Turning Seven

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

Turning Seven

Just yesterday I was looking at pictures of days gone by.

I found myself staring into the face of five month old Peter and the three year old Ammon.

How I miss my baby Peter and my three year old Ammon!

They were so adorable at that stage.

Then I looked over to more recent pictures.

I saw my three year old Peter and my six year old Ammon.

And I remembered how adorable they are at this stage.

But already this stage is changing.

Ammon isn't six years old anymore.

He is a charming, vivacious, energetic, and just plain fun seven year old!

Pictures taken December 26, 2010

From the moment I learned I was expecting a baby - due January 11,

my goal was to get the birthday as far after Christmas as possible.

I was none too successful - only managing to get four hours and eleven minutes past the holiday.
Every year I feel like properly celebrating Ammon's birthday is a struggle.

It seems hard to compete with the celebration of Christmas.

This year we arranged for a slumber party with cousins Michael and Will.

They were planning to come over Monday night.

We spent the morning of Ammon's birthday attending church with grandparents.

Afterwards we stopped by my parents home for a visit.

It was there that Peter came down with a sudden and high fever.

Because scarlet fever had been going around our area,
Andy took him into the instacare right away.

Despite unexpectedly spending the day waiting for Peter,

it turned out to be a fun time.

We played Trouble many times and he won most of them.
Grandma and Grandpa gave him presents which included his very own game of SkipBo

So he also learned how to play that and we had a few rounds.

After lots of game playing, Ammon even decided to bake his own cake!
(Aunt Rebecca helped with that.)

Soon after the cake went into the oven, Peter and Andy returned from the doctor.

We lit the candles, sang Happy Birthday and ate our treat.

I was glad that Ammon was satisfied with this birthday celebration.

Peter, we learned, did have the strep germ and so we had to cancel the slumber party.

By the time we returned home, it was practically bed time.

Fortunately Andy reminded me that WE had a present for Ammon.

It hadn't gotten wrapped yet, so Andy just brought it out under a blanket.

Ammon was pretty excited about his remote control truck!

By this time, the medicine had helped bring down Peter's fever.

For the first time all day, he had some energy to play.

So the two of them had fun trying out the new toy.

Eventually we really did send them to bed.

And I ended my day grateful that Ammon's birthday was a miraculous success.

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Family Proclamation

The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children.All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God's eternal plan.Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. "Children are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah.