Need a New Transmission, again...

Corey went to the gym this morning, and on his way back, his car wouldn't change gears. It's an automatic, and he could tell it was stuck in 2nd cause it was revving, and then it started smoking from under the hood. He was at an intersection and was able to turn into a neighborhood and then he called a tow truck. He had it towed to Freeway Transmissions, where we should have gone in the first place. Tanners has a 5 year warranty, but we are NOT taking the car back there to just have it be stuck there for another 3 months. Ugh, so frustrating. I am, however, grateful that it didn't break down on me when I took Corey's car to the temple this morning. Yet, despite our trying to be optimistic, the problems caused by Tanner are not over. It "worked" for 17 days. I am, however, grateful that the car is now at a place where there is customer service and a place where we have reasons to believe that they are competent. We talked with Mario a lot in December, and he was more helpful to us than anyone at Tanners. I'm sure we'll find out soon what the bad news is, and that Freeway Transmissions will call us and we won't have to call them over and over again to get any answers. So yes, that is good news. And, two more items of good news: This isn't Valley Forge, and we are not stuck on an ice flow in Antarctica. The sun is shinning today and spring is coming and this is just a mortal experience. Thankfully we are not faced with making any decisions where life or death  hang in the balance. I'll take it and I'll try to keep murmuring at a minimum. I will probably need to go on morning walks and watch the sunrise. I did that this morning.

I saw the sun set tonight too, on my way home after a ride on the road up the canyon.

I watched the sky until all the pink was gone, so for 5 min or so. I took a ride after getting home from the park. Logistics today were: Abi had a rehearsal in American Fork for a lyceum concert this Saturday. She came home and went by the school to pick up Owen to take him to sleep over with Ethan and Bella. I didn't have a car, so I walked to the school with K in a stroller to meet Abi and get Owen. Owen got checked out and he and Abi headed out, K wanted to go to the park, so we stayed there and found Daniel and Peter before they got on the bus, they wanted to play, so they played and it was a nice weather day, yay.

They had fun and then we walked home. Usually K doesn't want to walk. She wants to be held or pushed in the stroller, but today she walked the whole way! Of course that left us at the mercy of her agency if she didn't feel like following us, which happened once and caused a 5 min delay. Daniel and Peter were very patient and just sat on the sidewalk while she started to walk around in the church parking lot.

She's cute. The kids had leftovers for dinner while I cleaned up after my ride. Corey worked late but he's home now, time for scriptures. 

Family Feud

Corey planned a FHE activity for tonight. It was "Family Feud". 

And I just learned that I don't know how to spell "feud" - I did it "fued" - is that cause of a Utah accent? I say it like Fyud, not Fee - ude. So in my mind it's "if two vowels go walking the first one does the talking, and it was just the U talking saying is name. I shall try to say Fee - ude from now on. We are already working on saying "moun - tain" not "moun - uhn". Sorry, little side tangent there. So Corey gave us all a paper to fill out and then complied our answers. I can't find the paper of the survey questions, but some of them were:

• Who leaves their shoes out the most?
• Who always does their chores?
• Who is the favorite child?
• Who is the most girly girl?
• Who reads the most?
• Name a favorite family movie
• Who is the most spiritual?
• Who likes dinosaurs the most?
• Who avoids the family the most?
• Who sleeps in the most?

The teams were boys vs. girls. Team Girls having a huddle before giving a response:

Hyrum and Wesley joined in playing with us over fb messenger (it is Wesley's pday, and he usually calls during FHE). Mel and Christian joined as well, but only as spectators. 

I don't know how much our online guests were able to hear of the questions, cause there was a lot of screaming going on by everyone. It was funny. The boys were jumping up and down as they shouted to get Corey's attention and let him know that they knew the answer. And the girls were shouting too. Abi trying to stop Natalie from saying an answer when the boys were up - she didn't want Natalie to give them any help or have them steal the girl's response.

