Totally Fascinating...Really....

I had a fun chance to go to lunch with a friend I haven't really seen since high school (thanks Trish). I loved hearing her tell me what had been going on for the last 15 years. She had such interesting things to share. Then she asked me to tell about my life since high school. I was really excited. It seems like so much has happened, like I have lived 3 lives instead of just one. So I open my mouth to speak and in about 30 seconds I can sum up the whole thing. Graduated from Snow, married high school sweetheart and man of dreams, graduated from Utah State, had first baby, moved to Richfield, had baby, had baby, picked up baby from Haiti, had baby, moved to Monroe...When I finished I was just shocked that this busy exciting bunch of years amounted to a 30 second run down that sounded rather anti-climactic.
But, then I got home and thought about it. Yes, I can give you a quick run down and it doesn't sound like much but if the reality went with it there sure is a lot more to it. For instance. I have been in love with my husband since I was 16. He took me to junior prom and I cried for weeks when he left on his mission, we have been by each others side as we have grown up and almost qualify as grown ups. I had my first son which may be something lots of people have done but when the doctor placed that baby in your arms did you know at that moment the reason you were born? I looked at him and all of a sudden I know why the Lord sent me here and that was to be his mother and I have never had a more spiritual, overwhelming experience in my life. I mentioned that I adopted my son and it was really something. But, I guess I didn't say that I really got to know Heavenly Father at that time and that I learned how intimately involved He is in our lives when he needs something to happen that doesn't make a lot of sense. I guess you don't say when you are having polite conversation that motherhood is the hardest most demanding thing I could possibly imagine. I go to sleep exhausted and wake up feeling much the same way. I had no idea how your heart would break when someone was mean to your little boy and that all of a sudden I would sympathize with my mom who still hates the girl who beat me up in the 5th grade. I hate when mom's brag about their kids and swore I would never do it. Now I can't help it, it took all of my self-control not to pull out a bunch of pictures and tell Trisha every little detail about my crop of boys (yes, I was using restraint, just imagine how bad it could have been if I wasn't trying!) Anyway I could go on and on. I am not the same me I was when we graduated 100 years ago. If I could go back I would change so many things, unwaste so much wasted time...but since that time I am experiencing the refiners fire and while I have many years left in the heat I can see that it is working...