Countdown to motherhood guest post: Jessica McCormick

(Brett helping his mom with his little brother Jordan)

I've been thinking about what I would want to say for a couple days because i've only been a mother for two and a half years and already there is so much you learn. I'm just getting into the potty training fun and I just learned something new about my son. Brett is attached to his poop and tried to grab it out of the toilet when I tried to flush it. A new lesson i'm so happy to teach him. Hehe. 

From the moment I had Brett in my arms after he was born, my life was immediatly changed forever in the most amazing way. But the most touching moment in my life was Sept. 23 2011. I was pregnant with Jordan and Brett was a little over 1. We were sealed together as a family for eternity in the temple. Right when they brought Brett into the sealing room he looked at me with this smile on his face and touched my cheek as if he knew what was happening (which I'm sure he did), and it melted my heart and I knew we'd be together forever. 

Now, every day when I walk into the room and my kids faces light up with a smile, it reminds me of that special day and that we're forever. It also makes it harder for me to be mad at them and adds to the patience I need to talk to them calmly. Like the other day when I found Brett in Jordan's bassinet while Jordan was trying to sleep. 

I think the most important lesson that i've learned so far is to let things go, it happens. Things can be fixed and cleaned and picked up, you only have your baby for a little while and they grow up too fast to sweat the small stuff.

I would also definitely recommend the book "Baby Wise" by Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam. It helped me get Jordan to sleep and eat better than I did with Brett. Jordan was sleeping through the night by 3 months. Enough said! 

Jessica mentions a temple and eternal families in her post. If you're interested in learning more about Latter-Day Saint (Mormon) temples and what goes on there, please click here and here. 

I love to see the temple...

We had the opportunity to go to the Seattle temple today and both Brady and I agreed that we were definitely spoiled in Salt Lake City. I guess it's pretty easy to take good things, like only having to drive 15 minutes to get to the temple, for granted when they're right in front of you. Trust me though, today we realized just how awesome we had it and how grateful we should have been.

But let me tell you, the drive was worth it. It was SO worth it.

Whether you're a Latter Day Saint or not, I think there's something we can all find to appreciate about a temple.

Like the beauty of the building's structure...

...or the flowers on its grounds.

Today we NEEDED the temple. 

Remember here where I talked about change and how hard it can be? One of my desires for this blog is for it to feel real. I don't want it to just seem like there are rainbows all the time or that our life is perfect.

So, lets be real for a moment. 

This is hard. This is stressful. And we're scared. 

But today, despite all of the unfamiliarity we're facing and uncertainty we're feeling, we knew exactly what to expect when we went through those doors and we knew exactly how being there would make us feel. That was certain and it was familiar. 

It can be so comforting to know that no matter where you go, what happens in the temple will ALWAYS be the same. 

Also, have I mentioned how excited I am to be a mother? 

Because I am :)

Have a happy weekend!