Easter Announcement

With the advent of Easter,

my thoughts have turned to Him--

for His miracle of ministry; the ever so symbolic Last Supper; the bread and the wine; 

the washing of dust-covered feet;

the Garden and all that transpired therein;

the trial, the stripes, the thorn-plaited crown;

the bearing of the cross and the heavy walk to Golgotha;

the storms and the darkness of the tomb and the world;

Then, the glorious empty tomb...

the preeminent Resurrection on Easter morn.

Easter is about the rising, the rebirth, hope resplendent from the grave to the heavens...

And with all these ponderings, my heart turns inward...

...to the miracle of life beginning inside of me.

We celebrate the 3 days and the triumphant rebirth.

And this year, we celebrate our 3rd little child and the promise of birth.

Happy, Happy Easter!

A Day to Celebrate...and Give Thanks

The clock is forever ticking and today is my (dare I say it?) 24th birthday.

My Birthday:

a grand day of all days to celebrate the two people

who made my entrance into this life possible and perfect.

If only words would not fail me as I seek to thank these two dearest of friends.

The love they have showered on me, the teachings they poured into my soul,

the wealth of wisdom they have offered,

how can I say thank you enough?

Perhaps Portuguese is the closest I'll ever get:

Eu te-amo minha querida Mãe. Tu és um anjo de fé perfeita.

{I love you my dear Mother.  You are an angel of perfect faith.}

Eu te-amo meu querido Pai.  Tu és um alicerce de retidão e amor profundo.

{I love you my dear Father.  You are a foundation of righteousness and profound love.}

I love you.

With all of my heart.

Love,

your Jamie

Conference Questions

Tomorrow begins the weekend I have been looking forward to for 6 months--General Conference weekend!  I am thrilled and at peace knowing the Lord will have some special instruction for me through the mouths of His chosen servants.

What are my questions I wish to be answered during these sessions?

1.  How can I endure through the 7 months in which we will be living with family?
2.  What can I do to ease my stress about packing and moving in a few weeks?
3.  How can I develop a more loving and friendly, charitable nature?
4.  When will she come and how will we know all the specifics of making everything turn out right?

I have complete and total trust that the Lord will answer my questions during these 4 sessions of General Conference.

Until Sunday or Monday when I report...

March Moments

Life is really just many moments added up and stacked together until a lifetime is made.

"Mommy! Come see the temples I made on the computer!!" ~Easton

What I found one night after the little boys were tucked in bed...

...It was a picture on Tate's high chair tray

Watching movies

A pirate playing cars

And there have been so many more moments that I didn't catch on camera like story times and peanut-buttery no bake cookies, ice cream cones with Nana and Papa, basketball games with Grandma and Grandpa, laughter and tears, and lunches with dear friends, cloud hopping and home preschool, phone calls at just the right times, drives through true countryside where I'd love to live, geese, bubbles popping on noses, special temple sessions, Tate-smiles and Easton-innocence, sleepy peaceful eyelids, daily routine, car miracles, making 9 folder games for General Conference plus bingo, lacing cards, playdoh, paint rolls, and Conference packets to color.

I also received a most splendid package in the mail....a new camera...but more on that later.  It's my birthday present so I can't use it yet!! :)

Best of all, true Spring came today on April 1st.  Yesterday was almost there though the wind swooshed ferocious.  But today there are blue skies.  Tomorrow will be rain and perhaps we will still get more snow over the next few weeks, but for today at least is is Spring and my heart sings.