The beginning of this month started out with a huge bang! To begin we went to Kayley's art show at her school. She was so excited to show us not only her art but also for all of us to see everyone else's art.
Rex's hair has grown out to be long enough for his second haircut! We decided to try to do it on our own this time and see how it went. I had to coach Nick a little but between the both of us we got it cut and he sat SO well! I was very impressed!
Garrett turned 2!! I can't believe he and Rex (soon to be 2) are getting to be this old already! Time really flies! I had to first take the Young Women in our ward downtown to their devotional with Kenneth Cope the night before their big cultural celebration program they had all been working on like crazy for the last couple of months! But then we all went to the Walker's to celebrate Garrett's birthday. Mike and Nomi were there because their kids were also involved in the celebration.
Michelle did such a great job on the cake...we were all very impressed as always!!
What's a party without presents!?! The big cousins had a blast helping Garrett open his presents!
The big present was the trampoline..the kids all had a blast jumping!
Then Michelle's neighborhood garage sale was the next day so we decided to let Ashlyn come and spend the night with us for the night since we would be going back to the Walker's house the next morning. We pulled out the trundle under the girls bed and they all three slept across two beds. Kayley kept trying to go to sleep while Cora and Ashlyn stayed awake talking for a long time. Nick and I went to bed around 11:30 and they were still awake! Silly girls making some fun memories!!
Then Saturday night was a night to remember! First of all to preface this...a week ago I woke up Sunday morning with this strong impression that I needed to get tickets to this event (they were reserved for youth families only and then those that weren't going to go could turn in their tickets for extra people to take them.) I woke up desiring for my children to have the experience of being in the same room as the Prophet. So between mine and Nick's ward and Arlaine's ward we were able to get tickets for all of my family, all of Michelle's family, Arlaine, and Andrew's family. Then a tender mercy that happened...Andrew was supposed to meet us in front of the building to get his tickets. He had forgotten his phone so we didn't have a way to contact him. He told the people at the door that his tickets were inside with us so they first let him in...then he had to figure out how to find us in this massive building! He said he stopped and said a little prayer that he would find us and he ran into Kendall and Preston just barely coming out of the bathroom. And then we all got to experience this together...our beloved prophet, Thomas S. Monson come into the room. What an overwhelming spiritual feeling came over me. Everyone stood up and sang "We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet" and I couldn't make it past for the first couple of words and then kept having to hold back the tears. I talked with my girls after the event and they talked about the feeling they felt when he walked in. I couldn't have been prouder as a parent when I heard those words from them.
Then we also got to see our youth and all the other youth perform their dances they had worked tirelessly on for the last couple of months! Our youth did amazing! They I think had the most difficult dance and the most elaborate costumes compared to the other groups! I think they did awesome and it really showed in their faces how proud they were of all the work they had done to get to this point. And Emily McCulloch made it to the jumbo-tron...that was cool! And Kenneth Cope even sang for the event...so cool!
The next morning was the temple dedication. We swapped babysitting with Andrew and Sarah. They did the 9am session and we did the 12 session. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland came with President Monson so we got to listen to him speak as well. There was a lot said about those who were in attendance for the dedication that maybe we couldn't see. Of course I immediately thought of my Dad, which I always do in situations like that, but then I turned my thoughts to the early saints that lived in Missouri and went through so much to try and build a temple here that was never finished and then be driven from the state and for all the ridicule they faced before being driven out. What a special feeling was felt and I know this temple is meant to be at this time. And of course Kayley still didn't want the temple to be dedicated only because she knew that meant she couldn't walk through the temple open house anymore. She can't wait until she turns 12 and can go on temple trips with the youth group to do baptisms for the dead. I on the other hand can wait a while until she turns 12! Although I know that will be a very special time for her. And then to end all the temple celebration we got to do a session on the very first day the temple was open on that Tuesday. Our Stake is in charge of cleaning the temple for the month of May so our ward's day was on the first Tuesday. We did a session and what a special experience it was to do a session with all the great people from our ward and then to be privileged to clean the temple afterwards. We are truly a blessed people in this area and it is still surreal to me that the Lord has blessed us with a temple so close!
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