This was where we started...
Then Daddy got started shaving his head... and Mommy thought "Maybe I should just buzz Henry's too.
And this is what we got! Too cute!Thursday, July 29, 2010
New Doo
This was where we started... Then Daddy got started shaving his head... and Mommy thought "Maybe I should just buzz Henry's too. And this is what we got! Too cute!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
My Little Ones
Our hike up Hatcher Pass AMAZING
That's the only word to describe it... I love being eye level with the clouds and mountain tops!
Our Hike back down, the wind literally almost blew us off the mountain side. And that small dot of a building is where we started! It was really fun though.. and yes Elizabeth is in J's back pack! Lucky!
Elizabeth's very first BIKE! She's a dare devil like her father! Already trying to ride with NO hands... lucky for us there are still training wheels.
He doesn't look very happy but he DID enjoy the sparklers...
Elizabeth enjoyed the s'mores... you can almost see them all over her face!Not a good s'more unless it's all over your face.
She wasn't quite sure about riding it at first, but now Mommy pushes Henry in the stroller and Elizabeth rides her bike. It is wonderful!
(pics little out of order.. sorry)
No, we did not get a dog. And especially not a small dog. This is the neighbors dog. Elizabeth LOVES it to death...almost literally! She is obsessed! And while the dogs like the attention at first, eventually they are pleading for help to get away! She means well... she just loves them a bit too much!
BOB the Builder @ the Library
The kids got fun hats, coloring books, treats and got to do fun activities.
He doesn't look very happy but he DID enjoy the sparklers...
Elizabeth enjoyed the s'mores... you can almost see them all over her face!
She wasn't quite sure about riding it at first, but now Mommy pushes Henry in the stroller and Elizabeth rides her bike. It is wonderful!(pics little out of order.. sorry)
No, we did not get a dog. And especially not a small dog. This is the neighbors dog. Elizabeth LOVES it to death...almost literally! She is obsessed! And while the dogs like the attention at first, eventually they are pleading for help to get away! She means well... she just loves them a bit too much!BOB the Builder @ the Library
The kids got fun hats, coloring books, treats and got to do fun activities. As you can see, the hats were the best part!
I think this is one of my favorite Henry pictures! What a goof ball!
I am so grateful to be their mother! Some times they are cranky and crazy and well, act their age, but I DO love them sooo much! They are such wonderful children! We are reading "Who's your Hero?" A book of stories from the Book of Mormon, about Nephi, Abinadi and Ammon. Every day Elizabeth makes good choices and then says, "Look mom I'm being just like Nephi!" It's so cute and I'm so grateful that she enjoys the stories and is actually learning from them. What sweet joy the gospel brings into our lives!
I think this is one of my favorite Henry pictures! What a goof ball!
I am so grateful to be their mother! Some times they are cranky and crazy and well, act their age, but I DO love them sooo much! They are such wonderful children! We are reading "Who's your Hero?" A book of stories from the Book of Mormon, about Nephi, Abinadi and Ammon. Every day Elizabeth makes good choices and then says, "Look mom I'm being just like Nephi!" It's so cute and I'm so grateful that she enjoys the stories and is actually learning from them. What sweet joy the gospel brings into our lives!
Not a day goes by that we don't think about where we have been and how grateful we are to the Lord for bring us through the struggles and into a time of rejoicing!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Hope
As life continues here in Alaska for us, our hearts and thoughts are still very much in Seattle. Last night another sweet little girl lost her battle with leukemia. My heart aches for their family. Although I am far from them, my prayers and thoughts are with them.
Through our own experience in Seattle there were times when we wondered why one family got "the miracle" and another family didn't. Why does one child survive while another loses the battle? The thing we came to really learn and understand was that no one wins or loses. We are ALL children of a loving Heavenly Father, who provided a plan that would ensure our return to him. We are ALL brothers and sisters to an Elder Brother who made life after this possible. Our Savior endured the Cross so that we might all live again. He won the battle over death, so while we may think that a child has lost the battle to cancer or leukemia or whatever, they have not lost the ultimate battle. Through our Saviors atonement we will all live again, it is an unconditional promise.