It was fun, and for the treat we had a little dessert sampler with bite size pieces of apple fritters and sourdough donuts. I remember having apple fritters a lot as a kid, so I thought I'd introduce those to the kids. Oh, and a small slice of apple pie with whipped cream and caramel topping. It was prob too much, but dinner serving sizes were small, so we'll call it even.

In The Midst of Struggle

Today was my turn to give a talk at church in sacrament meeting. The Relief Society presidency spoke, except we let the 1st counselor take a pass, cause she just had a baby last month, and cause she spoke in October and December of last year (not sure how she got to speak twice! Her husband is in the bishopric, maybe he was responsible for that cause some speakers cancelled last minute or something. So, it should have been the three of them, or the 4 of us, but we let her take a pass, so it was me first, then the 2nd counselor, and then the ward RS President. Here is my talk. I wrote it this morning in a bit of a rush, so I'm grateful that the inspiration was kinda coming. Some things were just quotes and I tied them together on the spot without writing everything out. 

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“In my ninety-plus years, I have learned a secret. I have learned that when good men and good women face challenges with optimism, things will always work out! Truly, things always work out! Despite how difficult circumstances may look at the moment, those who have faith and move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out.”― Gordon B. Hinckley

We are speaking today on Doctrine and Covenants section 19. I want to mostly focus my remarks on the choice we are invited to make in verse 4, where Christ says “Surely every man must repent or suffer…” We see in the story of Martin’s experience here of being asked to finance the printing of the Book of Mormon, that life is going to test us and push against us constantly. The only way to make it is by constantly turning to Christ, also known as REPENTing. The choice given in verse 4 isn’t to repent or not, but to Repent or suffer. That’s the choice everyone is actually making everyday. If we don’t repent/turn to Christ, we will suffer in our experiences cause we’ll be tossed by the adversary. 

In Luke 22:31, Jesus told Simon Peter that Satan wanted to sift him like wheat. “Sift you as wheat” is a metaphor from the Bible that means to shake someone apart or break them down. It's used to describe a test of faith. So Martin is facing a test of faith here by being asked to mortgage his farm, which represents his wealth and status and reputation - everything he’s spent his life working for up to this point. This is also a great trial to him because he is lacking his wife’s support to do it. Dark clouds are gathering. All of us should be able to relate to that cause we all experience periods of dark clouds.

We can insert our own trials and fights of faith into this story, because we are a lot like Martin Harris. He is in the midst of a struggle. But the Savior comes to him and basically says I know you're in a tough situation, but let me introduce myself to you. In verse 1:

I am Alpha and Omega. It starts out right with the Savior telling him, reminding them, look, this is who I am. Alpha and Omega beginning and end, I will be with you from the beginning of this project to the end of this project. There's no reason for you to be afraid. I've got you. I've got your back. If you'll put some confidence in me. 

As Elder Holland said in October 2011 General Conference: this is a life and death contest we are in. I'm going to get in your face a little nose to nose with just enough fire in my voice to singe your eyebrows a little. The way coaches do when the game is close and victory means everything.” And in this moment with Martin, the game is close. Victory is everything. I am Alpha and Omega, Christ the Lord. Yay. Even I am He, the beginning and the end, the Redeemer of the world. And it starts from there, one verse after another in power. And verse one maybe is to give Martin a little bit of perspective. I know what the booksellers are saying. I know what the publishers are saying. I know what your wife is saying. I know what the lawyers are saying, but I'm a little bit bigger than that.

Satan is trying to sift us, shake us, break us apart and destroy us, but The Savior says, HE retains all power even to the destroying of Satan and his works at the end of the world. That the Savior knows Martin is suffering. So he gives him, he makes it very clear you can continue to suffer like you are because at this point he hasn't mortgaged his farm yet. He's saying you can continue to suffer and carry this burden, this doubt, this dark cloud of not sure what to do and fear OR you can repent. Change how you SEE things here. Christ simplifies it. 

