Mara is Home...with her Heavenly Father

I'm having such a hard time trying to know what to say. One of my dearest friends, Heather and Bryan Adams, have lost their little girl this week. The funeral is Friday. She is 7 and has fought valiantly for the past year with an inoperable brain tumor. It is comforting to know that she is now at peace and home with her Heavenly Father, and at the same time so agonizing to know that she is gone and it will feel like a long time before her family will be reunited.

Monday I just kept crying and wondering, how is Heather doing? How do you see your child die? How do you survive that kind of pain? What must of those last hours and moments been like? How are the brother and 2 sisters doing?

As I sit here even now aching for them, I am just so grateful for the knowledge I have of the plan of salvation and that Heavenly Father made it possible to be families forever because of the sealing power of the priesthood. Heather and Bryan were sealed in a Temple of God for time and all eternity and their children are there-fore, sealed to them. No sickness, no disaster, no calamity can separate the eternal bond of their family. Because they are righteous, they will see Mara again. They will be a forever family.

"I am the resurrection and the life." Those are the words that keep running through my head every time I feel sad for their loss. Christ truly is Life. He lives now and we will live again. I am just so grateful for this truth I feel in my heart. I have peace even during the storms of life.

To my dear Heather and Bryan, you are a pillar of faith for us all. Your tears are numbered and God will walk with you. Mara was just too pure to have to endure mortality any longer. I wish I knew the right thing to say, just know I love you and am praying for you constantly. Thank you for letting us be a part of your journey. If you'd like to see more about Mara's story, see http://www.maraadams.com/

1st Day Preschool

The Promised Land

April and I headed up to the promised land of Salt Lake City for a 2-day genealogy conference!!! We met up with Scott who came with us Friday and we had a blast. We were definitely the youngest people there, and one lady even asked me in a tone, "So, are you guys really interested in genealogy?" I was ticked, and said, well, yeah, we've been doing it for over 15 years now (which is true). Then she said "Oh really, what lines?" (as if to challenge my knowledge). I rattled off like 6 different lines. That shut her up, and then to seal the deal I said, "Lady, I came all the way from Kentucky for this". :) Ah, sweet victory. I know, I'm such a brat. But it felt good. They were a different bunch, heckling and interrupting the presenters. We were just laughing at their idiosyncrasies.

We made a quick trip to Provo to hit the BYU bookstore and run through memory lane. I spent from 1996 to 2004 there...almost a decade...so there were many memories! From the car I snapped a picture of the Y on the mountain, the Provo Temple where I went weekly all those years and then became an ordinace worker there. I got a blurry pic of the MTC...my favorite job except for being a mom. I taught 2 wonderful years there. I still dream I'm there...such an amazing spirit there!! I got a picture of the Creamry and the place where Blockbuster used to be (a job I had my Freshman year and I'd ride my bike home to DT...with is now torn down). The campus was as beautiful as ever...I finally got to see the Hinckley Alumni Center. It's gorgeous. The SFLC is huge...wish it had been there when I did my undergrad...that is where I had all my classes. The Tanner building has another huge addition...I practiacally lived in the Tanner during my 2 years of my Masters. April and I got the famous bagels and BYU chocolate milk for old times sake and bought our kids T-shirts. It's so hard to believe that that era is done and closed...it makes me feel old. I grew and learned and had SO MUCH FUN there!! I met and married my hubby there too! Sarah was even born in Provo. I am just SO GRATEFUL that I was blessed to attend such a competitive university as BYU. I know my ACT score didn't get me in, I thank the hand of Providence for letting me be there.

April and I skipped some classes and did a session at the Salt Lake Temple it was the Best decision! It was so beautiful!! I'd only been once before and I was just so impressed at the sacrifice and detail of the pioneers in building the House of the Lord. I also got to visit 2 of my very best friends. Marie is one of a few of my oldest and bestest friends...and later roomate at BYU. I have always looked up to her. She is a wonderful mother and still great friend. I also got to see the very adorable SaraLyn. She is almost due and hardly looks prego. We had so much fun chatting and talking about married life and kids...a conversation we never had as roomates. :)

And last but not least, my other favorite part of the trip, getting to hang out with Chris, Kellie, Kayte, KC, and Kennady. Kellie's house is SO CUTE...I took pics of the crafts she has made. I really did have so much fun with their kids...it helped me since I was missing mine. Our kids are so alike it's scary...actually Kellie and I are so much alike it's scary!! We watched movies and my last night there I sat on there bed talking with Chris and Kellie for hours. It was after 2am before we went to bed and Chris had to get up at 4am to leave for his flight...poor guy. But it was so great to just get to chat!! I really miss them all. It is hard for me to be so far away from my family. My siblings are truly my best friends. But, we know this is where the Lord wants us now and where we are supposed to be. I'm just really looking forward to Christmas. :)

Las Vegas Baby!

Oh yeah, I got to go to Las Vegas...without any kids to struggle with on the flight, and without my hubby or even wedding ring (I just finally got it sized). It was such a weird feeling to be all alone without a baby on hip. :) I told myself I would enjoy the flight and just sleep, but of coarse I can't do that and made friends and talked the ENTIRE flight there and back. :) I had to go for a root canal, and let me tell you, it was worth the trip. April's bro-in-law, Dave, is an amazing endodontist and did such a great job...it was fast and painless...completely the opposite experience I had last year...I was shaking and sobbing during the procedure it hurt so bad and was in pain for like a week. This time, I took one Advil and nothing else. Wow! After the dentist, I got to go see April's family and go with Mom and Dad to Cafe Rio...YUM! (I even took pictures to make Sean jealous! :)). That night I got to see Troy, Alana and Adam. We had fun hanging out, playing the piano and singing, and watching stuff about 9/11. (I flew on 9/11...it was a somber day). There is no place like home. :)

1st Day of Preschool

Aren't they cute? I combed Jacob's hair and gelled it and he said, "I look like Daddy." Then Sarah said, "I look like Mommy" and I had to laugh because I had pulled her hair back into a pony tail...yep that's me...pony tail mommy. :)

Hey Macarena!

For Labor Day we drove down to Athens, GA to visit our great friends, Pablo and Macarena and thier two princess daughters, Analia and Clarisa. We LOVE seeing them!! We had so much fun...eating, swimming, going to parks, seeing a zoo, going to church with them (she is the Relief Society President and their ward is SO LUCKY to have someone so loving and compassionate!). Maca and I were missionary companions in Argentina. They are from Chile, but Pablo finished his MBA at University of Georgia (congrats!) and is working. They are an amazing family and great friends. We love you guys!!!

Happy 1st Shyanne!!

I'm playing blogging catch up. We went to Shyanne's wonderful birthday party with the entire Marcum clan. She's a big one year old and loved the cake!! This is us with cousin Hope and me with Jaime, Shyanne's mommy and Sean's sister. :) We love that Shy and Josh are so close in age...they get to be best buddies.