Goodbye 2024

 
As I wrote in our family Christmas card this year…

We feel so grateful for a 2024 filled with joy, alongside struggle, and mostly, every wonderful
opportunity we had to be together as a family. At this sacred season of His birth, we testify of
our Savior, Jesus Christ, who has been beside us every step of the way. We constantly seek
for His peace and light and feel so privileged to love Him and to be loved by Him.

Wishing a beautiful new year filled with all the goodness and joy imaginable,
for each one of us and those we love most!

Our 26th

Twenty-six years of being married to this handsome man that I love, admire and am grateful
for beyond all others (and that is saying something because I’m kind of obsessed with every
last one of our children). He’s given me a life I didn’t even imagine could be possible and
has chosen to love me through every moment of it.

He is the calm to my crazy, the logical to my irrational and never stops believing in who I am and
what I can achieve. Next to the Atonement of my Savior and the gift of the Holy Ghost, the greatest
gift my God has ever given me is that of being Jacob’s wife. I’ll never stop being humbled by it.

I’m just so grateful for the last twenty-six years and the knowledge that we have eternity ahead.
It feels too good to be true. But thankfully, it isn’t.

Oh I love Jacob Allen. And today, on this day our family began in a beautiful temple in Zollikofen,
Switzerland, I have the most perfect reminder that he loves me back.

Just so much joy

The many faces of Grace during Beauty and the Beast the other night at Hale Center Theater.
Yeah, she most certainly didn’t love it. And neither did her mom.

Love this little darling and her joy of all things music, dance and creative fabulousness.
It was the best night.

Darling boys and temple baptisms

The best way to begin a late-start Wednesday for these darling boys and their good hearts.
Extra grateful for that one in the middle and his amazing goodness and how bright he shines.

Last night

Just the Emily fan club hanging out together last night. Oh, and playing some Christmas
recital songs too. But mostly, just a group meeting for everyone who loves Emily a lot.

And believe me, the Allens love Emily a lot.

She’s just the coolest chica

The sweetest night and my darling dad

My favorite thing we have done so far this Christmas season was to take a mini Christmas party
to my sweet dad. I really loved that all of us could be there together with him. And so enjoyed
spending a moment to read scriptures and thoughts about the Savior’s birthday, with songs sung
together in between. Followed by the three youngest playing their Christmas piano recital pieces
on my mom’s beautiful piano and then eating some delicious lemon cake (just like my mom
always loved), while talking and laughing and having my dad share some of his favorite
Christmas memories. And finishing it all off with a family prayer together before we left.

It was the sweetest of nights and I just love these eight people, and Jacob, more than I can put
into words. And am so thankful for memories like last night that will forever be a favorite.

Jacob's Guatemala trip

Very similar to the work he did in Africa last month, Jacob was in Guatemala for almost two weeks this month,
to once again help the LDS church evaluate and measure their malnourishment initiative in the country.
It was another beautiful and sacred trip for him and I just feel so grateful for this experience he had and for
the incredible people in Guatemala. We've loved Guatemala for a long time and Jacob's trip there certainly
didn't lessen that love he and Annie (and even I by proxy) have for its beauty, its people and its culture.
I'm so thankful for the opportunities Jacob continues to have and the good he continues to do.

An ace for this incredible boy

This stud got an ace (hole in one) today during a disc golf league. The older guys he was playing with
 went nuts—because aces hardly ever happen in disc golf. I loved hearing about it when Ben got home and
 imagining that moment for him. And I love that per tradition, everyone he was playing with signed his ace disc.

This boy loves disc golf so crazy much. He plays every chance he gets and while he will hate that
 I’m saying this, he has become incredibly good in a short period of time. It makes me so happy to see
 how much joy it brings him and how hard he is willing to work at it. He’s just the coolest.

A moment I never want to forget

Late last night, Ben had finished what he needed to do and was the last one upstairs with me.
He told me good night and I went into my room to finish getting ready for bed. More than
ten minutes later, I went out to check on Denali before I went to sleep and this is what I saw.

I went back into my room and could not quit crying. So sweet and heartbreaking, all at the same time.

Our sweet girl's birthday

Every year on her birthday, I text her previous owner and thank her for letting Denali be a part of our family for the last
many years. And today was no different. Except I had to share the heartbreaking news we received back in August.

I’ve had to focus hard today to not think about this being our last birthday with our Denali girl. Instead, we’ve
just spoiled her—a small cheeseburger of her own, everyone in the family petting her every time they walk by,
some time outside running around. She’s such a simple little love—she’s not really into treats, she doesn’t care
for toys, she just wants to run free and be with her people. So that is what we’ve done on her 13th birthday.

It’s been a good day for our Denali Blue. And for us to have her here. As her wonderful owner that raised
her and trained her so well said today, “she’s such a special soul.” And she is. I’m so thankful she’s ours.