"one little word" for 2010

This year I have decided to pick one word that I want to define 2010 for me. I have thought about it and although I thought it might be difficult to pick just one word for a whole year, it wasn't. For 2010 the word I have chosen is:

example

This word even sums up what I want to accomplish this year. There are so many things I want to do better, so many things I want to improve about myself, but when it comes right down to it, I want to be a better example for Mylie and Blake. And I know, that by improving those things about myself, it will make me a better example.

Last week in church our Bishop spoke and was discussing how when Christ told his Apostles that one of them would betray him, they each asked him, "Lord, is it I?" He then went on to talk about how so often when there are problems in our families, our marriages, our relationships, we are quick to blame the other person(s) when more than likely, we should be asking, "Lord, is it I?"

The kids and I had a wonderful Christmas break together, but we had one really, really tough day. It involved crying (by all of us). When the emotion was passed and I looked at the situation, I honestly could answer yes to the question, "Lord, is it I?"

I want to do better by my kids than I am now. I'm not saying I'm a bad mom, not that at all, but I do realize there are many things I could do different/better. More times than I can count as a probation officer I discussed with parents that children demonstrate learned behavior. On our no-good-really-bad-terrible-day, Mylie's "learned behavior" was an unfortunate reflection of some of my not so virtuous traits.

I don't know that there is even a word than can express how much I love these two. My heart just swells, and my eyes fill with tears when I think about it. I know that they love me madly, and I want to be deserving of that childlike, Christlike love.

Happy 2010!!