An unexpected tender mercy

Four families that became close friends with my Mom, Dad and James family when they were in Omaha were at the wedding. I thought that alone was pretty cool that they would make the effort to come from 3 different states and with short notice but none the less the sacrifice was made to share this day with James and Karen. James was so thankful that they were there and I was as well, it was an unexpected tender mercy.

I didn't ever live in Omaha so I don't know any of them very well. I remember my mom talking about them from time to time and I have met them all but I haven't seen any of them since my moms funeral. In fact, I had to be reminded of some of their names when we met, but I can honestly say that from now on the Morris, Sorensen, Carpenter, and Martinie family will always hold a special place in my heart.

They kept talking about my mom and the kind of person that she was. They were each friends with my mom and also served with my mom in various callings. So from working together and playing together they developed strong friendships with her, 

My mom was always looking for ways to help other people. Even if it was just being a friend she always seemed to be doing something for some one. I loved that they remembered this about her. 

She often made blankets for the newborn babies in the ward. Three of the 4 families that were there all mentioned that their child still had or uses their blanket that she gave them, those blankets are at least 11 probably more like 12-13+ years old. One of the ladies, talked about how she keeps trying to take a blanket away from her son so they can preserve  it but he won't stand for it. The 4th family did not have a blanket because  they had their baby the year my mom died. She tried to make them a blanket but wasn't able to finish it. My mom has been gone for 9 years it was neat to see how much she still meant to them.

Later after I reflected on my conversations with them I appreciated being reminded about this side of my mom. When she moved to Omaha, she had a 16 yr old son that was still in high school in UT, she had a husband trying to raise him as well as work, my mom was without her husband dealing with the stress in Omaha with my sisters health and the kids, she had a daughter who was possibly dying or going to be living with a severe brain injury for the rest of her life, she had her daughters 2 yr old and 2 month old that needed care, and a son in law who was at the time, the bishop of his ward, and a full time student and whose family was in disarray. I think it would be safe to say that my mom had a full plate. I don't think that anyone would have looked on her poorly if she just went to Omaha and focused on her own family and their needs, but my mom didn't do that, I think deep down my mom knew that the Lord needed her to do more than that. 

 She was surrounded by a lot of people that were 20-30 years younger than her, I don't know if it's true but I'm pretty sure she was one of the oldest people in her ward, but it didn't stop her from making friends and moving forward.

She reached out, she gave, she taught, she loved, she served, she lived her life as a true servant of the Lord, she gave everything she had and more. That night of the wedding  I was able to see and hear the affects of her selfless way of life.

Even after she got cancer and she knew her life was going to be shortened, she could have just focused on herself and her family, which she did, but she had a unique way of understanding that there was enough of her to go around and that the Lord would help her accomplish what He needed her to accomplish. They told stories about how she made Thanksgiving dinners for people, gave people rides to church even when she was so sick, made blankets for people, befriended those that needed friends, visited people in the hospital, it seemed that she was always doing random acts of kindness, even if it was just being a friend, this was all above and beyond the care that she would give for my sister and her kids. 

So often, I think we sell ourselves short. I think we have a tendency to limit ourselves and our abilities. We don't realize who we really are and what we can accomplish but the Lord does. Our Heavenly Father, the one who created us, knows our capabilities, knows how far we can push ourselves, knows the amounts of kindness we can render all we have to do is say "thy will be done", not no, not I can't, not I don't have time, just a willing heart and the Lord can make up the rest. My mom showed this every single day of her life. Her life was not easy but yet she still gave of herself and that was enough.

Thank you to wonderful friends who reminded me that my mom was a special, unique beautiful lady

and through her example is still teaching me how to live.

The wedding

A lot has been happening in our family and I guess it's time to post about it.

At the beginning of the year James (my sisters husband) discussed with the family about the possibility of him remarrying. His son is now on a mission and Meghan, his daughter, is now in college, he felt strongly that the time was right.

He still loves my sister very much, is still sealed to her and still wants to take care of her. They were  divorced in April but is still her legal guardian and plans to continue playing an active roll in her care.

Long story short, James was reaquanted with his best friend in high schools older sister Karen, they dated and eventually decided to marry.

Because Karen and James families have been friends for many years, Karen has known about James and Laura's situation from the beginning which has been a blessing.
Karen is getting to know my sister and will also help James with her care.

This situation with James and my sister and Karen is definitely not normal, most of what happens to my family is not normal, but I know that their intentions are in the right place and I'm thankful for that and happy to support and help them as we all move forward making these changes.

