Once in a life time...

Cutting Grandpa's hair.
Grandma helping.
Snip, snip, snip.
Finished! Pretty snazzy huh.

It's not very often a three year old girl gets permission to cut her Grandpa's hair! She had a blast.

Sunshine Makes Me Happy!

I just wanted to post a few pictures from our sunshiney weekend.

Always posing!
Look at that...Cy, you know you're not supposed to have pop.

Book of Mormon Stories

Tonight Rhiannon, Cy, and myself were all sitting together in the front room enjoying a nice chat about life while Dust was outside taking care of some ward business. The kids were in their pjs and it was a little past their bed time. It didn't look like Dusty was coming in any time soon so I suggested to the kids that perhaps I should get them to bed tonight. Now you have to understand the routine in our house: Dusty ALWAYS rocks the kids before bed. It's been his time alone with them because he isn't able to have many moments like that during the day.

So the ritual always begins with each of the kids choosing two songs that Dusty sings with them as he rocks each one individually. Then, he tells a story from his mission to England just before they lay down to sleep. My motherly duties end right after scripture study and prayer and then we part our ways as they make the trek upstairs to have daddy put them to bed. It's truly one of the most precious things I have ever witnessed! Even though it makes me feel terrible when they cry for daddy if I ever have to substitute, I am willing to take the blow as I know how much this daddy time means to each of them.

Anyway, back to tonight...so the kids and I are chatting and I suggest that it's getting late and I may have to take them up to rock them Rhiannaon, being the intuitive little thinker that she is begins stalling. She's like, "Mommy, you wanna hear the song I'm gonna choose for daddy to sing to me tonight?" Because of the sweetness of her tone, I couldn't resist. And so she began singing Book of Mormon Stories. She sang the first verse nearly word for word---and then the second verse began (posted above). I was laughing hysterically by the end of the song. I asked her where she learned that version and she just smiled and said, "That's what Daddy sings to me!"

When Dusty finally got inside I asked him where he had learned that verse of the song and he told me he had to make it up one night impromtu. One night he sang the first verse to her and that didn't seem to be good enough. She told him that there was more to the song and because he didn't know it, he just made it up. I thought it was totally creative; so creative, in fact, that I didn't believe that he made it up. (So if any of you have indeed heard it before, please clue me in.) I am so grateful that my children have such fabulous father figure in their lives. I love ya Dust. I thought this was an absolute documentable moment and I couldn't wait to share it with all of you.

True friends are difficult to find, hard to leave, and impossible to forget.

Cy and his adorable friend Haley.

He is going to miss her tons!
Too bad their family trees connect because they'd be such a cute little couple ;) This weekend had been one of change for us. Some of our best friends in the whole world left Pocatello to start their lives in Preston today. We are so happy for them as they are getting their "life-after-Pocatello" started, but we are going to miss them terribly. Dusty and I have been talking about how hard it is to see friends that you grow to love leave the area when we still have over a year left here. We know that we will remain life time friends, but it just won't be the same in Avalon Park without them. I keep trying to convince her to blog but she hasn't quite caught that blogging fever yet, but it's bound to happen sooner or later right?

On a more positive note, we did get to see some friends that we haven't seen for a while yesterday. Victoria brought her kids by yesterday and it was SO good to see them. Em and Adam are getting so big and so dang cute! It was so good to see you guys. Let me know how Joe likes your hair Victoria! ;) I didn't get any picture because I was so busy doing hair...I hate it when that happens!

A thought from our stake conference-

You can tell but never teach until you practice what you preach.

More randomness from Megan...

“Under the plan of heaven, the husband and the wife walk side by side as companions, neither one ahead of the other, but a daughter of God and a son of God walking side by side. Let your families be families of love and peace and happiness. Gather your children around you and have your family home evenings, teach your children the ways of the Lord, read to them from the scriptures, and let them come to know the great truths of the eternal gospel as set forth in these words of the Almighty.”
( Ensign, Mar. 2001, 64.)

“This is my prayer for all of us—'Lord, increase our faith.' Increase our faith to bridge the chasms of uncertainty and doubt. . . . Grant us faith to look beyond the problems of the moment to the miracles of the future. . . . Give us faith to do what is right and let the consequence follow.”

There has been a lot for me to think about as several events have transpired in my life the last little bit. It seems like there are so many times when I think, "that will never happen in my family" or "no, never to us!" But you know, the Lord does have a plan and some times things do happen that may seem hard to swallow. I have always known that He is there, and I will never doubt that, but at times I guess I just believe it more than others. Now, I know that I need to increase my faith and I know that the Lord allows for me to do this through trials, but some times the trick really is to do what is right and let the consequence follow.

Truly, that is what this life is all about. It's about Dusty and I walking side by side learning to roll with the punches and trusting that the Lord will provide; even when it seems difficult. It is about my children. It is about us as an eternal family unit working together to ensure no seats are empty. I guess some times I have experiences that ground my faith and realization of the truly important things in life; I am grateful for those growing times. I am grateful for all of the small moments that I share with my little family and I am especially grateful for the impact that President Hinckley had on my life. The above quotes have brought me a lot of comfort in times of great need.

I guess I am not completely certain of the reason for this post...maybe just to say that I am thankful for my little life and the people that are in it...which is to say---thanks to all of you reading this!

Happy Birthday Cy!