Repenting and turning to Christ is the only way find peace when we face our struggles. Peace comes from learning of Jesus Christ and following him. As he counsels Martin in verse 23 “Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.”

In the Bible Dictionary says that Repent comes from a Greek word which denotes “A change of mind, a fresh view about God, about oneself, and about the world.” So repentance is really a battle of the mind and how we view things. Can we see clearly? Are we seeing things as they truly are? At this point, Martin hadn’t mortgaged his farm. But he was suffering just at the thought of it. So I think the answer of how we repent lies in our fighting to look to Christ, think of him, and keep an eternal perspective based in TRUTH when we face our variety of circumstances. 

We’ve been watching a few National Geographic documentaries at our house recently. One of a young soccer team that was trapped in a cave in Thailand and miraculously survived, another one on the Tsunamis of 2004 - while there was great devastation there, the documentary also told of great miracles. The one that’s been on my mind the most, though, is titled “Endurance”. It is the story of Ernest Shackleton’s expedition to the Antarctic, and the Endurance was the name of his ship. The documentary weaves in two stories - one was Shackleton and his crew’s original trip to the Antarctic, and the other was a 2022 search to locate the wreck of his ship at the bottom of the Weddell Sea. Briefly, if I can summarize their almost two years of experience into one paragraph, they left England with a goal to land in Antarctica and cross the continent by dog sled, but their ship got frozen in the ice and they were forced to winter there. Despite the incredible hardships they faced of hunger, thirst, freezing temperatures, fatigue, scurvy, frostbite, snowblindness, they had a rule of optimism. Shackleton kept his crew busy to keep their MINDS on things they could control as much as possible. In the spring, the melting and shifting ice ended up crushing their ship and they abandoned the vessel, with a goal to find land before the ice flows below them melted. Shackleton was determined to save all of the 28 men in his team, writing in his journal “I pray God I can manage to get the whole party to civilisation.” With the ship gone, they trekked across the ice, hauling their three lifeboats and the provisions they were able to save from the ship. They did finally make it to Elephant Island, and from there Shackleton and five companions had to go for help. 

(This is the actual pic of them launching the James Caird boat as they set out) They voyaged across 800 miles of mountainous ocean to South Georgia Island. To do this, they continued their optimism, they navigated by looking at the sun which only was visible one time because of the clouds and storm surrounding them (spiritual comparison there - sometimes Christ is not always in view in our storms) by when the sun was there, they focused on it and measured their route by it and got their best estimate. They ended up landing on the south side of the island. They were still 17 miles from help. They needed to get to the Stromness Whaling Station on the north side. Shackleton knew that three of his companions were too weak to make the trek, so he and two others set out, and they endured a 36-hour struggle over icy mountains to find rescue for them and the men left back on Elephant Island. I do not doubt that Ernest prayed constantly. They really should have died. There were dozens of ways they could have died over that year and a half. But Shackleton would not give up. On his final 36 hour quest across the mountains of South Georgia Island, Shackleton later wrote “It seemed to me often that we were four, not three.” It was so hard for them but there were many miracles along the way. It is such an amazing story and I highly recommend that documentary to you. 

Linda S. Reeves - October 2015 “Worthy of our Promised Blessings” Now is “not the time to receive all of our blessings. President Packer explained, “‘And they all lived happily ever after’ is never written into the second act. That line belongs in the third act, when the mysteries are solved and everything is put right.” However, a vision of our Father’s incredible promised blessings must be the central focus before our eyes every day—as well as an awareness “of the multitude of his tender mercies” that we experience on a daily basis. 

