Called to serve her King

My heart feels broken into pieces and nothing about life will seem
right for the next sixteen and a half months. But I am doing everything
in my power to focus on the joy. And God always sends joy.

Finished

Our beautiful girl officially finished her six weeks of home MTC tonight.

She is good to the core of her being and I’m so deeply proud of her.

After and before, in that order

Second and final round of braces put on for this stud.

My strange life

In another episode of "Weird Things Linn Allen Finds Fascinating"
we have this fun and seemingly random photo.

A few days ago, I found out that there was a nearby dog show happening over
last weekend and ending today. So after I finished my housework and homework
(like the responsible old lady that I am), I showed up this afternoon, planning to stay
for 15 minutes. Just over three hours later, they crowned best of show (spoiler alert:
it was the mini schnauzer) and I decided it was probably time to make my way home.

I live a bizarre life. Mostly because I make bizarre choices.

(And before you waste your time on a comment, yes, I am aware there
are a whole lot of people that have known me for a whole lot of years
that feel absolutely zero surprise when it comes to that last paragraph.)

Our beautiful missionary (and her darling little sister)

Our missionary. She leaves us in eight days and I can't even think about it without crying.
But I'm also so very excited for her. She's something else. And I'm so honored to be her mom.

And that second picture. These girls have the sweetest relationship. The next sixteen
and a half months is going to be hard on Grace. But she'll make it. We all will.
Because even though we are going to miss Hermana Allen like crazy, she's ours forever.

 

Which surely makes us the luckiest.

Homecoming

My darling boy and his beautiful date for the Homecoming dance last night. It was
so fun to take the pictures for his group. But oh my word, I just can't believe it is
his senior year and last fall school dance. Love this Matthew of ours a whole lot.

Four more weeks

After six weeks of different versions of splints and casts, this girl is officially done
with that portion of her healing. And on to a brace for four more weeks. We can see a
finish line in sight, even if it is a little further away that we expected. Just so grateful
for how well our sweet Grace has healed, considering the seriousness of her fracture.

A BYU football game and one tremendous boy

Last Saturday, our boy had a chance to be at the BYU/Utah game  and said it was one of his
favorite nights he has ever experienced. And not just because BYU won, but because of the
atmosphere, the intensity, the decibel level and the pouring rain. It was just the best. As is our boy.

Grace's 8th birthday party

Grace decided that rather than a big birthday party for her eighth birthday, she wanted to take one
friend to lunch and to Build-A-Bear. So that is exactly what we did last week. This darling Kaloni
joined Grace and they had the best time. Kaloni was even able to come over after and play for a
few hours, which made the party all that more perfect. Sure adore all of Grace's cute friends and
this sweet friend in particular. And love Grace's idea for the best eighth birthday party ever!

Oh, and the fact that the party happened right during Hermana Allen's break, so she could
join just made it all the better. Love these two girls of mine so much, I can hardly stand it.

Yesterday (but actually Sunday, when he kindly came home to celebrate)

Campbell Jacob ~ This is twenty-two

Happy, Happy Birthday my amazing boy! You are so incredibly loved.

Three years

"We, buried dreams
Laid them deep into the earth behind us
Said, our goodbyes
At the grave but everything reminds us
God knows, we ache
When He asks us to go on
How do we go on?

So we will sing, to our souls
We won't bury our hope
Where He leads us to go
There's a red sea road
When we can't, see the way
He will part the waves
And we'll never walk alone
Down a red sea road.

Oh help us believe
You are faithful, You're faithful
When our hearts are breaking
You are faithful, You're faithful
Oh grant us eyes to see
You are faithful, You're faithful
Teach us to sing
You are faithful, You're faithful, You're faithful.

And we will sing, to our souls
We won't bury our hope
Where He leads us to go
There's a red sea road
When we can't, see the way
He will part the waves
And we'll never walk alone
Down a red sea road.

No, we'll never, walk alone
Down a red sea road
No, we'll never, walk alone
Down a red sea road."

It's still a day filled with questions and grief and difficult memories. But it's also a day of absolute
knowledge of where she is at and how close she remains to those of us who love her most.

Missing you deeply today Mom. Three years closer.


Song can be found here for those interested.

Pictures from Grace's baptism