As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints I believe, and know, that we can be sealed to our families for eternity. We have temples built all over, wherein we perform marriage ceremonies that not only bind a family for life, but for ALL ETERNITY. This knowledge coupled with the promise of life after this through the atonement provides an everlasting peace in my heart. I do not assume that knowing this makes the loss of a child easier. I only know that as we have struggled and faced possible death, I knew in my heart that we would meet again. What a blessed day when we shall gather together again with our loved ones in heaven, and meet again our Elder Brother who selflessly made it all possible.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Life goes on...
What have we been doing? Well... Henry has learned to climb the entire height of our garden fence. He is also learning several new words every day. Our teacher, Elizabeth, quizes him daily on new words and old words and gets very excited every time he says one correctly.
There are not enough mountain trails for Elizabeth to climb. After climbing Lazy, and both our legs shaking to the point we could hardly walk, she asked to climb another mountain. A true billy goat! She LOVES the library and the playgrounds around town. Anyone around her becomes a friend. One day she was playing tag with two girls at least double her age, and all were loving it. We have been dog sitting and playing with the neighbor dogs a lot lately and she LOVES it! The neighbors little weinerdoodle is her very favorite toy! I say poor dog! If and when we get a dog, it will be a very big dog that she cannot pick up and tote around.
We spent last Saturday at Colony Days parade and carnival. Both kids loved it! And Henry slept through the carnival rides, so Elizabeth was able to run around and enjoy them at her pace. There were two large inflatable rides she enjoyed the most, a big slide and an obstacle course. She always cut in line, and while most kids slowly bounced through the obstacle course she went through as fast as she could and then ran around to go again! She never waited in line for the slide (worst case of cutting ever!), and she passed all the kids climbing the ladder ahead of her. She's amazing! Then Henry woke up, we enjoyed some kettle corn and cotton candy and went home. She is still asking for the big slide!
I am trying to keep up with the weeding, feeding, watering, teaching, cooking, cleaning, you get the picture. But still making sure to take time to "Be still and know that I am God." This afternoon we played in the trees and grass by the library for a while, and played at the Amoosement park. While a bit crazy and busy sometimes, life is wonderful! (Will be better when J gets home in a week!) Henry's counts are normal, and he's growing like a weed!
There are more pictures from the parade I just have to find them on my computer. And buy a new card reader. It has been an eventful and fun summer thus far. We are praying for more fun and excitement! Such joy fills our home and our hearts most days. Every day we have to spend together and play and learn and grow is a bonus!
There are not enough mountain trails for Elizabeth to climb. After climbing Lazy, and both our legs shaking to the point we could hardly walk, she asked to climb another mountain. A true billy goat! She LOVES the library and the playgrounds around town. Anyone around her becomes a friend. One day she was playing tag with two girls at least double her age, and all were loving it. We have been dog sitting and playing with the neighbor dogs a lot lately and she LOVES it! The neighbors little weinerdoodle is her very favorite toy! I say poor dog! If and when we get a dog, it will be a very big dog that she cannot pick up and tote around.
We spent last Saturday at Colony Days parade and carnival. Both kids loved it! And Henry slept through the carnival rides, so Elizabeth was able to run around and enjoy them at her pace. There were two large inflatable rides she enjoyed the most, a big slide and an obstacle course. She always cut in line, and while most kids slowly bounced through the obstacle course she went through as fast as she could and then ran around to go again! She never waited in line for the slide (worst case of cutting ever!), and she passed all the kids climbing the ladder ahead of her. She's amazing! Then Henry woke up, we enjoyed some kettle corn and cotton candy and went home. She is still asking for the big slide!
I am trying to keep up with the weeding, feeding, watering, teaching, cooking, cleaning, you get the picture. But still making sure to take time to "Be still and know that I am God." This afternoon we played in the trees and grass by the library for a while, and played at the Amoosement park. While a bit crazy and busy sometimes, life is wonderful! (Will be better when J gets home in a week!) Henry's counts are normal, and he's growing like a weed!
