Scriptures, truths and the names of so many I love

Oh, life feels heavy of late. For so many reasons. I've started a post over and over again in the last many days (writing is almost always how I process things) and have deleted it every time. It just hasn't been right. So I'm not going to force it until it is.

In the meantime, a missionary email I received today (from our friends' son) really touched my heart. Especially when he shared how much he has loved underlining verses in his mission scriptures with the favorite passages of his friends and family, writing their names nearby.

I love this idea so much, I can hardly stand it. Because there are few things in life that matter to me as much as you wonderful people that I feel so thankful to know and to love.

So friends, in general, but especially during this time in our nation and world and community that feels like a lot, would you mind sharing your favorite scripture with me? Or just one that you love and means a lot to your heart? Please feel free to email me, text me or let me know in person. I'll take it however I can get it. And be so very thankful.

I truly can't wait to fill up the pages of my scriptures with the truths that touch your heart, alongside your name, that most definitely touches mine.

Thank you dear friends. So grateful for you. And hope you can feel that. Not only during the hard times...but always.

I've already bought the new flag

The happiest news for our darling missionary today! Her reassignment arrived and she has
been called to the Washington DC North mission. I can't think of a more wonderful place for
her to serve, as she waits to see when and if she is able to travel to South America. We are
just so very thrilled. Uruguay and DC. DC and Uruguay. God is so very good. Always.

Another school year begins

Monday was the first day of school for this 12th grader, 8th grader, 4th grader and 2nd grader.

Week one down

She finished her first week of the CCM (Centro de Capacitación Misional).

And she did it with the best attitude, the most obedient heart and the cutest companion.

Ack, only five weeks left before I have to let my girl go. I'm so not ready.

Two first days of school

My darling boy. Pictured here about twenty-two days apart. Give or take. How in a field of tulips
do we have another senior at our house? The ridiculousness of it is a little much for my heart.
But oh I love this boy and his incredible goodness and the way he makes us laugh every single day.
I could do without the senior thing already. But not without our Matt. I'm so honored to be his mom.

The best news

No surgery! Oh friends, we are so thankful for your thoughts and prayers.
We only wanted what was best for our girl, even if it meant having surgery,
but we will take the non-operative route with a whole lot of gratitude.

Grace is the proud owner of a much smaller cast, with more mobility in her
elbow and hand. I'm just so thrilled for her. She has never complained one
time, throughout this all, and just laughed as they cut off her old cast and
put on the new one, asking a million questions about how it all works.

Love this baby girl something fierce.

And also super much love that she realized, after looking at pictures,
that she had accidentally worn the same shirt to both of her first
two x-rays. So she made sure to put that one on again today.

Follow us for future fashion advice. You won't be sorry.

Our darling girl

Sweetest baby girl at her baptism interview with our bishop,
before her decision to be baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ

of Latter-day Saints next month. Love her and her incredible heart.

Sister Allen

My girl has a new title.

Last night she was set apart as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints. She is officially a full-time representative of her Savior
and has left behind so very much, in order to serve Him and to share His love,
light, knowledge and gospel with her brothers and sisters that live on earth.

I'm so overwhelmed with her goodness, her faith, her purity and her
choices. It isn't that it isn't hard or scary or unknown or a lot to ask of a
nineteen-year-old young woman. But rather, her decision to have the
faith and trust in her God, in order to do it anyway, is enough.

We are so deeply proud of her. She has officially begun the HMTC
and it makes our home and life feel different. More beautiful,
more sacred, more worth the small sacrifices--resulting in more
of a closeness to God we are always desiring as His children.

Oh I'm so grateful for this incredible oldest daughter of ours.

My girl. My Annie. My Sister Allen.

Oh I love this man

Alongside him, I've been through the most glorious highs and the darkest lows. And so very much in between. But he's never given up on me or us or himself.

He loves, he praises, he encourages and like every human, he can even get frustrated. But he always chooses to move past it and make our marriage matter above all.

He calms me, he prays with and for me and he fights for every one of our kids in every aspect of their lives. He gently pushes our little family to greater places, to more exciting adventure and to keep going, no matter what comes our way.

He is safety and goodness and humility and brilliance and perspective and provision and faith and testimony and just so much love wrapped up into one tremendous human being.

I'm so thankful to have lived life by his side, these past twenty-two and a half years...with eternity ahead of us. Oh I love this man. With all that I am and all that I so want to be someday.

I'm so overwhelmingly honored that God allowed me to be Jacob Allen's wife.

Cast decor

These sisters do something to my heart. Especially after watching them earlier today. That second
picture is Grace's cast after Annie finished her amazing decorating. You really have to see it in
person, it's beyond, beyond. Annie is just amazing. We are going to miss her something ridiculous.

