Thursday, March 24, 2011

I'm like a proud mama!

So my ten year old niece is competitive cheerleader and she is beyond amazing. I used to go to all her competitions and practices. The first time I saw her perform I got goosebumps. Yeah. I know they aren't my kids but I sure do love them!


Yes, she is the amazing little girl all the way in the air on the far right.

Now it's time for another lovely lady to start her sport... Soccer. Yes, my genius niece who does round house kick back Somersault will be starting soccer. Eric gave her an unofficial lesson and I just want to inform all of you that she is the BEST soccer player/goalie ever. She has a patented move called the snake and it may not be effective the way she wants it to be but the opposing team will stop to laugh at it and she can steal the ball. So starting next weekend I will be a cheer aunt AND a soccer aunt. I should probably get a minivan.



Oodles of love,
Amanda Noel



Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Love for strangers.

Have you ever read someone's blog and cried for them? For the first time in what seems like forever I had some free time. I was looking at all my DIY blogs and came across this blog... http://www.sunshinepromises.blogspot.com/. Grab a tissue friends, it'll make you cry.

I am not a mother, even though I wish I was. (Wouldn't my kids be the cutest things ever?!). I can't imagine the love between a mother and child from the mother's view. I can tell you that if my mother would pass away I probably wouldn't leave my bed for weeks. You'd never see me any where except home and church. Why? Because one is where my mother is all around me and the other is where I am safe and assured that families are forever. The closest thing to mother-esque love I have is for my four beautiful nieces and I cannot even fathom losing them or the pain I'd feel if I did.

Moving on... the writer of this blog lost her youngest son. She put him to bed as she would ever night, sang him a song, tucked him in, and waived good night. The next morning she awoke to realize he had passed in his sleep. Is that not the most awful thing you've heard? I feel like that is every mother's fear from the moment they realize they're pregnant. Despite not even having kids yet, that is my biggest fear right now. I cannot imagine the excruciating pain that entire family is going through. The little boy had three older siblings. How does a mother explain to a child that their baby brother is not going to come home?

I spent my night reading about this woman's strength. I cried my eyes out for her. I'll be praying for that family as well. This mother has shown me what true faith is. She knows that her son is with our Heavenly Father and it is just so amazing.

So, friends, read it. Send your condolences. Remember to love with your whole heart each and every moment because you don't know when you'll lose the opportunity.