There are more pictures from the parade I just have to find them on my computer. And buy a new card reader. It has been an eventful and fun summer thus far. We are praying for more fun and excitement! Such joy fills our home and our hearts most days. Every day we have to spend together and play and learn and grow is a bonus!
It shall give you experience
Everyone faces trial, temptation, frustration, heartache, life; but not everyone is grateful for those experiences. While none of the above mentioned are a bucket of fun, they are, as the Lord promised, for our experience and our good. The trials we face can bring us closer to our Father in Heaven and if endured well, bring great joy. In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Alma says "And now, my son Helaman, behold thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me (every parent/teachers plea); for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.
I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him , and he will still deliver me."
As the Prophet Joseph Smith sat in Liberty Jail, the Lord tells him this; "And if though shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for they good."
Again he says "Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days."
What a blessing it has been in my life to experience and endure trial with the Lords help. I am not boasting in my own strength, left to my own, I would not endure them very well (I am the worst complainer!). However, through the last few years I have learned to put my trust in the Lord, completely trusting in his will and what he has in store for me. And as I tried to completely trust, the Lord poured out his love and peace upon me. What seemed insurmountable at first, became manageable. The Lord has filled our lives with love and joy and I repeat what Alma says, "I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day." I know because he carried me through and allowed me to learn and grow and draw nearer to him. I was too weak to face the trial alone, so he carried me through and not only carried me through but then blessed my family because we turned to him. The opportunity to learn and grow and draw near to the Lord cannot be accomplished any other way. He must test and try us, so that we have the opportunity to prove ourselves worthy. So that we may prove to the Lord that we love him and are willing to endure whatever comes.
I could not have endured sitting by my sons bedside, watching him endure great pain and continually fight for his life, with out the strength of my Savior, my Elder Brother, Jesus Christ. His mercy and love, his peace and comfort are the only thing that carried me through. He is the reason my son is here today, He is the reason I am able to be grateful for my trials and tribulations. Through Him all things are possible, all things can be endured, for he endured them all. He suffered ALL, so that he could comfort us in our trials and through our heartaches.
My neighbor asked if every day was like a bonus. Every day is a blessing. Every day I watch my son and my daughter grown and progress and I think to myself, I hope they know one day the Love the Lord poured out upon our family, I hope they know the miracles that have filled our lives. And I hope one day to teach them as Alma taught his son, to trust in the Lord with all their might, mind and strength.
I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him , and he will still deliver me."
As the Prophet Joseph Smith sat in Liberty Jail, the Lord tells him this; "And if though shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for they good."
Again he says "Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days."
What a blessing it has been in my life to experience and endure trial with the Lords help. I am not boasting in my own strength, left to my own, I would not endure them very well (I am the worst complainer!). However, through the last few years I have learned to put my trust in the Lord, completely trusting in his will and what he has in store for me. And as I tried to completely trust, the Lord poured out his love and peace upon me. What seemed insurmountable at first, became manageable. The Lord has filled our lives with love and joy and I repeat what Alma says, "I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day." I know because he carried me through and allowed me to learn and grow and draw nearer to him. I was too weak to face the trial alone, so he carried me through and not only carried me through but then blessed my family because we turned to him. The opportunity to learn and grow and draw near to the Lord cannot be accomplished any other way. He must test and try us, so that we have the opportunity to prove ourselves worthy. So that we may prove to the Lord that we love him and are willing to endure whatever comes.
I could not have endured sitting by my sons bedside, watching him endure great pain and continually fight for his life, with out the strength of my Savior, my Elder Brother, Jesus Christ. His mercy and love, his peace and comfort are the only thing that carried me through. He is the reason my son is here today, He is the reason I am able to be grateful for my trials and tribulations. Through Him all things are possible, all things can be endured, for he endured them all. He suffered ALL, so that he could comfort us in our trials and through our heartaches.
My neighbor asked if every day was like a bonus. Every day is a blessing. Every day I watch my son and my daughter grown and progress and I think to myself, I hope they know one day the Love the Lord poured out upon our family, I hope they know the miracles that have filled our lives. And I hope one day to teach them as Alma taught his son, to trust in the Lord with all their might, mind and strength.
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