I can never pass up a good tag.

A - Attached or Single: Happily attached.
B - Best Friends: Nate and kids. We're BFFs. (I make the kids say it regularly.)
C - Cake or Pie: um chocolate cake, no question (I didn't even have to change your answer Dru.)
D - Day of choice: TGIF
E - Essential Item: chap stick, cell phone
F - Favorite Color: any mixture of blue and gray
G - Gummy Bears or Worms: gummy nothing unless it's covered in chocolate
H- Hometown: Salt Lake City. Always. Even if I live in Boise til the day I die.
I - Indulgences: chocolate (mass quantities daily) and cherry coke zero (one daily)
J - January or July: Fireworks/sun/tan/my birthday vs. bitter cold. Hmm...that's a tough one.
K - Kids: Just seeing that word makes me smile.
L - Life is incomplete without: Nate's kisses and butterfly kisses
M - Marriage Date: 2/16/96
N - Number of Siblings: 6- 5 sisters, 1 brother (But the real question is...should my kids have more siblings??)
O - Oranges or Apples: Mango
P - Phobias or Fears: heights, bees and my kids getting hit by a car (recurring nightmare)
Q - Quotes: I have them hanging everywhere. Right now I'm looking at one (a scripture) that says: "Lord, Here am I. Send me." I want that to be my basic philosophy in life.
R -Reason to smile: my Savior
S - Season: Fall- I love the colors and the start of school
T - Tag Three Friends: nienie, cjane and seriously so blessed. (Okay, so they don't actually read my blog, or even know who I am, but we are bosom friends nonetheless.)
U - Unknown fact about me: I hope to be a Broadway star in the next life.
V - Very favorite Store: I love the style of Anthrologie best, but I buy the most at Old Navy.
W - Worst habit: eating until I feel stuffed
X - X-ray or Ultrasound: I've had an Xray for a broken arm and ultrasounds to see my babies. Which do you think?
Y - Your favorite food: Mom's homemade chicken pot pie...the ultimate comfort food.
Z- Zodiac: cancer (that's an awful name for a sign, don't you think?)

Today you are 9.

Dear Tess,
Last night I watched you sleeping.
I climbed into bed with you and listened to you breathe.
Then I felt for your heartbeat because it's strong, steady rhythm comforts me.
I thought back to the day you came into our lives 9 years ago.
You were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.
Button nose. Sweetheart lips. Smooth, soft skin.
You walked into my heart, entirely and completely, the moment I saw you.
I had no idea that could happen.

You were the first.
You made me a mother.
You made us a family.
You'll always have a special place in my heart.

Happy birthday sweet girl.
I love you. Forever.
Mom

"The" talk.

Last night Nate and I took Tess to her favorite restaurant, Katmandu.
Indian and Nepali cuisine. Mostly she loves the naan.
We had decided that it was time to have "the" talk with her.
You know, the one about the birds and the bees.

I had been told by friends that if we hadn't discussed it by the time she was 9, we would be too late. She would have already heard it all during recess.

Well, I'm happy to report that innocence remains.
The look of shock and horror on her face said it all.
She was able to stammer, "What?....How?....But doesn't that hurt?!" before bursting into tears and begging us to "please stop talking about it."
We tried to convey that it was actually a very beautiful and sacred (and fun) thing when done at the proper time. That it actually brings a husband and wife closer together.
And then we told her that if she ever had any questions she could always come to us and ask.
She responded that she would "never want to talk about it ever again."

Oh sweet, tender-hearted Tess.
We love you just the way you are.

Here are some pictures of younger, simpler times:

Parents day at Tess' dance class.

Tess dances at Virginia Tanner on the U campus.

It's over. And I survived.

me, LynnEl "Mama Springer" and Amy Springer- it's Amy's fault I had to speak.

Thanks to everyone that came to hear me speak at Women's Conference.

It meant so much to have loved ones there.

Actually, I wasn't all that nervous, if you can believe it.

It's amazing what putting your trust in the Lord can do for your confidence.

Of course, watching the hundreds of women file into the room made me a bit jittery.

But Nathan pulled me into a side room and gave me a quick priesthood blessing.

And again I was calm.

I just love that guy.

Luckily I got to speak early on in the conference so that I could enjoy the rest of it.

Absolutely loved Julie B. Beck's image of a mother as a "lioness standing at the gate" fiercely protecting her home.

Also, loved this quote from Dallin H. Oaks-"It's amazing how much you can get done if you don't worry about who gets the credit."

I took lots of notes.

And doodled Nate's name in the margin of my notebook.

Just like when we were dating.

Because thinking of him still makes my heart skip a beat.

Can't wait for next year. I anticipate it will be a lot less nerve-wracking.

Although for anyone that may be speaking ...can I ride in your car?...the parking privileges are the bomb.