Wedding bells for David and Logann . . .

Dale's little brother, David, married Logann Roner on August 10, 2009. I thought it would be fun to share a few fun pictures. First of all, Laurel was a flower girl for her Uncle David's wedding and truly enjoyed the experience as evidenced above. Laurel was the most deliberate and careful flower girl that any of us had ever seen. Rather than grab handfuls of petals to throw, she picked one up at a time and dropped each petal with preciseness and delicate care. It was so cute!

Andrew's job at the wedding was just to be as cute as he could be, and I think he achieved that quite well. What do you think? I'm sorry, but there is nothing much cuter than a little man in a little man suit! If he stays as cute as he is now, watch out ladies . . .

Here is the beautiful couple. We wish them all of the happiness in the world. Thanks for letting this Christensen family be a part of such a beautiful evening.

Relationships

Relationships have always been an integral part of my life. When I get down, feel frustrated, or just need a little lift, I think about the people who have meant the most to me in my life.

Several weeks ago I had the wonderful opportunity to browse through my old missionary scrapbooks in search of the perfect pictures to share at my mission reunion which was held on October 1st. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend President and Sister Stewart's reunion, but I felt like I was there in spirit. As I looked for the perfect pictures, I was overwhelmed with the number of pictures I wanted to share. Unfortunately, I was limited to 3. I thought it would be fun to share just a few that I was able to scan.

First off, this wonderful person to the left is my Sister Casperson. I can't write or speak about Sister Casperson without shedding tears. She passed away 3 years ago this month from Ewings sarcoma cancer. Sister Casperson and I served in Saarbruecken, Germany back in the fall of 1997. Sister Casperson was such a joy to serve with. Nothing could get her down and her optimism rubbed off on me during those difficult months. After a day of slammed doors, "nein, keine Interesse," insults, etc, we would come home and decompress. This picture above is only one example of many when she tried to make us all laugh after a hard day. In this particular picture, Sister Casperson is dressed up as a potential investigator we might find as we street contacted. I remember role playing with her that night and trying to practice not only our German, but the various ways we could approach people. She sure knew how to make lemonade out of lemons. How could anyone tell her no? I know that Heavenly Father placed her in my life for many, many reasons, one of which was to witness firsthand what it is like to have no guile and to be full of charity and love for others. Have you ever just come across people in your life who are just so, so good? I have, and Sister Casperson is one of those special people in my life.


Here is another trip down memory lane. This particular picture is from a rehearsal we held prior to a musical fireside we held in Offenbach, Germany. I was fortunate to participate in the traveling group of missionaries that toured the mission, teaching the gospel to members and non-members at these special musical firesides. It was an awesome experience and it reconfirmed to me the power of music. It was a wonderful tool for sharing the gospel with many people in the Frankfurt region.

Here is another special group of people that I loved. Here is my Saarbruecken district back in October of 1997. I'm in the front row along with Sister Casperson. Sister Baxter is the third member of our "Dritt" or threesome. We served with some great Elders as well. I'd like to point out that the blonde Elder next to Sister Baxter was our district leader. Elder Bellmann was a wonderful missionary and friend. About three years ago, this great Elder passed away in a motorcycle accident back in Germany. I'm still shocked that two of my friends from this time of my life are no longer alive, but I'm so thankful for the positive memories I have to remember them.

Finally, here are just a handful of the awesome sister missionaries from the Frankfurt Germany mission. So grateful for this time in my life. I loved these women and felt it a great privilege to serve and work with them. Good times!

One of my greatest hopes is that my children will fill their lives with positive role models that will surround them and buoy them up when needed. Good friends are a blessing and can help keep us on the correct path through life. As I contemplate my life, I recognize that there are so many people, like those above, who have been so good to me. I'm thankful and grateful for those who have helped me along through my life. Furthermore, I sincerely hope that my children will also lift up others along the way, just as Sister Casperson lifted me up when I needed it most.

Fun picture from the past . . .

I have been absent from this blog for a long, long time. I'm sure nobody is even reading this thing anymore, but just in case, here is a fun picture I'd like to share. This is a picture of my parents back in the 1960's boarding a plane. My mom was pregnant with one of my brothers. I love the glasses and the outfits. Another thing I noticed was the rust on the bottom of the plane. I am not sure I would have boarded that plane!

