Visitors and Easter Message

We have visitors...

 Cade-9 years old

 Kylie-3 years old

 Shayla - 7 years old

 

JT - almost 4 mos. old

 My one and only sister

(we have 6 brothers...who we love)

but we were ALL we had growing up in the girl department.

Even though my sister and I are 

EIGHT years apart...

we have been each others BEST friend.

The one and only time we were pregnant together we ended up with these TWO cute boys only 

EIGHT days apart!  

 Jacob and Cade are BEST buddies. 

Today during our Easter Egg Hunt when Cade found the only

GOLDEN EGG

he shared his good fortune with JACOB!

They have a connection...

because they are family first!   

 Seven years ago I headed to my sister's house to find

REFUGE

from a raging storm going on in my life.

Instead Shayla was born the day of my arrival

and it is the one and only time

I've ever witnessed

the birth of a child.

I treasure the experience and have a soft spot in my heart for

SHAYLA!     

 Donna just gave birth less than four months ago but she always looks gorgeous no matter what!

 Maybe it is logistics...

or maybe it is we are sisters...

but our families have a special connection.

And despite our children's age difference 

my children have the best friend cousins ever!

I was honored that they would ask me to take these special pictures of their sweet family...
they all just make me smile!

***********************

I attended one of the best church services today.

One of our own

KIE LOVELL

is leaving for his mission this week.

Because he has been public about it and because he mentioned it in his sacrament talk today,

I do not hesitate to comment that

he had been told that he would 

NEVER

be able to serve a mission

because of past mistakes and sin.

He petitioned the First Presidency of the Church on several occasions to be able to be granted permission to go.

It was finally granted in February!

His story is what EASTER is all about.

The story of the 

ATONEMENT

and

CHRIST'S LOVE FOR EACH OF US.

Kie and so many of us

are living proof that if we change and repent

and turn our lives

over to God

that we can truly find

JOY

in this life and in the life to come!

Happy Easter!