service

I am feeling the love this week. Let me tell you why.

Last Saturday my sweet in-laws decided to throw a little family baby shower for me and the bun in the oven. I felt silly since this is my second baby and I already have everything I need from the first one. But, I would never pass up a chance to be with those wonderful women and eat delicious food. Before the baby shower I headed up north a little early to grab some things at the craft store for an upcoming relief society project. I had about ten minutes to spare as I walked out of the store and put the key in my car and...nothing. My car was dead. Stranded in the parking lot of the Hobby Lobby while the rain was pouring down. I called Wes and he said to go to the baby shower and he would come up later and change the battery (he was at home watching Halle enjoying his first Saturday free from work. I felt terrible.)

I called my mother-in-law to come pick me up so I could make it to the baby shower while I left my car in the parking lot. Without even hesitating she said my father-in-law would come. She didn't have to ask him or anything, she just knew that sweet man would come even though it is his day off from work as well. He came. And he came with jumper cables. In a matter of minutes he jumped my car and told me to head over to the baby shower. While I did that he went and bought me a new battery and installed it while I was chatting and eating and opening gifts. No grumbling, no rolling of the eyes, no nothing. The guy was all smiles. I've always thought he was a saint, but Saturday sealed the deal for me. And Wes didn't have to spend an afternoon driving to come change my battery.

At the baby shower I was given so many sweet gifts and baby and I were totally spoiled. The food was fantastic and gorgeous and so much work was put into everything. More sweet service and love. My mother-in-law made my favorite salad and had a whole bit of it set aside so I could throw it all together at home another day. She just knows how much I love it. It is heavenly and she is so thoughtful.

I drove my car home and found Wes had spent the afternoon folding the mountain of laundry that had been waiting for me for the past few days. He hates folding laundry. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry.

What a day full of service.

Lately, service seems to be everywhere. On Sunday I made dinner for my brother and cousins who live in Provo. It is the only way I can get any of them to come see me. Food is very tempting, you know. After dinner we usually hang around and relax. Except this time my lovely cousin Jeni and her fiance didn't come downstairs for awhile. I didn't know if they were having special couple time or not so I waited a bit to go upstairs and put the leftovers away. When I went upstairs those two were just finishing cleaning up everything. Bless their hearts it was the sweetest thing.

Our ward has provided 16 meals for sick and afflicted families in the last month.

Even Halle is in on the love. Each time I drop something she says "I will pick it up for you." Even if she is in another room and she hears something drop she will come in and say "you need me to pick it up?" It is something so simple that she does for me that saves my pregnant self from bending over.

This pure love all these people have shown this week is amazing to me. I love that we have the beautiful ability to take care of other people. The ability to show love as our Savior taught us to do. Thank you to you sweet souls out there trying to lighten others burdens in any big or small way the way these people have done for me lately.

I'm hoping to look outside of myself a little bit more and spread more love to those around me.