As for an update on the Christensens, we are busy with life and everything that goes with it. If I get around to posting pictures, I'll do so. In the meantime, here is a quick update on the past few months:

* enjoyed our fun trip to California where I celebrated my 33rd at Lake Tahoe - not a bad place to be on your birthday!
* Dale's little brother got married and we enjoyed getting to see family, even if it was just for a short time.
* Laurel started kindergarten.
*Andrew turned 2 and now we get the privilege of purchasing him an airline ticket next time we fly :-) He also got ear tubes and has started to speak a lot more.
* Dale turned 33 in September. He continues to be busy at work and enjoys working with the people he works with.
* fun trip to San Antonio with the Nuttalls - just like old times!
* we are currently getting over what our doctor thinks is the swine flu. Who knows for sure. Whatever it is, it has been rough. Can't wait until my kids are back to normal.

That's all for now.

Chicago Trip

We moved to Chicago in 2001 after we both graduated from BYU. For two years, we experienced the ups and the downs of living in one of the greatest cities in the US. I appreciate our time in Chicago now much more than I did back then. We have many fond memories of our time there, particularly the time spent with my oldest brother, David, and his family. This home below is David and Brigitte's home in Oak Park (1117 Euclid Avenue). We have many memories of fun and family time in this home. I remember on many occasions enjoying Thai takeout at David and Brigitte's when Mark (my other brother) would be in town on business. I remember with fondness carving pumpkins each Halloween with our two adorable nieces. I also remember watching with fear and horror the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. One of the eeriest sounds I've ever heard was that of silence over the Chicago skies. Oak Park is very close to Ohare Airport, so it was very normal to hear the sounds of airplanes overhead. Holidays, such Thanksgiving and Easter were celebrated in this home. We also enjoyed watching our young nieces whenever we had the chance. Homemade ice cream, BBQ's, and of course, beautiful music played from the piano. Returning to Oak Park and this house reminded me that a home is made by the people and activities that go on within in the home. The house is simply the shell that makes these wonderful moments and memories possible. We are truly grateful for the memories made in David and Brigitte's home.

We enjoyed revisiting the city of Chicago. Here I am with my mom right next to the Wrigley Building (off of Michigan Avenue). I remember standing not too far from here on St. Patrick's Day 2003 when they dyed the river green. That was a fun memory for us. I also remember getting pick-pocketed across the bridge from this location back in 2001, a couple of days after arriving in Chicago. That was not such a happy memory.

Here we are down by the Water Tower off of Michigan Avenue. I used to walk by this every day on my way to work. I really enjoyed my lunch hours when I worked off of Michigan Avenue. I used to eat quickly and then walk up and down Michigan Avenue for exercise and enjoyment.

After my convocation on Saturday, we drove to Mundelein to visit my childhood friend, Missy, and her family. Missy and Paul moved to Chicago shortly after we did in 2001. It was a fun time reconnecting with them. I wish I had a digital copy of our first picture together - we were kindergartners waiting in line to start our first day of school. Missy and her twin, Heather, were in the background of the picture. Little did I know that we would be friends for a long time! Canyon View Elementary, Butler Middle School, Brighton High School, Seminary Council 1993-1994, BYU, and Chicago - who knew?

No trip to Chicago would be quite complete without at least 3 stops by Johnnie's for an Italian lemonade. They are the smoothest, most refreshing lemon ices you will ever taste. My favorite part of these treats would be the chunks of frozen lemon rinds mixed throughout. I know that probably sounds gross, but they taste candied. When it's 100+ degrees outside with horrific humidity, these treats are the only things that can quench my thirst. And, in case you're wondering, you don't swallow the lemon rinds. My mom and dad loved these lemon ices. When we lived in Chicago, we spent many hot summer days enjoying these treats with David and his family.

Last, but certainly not least, this is the wonderful Jackson Blvd apartment we lived in for 2 blessed years (do you sense some sarcasm?). We lived on the 2nd floor, right side. Our neighbors above were so loud for those 2 years. The only way I survived was ear plugs and brooms to bang on the ceiling. They celebrated their wedding for one full month every single night - music, dancing, etc. It was their national custom to do so, which is fine, just not for the people living below. One night (about one year after their wedding) I had to call the police because the ceiling was bouncing and glass was breaking. I found out later that the husband was beating up his wife - so very sad. We also slept with cardboard in our windows because the city lights were so bright. We'll never forget this place as long as we live!

