Home Sweet Home

Home is where I long to be and want to be.  I very much enjoy visiting others but always like to be home.  We have been quite bus since we got back home. We have visited Jackson a couple of times and went to Paris for three days to help Sandra and Brent re-do their shower. Jake does a very good job and is meticulous in his work. The 4th of July was very different this year with no large gatherings, we let the kids swim at our neighbors house and watched fireworks that evening with them in the cove. Our neighbor had purchased some and there were plenty of others in the area shooting them off.  One went into our garage, it was nuts. The box had tipped over after a couple shot upwards but the remaining four shot out in all directions low. Fortunately no one was hurt.
        Covid cases are peaking and are higher now than in the Spring but yet it seems as people are more lax in their activities and outings. My mind is weighed down with all that is occurring in our nation, I feel I see our nation crumbling before my eyes.  Last night for family scripture Jake shared about repentance. He read a portion in Mosiah and then what the prophet recently stated when he called our nation/people to repentance.  Jake taught that repentance is more than just asking forgiveness of our sins but turning to God. Our nation needs to turn back to God. From here on out, I want to remember that as my definition for repentance....turning back to God.
        I told Jake this morning that I feel a little overwhelmed today, like too much on my mind to handle with: Ginny may have been exposed to Covid over the weekend, my mom had a biopsy today, schools with no idea what they plan to do this fall, and when the decision is made- how will that affect my family, what is the best course of action, etc.  However the crazy thing is that through everything, I somehow feel a little closer to my Heavenly Father and the Book of Mormon feels more real to me (like the people in there). I am enjoying studying this year.  I love home church, it may be my most favorite thing about the current situation in the world.  I am learning so much from Jake and my girls.  My girls have wonderful perspective and gospel knowledge.  They are firm in their testimonies and share so much.  Christopher's prayers are beautiful and so heart felt.  What a privilege to see Will grow in his priesthood power each week as he checks the sacrament prayer and passes it.

Yellowstone,we bid the farwwell...

Our trip to Jackson Hole/Yellowstone has come to an end. We had a nice time, each (Jake and I) interviewed for assistant principal job (the same one), Jake interviewed for a board position, and celebrated our boy turning double digits.  Life is good. Jake did not get the position at the board (our other admin at Bon Lin did, so know the principal has to hire to AP's) but we are at peace with it. As much as I was hoping for it, it was not in the card right now and I am trying to remember that God is in the details and sees the big picture.

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Grand Tetons- Moose overlook

Grand Tetons with my crew

Tommie and Karen with their kids (-Gerald)

Walking near Old Faithful

My handsome boy

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

My Love

He is all mine!

Gardner Montana

Not so sure about that face...

Petrified Tree at Yellowstone

Hooking up to go to String Lake

Olivia and Chloe at String Lake

String Lake (Brayden, Oscar, Nathan, and Ginny)

Headed to go white water rafting

Olivia, Oscar, Nathan, Ginny, Aubree, Christopher, and Brennan

David and Jake being silly

And our youngest is double digits...

We are in Jackson Hole Wyoming with dad's family so we celebrated here.  We went to String Lake in the Grand Tetons to kayak and you very much enjoyed that.  Christopher- you remind of our family of being kind. You have been so concerned with covid-19 and remember it each time you pray, reminding us that God hears our prayers.  You are courageous and try your best to make good choices.  Our life is better with you in it.  We love you!

Facts about Christopher, by Christopher:

You currently want to be when you grow up: Archeologists or math teacher

Your favorite color is: all of them besides black

Your favorite show: Sonic the Hedgehog movie

Your favorite game is: Ticket to Ride

Your favorite toy or activity is: math

Your favorite girl is: Jewell Weeks and mom

You are really good at: doing math

Your best friend is: Jonah Donald

You want to vacation to: underwater volcano

Your favorite ice cream is: Superman (Galactic Swirl)

Your wish is to be: to be better

Your hero is: Jesus Christ and my family

Your favorite thing to do with your friends is: play with them 

Your favorite holiday is: Christmas

Your favorite person in the whole world is: my family

Your favorite song(s) is: Blank Space

Your favorite restaurant is: Freddy's Steak-burgers and custard

Your favorite foods are: Croutons, tuna, haystacks, and Rotel Chicken

If you had $1000 you would buy: a house for the poor

Gardner

Headed to Yellowstone

Yesterday, we began our trek outside to meet some of Jake's family at Yellowstone and then to see my brothers afterwards.  We spent 17 hours in the road yesterday and traveled to Cheyenne, WY and then 7 hours this morning to arrive at Yellowstone.  We were a little reluctant with all the chaos happening in the world right now with Covid-19 (although things are opening back up, we are trying to play it safe) and now with all the protests and riots across the nation calling for an end to racism against blacks. My heart has been heavy this past week thinking about the situation, while I do not agree with some things being said (like de-funding police), I do believe that we are all equal.  The best I can do is teach my children to love.  I think President Nelson addressed it best on his social media:
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"We join with many throughout this nation and around the world who are deeply saddened at recent evidences of racism and a blatant disregard for human life. We abhor the reality that some would deny others respect and the most basic of freedoms because of the color of his or her skin.
We are also saddened when these assaults on human dignity lead to escalating violence and unrest.

     The Creator of us all calls on each of us to abandon attitudes of prejudice against any group of God’s children. Any of us who has prejudice toward another race needs to repent!
     During the Savior’s earthly mission, He constantly ministered to those who were excluded, marginalized, judged, overlooked, abused, and discounted. As His followers, can we do anything less? The answer is no! We believe in freedom, kindness, and fairness for all of God’s children!
      Let us be clear. We are brothers and sisters, each of us the child of a loving Father in Heaven. His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, invites all to come unto Him—“black and white, bond and free, male and female,” (2 Nephi 26:33). It behooves each of us to do whatever we can in our spheres of influence to preserve the dignity and respect every son and daughter of God deserves.
      Any nation can only be as great as its people. That requires citizens to cultivate a moral compass that helps them distinguish between right and wrong.
       Illegal acts such as looting, defacing, or destroying public or private property cannot be tolerated. Never has one wrong been corrected by a second wrong. Evil has never been resolved by more evil.
       We need to foster our faith in the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man.
       We need to foster a fundamental respect for the human dignity of every human soul, regardless of their color, creed, or cause.
      And we need to work tirelessly to build bridges of understanding rather than creating walls of segregation.
      I plead with us to work together for peace, for mutual respect, and for an outpouring of love for all of God’s children."
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On a different note, my heart was happy when I found this image on Ginny's social media.  The two pictures were of Jake and I preparing to load the car the night before we were to leave.  He came and said the lighting was perfect and came and got me.  It made me feel good, although I had just showered and had no make up on.

Ginny's picture on one of her social media posts of her scriptures.