A Yearning For Home

Sunday, January 10, 2016

This afternoon Hunter was out home teaching, and I was inside playing with my Oaklyn girl.
We were in the family room on the floor, toys scattered all around, and church music playing. There was an especially happy feeling in the room. A warm spirit I can't quite explain, but I knew we both felt. Oaklyn was hiding behind my leg playing peek-a-boo, a game she has recently learned. She got bored of that particular game and made her way up to my tummy, jumping up and down and giggling with every silly face I made. My phone was on a shelf and switched to a new song, she crawled over to reach for it leaving me observing her every move on the ground. I watched as her chunky legs and hips moved together to help her crawl over to the shelf. I then watched her chubby hands grab a hold of the shelf to pull the rest of her body up. She looked back at me to make sure I was still there. I smiled at her letting her know I wasn't going anywhere, and she smiled turning back to the shelf to continue on. I watched her and felt the tender love a mother feels for her child so intense. I grabbed her and brought her to my chest. She grabbed a blankie and we "snuggle snuggled" for 10 minutes with several giggles in between. I got thirsty and got up to get a drink of water. The second Oaklyn caught sight of me walking away, the tears and sobs came with her saying "ma-ma-ma-ma" betwwen sobs. I grabbed my water and quickly returned to her. I picked her up and almost instantaneously the crying stopped. 

Oaklyn is going through a separation anxiety phase right now. I'm basically never aloud to leave her sight, or even walk a few steps away. It easily gets annoying, and exhausting throughout the busy day, but it got me thinking and feeling something a little differently on this calm Sunday afternoon.

I'm thankful my daughter wants and needs me.
I'm thankful she thinks of me as the one that nurtures her.
I'm thankful that when I leave, she wants me to come back and be with her.
I'm thankful that when I come back, she's so excited to see me. No matter how long I was gone.
I'm thankful that she feels an attachment to me, that she knows I am her mother.
I'm thankful that I'm able to be home with her, all day long, and she notices when I'm not.
I'm thankful she feels comfortable in our home and in the presence of her parents. 
I'm thankful for the fun and loving spirit she adds to our home, and I'm thankful we all feel it.
I'm thankful she loves being in her parent's presence.
And, I'm thankful we will have these happy little memories forever.

I love my family.
I love them with a love I just didn't know existed until I got married and later had a baby.
It's interesting, that when you have a little family of your own, nothing else really matters.
I want my family to always know I feel that way.
That nothing else, really, matters to me but them.
I want them to want to be home and want to have me and Hunter around. Always. Maybe a little less intense than how Oaklyn feels right now, but the same idea ha.
Oklyn's clingy stage led me to reading this talk by Marvin J. Ashton. 
It reminded me, that the home is more important than many are observing it to be today.
I want my little Oaklyn, and the rest of our future kiddos, to enjoy being home and around their parents.
It is my goal, and will be in my best efforts, always, to make sure that our home is "an anchor, a port in the storm, a refuge, a happy place in which to dwell, a place where we are loved and where we can love."
Thank you for hitting the nail on the head Elder Ashton, and for providing me with an uplifting and inspiring Sunday Message.

How do you create your home to be a "Heaven on Earth" and a place that your kids yearn to be?

All my love,
Aleigh Joy

"There is a certain kind of yearning for home we should never want to lose. Home should be an anchor, a port in a storm, a refuge, a happy place in which to dwell, a place where we are loved and where we can love. Home should be where life’s greatest lessons are taught and learned. Home and family can be the center of one’s earthly faith, where love and mutual responsibility are appropriately blended. Thinking of home with its pleasant and happy memories can make us stronger during our present and future days here upon the earth."
- Marvin J. Ashton

2 comments

  1. I've never read that talk before. Thanks for sharing :)

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