my cool family fan

I think this is pretty cool. Last year many of you know that I spent a good chunk of time getting to know my ancestors by typing up their handwritten life stories. It really has sparked an interest in me to spiritually get to know them. I love thinking about their journeys, what they wish they had done or hadn't done, how at this time they know my mom and probably work with her on being a ministering angel in the next life. Really - it is a fun way to spend some meditation time. I am excited to feel them close as I learn about them.
Well - just yesterday a friend posted the following link on facebook:

Genealogy Fan Chart

It is amazing! It helped me see up to nine generations back in the blink of an eye! I highly recommend everyone do it; find out where your genealogy has holes & get to work... I think I want to do some hole filling this next year.  Here is my fan chart now... can't wait to see it start to fill up!

Rhett & His Kidney...

This past August was Rhetts birthday, and what a chain of events occurred. We decided, due to begging & pleading, to take the family to Lagoon for Rhett's birthday. Well as the night grew darker Rhett began complaining that his stomach was hurting. So of course I just kept telling him FART! I was sure he was just trying to be a considerate kid that with all the junk food he was eating his poor stomach was filled with gas.
Well, Sunday & Monday passed, but none of the "gas" passed. And he was sporrting a fever... So we had to make the journey to the doctor. Tuesday morning I said to Aaron as he was taking him to the doctors, "If we pay 25$ & they say it's gas I'm going to be so mad!!!" Then off to work I headed. Later that afternoon Aaron called me and said, "Well, it's not gas." I cried, "I take it back - go give them another 25$ and ask them to tell us it's just gas!" We were heading down to Primary Children's Hospital.
Now if this seems like dejavu... Yes, last year we brought Roman to Primarys for an Asthma attack. Good times, good times! Actually, many blessings came from that experience. And so it has been with Rhett.
After many, many, many, many test it appears that since birth, or right there after, Rhett's kidneys have not been functioning all that well, the left more so than the right. So, with much discussion with doctors & Heavenly Father the decision was made to remove the left kidney & monitor the right kidney as he grows. So here we are at Primary's waiting for him to come out of surgery. It's a little scary, but we have so many people who have blessed our lives, not to mention the loving care of the Holy Ghost that reassures us that the Lord knows us personally & has a plan for us that is extraordinary. So we follow in faith, knowing that what ever happens is the path that brings us closer to Him. Of coarse that means we keep the commandments, repent, forgive, & serve others. We are strong because of His love & the love of those around us. Rhett has become more & more closer to his Father in Heaven, as his earthly parents we are grateful!

Our future obviously will be filled with more kidney updates, but for now we are living every day grateful for each moment together & ready to give back to all those we come to know.

Kenidy's Baptism

On Friday June 3rd, Kenidy made the decision to become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints. She was baptised and confirmed by her father and made her mother very proud and happy. She has always been a beautiful girl and you can see in her video how many people love and care for her. We are a blessed family to have her in our lives. I am excited to see what the next eight years will bring. Knowing Kenidy it will be filled with love, adventure, and LOTS of LAUGHTER!

Because it's Easter...

This past week a friend of mine shared an amazing CD with me, Lamb of God, by Rob Gardner. If you love the music from Les Miserables you will absolutely love this CD. Be mindful those who choose to REALLY listen, it is indeed a moving and life altering experience. I listened to it on my way to work and well, I had to reapply my make-up completely.

Understanding what happened to our Savior and to those close to Him in His final week here on this earth and through the time He was resurrected on it's own (through scriptures) is incredible, the music that Rob has put with it.... there are no words (even though I am trying). Please note - this is not an exageration! I recommend you all take a bit of your Easter weekend and listen to Christ's story so eloquently told to us through music by Rob Gardner.

I would like to share the words to one of the songs that lifted my spirit and hope that it brings you hope.

FYI - you can go to his web site or itunes to order or listen.

No. 11 ‘Here is Hope’

MARY (MOTHER)

He who healed our sorrows

Here was bruised and broken.

He whose love no end knows

Here was forsaken,

Left all alone.

Here despair cries boldly,

Claiming this its vict'ry.

Sweeter peace enfolds me:

Hope did not die here,

But here was given.

Here is Hope.

He who was rejected,

He knows well my longing

He, so long expected

Carried our burdens,

Bore ev'ry sorrow:

Here is Hope!

CHOIR

Here is love unbounded,

Here is all compassion,

Here is mercy founded!

MARY

Hope did not die here,

But here was given;

And ours is the vict'ry.

Here is Hope.

Thank you Nicole for sharing this with me. I hope you all have a great Easter weekend and remember why it is indeed a celebration of life and death.

FAAA - CCC- TTT!!!!!

So this weekend Aaron and I had a fun time with some friends up in Lava Hot Springs. We enjoyed sitting in the hot pots, eating at the White Wolf (tempted to play BINGO with the locals), playing Canasta, Golf, & Dominion, and just hanging out. We laughed a lot and had a hard time getting back into the swing of things. It's a good thing the kids didn't have school today or they would have been SOOO late as Aaron and I did NOT want to get up and get back into the daily grind. In any case, I wanted to share some of what was laughed about this weekend. Some of you may have already seen this... THANKS DICOUS & LARSENS for sharing it with us! WE CAN'T STOP WATCHING IT!!! Also.... it is very kid friendly ;D - YEA for clean humor!