Family Moments

I don't even know where to begin....it's been a long while since I've really written anything really serious and from my soul. I don't get into things really deep unless I'm feeling prompted to do so. Now is one of those moments....so here I go......

My heart is very full and overwhelmed. Not in a painful way but in a enormous sense of gratitude and love for my family. Not just for my husband and my children but for both sides of my family....my parents...each of my siblings....Dave's parents and all of his siblings....and the lucky ones that got to marry into each of our families. I am blessed to be a part of two incredible families.

I have been blessed to not just have one day of tender moments with my family members but to have 3 days in a row of them. It all started on Saturday morning at the Temple with my family. I can't remember when the last time was that I was there with my sisters and my parents at the same time. It was wonderful. My sister Tifani arranged the whole thing and I'm so grateful that she did. It was a year ago today that my sister and her husband lost their baby boy Micah. It was also our Dads birthday. The day before my sister Adria had her son Brock. This time last year there was a lot of very tender emotions and feelings going through our family. There wasn't a better place to be then the Temple this weekend. I don't have to right words to express how much I love and admire my sister Tifani. She is amazing to me and inspiring. I was so grateful to be there with all of them.

After the Temple Lindsey wanted to take us girls out on a drive up past the Salt River. She knew of this little spot to sit by the water beneath the desert mountains. I have to say that I wasn't real excited to go. She talked about taking blank canvases and paint and finding our expressive side. I seriously haven't painted anything in my life and had no clue what to do. I didn't realize until I was sitting there next to my siblings by the water that I needed to be there....right there with them. It took me a while to get into to it but I did it and now I can't stop thinking about the next thing that I want to paint! I want to try again and do more.

Sunday we decided to go to my cousins mission farewell talk. It was AMAZING and the spirit there was so strong. It just made me more grateful for my family...all of my family. Later that day we went to Mom and Dad's for dinner with the whole Johnson sha bang. Can I just say that is was the loudest it's ever been and the grand kids were on something fierce!! Grandma then tells me that it's always that loud! We celebrated Brock's bday...Dad's and Micah. It was a wonderful Sunday.

Now we are at Monday....wow what a Monday. My mind today was in many places. I had a lot of things I had to get done today. I had to register my baby for Kindergarten....are you kidding me?? I finished that and then we were off to get Casie from the airport. All of Dave's family were coming into town today. Brent and Scott were driving down from Utah. Their mom has been preparing for a few weeks now to have surgery on a brain aneurysm that they found right after Christmas. Her surgery is tomorrow morning. We all sat around each other tonight and talked for a good couple hours. Sharing thoughts...feelings....tears....gratitude and love. It was a special experience. It was good to see them all together in one room....it's been a long time.

My mind through out the day wondered off to my sister Tifani. I was wondering how her and Jake were doing. I couldn't help but have them and Micah on my mind. I also thought about my Dad and was hoping he was having a nice birthday. I remember him saying last year that he was grateful and felt blessed to be able to share his birthday with his grandson.

All of these different experiences over the past few days has made me reflect on a lot of things. I have been blessed with much and there is much that I take for granted. Life gets busy and you can easily get caught up in "things". But when it all comes down to it...what really matters is your family....the people in your life that love you no matter what....the people that support you and are there for you without question. I am so grateful for each of them and how they've blessed my life. I appreciate and admire them. I'm so grateful for the knowledge that I have of the Savior. For the blessings of the Priesthood and the comfort that it brings.

Time goes by so fast and things can change so quickly. I'm going to try and slow down a little...not get so caught up in "things". I'm going to try to love a little more....serve a little more...find my creative side a little more and let go. I don't want to watch time fly by anymore....I want to make my time important....I want to make it matter.

Family moments are awesome aren't they?

Temple Lights

Every year we usually all go see the Temple Lights together as a family. This was the first year that Tif has been back in YEARS to see the lights. The whole Johnson crew couldn't be there but we made it work. Linds has something going on but we took Larz and Age and Mark were with his family (we missed them!). It's always a beautiful sight to see and is a neat experience for the kids...actually for all of us:)