Other highlights from our trip:

• Museum of Science and Industry (I still love going to this museum - it never gets old).
• Portillos, Edwardos Pizza, Long Grove Apple Haus, and Amarind Thai in Oak Park.
• Lake Michigan
• Beautiful Evanston
• Lots of time in the car driving (I was the official driver and was surprised at how much I remembered).
• Westchester First Ward - it was so fun visiting with our friends (Hatch's, Barnes', Holgreen's, Sister Fecske, Blakely's, and many others).

Next post: Lake Tahoe, my 33r'd birthday, Fresno, and Santa Barbara.

Graduation

I/We did it!
Here is a picture of the dean of my program hooding me at the convocation ceremony. I can't believe what you have to do to wear one of those!

My parents flew to Chicago to support me - they have been amazing the past few years as I've worked towards completing this degree. Dad even flew to Dallas for two weeks to help me with the kids while I finished up my thesis. Of course, Dale has also been a great support to me and my endeavors. I'm grateful for all of the love and support. These two pictures (above and below) were taken on the beautiful campus of Northwestern. I spent many hours sitting next to Lake Michigan, finishing a book or completing homework assignments.

After years of hard work and sacrifice, I finally finished something I never thought I could. Last week we traveled to Chicago where I graduated with my masters degree from Northwestern University. I'm so glad that I had that opportunity to attend graduation and bring to a closure a very exciting and stressful period of my life. During the course of my studies, I brought two children into the world, lost four babies, moved three times to three different states, and supported Dale through his MBA program at Wharton. Looking back, I recognize the love and support I received from family and friends that helped make this possible. I never could have flown to Chicago to attend classes without the help of my parents and Dale's parents who watched Laurel. I never could have survived my philosophy class or my American literature class without Dale, my sounding board and idea generator. I was very surprised when the dean of my program spoke about me at the ceremony and the difficult circumstances I've had to overcome to finish my degree. It reiterated to me something that I've always known - we must never, ever give up. One of the best things we can teach our children in this day and age is to finish what you start and to do the best you can. Reach for the stars. Don't be afraid to fail - there usually is someone there to grab your hand and pull you back up. For me, my family (parents, husband, children) performed that role beautifully and without complaint. Thanks to my mother-in-law, who made it possible for us to leave our children behind in Dallas. It made for a much easier trip. Now on to the next adventure and challenge! Stay tuned for more pictures from our trip to Chicago - we had such a wonderful time.

Ballet Recital

This past weekend our family enjoyed attending Laurel's first ballet and tap recital. I love how this picture turned out - Laurel is second from the left. This cute tap routine was set to "We've Got Annie" from the hit musical "Annie". The ballet routine was set to "Supercalifragilistic" from "Mary Poppins". The girls really didn't know their routines that well, but it didn't matter because they had a wonderful time, which is all that matters at this age. After the tap routine, I was quickly pulling Laurel's hair into a bun so she could be ready for the ballet routine. As I fixed her hair, Laurel says, "Mom, I want to be on a movie screen!" I just chuckled because that totally fits her personality.

Here she is posing for another picture - she had so much fun wearing this tutu!

I'm happy that this was a happy memory for Laurel. What made it even more special was that her Grandma Chris was in town and able to attend.

Severe Texas Weather

Large street lamp that snapped and toppled over during the storm. For those who know the area, this is near Tom Thumb and Wendy's off of the 2499 and Flower Mound Rd.
One of many trees we found ripped up from the ground.


This home is located in the Wellington section of Flower Mound. I saw several roof with this type of damage, as well as shingles everywhere. The roof companies are licking their chops this year! I think they have hit the jackpot in Flower Mound. I hope ours made it through unscathed because I don't want to cough up the $5,000 deductible to get it replaced. For those not familiar with Texas, most roofs only last 8-10 years if your lucky. Where I grew up, I think they were 20-30 years. This type of weather changes everything.

