these days

Perry said the article of faith of the month during primary one Sunday. I helped him recite it and then he held the picture while the children sang it. My heart is so full every time I see him up there participating like that.

A sweet sister moment at night before bed. 

Layla took this picture to remember her play doh creation.

E and I got to spend some time walking with our Brinna in between my dr appointments one afternoon. She can walk across the room by herself now, she just doesn’t usually choose to do so.

We celebrated my niece’s first birthday. Her photo shoot and smash cake looked very similar to B’s. I made her cake and brought the same decorations we used for Brinna.

Around and around on the spinning chair!

Kyler lost a fingernail (thankfully not a finger!) doing yard work with the electric trimmers one Saturday morning.

Breakfast time! She loves feeding herself whenever she can.

One morning I had some time with just Perry. He was in such a good mood and was talking and talking to me about all sorts of things. He played with our nativity sets (I was holding my breath the whole time trying not to worry that any of the glass pieces would break as he moved them around. And reminding myself that this special moment talking with Perry was worth it even if there was a glass causality from it. But miraculously there wasn’t!). He matched up all the Mary pieces. And then then the wise men. And the “Jesus fathers”. etc. And then arranged them all back. I love moments like this with him and I will take them whenever I get them. 

After he discovered how to use that small vacuum up there in that picture, Brinna woke up. He happily followed me to get her and played with her for a long time in her crib. She would jump and then he would jump and she would laugh her head off.

Brinna still loves books! And now when she finishes one she closes the book and says “Amen!”

We went to a Christmas party and Eric had to do Hawaiian charades to win a prize for us. 

We got our first and only orange off of our fruit trees!

There was a party in the halls at the end of sacrament meeting last Sunday. I love these cute kids!

In other church news, I received a new calling as a primary teacher. I’m excited to be working with the four year olds again.

Our friends are moving soon (we are so sad about that). So Perry wanted to have his friend Owen over before he left. They were so cute playing baseball together.

I finally ordered our 2017 blog books! These blog books I make for each year are absolutely the most favorite books around here. I just use blog2print (and wait for a discount code). It is the easiest way I have found to turn this blog into books for our family. I need easy! And the print quality has improved so much this year (it wasn’t awful before, but it’s just better now).

Brinna's Sealing

Without a doubt, I know that when Heavenly Father sent Brinna to us He knew exactly who we needed in our family and when we needed her.

Through our challenges and stress this last year (cancer, child with special needs, etc.), Brinna has been a light. She has brought us closer together as a family and filled us with joy.

One of my greatest joys is fulfilling my role as mother. While all of my children have had other mothers in their lives, birth moms and foster moms, it brings me the greatest peace and fills me with understanding, gratitude, and love to know that my role is to be their eternal mother.

I get to be her mom forever!

But that is only possible through the sealing ordinance of the temple. While courts, the judge, and the law can tie us as a family here on earth, the temple is where we can be sealed for eternity.

On November 17, 2018, we were able to enter the Gilbert Arizona temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Through the sealing ordinance, Brinna became part of our family for forever.

When I was thinking about our sealing and what it means to me, I came across this: "The sealing ordinance is the crowning blessing of the temple. It is God’s greatest gift to His children because it enables us to return to live with Him and all of our loved ones forever. It offers marvelous blessings for this life and the next. It is a constant reminder that families are central to God’s plan and to our happiness here and in the eternities. It provides peace, hope, and joy for all who faithfully receive it." (lds.org)

Families are central to God's plan. And we are all so glad that Brinna is part of ours.

The day before our sealing felt frantic and busy as we got everything ready for the next day. But the day of our sealing was beautiful. I was able to feel peace and calm and enjoy the moments and the day as it unfolded.

Though nothing ever goes perfectly smoothly. I woke up that morning with swollen eyelids! I'm assuming the small cold and the lack of eyelashes had something to do with it. (thank goodness for fake eyelashes to help me feel like my regular self for the day). But that is such a small detail in the grand scheme of things! Especially because this little doll doesn't care one bit if I have eyelashes or swollen eyelids. She just knows love.

It was so special to be inside the temple with all five of our children. Everyone did so well! The children had some sweet ladies caring for them as Eric and I verified paperwork and then got dressed for the sealing. It was a beautiful experience. I hope my children always remember being in the temple together and how it felt. And I hope that as they get older we will have many more opportunities to be in the temple all together.

When our children were brought into the sealing room and came to sit with us, Brinna was enthralled with the chandelier in the room. She pointed up at it and exclaimed "Oooh" and "light!" It was the most adorable thing ever. Then when our sealer came over to shake hands with the chidren he skipped over Brinna. But she wanted to participate too and stuck her hand out for him to shake, too.

Because of an intense paper, rock , scissors battle, it was Kacin who brought Brinna up to the alter during the actual sealing. Eric and I knelt on either side of the alter and Kacin held Brinna and helped her place her sweet, little hand on top of ours.

After the sealing, we stood as a family in front of the big mirror. Because of the mirror on the opposite wall, it looked like our family went on forever and ever. Eric lifted Perry up so he could see and when Perry's saw into the mirrors his eyes got super wide with amazement. So cute.

After the sealing, we went back to our house. Brinna was then given her baby blessing. Then we all sat down for lunch. (I am so sad I did not take any pictures of anything back at the house!) We were so grateful to be surrounded all day by family and friends to help us celebrate.

I really can not put into words how much we love this girl.

Brinna, we are so thrilled that you are forever ours.