Feeling Grateful

-"There is room for improvement in every life. Regardless of our occupations, regardless of our circumstances, we can improve ourselves and while so doing have an effect on the lives of those about us."

-"We remember the Lord Jesus Christ in reverence and with love. He has done for us what we could not do for ourselves. He has brought meaning to our mortal existence."

-"We must work at our responsibility as parents as if everything in life counted on it, because in fact everything in life does count on it."

-"People wonder what we do for our women. I'll tell you what we do. We get out of their way and look with wonder at what they're accomplishing."


I took a few minutes the other day and tried to concieve the impact President Hinckley has had on my life. I would say his influence has been one of the most cherished and guiding in my life thus far. His words have without fail strengthened, encouraged, pushed, and lifted me through my years of growing up and starting a family. I remember going to Elder Maxwell's funeral and as President Hinckley walked in, the congregation began to sing "We Thank Thee O God For A Prophet". I was immediately overcome not only with his presence in the room, but with the spirit. I realized that this was the first time time I had actually ever seen him in person, and still I was a few hundred feet away from him. I thought of how interesting it was that I could feel such a deep love and connection to someone I had never met. I know with all my heart that he is a prophet of God and I am thankful for his life and service. I appreciate his example of optimism and his spirit of love and progress. And I will miss his jokes at conference.

June 15th

Christmas Pics

Dancin at the Wright Bros Museum

Reynolds Ladies

Grandma with all her grandbabies

Christmas at the beach! Outer Banks, NC

Braden's entire family gathered to North Carolina for more than a week over Christmas. We got things rolling by taking Anabelle to urgent care within the first few hours and his brother Cody also went to the ER before we could even unpack. Anabelle had another kidney infection. Which she happened to get at the same time as a flu virus. Which she gave to me. Details of the next ten days involve a lot of body fluids which Braden cleaned up every time (I love you Braden). The 15 hour ride home was one for the books. The good news is Anabelle got a few new outfits along the way and her car seat finally got the wash it should have had a few months ago. We washed it a few times actually.



But other than that it was a hoot to hang out with the Reynolds clan, as always. It is always a party to be with them and I look forward to those funny late night moments with them whenever possible. We feel so blessed to belong to this family.

Lights at the B-ham Zoo

Before Christmas we took A-belle to the zoo to see the festivities. It turns out the animals understand the Christmas season about as well as Anabelle did. We set her on Santa's lap just because he was there and she was only concerned that I not walk very far away with her bag of animal crackers. She looked him over, took his candy cane, and went on to see her furry friends in the petting zoo. The great part came as we were going home and Braden wanted to stop at Krispy Kreme. I wanted to stay in the car so Braden and Anabelle walked in together. I'm sitting in the car watching and I can only see Braden. He's not looking around for Anabelle although she's not in sight and hasn't been for a while. He studied the menu. I can see his brain rolling: "Chocolate with chocolate filling or do I get the creme inside? Lemon & raspberry, is that new?" I continue to wonder as at least ten minutes go by and Braden is acting like he is a lone man in a place of all that is good and fattening. He did forget about her once and leave her in the car for a while when she was a few weeks old, but I think by now he's used to remembering that she's ours. Finally they come out of the store together and Anabelle's face is glimmering in a layer of glaze and she is happy as a bird. Braden fills me in on the details that sum up our child- they walk into the store where she spots an off duty Santa Clause with his wife. Anabelle who has just scored loot from a similiar looking man, walks right up to him, asks to be pulled to his lap, and begins eating his donuts. And there she sat, enjoying his merry goods for the next ten minutes. And they say there's no such thing as a free lunch. Or Santa Clause for that matter. Well, do I have a story for them...

Happily, she does not care for mice. I have already told her the old "salmonella when I was 8 months pregnant with you" story.

Doin a lil' jig. Always doin a jig.

kisses for the goat

"Ello goat"