Let's just say that I do not recommend leaving home without checking the weather report here in Texas. My good friend and I decided we would head out for dinner with our kids since our husbands were out-of-town. We left at 5:30, arriving at Sweet Tomatoes 20 minutes later. Upon sitting down to eat, we get a panicked phone call from my mom's friend, asking her where on earth she is. My friend tells her mom that we are with the kids eating dinner at Sweet Tomatoes. Her mom tells her that tornadoes are in our path and that we need to get home immediately.

We leave our food, grab the kids, and run to the car. As we drove west, we could see the bad weather. It was terrifying. The radio reports were not good - as we drove closer to the town of Grapevine, the reports indicated that a possible tornado was in the path of Trophy Club, Grapevine, and Flower Mound, which was the direction we were driving. DFW Airport was closed. I was panicked as I exited the 635 freeway onto the 2499. Cars were beginning to slow down as they recognized that they were not going to be able to outrun this weather. We actually felt the wind go underneath my Honda Pilot and practically lift it. At that point I made a split decision to make a sharp left into the Grapevine Mills Outlet mall and run for cover. We grabbed the kids and ran as fast as we could.

Most people in the mall were oblivious to the danger outside. No public announcements were made and no sirens could be heard. One woman visiting from Connecticut saw the looks on our faces as we were running through JC Penney and decided she best follow us. We sought shelter in the center of the mall, behind all of the stores in the emergency exit hallways. I called Dale to let him know where I was in case something happened and then my battery died. Of all the days not to charge my battery up! Anyway, we could hear the storm over us, particularly because of the flimsy metal roof over us. I cannot even begin to convey the fear I had - how would I protect my children. If a tornado hit the building, how would I hold onto a metal door frame AND hold onto both of my children. It was extremely sobering. My friend and I later discussed how difficult it was to be the adult in charge of such a stressful situation. Our three kids were counting on the both of us to get them home safely. In my mind I kept thinking, "how on earth could I, a news obsessed woman, not turn on the television that day to check in with the world. I would have known the danger I was putting me, my kid, and my friends in that night. My excuse was the guest bedroom I was trying to paint - I was really trying to get it done before Dale's mom came to town at the end of the week.

Anyway, we camped out there for what seemed to be 1 1/2 hours, but it could have been less. Time literally stood still. We finally converged from the depths of the mall and peeked outside. The weather still looked bad, but it was pouring rain which we considered to be a better sign than had it been still and quiet, our had it been hailing. We made the decision to run for the car and get back home before something else came. The roof at the mall was beginning to leak and the toilets were backed up. If another storm came through, we would not want to be in that mall with a flimsy metal roof that would eventually collapse under pressure.

As we drove north on the 2499, the damage was staggering. Multiple power poles snapped in three pieces, metal street signs bent in half, sirens blaring, trees uprooted and thrown to and fro, power outages, etc. As we turned onto the main road heading back to our home, police had temporarily closed it down as they removed trees and debris that covered the road. When we pulled into our neighborhood, more trees and fences were blown over.

My neighbors trash bin from across the street was now on my property and my recycling bins were nowhere to be found. Our back fence collapsed in 4 places. Our BBQ had been moved to another part of our patio. Overall, we got away pretty well. Our neighbor 4 doors down said her roof was shaking as the storm passed, and our other neighbor actually saw a funnel cloud go over their house. I want to ask him what on earth he was doing looking outside!

The other developments got hit much worse than our development. Roofs torn off, shingles strewn about, trees all over, etc. We were told that an F-1 tornado touched down less than one mile from our house, but I haven't checked the validity of that source. After driving through that area, I could see how that would be possible.

I am just grateful to be alright and to know that so many others in our area are safe. While the power is still out for a large number of people, we can all thank our lucky stars that the situation wasn't worse. I've thought about those heavy duty storms that shoot through Kansas and Oklahoma and I have a new appreciation for the people who live in the path of such storms. Frankly, I would be putting my house up on the market if I lived in an area like that. I just don't think I could handle the possibility of such storms coming each year. The 80-85 mph winds our little town of Flower Mound endured caused quite a bit of damage, but some areas of the country endure 140 mph+ storms that level entire towns. It's a very sobering thought.

I will never forget this exciting evening for as long as I've lived and I promise, promise, promise, that I will never leave home without checking the weather report if it looks the least bit overcast, rainy, etc. I have learned my lesson in a most profound way!

