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.

A fractured arm and one amazing girl

We spent last night in the ER with sweet Grace. She had been swinging
on a neighbor's monkey bars and slipped, falling just right onto her arm.
I knew the second she walked in the door that we were headed to the hospital.

We walked into InstaCare first, where a nurse came out to take a look and
recommend that the ER would likely be best, as she might need some "extra
care" they couldn't offer her there in InstaCare. So down the hall we went.

The doctor confirmed a fracture on sight and they put in
an IV to get her some pain meds and get her ready for x-rays.

The x-rays confirmed a fracture that was unfortunately pretty out of line (I think
we all knew that was likely the case just from looking at the shape of her arm)
and they had to give Grace oxygen and sedate her to set the bone back in place.

Sweet Grace is now the owner of a splint and a sling and will see the orthopedic surgeon
on Tuesday, where he will x-ray her again and either cast her arm at that point or have to
do surgery and then cast her arm, if the bone has shifted at all. We would be so grateful
for your prayers, with us, that the bone holds its place and no surgery is needed.

It was a long night, but it truly could have been so much worse and we are so thankful.
Grace was absolutely incredible and I don't say that lightly. After the initial shock and
tears from the pain, she went inside her self, becoming very quiet and still for the drive,
the wait and being set up in her room. She handled in better than most grownups I know.

It was good to get her home last night and have her fall asleep quickly and
soundly. She really is just so brave and amazing and it is such a privilege to be
her mom. I'm so thankful Jacob and I could be there for her when it mattered
the most. And also so grateful for doctors and nurses and especially prayer.

Oh we love our Gracie girl something fierce.

Our Mexico vacation ~ Day 8

All packed up and ready to head home. Sad for my heart, happy for my old lady back
(that likely couldn't have lasted another night in our vacation bed that was a tad hard).

And last, but certainly not least, I'm so grateful to have this photo of our kids with their grandparents.
Rex and Nancy could not have been more kind, more generous, more fun to be around. Their gifting
us this incredible trip meant our little family not only had one of the best weeks we have ever had,
but that the memories of this vacation will always be some of our favorites. We are just so thankful.

Our Mexico vacation ~ Day 7

On our second to last day, seven of the eight of our family members went on the adventure you see
below, but our Matt joined two uncles, an aunt and two cousins to go spearfishing. And yes, it is just
what it sounds like. I heard it was super cool, but I could have told you that from the looks of this
picture alone. So grateful for fabulous family who take our kids along on fun adventures and bring
them back safely. Oh, and take awesome pictures in addition. What more could I ask for?

The rest of us headed to a fabulously fun cenote to explore and swim.

 

It really was amazing and beyond beautiful.

 

Showering off when we were finished. I love watching my kids laugh together.

And with things almost over, one more picture of these I love so much.

And a quick selfie with this guy I absolutely adore.

Who happened to take this picture that evening and can you even? I know I can't.