Families Are Forever!

I love this truth! And I love that I will be with my amazing husband forever- as we both live the Gospel!

This is a flashback to last year... 

We had driven out to a family cemetery- so many wonderful people to remember.

Lately, I have been trying to learn about family history work. Today, I met with some success on my Grandma Opal's family line- found the surname of a grandmother and some additional great aunt/uncles... but there is still much to be done to make sure I have things correct. I am so grateful for the wonderful people in my ward who are helping me know what steps to take... and I am looking forward to spending some days downtown in the next couple of months finding even more.

I cannot imagine how hard it must be for my ancestors who have to wait to start forever with their family- I am grateful that I can start my forever now!

What Love Really Means...

This topic has been going through my heart and head quite a bit in the past few weeks for a few reasons that I cannot post. But I have spent quite a bit of time thinking about this, thinking about if I just tell people I love them or if I truly show it in all I do-

 Of course, this wall in my home is the perfect answer to what love really means. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, loves each and every one of us individually. He truly loves me- and is the example of how to love others.

Then I found a couple of blogs that contain so much of what I want to remember.

The first: Talks about how marriage is not about you. Instead is is about the person you married and the family that you will create/share- and I would add for eternity. I am so grateful to have Luke as my husband and his family for my family- and my family as his. Family and the love they share are both about helping each other, supporting each other, communicating with each other- even on the difficult topics- and trusting each other. This is how you know when there is love in your family.

The second: Such an inspirational example of true love- this couple's challenges do not vanish because of their strong bond, but their love and faith deepen. I realized while watching this video that I am truly blessed to have a husband that truly loves me and supports me. And we are both truly blessed to have the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives and at the center of our marriage.

I am grateful to be surrounded by love!

Surrounded by Moms and Loving It!

 Happy Mother's Day, Mom! I love you!

And, yes, I still miss you every day...

But I am so blessed to have the best step-mom ever! And the best MIL ever!

And soon the best daughter who is also a mother!

Happy Mother's Day to you too, Char!

Purple Finger... But Not the Most Challenging

It's funny how something that you think would be terribly awful, can be overshadowed when it happens in life...

This week, my index finger got slammed in my car door... It was a couple of seconds before I even realized the reason my hand wouldn't come down... and IT HURT!!! My wonderful sister allowed me to stop by her home on my way to my home for some first aid and love. 

And Luke was able to give me a priesthood blessing of healing... less than a week later now, the purple is almost gone and I can type with very little discomfort.

Funny enough, my finger was not the most challenging event of the week... even little challenges seemed bigger in some ways in my mind.

I am so grateful that I have a Father in Heaven who knows me and loves me. Hard things are easier know He is there and that He cares.

And I am grateful to have such a loving husband who is willing to listen to me- even when I am down!

He is truly a patient, kind man.

This testimony of a neighbor 5 year old says it best to my heart (speaking of Heavenly Father): "I know that we can pray to Him and that always works!"