Prince Andrew

Andrew and I spent some time together last Friday while Laurel had a playdate. I decided to take a few pictures while we were together.

I love this serious look he has in this picture. It reminds me of a picture of me when I was a little girl.

This picture represents pure bliss - he was so happy to be playing outside with his stroller.

Andrew looks so old in this picture - I think it's the pose. He is changing so much. Dale heard him say his name on Saturday - I wish I had heard it because he hasn't said it since. Andrew is truly a boy of few words. He'll tell you he's thirsty if you ask him, but most of the time he just screams. He is nowhere near as talkative as Laurel was at this age, but she was the other extreme.

I took the kids to McDonalds today so Laurel could play with some other kids. We don't go very often, but when we do, the kids love it. Andrew really likes their french fries. After experiencing several months of him not eating, I welcome any type of food, even if it's not healthy. I really love this stage of childhood - it's right before they hit the terrible twos and threes. They are sweet and love you unconditionally.

Kids

Our little girl loves the garden - She spends a lot of time outside playing with potato bugs, leaves, flower petals, and grass.

Oh how you've grown up this year!

I can't get enough of this little boys face!

Can I just freeze him in time?

Happy Mother's Day!

Mother's Day 2009 Highlights

• Delicious breakfast served by my husband and daughter.
• Beautiful music.
• Adorable homemade gifts from my kids, which are always the best.
• Gourmet dinner cooked by my favorite man.
• Leisurely Sunday walk with the family and some great times with our neighbors - I love the street we live on because of our fun neighbors. We had a great evening outside.
• Terrific gift from Dale - Thank you so much!!!

Here is my family - I am so thankful for the chance I have to be the mother of these two kids. Although I fail most days, I am trying and I hope that they know how much I love them. I am so appreciative of my husband and the man he is. He not only provides for his family, but he loves us and supports us in every possible way. Last week I witnessed a little glimpse into Dale's weekly work routine and I was in awe. Dale, thanks for all you do to make our lives so great. All of the endless hours you sacrifice in our behalf are not only noticed, they are appreciated. Kudos to all of the men out there that support their wives, moms, and other women in their lives. We couldn't do all that we do without you and your love and support.

Finally, one thing I felt could have been emphasized at our church meeting even more was the fact that all women, young and old, with children or without, married or unmarried, deserve to be recognized. There have been many "mother figures" in my life that have blessed me immensely. Some of these women never had children of their own, but their influence upon me was profound and I am grateful for them.

I also want to honor my mom - I have one of those moms that knows how to make homemade donuts and spudnuts and made them often while we were growing up - they were SO much better than Krispy Kremes. Most weeks, we'd come home from school to find some treat or dinner mom was putting together. I loved the smell of my house when mom was baking. My mom is not afraid to try anything. She gardens, sews, shops (she knows how to find the best deals - she taught me to never pay full-price for anything if I don't have to), and puts a lot of effort into family and personal history. She's funny and has made me laugh so many times in my life to the point of tears. Mom taught her children how to work and I'm so grateful for that. Most of all, mom loves her children and grandchildren, and we love her back!

New Friends . . . Feathered Friends

Meet our new feathered friends! These cute ducks showed up at our front doorstep last week. Laurel ran into the kitchen during dinner prep to tell me that there were two ducks on our front doorstep. It took me a moment to answer her requests to join her at the front door. Much to my surprise, these sweet ducks were patiently waiting on our porch for dinner and company. I quicky grabbed some dry bread we had been saving for exactly this purpose, but we never expected to feed ducks at our doorstep!

Laurel was so happy to feed these ducks - I must admit that it was wonderful to witness Laurel's desire and need to care for these sweet little creatures. I recognized that nurturing spirit that many women share and I was just so happy to see Laurel answer that call. Here is a video of Laurel feeding the ducks on our grass. Incidentally, one week later as we were doing yard work, these two ducks returned to visit us. We like to think they are a couple - they came seeking food, which we provided, but we also think they're looking to build a nest in our yard. This should be interesting!

Thought for the day . . .

"I couldn't possibly have understood this when I was young like I do now. When we look back on decades of life we see that the seemingly insignificant things we do over and over actually weave the pattern of our lives. And if those small and simple things are good, we will end up having lived a fulfilling life -- and that is a great thing!"