Sister Reeves continues: I do not know why we have the many trials that we have, but it is my personal feeling that the reward is so great, so eternal and everlasting, so joyful and beyond our understanding that in that day of reward, we may feel to say to our merciful, loving Father, “Was that all that was required?” I believe that if we could daily remember and recognize the depth of that love our Heavenly Father and our Savior have for us, we would be willing to do anything to be back in Their presence again, surrounded by Their love eternally. What will it matter, what we suffered here if, in the end, those trials are the very things which qualify us for eternal life and exaltation in the kingdom of God with our Father and Savior?

Repenting and turning to Christ is the only way to find peace as we face our struggles. Peace comes from learning of Jesus Christ and following him. “Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.”

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I think it went well enough and I recognize the Lord helped me. One brother stopped me after church and said that he grew up with his mom telling him stories of Shackleton. So I was on a Shackleton kick and after we got home I wanted to watch and learn more. I watched this short video that I thought was good. Also the first minute here: "The crew refused to let go of their last trace of hope. Where mental and physical endurance of the human body were pushed beyond their limits, where every decision carried the weight of life or death." Yep! I put the others on my "watch later" list and then I went and crashed/took a nap. I woke up before Wayne came over at 3. I invited him last night at the violin thing. I told him that I was speaking today and we talked briefly about Shackleton. We were going to watch Endurance with him. I texted my parents to see if they wanted to come too, but they opted out. My mom mentioned that she just saw a show on BYUtv called "Thirteen Lives" about some kids trapped in a cave in Thailand, and I was like "Oh! We just watched something on them too!" The National Geographic thing on them was called "Rescue" and interviews the actual people. The BYUtv one was a movie from a few years ago that was a reenactment of what happened. So I looked it up, found it on the BYUtv app, learned that I could cast to the tv from the app, and then we ended up watching that (Thirteen Lives) instead of Endurance. And after Thirteen Lives, we watched Rescue. Ethan and Bella were up in SL and stopped by for dinner and watched it with us (they were celebrating their anniversary!) After it was done, Ethan jokingly said "Ok! Is there another movie about that same story that we should watch?" Haha, I googled it and there actually is! A Netflix one called "Thai Cave Rescue". There are probably more. We didn't watch that one, we'll save that for another time. :)

So, I guess my take away is that life is a struggle and our test is if we will have faith in our struggles. We have to hold on and be optimistic, and that is super super SUPER hard sometimes! But if Ernest Shackleton was able to do it in his circumstances, and if those Thai boys were able to be calm and reject fear in their circumstances, I hope that I can too in my struggles, which really are far less challenging by comparison. As I "Face (my) challenges with optimism," I can trust that "things will always work out! Truly, things always work out! Despite how difficult circumstances may look at the moment, those who have faith and move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out.”― Gordon B. Hinckley (I'm grateful for living prophets!) 

Violin Recital

Daylight Savings time is upon us. I changed all the clocks this morning, so the kids could get a heads up on what's coming tomorrow. I really don't know why we still do this to ourselves. Utah almost passed a bill to stop day light saving time. It passed the house but then wasn't presented in the Senate before the legislature session closed, so it's probably dead. I'm bummed about it. It usually takes our household about a week to adjust to the spring time change. Our heads and the clocks trying to tell us "you had 24 hours..." and our bodies and emotions are confused "It doesn't feel like it... it feels like something was missing..." 

I'm giving a talk tomorrow at church, which I haven't finished. I did work on it for over an hour, and made two talks - one was random thoughts and notes about repentance from Pres Nelson's talk, and for the other I was actually cheating and trying to do a redo of a talk I gave in 2018, reading through it and changing a few things to make it fit with D&C 19. I decided it was too risky - I'd feel really stupid if anyone recognized it "Hey... she's done that 'JEWEL' acronym thing before..." Corey said I should be flattered if anyone remembered it from 7 years ago. Corey said he'd write it for me cause he's been having lots of good thoughts, but I don't think he's started and I don't know that he'll get up early enough to do it tomorrow, so I hope I can crank something out in the morning. I have an alarm set for 5:30. 

Tonight was busy with a violin recital - Natalie playing. 

