"that they might have joy"

I feel like I need to express just how good life is. It amazes me to know that we have a loving Heavenly Father who is aware of us and our daily challenges and activities. I love that nothing in my life goes unnoticed, nothing is too mundane or trivial for Him. Since Erik left Sundays at church haven't gone very well. The first two Sundays were pretty difficult, and last week Reid just howled all second hour (very unlike Reid). Then on Saturday the ward had a Pioneer Day celebration and as soon as I walked into the cultural hall he started crying. An hour and a half later (he cried for 95% of that time) I figured I might as well go home and by the time I got to the car he was back to sweet and mellow Reid. It was pretty hard. Everyone kept asking me, "What's wrong? What does he need? Is everything okay? How are you two getting on with Erik gone?" It was a pretty pathetic scene...wife with husband deployed, crying baby. I didn't know what to do, other than to resolve myself that it may be hard, but every Sunday I'm going to be at church from 1-4, even if I'm holding a screaming baby in the foyer for all three hours. I prayed all morning yesterday that things would go well at church, but I didn't even really believe that it would go well, I just prayed that it would. Yesterday was a dream, Reid was his normal, perfect self all day. I fed him before we left, about halfway through sacrament meeting he was getting sleepy so I held him and rocked him to sleep, and then in the 3rd block I fed him again. He was an angel all day. Heavenly Father knew how much I needed that positive Sunday experience, and I'm so grateful He blessed me with it. I have been praying for so many little things, and I am so amazed and grateful for the blessings I'm receiving. I pray to be more productive and to accomplish more during the day and somehow Heavenly Father enables me to do it. I don't know how it happens, or why it happens, why I'm so blessed, but I feel like all my prayers are being answered. It's an amazing feeling to know that your prayers are heard and answered. Of course life is better when Erik and I are together instead of when he has to be gone, but it's incredible to see all the ways that Heavenly Father blesses us in these times. I know that Erik is doing the right thing, and that this is the right thing for our family. It puts joy in my heart to see that Heavenly Father gives us hard things to do, and then qualifies us for that hard thing. He somehow makes us equal to the task. I love that Heavenly Father makes "all things work together for our good." I can really feel that. So amazing.
To our friends and family who frequent this blog: Thank you for your love and support. We can really feel it and it makes a difference. A big difference.