The Wood Family

So much has happened! I'm so behind on blogging but I like being busy with the baby. Ok so here is a recap of lately. The pictures are all out of order of oh well. Maddox, myself and my sister Erin went to utah a few weeks ago to visit my grandmother and other family. This amazing women has cancer AGAIN and feels that she is nearing the end of her life. If anyone knows my grandma Noni, you know that words cannot explain how wonderful she is. She is so close to her Savior and has one of the strongest testimonies I know. She is a legacy. She has raised some amazing, talented and special children and grandchildren. I'm so proud of my Porter family. They are all wonderful people. As I visited her and just embraced her presence I felt complete peace. The kind of feeling I get when I enter the temple. Its quiet and clean and just simply peaceful. As we said our goodbyes, grandma blew raspberries on Maddox's stomach and I couldn't help but giggle. She is so frail and gray but as I watched her do this I realized that she was once a young mother too. She chased kids down. She wiped tears and cleaned up boo boos. I saw a new side of "grandma" that I've never really payed attention too. And now that I'm a mother I felt connected to her in a way that I haven't felt before. It was wonderful!!! I hope to be the kind of mother she is to her kids, grandkids, neighbor kids, friends young and old, ward members and more. I love you grandma.

I am back to work. Boo. But I'm crossing my fingers...I had an interview yesterday for another job with less hours and a possibility of working half from home. Which brings me to this... I have gained a stronger testimony of prayer, scripture reading, temple attendance, and faith. So basically the basics. Well these basics have proven strong to me the last week. Patrick and I sat down and reevaluated some things and realized we were seriously slacking in these areas. We have been diligent in our scripture reading and prayers and we put temple days in our calender. I have applied and applied for different jobs and was getting more and more discouraged. Only like a day or two after we sat down and did this I got a call from this company. I don't even know if I got the job but just having some prayers answered has opened my eyes. Getting this call has not been the only blessing. Other things have gotten better and come together and I'm amazed. I don't believe that the lord takes all blessings away like a punishment if you're not doing these basic things but I DO believe that he blesses you more and softens your heart when you do. Whether or not anything comes of this job, my attitude and heart has softened. I still have lots to learn, and a lot of mending but I KNOW without a doubt the Lord is aware of our needs, he is just waiting for us to come to him for help.

Now a little less serious...We've been swimming, gone on dates(much needed), applied for school, watched many world cup soccor games, took lots and lots of pictures, tried to work out, planned our family vacation...Here we come Texas and grandpa and grandma Porter. We stay busy.

Maddox gets to come on date night a lot. He seemed to like PF Changs. He kept flirting with the ladies next to us.

First airplane ride...didn't make a peep!

Cousin Jack couldn't get enough of Maddox. He always want to hold him and touch his hands and head. He and Grace kept asking Dana..."mom, my turn to hold maddox now?"

Crushing Grandma Noni's legs.Seriously...he looks like a sumo baby in her lap.

Priceless.

baby, daddy and grandpa hangin at the pool.

Wood family cooling their feet off on Sunday...so tempting!!!!

Maddox and his new friend Kassen. Only five weeks apart...We had a fun night with our friends Traci and Marcus playing Settlers and eating ice cream. We love hanging out with them cuz all we do is laugh.

I'm so cool!!!!

My new friends. They hang out in my crib with me but I'm just now discovering them.

This is the smile I get all day. Can you blame me for spoiling him?!

Yes those cheeks are real...and I get to kiss them all day! Yummy!

Trying to pose in the Bumbo. Can't quite sit up alone.