Kellie's Day

Kellie received her Endowment in the Provo Temple a couple weeks ago.

(Brian, Kellie, and I)

The Endowment is a special spiritual blessing. It is a sacred ordinance for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or Mormons). This day was just as significant for Kellie as the day she was baptized (if not more so.)

(Kellie, age 8, on her baptism day)

It was wonderful to have family and close friends join us.

(Kellie and Whitney)

(Alex and Kellie)

Rachel flew out from Atlanta and

(Sisters: Rachel and Kellie)

my sister, Renee, flew in from Washington.

(Me, Renee, and Kellie)

Joyful Day

To learn why temples are so important to us watch this 15-minute video. Or, here is a 5-minute one if you prefer. 

All Home

All were abed. All were asnooze. A sudden realization. An overwhelming peace and calm. All my precious ones were gathered home. All within reach. All safe. All here.

I wish I had the words . . .

The Snowball Fight

We've had snow on the ground for a good month now. When it was freshly fallen my "kids" all had an epic snowball fight in our backyard. They started by building opposing snow forts, but soon left their fortifications for hand-to-hand combat.

They were pretty worn out by the battle's end, but, oh, did this mother's heart smile!

My Little Garden

My little garden consists mostly of herbs and a few tomato plants, yet each tiny effort lifts my spirit.

 The older I get the simpler the miracles that I appreciate.

Sweetness

There were four little kittens on the sidelines of our soccer game today. They were so very sweet and so very tiny and free for the taking. If we didn't already have Linus and Lucy, I would have snatched one up in an instant.

This is why I blog.

This is why I blog. It is my history. My family's history. It is my photo-journal. My life.

I was SO EXCITED to open a package from blurb recently with a book I created of the first year of my blog. I have always been a keeper of memories and I've tried to capture them in photos for as long as I can remember. Sometimes I wish I had the mental capacity to replay life's events with picture-perfect clarity, detail, and color just by willing it so--a flashback sequence of the best moments whenever I want to reminisce.

For now this book will have to do.

Nature's Voice

Whenever I walk out my front door, these gorgeous trees greet me with their pop of pink. It's as if they are overjoyed at the prospect of spring and are just bursting to let the world know.

"For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." (Isaiah 55:12)

$2.00 Treasure

What is it about bargain hunting that can make me feel so giddy? The anticipation, the excitement, the rush that comes from simply crossing the threshold of a store can spark it.

I remember with such fondness shopping the outlets in the Bay Area while Brian was in graduate school. These were actual manufacturer's outlets (not the outlet malls that are now sprawled across the country) like Sweet Potatoes, Mousefeathers, Esprit, Crate & Barrel, and Folkmanis Puppets to name a few.

My friends and I would plan excursions together into San Francisco (strollers in tow) to find the best possible deals. Great memories.

These days I must be content to search for bargains on the end of season clearance racks or at my local thrift store, D.I. (Deseret Industries). I used to be only a once-a-year patron of D.I., but Rachel changed all that. Atlanta is chock-full of Goodwill stores, and at least once a week she calls me with an amazing find in perfect condition. This week I got to call her.

Yes, I found a retired American Girl Doll, Samantha, at D.I. for only $2.00!

I had just walked in and proceeded to the back of the store to my usual starting place. A full cart (fresh from the back room) was waiting to be unloaded.

There she was just lying there. I let out an audible gasp and reached for her. No way! My heart was racing. I started walking in circles searching for perhaps any of her accessories? I called Rachel and she was noticeably in shock as well. I needed someone to share my unfathomable luck and fortune with and her reaction didn't disappoint.

You must understand, that people are crazy at my local D.I. As soon as carts are wheeled from their sorting place onto the floor people scurry after them and reach and grab like frantic animals. To find an almost untouched cart with such a treasure on it was a miracle--one that I relished.

Abby's astonishment when she came home from school fed my joy and even Travis wanted to buy it off me and sell it on ebay. Humph.

For now, dear Samantha is posed quietly in my room just waiting for some future granddaughter to love her like no other.

A Simple Joy

It's a simple joy when your often aloof feline friend jumps onto your exhausted self. No coaxing involved. It is a shock--a surprise that catches you off guard, but swells your heart with happiness.

Pure love given and received.

Poster Child

We were quite surprised when Travis informed us this poster was hanging in his high school band room advertising BYU's bands and percussion. Do you recognize our daughter, Rachel? I wonder how many other band rooms across the state and country have Rachel posted on their bulletin boards.

Pretty awesome we think.

Startling my Mother Heart

My mother heart caught its breath, stared, wondered, and smiled as I listened to their exchange, then witnessed it with my own eyes. Travis was successfully helping Abby with her Algebra homework!

These two have had quite a history. They can be the best of friends, and then . . . let's just say they know exactly how to "push each other's buttons." Travis' first attempt at helping Abby didn't go very well. Her frustration at not understanding took control and she was in no mood to be teachable. At that point I intervened and insisted she move to a different room and work on her Utah Studies homework for a while until she cooled down.
When that assignment was complete round two began. I sat quietly in a neighboring room listening to their interchange. I was utterly amazed at how well it went. Travis was calm, patient, and perfectly pedagogical. He asked Abby questions to gauge her understanding and rephrased explanations when she didn't get it. Abby did her part too, by listening and keeping her tone in check.

I peeked around the corner and snuck a picture. It was awesome. I love it when the rewards come.