Late Easter Pics

Because I work hard to get them ready, coordinated, and looking at the camera!

Parenting 101

These three are sure keeping me busy these days!! Jack never sits still, Alice needs a drink every 5 seconds, and Scarlett is weeks behind on some "math computer program" for school. I am feeling like true mom these days! I can never seem to stay awake longer than 5 minutes if I sit down and any moment of silence is a dream. I have had a parenting book siting on my nightstand for a month. Nick mentioned yesterday that I have yet to crack it open. I said "well i guess I am too busy parenting to read any parenting books." Life is busy, messy, tiring and completely wonderful! I know I am living some of the best days of my life and these sweet kids make it even sweeter. 

I have been thinking about how beautiful parenting is lately and how close it brings us to our Savior and Heavenly Father. The love we have for our children teaches us the love our Heavenly Father has for us. I am the parent but I am also the child. I try to always remember that and that I am so, so very loved by my Heavenly parents. They yearn for my happiness just as I yearn for my own children's. I love this gospel and constant perspective it gives me. 

Here are some of my thoughts on parenting lately:

1. The days are long but the years are short

2. Having kids has exposed a depth of every feeling I never knew I had. I feel everything so powerfully because of my children. Pain, joy, happiness, remorse, guilt etc. are all magnified since I became a mother. I felt like I truly started to live when Scarlett was placed in my arms.

3. Having children is one of the most fundamental experiences of life. I ache for those that choose not to or are unable to have children. 

4.  2 Nephi 33:3 "For I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry". Every year I read the Book of Mormon this scripture brings me to tears. Is this not being a parent?! It has become my new favorite scripture. You must have SO much faith as a parent. Faith that you are doing right, that you can continue to do right, and that ultimately you did enough for you kids. 

5. "Nothing is more powerful than the prayers of a righteous mother" Elder Packer. I have this in my closet and I read it every morning. It makes me think of my sweet Grandma LaRue, the power of prayer, and the strength I have as a mother. 

6. As I will continue to tell myself over and over "stop, sit and play". I want to enjoy this brief moment of motherhood and not fritter it away doing something of less worth. 

Children of my mine, you are loved beyond words!!

Alice approached me one afternoon last week and said "mom, I want to learn to ride my bike". She picked it up on her first try and now we spend every afternoon outside riding bikes. I love watching her ride around with such a big smile on her face. I don't love 1. yelling at her to watch out for moving cars 2. yelling at her to watch out for parked cars. We have also been going on bike rides around the neighborhood in the morning but jack always cuts it short cause he WILL NO sit in his stroller. 

Wilf and Doris Funeral

Nicks words about his grandparents. They past away the same weekend as my grandma LaRue and were buried together in Boulder City on March 28. "Today was my grandma and grandpa Strobelt’s funeral.  I always knew this day would come, but at the same time I hoped it wouldn’t.  My grandma passed away first at 94.  My grandfather wasn’t feeling well and he passed away while sedated 48 hours later.  Their bodies were sent to Las Vegas from California and we had their burial services today.  It was a very good service and many memories were shared.  Kathy spoke of my Grandma and my dad spoke of Grandpa.  Many commented on my grandpa’s fun and wild personality and my grandma’s deep love and worry for others.  Many know my grandpa for his comments like, “South of the border, east of the peco peco”.  Nobody knew where or what that was.  He would also say, don’t drink out of dirty toilets.  Tiffany shared stories about grandma being so worried for her when she was driving in the snow at Rick’s college.  Grandma would call Tiffany and make sure she was okay.  One day Tiffany got $200 in the mail from grandma with a note that said, “take this money so you don’t have to work so hard”.  My grandparents were always giving money away.  My grandpa was also always spending quality fun time together with his grandkids.  

I was stoic and happy when I heard they passed away due to their age and readiness.  When I got to the funeral and saw their pictures I became emotional.  It hit me that I was very very happy for them and the glorious place they are now in, but I would miss them for the rest of my earthly life.  That mix of emotions hit me hard.  I miss them.  I enjoyed spending long hours with them at family gatherings talking about random things and hearing my grandparent’s personalities.  I love them with all of my heart and look forward to the day that we meet again. "

   

Doris and Wilf holding hour old Alice. I just adored Nicks grandparents and always loved getting together with them. I remember visiting them for the last time in August of 2015 and seeing Nick tear up. He knew he was hugging his sweet grandparents for last time in this life. They both were always so kind, loving, and inclusive to me. The moment I started dating Nick they made me feel like part of the family. I want to share wonderful stories of them to the kids and make sure they know their great grandparents!

