Vanessa's Blessing

Every year Jim's brother and his family drive from Oregon to Utah to spend Thanksgiving with the family. It is always a great week of movies, games, delicious food and fun! This year we decided to take advantage of them being here and bless Vanessa at the same time. It was a little difficult getting it arranged and scheduled because my parents decided to leave for Houston the same Sunday we wanted to bless her and it was our ward's ward conference so we were told we couldn't do it during Sacrament but we could do it our house. It was a hard decision to make because we really wanted to do it with Dave and Laurie here because we rarely get to share these events with them but if we did it at our house my parents wouldn't be able to be here for it. After much deliberation and back and forth, we decided to bless Vanessa yesterday at our house. We missed my parents but it was a perfect day. She was surrounded by all her family and friends who love her so much! Jim gave her a beautiful blessing and then we were able to enjoy yummy food (thanks to Ellison who made the yummy meat and everybody else who brought delicious salads and apple crisp)and just hanging out and visiting. The kids had so much fun playing with each other and the dogs who also visited.

It's days like yesterday that make me so grateful that I have the Gospel in my life. I'm so thankful that I am married to a worthy man who holds the priesthood and can perform these special blessings. I am so grateful for our fabulous families and friends who do everything they can to share these special occasions with us. It is days like this that make me miss those family members who cannot be with us. I really felt the loss of my Nana yesterday because this is the first of my kids' blessings she has missed. It was really hard not having her here with us but I do know she was with us in spirit. Although Nana and Papa were not here to celebrate this day with us I am so thankful I still have my Grandma and Grandpa Stay who were able to join us. My kids love my grandparents in fact Ally calls my grandma 'greatest grandma' (her way of saying great-grandma). I am so glad that they have not only their grandparents but great-grandparents to influence their lives.



I love having our families so close by to make these occasions so special. It's also so nice to have such wonderful friends who have become family to us.



I love all my kids' cousins and the relationship they have with each of them. Jim's sister's boys are quite a bit older than my kids but they are always willing to play with them and they are always so sweet and kind to my kids. Even though we only see Dave's kids once, maybe twice a year you'd think the kids are always together. They all get along so well. Later in the night Andrew, Liam and Steven created a tower out of blocks. They were so proud of themselves because it was taller than them.



It was a fabulous day!!! Thanks to everyone who made it great!