it and cry.

Lately she has been jumping on our laps.

So this was her first real go at it.

Not bad for a rookie.

(it does work, despite the blackness)

Oh, how I love this drudgery.