All Types of Wonderful...

This wooden sign sits above our stairs. Jody and I were given a gift card, to a home decor store, for our wedding. And we put the money toward this.

At the time, it just seemed right. As a newlywed - life seemed Wonderful. And over the years, this piece of art has hung in our first apartment...and dotted the walls of our different homes. I have walked past this sign thousands of times over the years; Walking out the door for my first day of work at a new job...Rubbing my eyes at three in the morning to feed a crying, hungry baby...Carrying a defiant toddler to her room for a 'Time-Out'...Running to the oven to retrieve burnt cookies...

Recently, after carrying some soiled clothes to the laundry room, I was scrubbing the carpet with one hand, baby Sienna in the other, while cleaning up an 'accident'. (The third one that day.) I looked up to see the words blaring, "It's a Wonderful Life." I smiled to myself and snickered a little. "Really?", I thought.

Yes...Really.

Even lousy days possess hidden wonder. Life is about perspective. We all know this. Life is what we make it. And this day wasn't even that lousy. Goodness Brittany, get it together. You have two healthy kids, a hardworking husband, a roof over your head and so much more for which to be grateful! So maybe this wedding gift is meant to serve as a gratitude reminder of what Wonderful really means. Over the years I have experienced all types of Wonderful. Most of them are simple accomplishments and joys. The 'I tried a new recipe, and it actually tasted good' sort of Wonderful. The 'My laundry room doesn't look like an episode of Hoarders anymore' type of Wonderful. And the 'My baby gives me the best gummy grins' kind of Wonderful!!


And really, the most magnificent type of wonderful for me right now is found in these big eyes and chubby cheeks!!

The Things She Says...

Gracie makes me laugh. Yesterday while saying a prayer she "Blessed the Machines."

(Instead of the Missionaries.)

She is usually the one who wakes me up in the morning. (Picture the beginning of "Date Night" where Tina Fey gets slammed by a child jumping through the air & onto the bed!) The other day, she lifted up the covers and kindly announced, "Mom - Your Head Looks Like a Coconut." (Have you seen a good picture of a coconut lately??... Yikes. This is not a compliment...)

Gracie loves to sing songs. She does quite the version of Pants on the Ground!



Since beginning Primary in January, she has really caught on to many of the songs in the Children's Songbook. For weeks she would sing "I am a Child of God", and instead of singing 'With Parents Kind and Dear' - she sang 'With Parents Kind-of Here' :)



Little ones teach the most valuable lessons. Last week Jody and I were trying to hush Gracie so we could say a family prayer. The task seemed impossible. When we finally gave up on waiting and just said the prayer, Gracie continued to hum, tap her feet and play with her toys. Once Amen was said, I turned to Gracie and told her Heavenly Father was watching and wishing she would have folded her arms and listened during the prayer. In an instant; one simple moment - she asked,

"Can I try again? Can I have a do-over?"

And we prayed again. This time she looked like a poster child for the 'Friend Magazine' - folding her arms, bowing her head and quietly listening.

Now I'm not saying a little reminder that Heavenly Father wants us to do what is right, works every time. We say many prayers at our house where eyes are wide open and Gracie is poking Sienna or waving her pretend magic wand. But what stuck with me is that, in one moment, she made it seem so easy to change her ways and choose a better path.

It's a lesson I need to learn often; and a sweet reminder that a glorious way has been provided for us, through our Savior Jesus Christ...so that we can have those much needed 'do-overs'.

"Can I Try Again?"

And if we have a sincere heart - the answer from our Father in Heaven will always be YES.