The boys were outside playing on the playground in the dark with Katharine, Corey's car lights shining on it so they could see. I texted them to hurry in when it was Natalie's turn, which they did (a little too slow and they missed the start of it) and then they went back outside. That is well enough, cause there ere 20 kids playing, which is a lot for my kids to handle. Then they came back inside cause it was cold and dark. 

I was multitasking a little bit too - listening to podcast trying to find things for my talk. We made Owen come, he wanted to hang out with friends. The other kids, including Abi, wanted to come for the refreshments. Hang in there, it's almost over. Let the students bow...

Ok, now you can go. Katharine happy with her cupcake.

She licked the frosting off of 3. Abi took Lily to a friends house before she came, and then after the recital was done, Corey and I took off to go climbing and she took the kids home. We each did 8 top rope, but had to hustle cause we only had 90 minutes. It usually takes us 2 hours to do 8. Then we were going to pick up Lily but she said she'd get a ride home with a neighbor. And now I should go to bed so I can wake up and have something to work with of my brain as I pray for inspiration. 

Quoteable Katharine

Happy Friday. I was going to go climbing this morning, but it snowed, so instead I cleared the driveway so Corey and Abi could leave at 7. I was able to go bouldering this past Wednesday though. Not much to report for the past three days. Katharine had my phone Wednesday and took lots of pictures of the house and her cute little face. 

Taking a picture of Abi doing homework. 

Then of her feet - 

Mel has a whole album called "Katharine's feet". Then Abi took a picture of Katharine. But K wanted the phone back - it is her turn to express herself through photographic art!

So, there are lots of pictures of the house and desks and toys and clothes on the floor, etc. It's funny. From other pictures that I took, I can report that Owen had his trumpet lesson on Wednesday.

I also took a pic of Sophi awake at 5:30 am yesterday morning to do her hair. I was impressed that she got up so early on her own. 

I guess her hair is important to her, plus it is long so it takes her a long time to curl it all.

Katharine was really cute yesterday evening. Natalie had been doing homework in my room and Katharine and came and picked up her chromebook. 

She looked at the stickers Natalie had on it and then said "The duck is going to eat the orange Tiny...

And she followed up that cute statement with a "Does that make sense?" haha! I thought that was the cutest thing ever. Corey asks that a lot when he is talking to the kids for scriptures and sharing something. "Does that make sense?" So to hear Katharine say it just made me smile. She's a smart kid - listening, learning, and imitating. 

Oh, and then she opened the chromebook and started to work, not knowing what she is doing, just doing what she sees her sisters doing!

Good job Katharine. You are a smarty pants. Another funny thing she said last month, that I haven't shared yet, was on Feb 20 - Corey worked late and when he was ready to head home, it was still snowing, thus the roads weren't cleared, so he hung out a little longer. That gave everyone some extra time to finish homework and chores. When he finally got home, everyone let him know they did all their stuff. Katharine rushed to the garage door and repeated the same thing: "I did all my stuff! Even me!"

It's funny how she repeats what she hears. She's also recently said "Mom! I finished practicing!" Wow, good job Katharine! I didn't even know you were playing an instrument! One more - last week, when Corey and I were both gone and Hyrum was in charge, she went up to Hyrum and asked "Can I have time?" haha! Hyrum asked us "Does Katharine have a Qustodio account and get computer time? She just asked for time..." So funny - asking for time on the computer, cause that's what she hears all of her siblings say. She's so fun. 

A few more items. Corey and I went out to eat at India House tonight for date night. This week I finished reading "Lost in the Antartic - the Doomed Voyage of the Endurance". Everything I have read about Shackleton so far leaves me impressed. We also watched "The Rescue" on National Geographic. That was an amazing story too!! Wow. Oh, and Mel is still dating that nice young man Christian. 

They've almost been dating for two months. When Joseph and Ethan were both at that stage, they were about to be engaged. Mel and Christian aren't at that part yet, and we've told them no pressure, but things are going good and we all really like him. 