-Marjorie Pay Hinckley

For those of you out there who are struggling, having a bad day, or just tired from the occasional monotony of our daily lives, just remember that big things come to pass by the small and simple things we do each day.

Easter Sunday

We had a wonderful Easter this year as we reflected on the gift of the Savior and His resurrection. Spring is such a beautiful time to celebrate Easter because it reminds us of the possibility of rebirth/renewal each one of us has each and every day through repentance. Prior to church, we took a picture of the kids in their new Easter outfits. This is the only picture I could get of Andrew holding still for a few seconds - he is constantly on the move!
After church, we decided to capture a few more pictures. Laurel was so proud of the eggs she colored.

I was sad that Andrew could not hold still long enough to get a picture with his mom and sister.

This is what happens when you try to hold Andrew back from something he'd much rather be doing such as . . .

This! As I said earlier, this kid is always on the move. We hope that everyone had a wonderful Easter!

Easter Egg Hunt

Our neighborhood holds an annual Easter egg hunt for all of the children. This year, Andrew participated in the hunt and loved it. He eventually figured out what he needed to do (thanks to his sister). After 2 additional egg hunts with friends, Andrew finally figured out what he should do.
Laurel enjoyed helping her brother hunt for eggs. She also enjoyed hanging out with neighbohood friends, eating Easter cookies, riding a train, and meeting the Easter bunny.

I was pleasantly surprised that Andrew took so well to the Easter bunny. In fact, he took so well to him that he nuzzled his head into the bunny's soft, furry chest and made cooing sounds. Laurel enjoyed her introduction to the "Easter bunny" and never doubted he was the real thing . . . . . until 2 days later when we were at Wal-Mart and saw another "Easter bunny". She says, "Mom, why is that a different Easter bunny?" "Um, um, um," says her clueless, truth-stretching mother, "well, it's just like Santa with his elves. There is no way that the Easter bunny can be everywhere at once. He needs bunny helpers!" Yeah, nice lie but I tell you, this kid is too smart for her own good. Dale and I give ourselves 1, maybe 2 years until this kid figures it all out.

Here is Andrew "stroking" the Easter bunny - isn't he sweet? Here is a little video clip of the hunt:

Andrew's Endoscopy

My poor little man has not been eating regular food very well, so his GI doctor performed an endoscopy to make sure that there wasn't anything structurally wrong with Andrew gastric system. It's been difficult to get Andrew to eat anything since January, other than his special formula and an occasional banana or Cheerio. I was not excited about him going under anesthesia, but the benefits of the procedure far outweighed the negatives.

On the day of the procedure (April 8th), we woke up at 4:45 and got everyone ready to go. My sweet friend, Moanna, came to my home at 5:30 am to wait for Laurel to wake up so we didn't have to take her. Moanna is one of the kindest, sweetest human beings I know - she was a lifesaver for us that day.

The procedure was done in Plano at the Children's Hospital - it is the nicest surgical center. The doctors and nursing staff are wonderful. Unfortunately, Andrew was not happy to see ANY of them. He cried for 20 minutes before the anesthesiologist gave him a little narcotic to settle him down. It was amazing to watch him get so calm in a matter of minutes.

Dr. Russo, Andrew's beloved GI doctor, carried Andrew to the room where he did the procedure. Dr. Russo is the best - It is very clear that he loves children as you watch him interact with his little patients. He's been so good to Andrew since he was a newborn. In fact, he gave us his home phone last year in case we ever needed to call him after hours. I've never had a doctor do that and I'm happy to report that I've never had to use the number.

The endoscopy only took 20 minutes or so. We were happy to hear that nothing abnormal was found. He biopsied 5 parts of his esophagus and stomach. We just found out that everything looked good, but there was sign of some minor irritation in his stomach. I'm happy to hear that physiologically, he looks great. Now the next step is food and speech therapy. I hope that we can make some progress - I never realized how stressful it is to have a child with eating issues. Laurel was never this difficult. I'm happy to report this week that he's added a few new foods to his diet - canned peaches and Vienna sausages. He seems to love mushy things, but doesn't like crackers or anything dry or starchy. As for the Vienna sausages, I must admit that I swore I would never feed my children canned hot dogs, but when you're desperate you do whatever it takes!

