Lions and tigers and bears...oh my!

When Emma was born, she received this huge bear from her uncle and aunt. We took her picture with it, as we've now done with baby Garfield, and it serves as a fun benchmark to see how small they really started out.

Why must children grow right before our very eyes? And why does that seem to make mothers so sentimental? I suppose it's partly because it indicates just how fast life is passing us by. We know these tender moments with our children are precious and fleeting, yet there are times we find ourselves wishing away the hours of tiresome demands of motherhood. We can be bleary eyed, frustrated to tears, and feeling like our job is fruitless some days. But we know deep down that there is no role more important, no appointment more divine, no job more truly rewarding. And so we press on, feeding little souls as well as their bellies, changing countless diapers, kissing and hugging and dancing around in circles. After all, it's such a short time in life that we're reminded we ought to be doing more dancing....