Ecuador ~ Otavalo edition

Our first full day after arriving in Ecuador was spent on a day trip to Otavalo. We stopped to
 learn about and stand on the equator, hiked to a gorgeous waterfall, rode a fun zip line in
a park on the way back from the hike, spent some time visiting the markets and ate dinner
 at a restaurant on the shore of Lake San Pablo. It was a really wonderful first day.

And it felt especially meaningful to me, as when I was very young, my family lived in Quito and spent 
most of our Sundays in Otavalo, attending and helping in a branch (a small church congregation) in the 
mountains there. (My dad recently told me that each of us seven children at the time, knew the words to 
I Am a Child of God in Quechua. He even sang the first line or so for us to hear and it was sweetest ever.)

I never could have imagined that almost five decades later, I would return to a country and
town that my mind doesn't remember, but my heart felt like it did. I'm just so grateful.

One incredible trip

Fifteen days, two countries, nine plane rides, two train rides, eight cities and towns, one wonder of
 the world, dozens and dozens of wildlife sightings, hundreds of thousands of steps taken, countless
interactions with the most amazing people—all alongside the eight humans I love most in the world.

I am far too blessed.

And have a photo or two to share. If you can imagine.

Stay tuned for more adventure.

C&K ~ Two years

Two years of marriage for these darlings and their goodness, light and fabulousness just keeps increasing.
 They are such a blessing to each other, to us and to everyone around them. Just love them both so crazy much.

Happy Birthday Kelsey!

Happy Birthday to this gorgeous girl who makes everything about our family and our life

more fun, more exciting, more light-filled, more hilarious and more wonderful!

She’s everything (and far more) than I ever knew to hope for in a daughter-in-law, in a friend
and in the perfect wife to our boy. She’s one of the most genuine people I have ever known,
has taught me how to be more true and kind to myself, makes us laugh hysterically every
single time we are around her and regularly brings me to tears with how much she loves
others, how she thinks about life and how she loves the Savior and chooses to be like Him.

(And I’ll always be grateful to her for bringing her amazing family
 into our lives—they are for sure some of our forever favorites.)

I’ll never forget the day our Campbell FaceTimed me, almost three years ago, and in the corner
of the screen, I saw just the shoulder and arm of a girl sitting somewhat near him. And before
he could even introduce her or turn the camera her way, my entire body filled with warmth and
I heard, “She’s who he’s been waiting for. She’s who all of you have been waiting for. But you
already knew that. Because you know her as well as you do each of your other children.”

I’m eternally grateful for that moment and every moment with Kelsey since. We do love her
like our own, because she is as much a part of our family, as the six that came before her.
And today, we celebrate one of the happiest days of our entire family life. The day God
sent Kelsey to her family, knowing someday she would also be a part of our’s.

We love you so much Kelsey! Happy, Happy Birthday! Thank you for choosing us and
making all of us better and happier because we have you in our lives.

The best kind of morning

Memorial Day

One of my very favorite traditions, with some of my very favorite people.

These three darlings

Playing disc golf from the roof. As one does.

Always climbing, always attracting light.

I'm not sure she ever stops dancing. Or smiling.

She's so happy

 

May service project

Because the service project this month involved an elementary school, and it is the last week of school in our area,
I had a chance to do the May service project earlier than usual. And it was the absolute sweetest experience. 

I ended up with exactly $700 to buy groceries for the families of a Title I school in my county. And the work that
the family service lead did, as well as the vice principal for the school, just blew me away. They had it completely
organized, knowing which families were coming, and it made it possible for me to buy each of the​ needed items
in numbers that could easily be divided by who we had coming. I was able to go early with all of the food and add 
it to some other unexpected donations they were given. And then those of us that had made sure the food was laid
out and ready to go, stuck around to help out the families who came after school, to gather their groceries. 

It was honestly the most beautiful, most humbling experience for me. When I finished and walked out to my car, I just sat
in it for several minutes, so touched by how many tremendous people there are in the world. And so overcome with the
goodness of those families and how hard they work every single day and how much just a bit of extra help meant to them. 

I could never have imagined that this ​p​rompting that God planted in my heart, at the beginning
of the year, would change me so deeply. I’m so thankful for Him and how He knew just what I needed.
And grateful for a world filled with so much goodness and light, it takes my breath away on a regular basis. 

Thank you to those who contributed. I wish each of you could have been there
to see how your money made a difference. And to be changed by it. 