The picture above is of Andrew and his dad in the recovery room. Andrew had a difficult time coming out of the anesthesia - isn't his face so sweet as he's trying to wake up? The nurses gave him the stuffed animal (Ming Ming from "Wonder Pets) for being a good boy.

Healing

As we were driving home from Plano this morning, we were listening to a beautiful recording of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing, "Consider the Lilies." At the end of the song, Laurel said, "Mom, Jesus really does heal us doesn't he? He will heal papercuts and other hurts." I said, "Yes, Laurel, He does and He will." We talked about the power of the Priesthood, which is the power to act in the name of God - through the Priesthood, the power of godliness is made manifest (as defined in the scriptures).

This discussion made me think of all the ways I have been healed in my life. It doesn't take long to remember the ways that the Savior has healed each one of us. As I looked at the two kids in my backseat, I am reminded of the healing that took place to get each one of them to the earth. As difficult as it was to get those two spirits here, I am thankful for the lessons I have learned through the process. I specifically remember the healing I experienced in Philadelphia back in October of 2006 when I was led to Dr. Pfeffer, a fertility specialist who helped diagnose why I was miscarrying every pregnancy. After nearly 3 years of sorrow, this Dr. found a way to help me get my son. I know it was not a coincidence. Here I am nearly 3 years later wrestling with an energetic, loving little boy.

It's nice to know that the Easter message got through to Laurel - I'm so happy to know that it was about more than the Easter bunny. As for this beautiful water lily, this picture was taken at Longwood Gardens in Philadephia back in 2005. I have always loved lily ponds, especially after discovering Claude Monet (French impressionist painter) as a teenager. They are so beautiful and delicate, like each of Heavenly Father's creations.

Wal-Mart

Laurel adores her dad - for good reason. He's a terrific dad who loves to spend time with her. They really are two peas in a pod. Whenever I look at Laurel I see her dad. Among their many similarities, they both share an intense love of sugar and ketchup! I cannot keep enough ketchup stocked in the house, even with the Costco 3 pack. It's gone in no time with these two.

Well, knowing how much Laurel loves her dad, I was not surprised by her comments last night and this morning. First of all, we stopped at Wal-Mart last night to pick up some milk and other things we were low on. As we're walking in the store, Laurel says, "Mom, I really wish that dad worked at this Wal-Mart!" Trying not to smile, I asked, "Why?" "Well," she said, "if dad worked here we could see him more often and he wouldn't work as much as he does." Ouch. Well, Dale does work a lot, but it is the nature of his job. I think she was feeling this way even more than usual because he was out-of-town on a business trip. I tried to comfort and tell her that we are so grateful that dad has a job and that as hard as it is that he works so much, we need to do our best to support him. I assured her that her dad would much rather be spending time with her, but unfortunately daddy's need to provide for their families and sometimes that means that they aren't home as much as we'd like.

Laurel went on with the evening and didn't mention it again until this morning. On our way to a friend's home, she says again, "Mom, I really do wish that dad worked at Wal-Mart because then I could see him everyday - I would be so happy!" Ouch again. I'm sure most everyone struggles to balance work with family time - what are some of the things you do to make family time more meaningful. Let's face it, we no longer live in a corporate world where the hours are 9 - 5. Granted, consulting tends to be an outlier in this statistical model, but even then, what do you do to make it easier?

Philly Cheese Steaks

Today with met our friends, the Nuttalls, in Bedford for some really good, authentic Philly cheesesteaks. We had such a great time - it reminded us of the good times we had in Philadelphia. They serve Tastykakes, Birch Beer (cross between rootbeer and cream soda), and water ice. The man who owns the restaurant is from South Philly. We talked about many things, among which was the number of times he was jumped and robbed when he lived there. In fact, he was car jacked once with a gun to his head (3rd Street and Spruce), and when he was 14 someone stabbed him in the leg and stole his bike. It was a good reminder of why we lived in the burbs. Good old Philadelphia!
Here is Tyler with Andrew.

Abbigail, Blake, and Laurel had a wonderful time! They still love playing together, which makes me so happy. I hope that they will always be friends. They've done so much together over the years.

Here is a picture of the kids back in May of 2006 when we went to Boston and Newport together. This is a picture of the kids in Plymouth - the ship is a replica of the Mayflower. I cannot believe how much these kids have grown up!