The Laundry Overfloweth

This past week my laundry baskets looked like this:

Oh, the white one is empty you say??? For good reason. Because the whites were here:

This is not a typical laundry room scene at our house. I typically like to do laundry every day. I hate overflowing baskets. Even the girls were complaining about not having any space in the laundry baskets to put their dirty clothes.

I only did two loads of laundry last week. It was a busy week. And as it turns out, the laundry baskets weren't the only thing overflowing...so was my heart! All because of this little angel who won't show her teeth when she smiles for pictures...

Leah turned eight last week and boy howdy did we celebrate. She's been planning a Fancy Nancy birthday party for at least half the year and over the past few months she's been busy inviting all friends and acquaintances from school, church, the park, the grocery store, the mall, various fast-food restaurants...you get the idea. She wanted lots of people to come, so I had to put a cap on it and she had to discreetly un-invite people.

Her birthday party was everything she had hoped it would be. She loved all the attention. And she loved how the attention carried over to family when we went swimming at Aunt Amy's pool with cousins and everyone sang to her. She was a little less thrilled with the white cake/chocolate frosting I threw together on the day of her birthday, but still grateful nonetheless.

All the birthday stuff was fine and good, but her baptism was the true highlight of the week for all of us. She has truly prepared and looked forward to that day. Her understanding is so beyond anything I understood at her age. She loved the scriptures we gave her for her birthday (and she is in love with the shiny pink tote she can carry them in to church) and she is already treating them with respect and reverence.

We were so grateful to be close to family who shared this special day with us. After the baptism, everyone changed clothes and we went to a nearby park for lunch (I must say I am so thankful for Costco) and fun times with the cousins. When everything was over, I came home and crashed. But it was so worth it.

In preparation for the baptism, our bishop asked me to write down some things about Leah so he could get to know her a little better and to use in her introduction. The things I wrote sum up how I feel about this amazing girl...

Leah has some really special gifts and she uses those gifts to bless many people's lives. Leah's influence extends far beyond the realms of anything I would have imagined possible from a child of her age. She touches people with her smile, with her genuineness, and with her gift to be a friend to everyone. Leah sees and accepts people without passing judgment, and she invests herself in others interests. She gives her full attention and energy to anyone she engages with, whether it be a friend, a teacher, a family member, or a small child. Anyone who crosses Leah's path is an automatic friend and is blessed because of that friendship. Leah's spirit is strong and mature in many ways and she teaches us about the love of Christ by the way she naturally loves and accepts others.

Leah strengthens and builds our family with her positive attitude and her willingness to contribute. Leah sees good in almost every situation and every person. She often handles disappointment with maturity and wisdom. She helps all of us recognize the blessings in our lives. She contributes to our family by being responsible and forgiving. She prepares excellent lessons for Family Home Evening and she encourages us to be diligent about reading our scriptures together.

She has a strong desire to choose the right and she loves to show that desire by wearing her CTR ring. She has worn her CTR ring on her finger since the day she received it in primary. This past winter she and her dad went skiing together and when she got home after a long day, she realized that somewhere along the day's journey she had lost her CTR ring. She stewed and lamented all evening long, and the next day the faith-filled prayer of a righteous seven-year-old girl was answered when she and Jared returned to the shop and found her ring. She protects her CTR ring the same way she protects her spirit by making good choices.

Leah's desire to be baptized is strong and sincere. She understands that her baptism is an outward expression of her willing desire to keep God's commandments. She has simple, pure faith in Heavenly Father and she trusts Him to bless her and keep His promises. I know Heavenly Father loves her and she loves Him back. In my prayers every day, I thank Heavenly Father that I get to be this special girl's mom.

The past week was so worth the overflowing baskets in the laundry room.