Last Family Photos

We went to Susan Christensen's and took family photos. We thought we were going to have to use umbrellas, but we got lucky. It was freezing, but the rain gave us a much needed break.

Last Trip to Leatherby's

Tonight the whole gang went to see Gnomeo and Juliet...Brittany and Abby's choice, Britt cracked up the whole time...Abby slept. After we went to Leatherby's Britt's choice again, she said she had to go one last time before she left. It was super fun, we really are a rowdy group though.

One Week Left

I have had so many things to blog about...and haven't blogged about any of them. Most of the blogs I read are about the cute things little ones do and say and I LOVE it, but I am realizing how old I am because none of my posts are about things like that. So here goes another old person post ;).

I have had the greatest blessing this last 5 months, Brittany has been home and I have been unemployed! We have spent so much time together, we have had so much fun! We took a trip to Los Angeles/Disneyland/LA Temple, we took a day trip to the Oakland Temple, we went to the snow with Amber and her family, we watched lots of movies, we just spent so much time together....It's been great!

But as of today everything that happens will be the last....at least for 18 months. Tonight will be her last Tuesday night, tomorrow her last Wednesday morning...you get it...I need not continue! I am so proud of her and the decision she has made to serve a mission and I know that this one decision will bless generations, hers and the people she will serve, I wouldn't want it any other way. Even though that is true there is a whole in my heart...and it's getting bigger. I continually find the love of my Heavenly Father amazing. I am struggling...worrying...and realizing I can't fix it anymore, I have to trust my Father in Heaven....her Father in Heaven. I have to trust Him with her the way He has had to trust me with her...it's harder than it sounds. How does He do it? Let us come here knowing everything He knows, I mean I KNOW, but as a parent on the last week before having to let go I find this all so over whelming. Ok I said it...that is enough!

Here are a few pictures of our adventures over the last few months.

Our tickets to Disneyland!!

Yep that's us with Minnie, we waited in line with all the small children to take a picture with her and yes those are lanyards with trading pins...

(so we acted like we were 10 the whole time :))

Our snow trip with Amber's family, she has the only good pictures....

Brittany and Hailey

Brittany & I at the Los Angeles Temple

(I know it's a horrible picture of me)

Our Trip to the Oakland Temple

Picking up Brittany in Provo

(I know this is Salt Lake, but we wanted to see the Christmas Lights)

I do have 4 other children....Amber and family are great! Baby Noah (cause that's his name, not just Noah) is growing so fast, he is chubby and I LOVE IT!!!! Ashlie & Shawn bought a house, Aaron made the Pleasant Grove High School baseball team! (very exciting) and Jason has just finished up an AMAZING basketball season. Last game of basketball was first baseball practice...they keep me busy!

Brittany is headed to Brazil in ONE WEEK and words cannot describe how I feel. It's different now, mothers of missionaries know how I feel and I hope that all who read this can someday be filled with all of these same emotions as you send one of your own off to do this very work that only our missionaries can do.