And that last photo. My sweet friend’s sister​, and the vice principal of the school, left that gorgeous plant and a note that made me ​t​eary, on my porch a few days ago. ​F​ar too much kindness. I’ll never step into my backyard without remembering her kind words, the amazing families that I met just a few days ago and how ​d​eeply God loves His children​.

This Benjamin

This boy has had quite the week. Three AP tests, a spring piano recital (where he played
Claire de Lune beautifully), finishing and presenting his final class assignments, taking his final
exams, several evenings at his job and ending it all with his last rec soccer game this afternoon.

He’s just so good, this Ben Allen. I can’t put into words how well he does what he needs
to on his own every day, is happy nearly all the time, is so ridiculously kind to his mom,
loves the Savior and always puts Him first and makes us all laugh constantly with
his one-liners. I’m so honored to be his mom and watch in awe at who he chooses to be.

Now on to some incredibly exciting summer plans and a whole lot of bonus time to play disc golf.

He deserves it, this boy. Oh he’s tremendous.

Fifth grade 50s day

Fifties Day in the fifth grade for our darling Grace today. She was just so excited and
I was so happy for her. I just adore this little love and her joy and excitement for life.

Note: Grace and her cutest friend performed in front of the fifth grade and honestly,
I can't get over how well they did or how Grace knew to choreograph their dance with 50s
moves. The first time I saw it was on stage and none of us helped her for even a second, so to say
I was blown away by the darlingness and authenticity of the dance would be an understatement.

She's amazing this Grace Allen. I'm so grateful she's ours.

This boy and the game of soccer

Oh he's amazing this Nate Allen. So grateful for this game he loves
and his athletic, incredible self. He's just so tremendous.

Grateful

A perfect morning, with perfect weather, feeling so profoundly grateful for a perfect God.

Forever grateful

No one makes me laugh harder, cry more often (almost always for good reasons), feel deeper, love
stronger or be more grateful for the promise of a heaven where we will all be together forever someday.

I’m so thankful for a God that gave me the most beautiful gift (times seven) and
the sweetest of husbands—who never stops encouraging and loving me through it.

I’m humbled every single day by the privilege.

Three darling chicklets and one incredible teacher

Another year of piano with this absolutely incredible teacher and favorite human of 

ours. These three are just so amazing and good. I’m so grateful they keep practicing
and showing up. They are becoming absolutely tremendous pianists.

Happy day!

This sweetest boy is finally castless and braceless, as of a few days ago. It’s felt like a long
ten weeks (at least for this mom), but he never once complained or acted annoyed,
just smiled his way through it all—he’s so amazing to me. Gah, I love him so much.

Grace's second spring dance recital

This darling dancer was in her second and final spring recital on Saturday. And just when I cannot
get over how incredible she is at multiple forms of dance, she goes and does an absolutely
amazing job at two additional styles. Oh this girl loves dancing to the deepest part of her heart.
We are so thankful for her wonderful dance company for making sure all her dance dreams come true.

Summer job joy

This coolest of humans is back where her heart, mind and body are at home...and we will

miss her for much of the summer. But man, nothing makes me more at peace than seeing
my children truly happy. So a river rafting guide for the next several months it is—
with some climbing, hiking, being with her favorite people and loving Jesus mixed in.

Oh I love this girl.

April service project

When I woke up this morning, and it was raining, I knew it was going to be a really sweet day.
Rain has always been my sign from God that He just really loves His children.

And that was confirmed as I took the card and money, from so many of you, to
 sweet Logan’s mom, Kellie, to complete our April service opportunity.

I just don’t even know how to put into words how absolutely incredible Kellie is, how
sacred their home felt, how much I appreciated learning about the process of Logan’s tests
and what their outcome needs to be in the coming months, the degree of funny that Kellie
brings to life and the faith that this family has in God and His plan.

And as I drove home, I stopped to take that second picture, because it just felt like it
represented much of the hope of good things to come for Logan and his family.

Goodness, it was just such an honor, with many of you, to bless their family with some money
 to help with life right now, with all they are going through. But mostly, to make sure they
know they are loved, supported and are being prayed for constantly. Especially that Logan boy.
Because you’d better believe this most recent CAR-T cell therapy is going TO WORK!

Oh this was a sweet month with this family and this opportunity to serve. I’m so grateful
 for so many of you for being so generous and good. And thankful for a God that allows us
to be of help to His children, even just a little bit, from time to time.