Peter to Provo

Today I drove to Provo to take Peter to sleepover with Ethan and Bella. First we stopped by Blendtec to buy a new pitcher. Inside their reception area, they have upside down pitcher as their hanging lights. Kinda fun, I'm seeing there's a blender theme here. There was one receptionist and she was busy for a few minutes. The kids kept themselves busy.

Then we got the pitcher, it was $110, which was $30 less than I was expecting, yay. Plus a 3 year warranty (Order #SOI0950671 so I can throw away this receipt). Looks like the last pitcher we had that died on Friday was purchased in 2019, so it well survived it's 3 year warranty. I'm sure this one will too. But good for me to keep track of things here. Ok, now let's take you to Bella! Outside I took a pic...

Peter asked to see the pic and was disappointed. "Aw... I wanted to be holding it..." - oh. I guess that's why his hand was out. Ok, I told him to turn his hand like he was holding a cup, and we have to walk out a little further, and you come a little closer to me... there we go.

Very good. He was happy with that one. Ok. We met up with Bella at the bank and they set off for 24 hours of sibling bonding. Bella took him to a park and while they waited for Ethan to finish work.

Then they went out to dinner. I think it's so fun that they are doing this for the kids. 

I went to the Temple this morning. I woke up at 4 on my own, although maybe it was Corey that woke me up. He was awake with heartburn, and since I was now up, I decided I'd go to the temple even though I didn't have an appointment. I was playing this morning by ear, cause we stayed up last night past midnight talking about news and watching a few videos and talking about Trump/Zelensky things. There is crazy stuff going on in the world. I was thinking maybe that's causing Corey stress? Maybe he's got ulcers? As I got ready, I told him we prob need to cut back on his news intake. We've been talking and reading about the White House mistreatment of the Ukrainian president since it happened on Friday. I know what I think about Trump and no amount of spin can convince me that he's a good person, sorry. I just can't believe it. As I drove back from Provo I listened/watched this video, documenting his treatment to local Scotland residents when he built a luxury golf course there. He really is not a kind or good person. And about the confrontation with Zelensky, I'll share this quote by Longtime Republican columnist and commentator David Brooks who said the following about it, and helped me realize that that's what I felt too - nauseous!

“I was nauseated, just nauseated. All my life, I have had a certain idea of about America, that we're a flawed country, but we're fundamentally a force for good in the world, that we defeated Soviet Union, we defeated fascism, we did the Marshall Plan, we did PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) to help people live in Africa. And we make mistakes, Iraq, Vietnam, but they're usually mistakes out of stupidity, naivete and arrogance. They're not because we're ill-intentioned. What I have seen over the last six weeks is the United States behaving vilely, vilely to our friends in Canada and Mexico, vilely to our friends in Europe. And today was the bottom of the barrel, vilely to a man who is defending Western values, at great personal risk to him and his countrymen. Donald Trump believes in one thing. He believes that might makes right. And, in that, he agrees with Vladimir Putin that they are birds of a feather. And he and Vladimir Putin together are trying to create a world that's safe for gangsters, where ruthless people can thrive. And we saw the product of that effort today in the Oval Office. And I have — I first started thinking, is it — am I feeling grief? Am I feeling shock, like I'm in a hallucination? But I just think shame, moral shame. It's a moral injury to see the country you love behave in this way."

So yeah, it's nuts. It's consuming Corey's thoughts for sure, as he listens to more news than me. When I left to the temple, I told him to try to go to sleep by reading and I passed him the book "Shackleton's Stowaway" - it was probably exciting enough that it would capture his attention and help him not think about all the bad news in the US right now, and maybe he could fall back asleep too. He really enjoyed it and shared a part of the introduction with us tonight at scriptures that was riveting! Corey tied it into the idea that what we are really here on earth to learn is how to have faith in our circumstances - ANY circumstance, whatever it might be. Don't like the president of your country and think he's ruining the government of your country? Have faith and trust. I'm excited to read it. Corey might read it to the boys. They are having a reading marathon this month, so that might help them get more minutes in plus it would be bonding time. 

