Fall soccer ~ Matthew style

Fall soccer ~ Campbell style

Our Sunday

Today we attended a church meeting where Jacob's wonderful dad was sustained and
set apart as a member of the stake presidency where he lives. The privilege of listening to
his testimony of the Savior touched my heart deeply. One reason I love this church and the
gospel of Jesus Christ is because we are asked to do things we wouldn't normally do, in order
to bless the lives of others and to become better people for the Lord. Another reason is because
families truly can be together forever. Both of those truths bless my life every single day.

On our way home, we drove down a lane where our sweet prophet has a home
in the area. It was absolutely breathtaking. I felt so grateful for our beautiful
world, for our dear prophet and for the incredible goodness of God.

One year

One year ago today, I received a phone call that changed my life. Quickly followed by multiple
trips to spend time with my Gram, more tears than I thought possible, decisions I never thought
I would personally be asked to make and some of the most sacred hours of my life. God has
steadied my heart in the last many months, so I have been unprepared for the intensity of my
feelings leading up to this year mark. But between time spent in prayer, a priesthood blessing
from my sweet husband and an undeserved and increased amount of kindness and strength
from my Heavenly Father and Savior, I woke up with the strongest desire I have ever felt
to trust the Lord, to focus on finding joy and to more deeply learn to love myself and
those around me. Because I know that is what my Gram would want. I'm so blessed.

But oh I miss her so much. And yet, I am full of hope.
Because I know exactly where she is at.
And how close she still is to me.

Annie's 15th Birthday

Happy Birthday to our sweet Annie! I woke up this morning both shaking my head
that she could be fifteen and filled with such gratitude that this girl is ours. She is good
and kind and beautiful and brilliant and creative to the core. I absolutely adore
her and am blessed beyond measure because I get to be her mom.

My favorite season

The colors of nature absolutely blow me away.

Grandma Cammy's birthday celebration

This year, our little family has been celebrating the lives of the four sets of grandparents that
Jacob and I have. It has been such an sweet experience. Tonight, we were able to celebrate
the life of Jacob's grandma and felt so blessed to have her here with us. It was such a
wonderful night. I don't even have words for how much I adore Grandma Cammy.

Because this boy was named after his darling grandma.

Does she seem remotely like she could be 92? Not in any way. It blows me away.

The amount of sweetness in this one darling lady is pretty amazing.

And this picture right before Grandma left. I just love it.

I just really love him

Two pretty cool soccer pictures

I just really love the awesomeness of the sky.
And love watching Matt play soccer even more.

My morning walk

This morning I listened to my last talk from this past April general conference.
And I was surprised to feel a bit sad. Even though I am excited that the most recent
conference is now available and look forward to my mornings listening to those talks,
I've come to love the words of our prophets from the last six months. I've listened to
each talk close to ten times and they have changed me. I feel a bit like I'm losing an old
friend that has seen me through some happy and hard times. I really love this gospel

Our conference weekend

We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet

In just over an hour, the general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints begins.
It happens twice a year and I look forward to it more than most anything else all year. God loves
His children. And has given us prophets to more fully know His will and feel His love.

What an incredible blessing.

September 30th

Hey Jacob Allen,

Remember when we decided we couldn't live without each other, so we flew to
Switzerland to get married? And then moved around a dozen times, lived in four
different states, had six glorious children, laughed like crazy people, wept from
disappointment and heartbreak, and fell deeper in love than we thought possible?

Yeah, I really loved that.

Thanks for my sparkly gold band and for getting down on one knee
to ask me a very particular question eighteen years ago this very day.

You are my happy place, the love of my life and next to the gospel of
Jesus Christ, the greatest gift God has ever given me.

I thank Him every single day for you.

And I love you. A lot.

September phone pics

Looks like this edition is heavy on the sky and the Grace.

And representing September as their birthday month in our house...these two cheesers.

Sky picture, the first.

I let my kids use these small shopping carts about once every 14 years. I don't have
the personality or the patience to shop with them. My calves and the other shoppers
at the store are grateful each time I say no. But this day was an unusual yes.
And Annie and I couldn't quit laughing. Nate looked all grown up and like when he
was finished loading the groceries he had just purchased, he'd drive us all right home. 

Sky picture, the second.

On this particular Saturday, Annie had  just finished mowing her section of
the lawn. When she stopped the mower, I asked her if she knew where Matt
was, since he had the last section. She replied, "Mom, I'll just do his part.
He has a friend over and I don't want him to have to stop playing to mow."

Her kindness overwhelms me. And of course she let her little sister help.

Sky picture, the third.

Just running home this day after picking up some potty training treats for this
little darling. She had just started the day before, but was doing so well, we needed
more candy. And now of course, she is done. Even through the night. I'm so grateful.

Sky picture, the fourth. And last. You're welcome.

This little girl fell asleep multiple times during the day, during a two-day period.
Which is so very much not like her. She was born not really believing  sleep was
that important. So I knew something was up. Sure enough, a doctor confirmed an
infection was wiping her out. Poor little darling. I'm so glad she is feeling better.

DC, family and moderation

Jacob is in DC for a few days for work. And what are the Allen odds that so are his aunt,
his cousins and his brother? I mean really. Yes, one cousin and her husband live in DC,
but the fact that four of the six people in this photo from their get together last night
are from Utah, is a little crazy. These are tremendous people. Man, we love them.

But the true reason Jacob is on the East coast is because he was asked to
moderate a panel at the Global Youth Economic Opportunities Summit 2016.
It's kind of a big deal. And as usual, I am so incredibly proud of him.

Earlier today, his darling cousin (the one in the blue shirt above) attended part
of the conference. And she sent me the sweetest email about what an incredible
job Jacob did and included these pictures. (She also called him a rockstar.
Which I loved a lot.) I cannot believe her kindness. It means so much to me.

And I can't believe Jacob's amazingness. It also means so much to me.
And makes my wonderful life possible. I absolutely adore him.

Just for the record, I did ask Jacob if I could post this pictures and write about him.
He said that was fine, but just asked me not to be effusive. Since I don't know
big words like he does, I'm going to assume effusive means, "Don't hold back lady."

Saturday evening

I obviously know that Jacob is good friends with the Eyring's awesome son-in-law, but still,
I wasn't expecting a letter from the Office of the First Presidency to arrive in the mail today.
Nor the tickets to Priesthood Session to have President Eyring's names printed in the corner.

So much kindness, I can hardly stand it. We are so grateful.

Six and done

Even through the night.

After seventeen years of diapers, we are officially done.
Happy, happy, happy day. One of the happiest actually.

Sure love this girl.
And her diaperless self.

Campbell and his birthday present

Can we talk about the fact that this boy had his first guitar lesson less than a week ago
and today, his visiting grandparents asked him to play for them?  And that between
his incredible voice and his playing ability (on a really cool song that is not simple),
I was pretty blown away. Hey, thanks for the talk, I enjoyed it.