Grandma LaRue's Funeral

This funeral for my grandma was the very first funeral I have been to. I was very apprehensive about the whole thing especially with it being open casket. But the experience was wonderful and I loved being able to honor my sweet grandma and spend time thinking of her. Most of all, I loved being with my big and little family mourning her passing, sharing memories, laughing, crying, and feeling the bond we have. We all came together because of the love we have for one amazing women! The love we feel for her and the love she has for us unites my whole family together. Walking into her viewing and being together with family was the closet I have felt to heaven. It was a sacred and spiritual experience. In a way, it was the celestial kingdom right there in that relief society. This whole experience, especially with it being so close to Easter, has reminded me of eternal families and the great power of the atonement. It is because of HIM that I can be reunited with each member of my family. I kept on thinking over and over throughout the funeral "because of him death has no sting and the grave no victory". That means more to me know than it ever has before. 

Favorite Funeral Moments

1. My favorite moment was gathering around my grandmas casket with just my siblings and parents. It was our last goodbye before they closed the casket. We cried, held hands, and told her how much we love her. I felt her so, so close in that moment. 

2. Singing "Families can be together forever" with all my cousins at her memorial. During the song my grandpa teared up as he looked at each one of his grandchildren. 

3. Sitting next to my grandpa while sharing experiences/memories of grandma LaRue. My grandpa's brother, Gordon, stood up and said "this is a celebration of all your posterity and the wonderful life you have lived". My grandpa looked at his brother with teary eyes and it was a tender moment.

4. At the luncheon we all shared memories of grandma. I loved hearing all my cousins memories and realizing that she loved us all so much. Each one of us had a relationship with her and loved her best. We were all her favorite. What an amazing grandma.

5. Going into her house and feeling so close to her. 

6. After the viewing I felt so much peace and happiness. I was so nervous about saying my goodbyes but it ended up being such a positive experience. I loved being with my cousins and being connected by our love for grandma

My grandma was one amazing women who had the ability to make you feel so special and loved. She was funny, spontaneous, silly, competitive, and always up for fun. She would stay up so late playing games with us cousins and would never go to bed before us (she could never miss out). 

"the worth of souls is great un the sight of God" D&C 18:10. My grandma always made you feel and believe you were better than you were. That you were smarter, faster, stronger, more musical, and overall better than you ever could be. The "worth of souls" was great unto her and she never let someone come into her life without them feeling important (especially her family). I don't know how she did it but everyone single grandchild and child loved and adored her immensely. She was all of our favorites!! 

Spring Break and Easter

Spring Break was a crazy week!! The first friday we found out Doris past away, Saturday grandma LaRue past away, and then finally on Sunday Wilf past away.  It was a hard weekend for our little family to lose 3 beloved grandparents. Emily and I decided to go up to Brian Head for the week and then finishing driving up to Salt Lake to go to grandmas funeral on Saturday. Little did we know it was going to be such a hard week. Ski school needed up being all full ( which meant we skied with kids and then had them at the cabin a lot too), it snowed 18 inches and was a blizzard for 2 days, cars got stuck, we didn't sleep well, and to top it off we were dealing with grandmas death! I did not expect to mourn her death as much as I did. She past away peacefully and lived such a long and wonderful life. But her death had me dealing with the fleeting nature of life and how fast the wonderful years on earth go! Wasn't grandma just here dancing at my wedding?! Emily and I spent many hours after the kids went to bed sharing memories of grandma, our childhood, and all our cousins. Looking back on it, that week at the cabin with just Emily sharing those hours together and in many ways grandma were very, very special. It was our week to talk about her, grieve her passing, and renew our testimonies of the resurrection. 

But we also had a ton of fun with the kids. We went sledding, skiing, got new ski clothes, did Easter crafts, dyed eggs, and spent hours in the snow! The kids loved every second of it. On Friday we drove up to Salt Lake for the viewing and funeral and then came back to the cabin on Saturday night. Easter at the cabin was so fun with all the kids and they loved the egg hunt int he snow. This Easter will be one I never forget as I felt the power of the resurrection so strong in my life. I know that my Savior lived, died, and rose again. I know that my grandma lived and still lives and her body and spirit will be reunited one day. I am so thankful for the atonement and opportunity it gives me to repent of my sins. Because of the atonement I always have a way to return to my family and father in heaven!! That has so much more meaning to now that one of my loved people awaits me in heaven.