Hey, Murphy

Good ol' Murphy played us nicely today. Nice try, buddy, but you ain't got nothing on us. Things went wrong and things we weren't expecting to happen happened, but in each we saw the hand of the Lord and our faith was made stronger.

Today Steve went into the doctor because he hasn't been feeling well for the past week. It's actually been a couple of months, but his abdominal pains kept getting worse so his doctor scheduled him for a CT scan in case it was gallstones or appendicitis. We were able to rule out both (phew!) We are relieved, but that puts him back to the drawing board and he'll be experimenting with a couple of medications recommended by his doctor to see if we can figure this out. We can deal with medication. I can't begin to tell you how relieved we are that surgery is not involved!

While Steve was at the hospital getting ready for the CT scan, Evie and I headed home for lunch (we were able to distract her for about 20 minutes with books and toys but I knew she wasn't going to last for the two hours it was going to take.) On our way home we got rear-ended while stopped at a red light. The woman who hit us spoke only a few words of English. Luckily, everyone was fine (Ev actually enjoyed the excitement,) and luckily we were driving our truck instead of the car. This may seem odd to say, but it was actually a wonderful experience. As soon as we were hit, I had a peaceful feeling rush over me and I was not concerned in the least. I knew Evie and I were okay, so I hopped out and ran back to make sure the other driver was okay. She had no injuries but was clearly distressed. I felt this overwhelming desire to comfort and care for her. We had to wait for 10-15 minutes for an officer to arrive, and during this time I was able to help calm her anxieties. In no way was I upset. And after all was said and done, I had to laugh when I called the auto body shop who ironically had our other car in just last week. (**Update / Blessing: We were able to get the truck into the shop and not one thing was wrong with it!)

Sunday Musing: Who You Really Are

Last night, Steve and I were able to attend the temple. With our hectic schedules we haven't been able to go as much as we would like (we have set a goal to do better!) The opportunities when we get to go together are treasured. During this most recent visit, I had the humbling opportunity to sit next to a young sister who had gone through the temple for the first time earlier this week, and the session we were attending together was her second time back. She leaned over to me and nervously told me this and then asked if I could help her. I was honored and was taught a great lesson by her example. I thought back to when I first entered the temple and remembered how I treasured it. I couldn't get enough of it! I remembered how excited I was about the Gospel and how eager I was to know everything. 

And I remembered it was in large part because of this feeling: 

"It is in the temple that we remember who we really are and see with clarity who we really can become." 

Throughout each temple experience, we are often reminded that man (and woman) was created in the image of God. "Each has a divine nature and destiny." We are reminded that we "accepted His plan by which [we] could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize [our] divine destiny as heirs of eternal life" (The Family: A Proclamation to the World.) It is by our Heavenly Father's divine plan of mercy and happiness that we can meet our divine potential and become our best selves. Knowing that He knows me gives me more energy in living the Gospel and adds greater life to my testimony. I am always trying to figure out where I fit into this plan and what He has for me to accomplish, and am so thankful for the sweet reminder that I am His and he has prepared me to gain all that He has in a uniquely individualized way.

Weekends Away

Soooo, we really needed a break and finally got to take a little one. It's nice to be able to come up for air once in a while and catch our breath.

We recently visited Dustin (Steve's brother,) Hailey, and Addison in St. George. The photos below are from our hike on Saturday after a night of very little sleep...I'm talking like 2 hours folks. Eva didn't travel well this time around. She sure loves her structure, and well, this through it off so she was a bit wackadoo.

It sure doesn't show in photos, though. She's a champ and loved the hike!

We sure love these guys and wish we got to see them more! Eva adores her cousin Addi.

Eva fell off a stool onto the kitchen tile Saturday evening and had a goose-egg the size of Pluto. No kidding, it was huge. Like Looney Toons kind of huge. Luckily she didn't show signs of a concussion, but we kept a close eye on her which led to another restless night. Waaaaait a second...aren't vacations supposed to be relaxing?

Sunday morning we enjoyed Sacrament Meeting with the fam. I actually heard more from the talks than I was expecting and really appreciated what was said. It gave me hope that things will come together in our lives, and I felt strongly that through it all we were going to be alright. Not just alright, but we are going to be great because our family is eternal. Being a parent to a toddler is sometimes hard. Being the wife of a working student is sometimes hard. And the idea of being the wife of a police officer is scary. But I am so grateful for my faith that leads me closer to Christ, who is my Light and my Guide.

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." - Proverbs 119:105

After church we took a stroll around the St. George LDS Temple. If you want to learn more about temples and why they are sacred to us, click here! It is truly a place of love and beauty.

On our way home, we made a stop in Scipio at their fortuitous little petting zoo because someone needed to get a massive amount of energy out. Mom and Dad also needed a little break after the 37th time of singing "Book of Mormon Stories." I am pleased to report that Eva mastered the hand motions to this song during this trip. "Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree" is also a huge hit, but she's had that down pat for a couple months.

Eva loves animals and naturally loved the idea of the petting zoo, but once we were in she was not a huge fan of the hungry goat. She kept shaking her finger at him and telling him, "No, Nooooo!" It was, in all honesty, incredibly cute. However, she might be scarred for life.

I'll wrap it up short and simple: These are moments and memories we treasure.