September 6 (just 3 days after camp Joseph and Meghan leaving) was James and Karens wedding.
Marshall and I flew into Salt Lake and drove with Nate down to St. George where they're from, and going to be living, for the wedding.
We made this drive often when I was a kid and I used to think it was an ugly boring drive. This drive is no longer ugly and boring. You don't see mountains, open lands and big beautiful blue skies like this in New England.

Before the wedding we went to see Laura at her new place. She is doing really well there which is a huge blessing. When she was moved from Omaha to Idaho it took at least a year, a very hard year, before she started to comfortably adjust to the move. To see her now, happy and comfortable just months after making the transition is a huge tender mercy.

James and Karen were married in a small LDS chapel that was in a small town just outside of St. George at the base of a mountain.

James and Karen both went to some occasional services at this chapel when they were kids.

The wood work was beautiful. It was a small chapel that fit maybe 60 people and we filled it with very close family and friends.

 

It was a nice wedding. I was actually surprised at how emotional I, and a lot of people there, were. The spirit was there and very strongly felt which was a blessing.

Even though we are supportive of the marriage it's still hard to watch the break up of my sisters family. My sister adores James and their kids love their family of the 4 of them. The addition of Karen and her family will be an adjustment.

Minus Spencer, who's on a mission, and Laura, here is the new family. Her 3 boys and Meghan.

I loved the reception. It was held in a friend of theirs backyard with the mountains as a beautiful backdrop. Karen has a real estate staging business so she has an eye for detail and it showed. It was decorated very simple, but elegant that left you with a warm inviting feeling.

It was a night filled with dinner and dancing packed with a group of very close family and friends that were oozing love and support for the new couple and their unique situation that they're about to embark on.

 
We headed back to Nate's house that night. We didn't get home until 3:00am. It was a long day and a super late night but I'm so glad I could be there, and I'm extra thankful to be able to have spent that day with my crazy, awesome brothers. It was a 4 hour drive one way and we didn't run out of things to say the entire way down there and back. I miss them.

Soccer

Before heading to the wedding we got to see Isaac and Theodore play in their first soccer games of the season. Little kids soccer is a riot to watch.

First goal of the game

Isaacs team won but Theodores did not. In fact they were losing so bad that about halfway through the second quarter if a guy on the other team got the ball Theodore would try to shove them away from the ball. Too funny to watch.

 

He tried to defend the goal but it didn't seem to help much. They still managed to get the ball in.

The season did get better, this was just a bad start but still fun to watch.

Dinner

 

After the hike I got to go have sushi with these great people!

My two brothers Marshall and Nate and my at the time, very pregnant sister in law Brittanie.

We had such a great time.

There is nothing like being able to spend a few hours with the people you grew up. I don't know about anybody else, but half the time we turn into kids again which leads to uncontrolable laughter.

I miss being close to them.

Hike in UT

I had to go to Utah for a wedding.

I wasn't going to be gone long so I was tried, as most people do when they go and visit friends and family, to fill every minute spending time with good friends and family.

Jared, a good family friend picked me up at the airport. We and a small group went to lunch and hiking at Sundance. It was stunningly beautiful.

 

I definitely live on the East coast because being up at that high of an altitude fresh off the plane made it hard for me to breath! I think I had poor Jared worried.

We made it back alive, well, happy and still breathing. What a great way to start the trip.

Camp Joseph

Camp Joseph

A forever favorite tradition

The pictures alone should pretty much sum up the weekend. 

It's a weekend full of laughter, happiness, joy and love.

A weekend where a ward joins together for 4 days and leaves as a bonded family.
 

The traditional slip n slide is always a favorite.

 

There were several collisions at the bottom of the hill. Some were because they were going down the slide in groups and others because they couldn't wait for the people at the bottom to clear out of the way. This one was my documented favorite.

Wayne and his youngest son Wesley did some move where they were rolling all over each other down the slide so they didn't see the two boys at the bottom that they crashed into.

Before they could react down came Ben who was trying to get out of their way...

Then Jared (at this point everyone was trying to get out of the way, Jared went right under Waynes leg which is why it's up in the air) and than one by one came the rest of the ym passing and colliding into Waynes group and than right onto the gravel road. Yep it hurt but they were too excited to have made it all the way to the middle of the road to complain to much.

We made homemade rootbeer

Played rockets

 

We played games morning and  night, chatted by the fire until we couldn't keep our eyes open any longer, and ate WAY TO MUCH JUNK FOOD.

  

 

The sunsets were beautiful....I'm sure the sunrises were as well I just wasn't awake to see them

Can you see the late evening volleyball game going on? Nobody wanted to stop! They even tried to play by flashlight.
Next year a glow in the dark ball (and frisbee) are a must!

Labor day weekend is one of our favorite weekends.
We can't wait for next year