Chocolate for FHE

Tonight the kids and Corey had talked about making sushi, but none of them did anything about it, and Corey got home late, so then we did a quick other plan. Natalie had talked to me about putting your hand in ice water, then puttin gmelted chocolate on your hand and then dipping your hand in cold water again and it would freeze in the shape of your hand. I said that was too much chocolate for each person. She said we could also write stuff, so I said that works. I ran to the store for strawberries, a small thing of vanilla ice cream, and 3 extra large chocolate bars. We got some water boiling hot in the microwave and melted the chocolate in the wrapper it was in, then just snipped the corner and it worked perfectly as a little frosting bag. I tested it out writing "Mom" first, then I Katharine and each of the boys' names. Natalie helped me. 

At the table, Corey thought it would be fun to make houses of cards. 

Peter couldn't get his cards to stay up and was so frustrated, he was crying pretty hard and not having fun. I couldn't get mine to work either and told him it's ok to not do something if it makes you frustrated and it's not something that's important/stupid. That's why I don't play video games! (Mario Kart "rainbow road" makes me want to cry, I think I haven't played video games with the kids since I tried that years ago and that's ok, cause video games are stupid.)

I told him to come do the chocolate with me. I let the older girls do their own. 

It only took us one XL chocolate bar to do all the names, but I had already melted a second bar, so we used that to drizzle the strawberries. Add a scoop of ice cream on there and tada - our FHE dessert is looking pretty fancy. 

Corey said I did a good job and said it was good, and thanked me for compromising my standards by buying chocolate. I had a goal to not buy any chocolate this year and I'd kept it so far, minus when I bought Peter's b-day cake, and some dark chocolate for the anniversary dinner. Corey said I get a pass, this didn't count. Ok, thanks, though it's true, I do feel annoyed that the kids' happiness seems to revolve around sugary foods. 

Wesley called during scriptures, and it was fun to talk with him. He shared a scripture and Hyrum said a prayer. Hyrum almost prayed for J&E and E&B and their _____ but then he paused and kept going, hoping that it would just be seen as a glitch in the audio. After Wes hung up, Ethan said "That was a close one Hyrum!" Ethan hasn't let Wesley know that they are expecting, and Hyrum almost gave it away. Maybe Wes will think Hyrum was saying for them to be blessed in their marriages, haha. 

Mel shared a pic of JMEHW in messenger today, from when we were in Pucón. 

Fifteen years later and those 5 cute little kids are all grown up and gone! Where'd all the time go? We sure love these kids. It's the best having a part in their lives. We are excited for all the future holds for us together with them forever!

All Dolled Up

Natalie got Katharine all dolled up today. 

Katharine looking just adorable with curly hair and red lipstick. She's feeling pretty fancy!

Her smile is so cute. I know I don't need to post so many pictures of basically the same thing, but I will anyway.

And we'll keep this one so we can show the creator, Natalie, admiring her work.

Those were all from yesterday, and then Natalie wanted her to go to church with the same Shirley Temple look, so she did some touch ups. 

Natalie said she needed my phone. I found out later (after finding so many pics) that it was so she could keep Katharine distracted and holding still. 

Katharine is continuing to work on a photo series about her feet.

And toes...

She's exploring other body parts - she has started to work on face and forehead pieces. 

Haha, she is so cute!

She makes me laugh. 

Ok, that's enough, give me my phone back, you little prima donna!

Have a nice Sabbath day!

As I took my phone, she got this one of me. This is what I wore to church. I like this shirt. It was a great thrift find.

I love Kafrin.

Oh, and Corey taught Sunday School today. He always does such a great job, I love it. He brings me honor.