My beautiful girl

My beautiful girl is being transferred this week, further into the countryside.

She will be training a darling missionary that doesn’t speak a word of English.
She was so excited and slightly terrified and couldn’t quit smiling at the
excitement of the adventure ahead. I just love her so much I could burst.

Senior prom

Matt and his friends asked me to take photos for prom last night,
their final school dance, and as always, it was the best.

How I love these teenagers and their goodness and light. Especially my Matt and his
beautiful girlfriend, Edie. But ugh, I can't believe this season is almost over. Which means
nothing will ever be the same. Wonderful and good and how it is meant to be. But not
the same. And three times now, I've felt that to the core of my being. And I don't love it.

But I am most definitely excited to watch my boy soar. He was born for greatness.
I believe that to the deepest part of my heart. And I try my best to just get out of his
way and watch what incredibleness comes from him. Because it just keeps coming.

Ben's amazing soccer coach

 Last night Ben's comp team had their second game of the spring season. And it happened
to be on the same day as their wonderful coach having surgery for cancer. Which is why
these boys wore ribbons on their uniforms during the game. And played their hearts
out for the win. Grateful for soccer, good coaches and this fabulous group of boys.

Some thoughts on this Wednesday morning

 
It feels like a day for random ramblings.

Right this second it is snowing where I live. As in really, really snowing. And usually I would be ticked, but I’m just so grateful for the moisture I can’t stand it. Color me changed. Temporarily.

We are still in the middle of quite a few home renovations. I am so grateful and know how blessed we are and how thankful I feel that we have been able to save for a long time to do this work. Simultaneously, the number of hours, days, weeks it is taking to properly be prepared in the way I would like to be is kind of ludicrous. Much of that is on my personality and how much I want it all to be lovely and fabulous together. And it’s exhausting. But I feel giddy and grateful in my exhaustion and so there’s that.

I shared a post on my Instagram stories that I can’t quit thinking about. I’ve followed the woman who wrote those words, as well as her husband, for quite a few months. I wish I could convey how I feel both about what she wrote and about how profoundly their sweet family inspires me. They are going through the unimaginable and choosing our Savior in spite of it. The Lord must be so deeply proud of them.

This photo is actually from last night. Before the snow really started sticking. I looked out the window and saw this sunset and thought of my girl. She’s been extra on my mind, not even sure how that is possible when it feels like she’s constantly there to begin with. And my prayers are deeper and more often with all that she is going through and who she chooses to be during the hard of it. She is also choosing our Savior. The Lord and her mother are so deeply proud of her.

And the walls came tumbling down…

With a lot of help from the mighty Jacob Allen. And his fabulous kids.

Oh. And I was there too.

My beautiful girl

This incredible oldest of mine

Sometimes I really miss having this oldest of mine around on a regular basis, but love
how happy he is, how well he is doing and the person he is becoming. He’s sincerely one
of the coolest people I have ever known and it is one of my greatest honors to be his mom.

And this fantastic picture...if that’s not a Campbell Allen look, I don’t know what is.

Oh he’s the best.

Miracles and things I know

  I need this picture here, on our family history, to remind myself of an incredible miracle
that God performed for me last Friday morning as I was headed into the temple. I know it
is something that I need to keep in my own heart, but I also don't ever want to forget
my Father's kindness and love and what He was willing to do for me. Especially on a
day that felt pretty numb and difficult. God loves His children. This I absolutely know.

After the temple, I spent some time at my Mom's grave in order to take her some flowers.
I don't go as often as I feel like I should. It is still extremely hard for me to see her name on a
headstone and it isn't where I feel a lot of peace. But because I love her and because honoring
her in this way matters, I still show up when I can. I feel her most when I am in the temple
and for that, I will be forever grateful. As well as for my sure knowledge of where she is at
and how happy and well she is doing. I know I will see her again. I absolutely know it.