Oh the cuteness

Can we talk about this polaroid my Dad gave to me a while back? I mean seriously, my little brother is
so stinkin' cute I can hardly stand it. Although, not sure my incredible bangs and the ultra flattering cut
of my dress couldn't give him a run for his money. Add in the horse background and this picture is gold.

An update on Grace's arm

 
And the plot thickens...

Grace had another x-ray this morning at the orthopedic surgeon's office. Unfortunately, the bone has shifted a bit more. But it doesn't appear to be enough for surgery at this point. Which makes us feel very grateful.

But in order to increase the likelihood that it doesn't shift again and make surgery necessary, they made the decision to put a harder shell on the outside of Grace's splint (which they didn't want to remove because it could destabilize the bone) with the hopes it would keep things more secure than the wrap she has been wearing for almost two weeks.

(Is it even possible to follow this story of the ridiculous details?)

So little G is the proud owner of an old splint and a new cast. And a momma who sure is praying we can avoid surgery if at all possible (but can absolutely handle if surgery is best).

Our girl just smiled through it all, understanding what was happening and the plan and excited for the crazy pink brightness that is hers to keep until the final x-ray in about ten days.

Okay, there is our update. Thank you so much for caring and for your prayers darling friends. I feel happy and calm and know it will all work out wonderfully, no matter what comes our way. I mean if nothing else, it makes for a fun {if not totally confusing} story to tell.

Just so much joy

Easily one of the best days I have ever experienced in mortality. Oh we are grateful for
our incredible girl and the time together in the House of the Lord this morning. And goodness,
we are so thankful for so much love and support from our tremendously good and kind family.

 With all of my heart and an absolute certainty, I know that others we love and
miss were there, supporting our girl from beyond the veil. I just wept with
gratitude throughout it all. God is so very, very good. Of that, I am sure.

Love these six with all of my heart

Sweet girl

She's sweet and good and sometimes a total weirdo. But mostly sweet and good. 
Picture by Matt of the Allen variety.

Annie's mission photos

 One more day until she's officially finished with work, five days until she attends the temple for the
first time, eleven days until she begins the home MTC and fifty-three more days until she leaves us,
to travel to her new assignment and continue her service as a full-time missionary. I will cherish these
mission photos I took of our Annie forever, but especially for the next eighteen months, as she follows
her heart, and the whisperings of the Spirit, to serve her Savior in such a unique and beautiful way.

Oh my sweet girl. She can do absolutely anything. And the fact that she chooses to do it with kindness
and love and purity and goodness, just blows me away. I'm so honored she is ours. I'm so humbled
I get to be her mom, never mention one of her closest friends. This world is so blessed to have her.

Matt and Denali

He calls her his "good puppy" and they're pretty fantastic together.
Also, that last picture is, umm. Well, scroll for yourself.

An arm update

 
Well, some good news and some unexpected news.

When I called the orthopedic surgeon this morning, they told us to come in today.
So we were pretty happy about that. After our arrival and a couple of x-rays, the doctor
told us that the bone alignment was slightly off, but not too bad, and with Grace's age,
her body should fix things on their own. So no surgery at this point.

But then he mentioned that she will need to be checked next week and then the week
after. And if things are still good, he can cast her. A bit of a surprise to us, as the
ER doctor mentioned multiple times she would receive her cast today or tomorrow.

And yet.

We are so thankful for good news thus far and just need to dig a little deeper for more
patience, in order to wait a tad longer than expected for things to be a bit more stable.

So we are following Grace's lead, as she couldn't be any more smiley and happy and dealing
with things incredibly well. She asked to stop taking ibuprofen yesterday because her "arm
really didn't hurt too bad" and she didn't think she needed it. And she hasn't taken it again.

And when we arrived home the first words out of her mouth to her dad were,
"Hey Dad, I don't need surgery. Yet!" Followed by her hilarious laugh.

She's a good one this Gracie girl.

Thanks for your prayers, wonderful friends. We have truly felt them.

Final week

Cutest girl on her way to start her final week of being a BYU camp counselor.
Every one of her groups have loved her (no surprise there) and she's made the girls'
weeks so fun and has the greatest stories when she comes home. She's the best. At being
a counselor, at working hard, at being darling. But mostly, at just being her amazing self.

The aquarium

A visit to the aquarium (our first) on Friday before gravity messed up our weekend.
Nate loved the otters (has from the time he was tiny), Grace was obsessed with the
penguins (we went back twice) and Annie was just her darling, fabulous self, kindly
spending time with us before she so rudely leaves us on our own for eighteen months.