13 days and counting...

Well after almost a year of anticipation the count down has begun for our trip to Prague. I am so excited! we leave Feb 25th and come home Mar. 5th. Yes folks that is eight days. Well technically we are flying for two days but still six days! It's gonna be awesome. We plan on visiting Prague Castle, the Jewish Cemetery and this little no name pastry place we saw on the travel channel. Hopefully we will be able to go to Austria and see  the concentration camps and maybe Paris to see all that wonderful city has to offer. I plan on not sleeping much and freezing my buns off and having the time of my life!! Did I mention it is 8 days with just me an Justin? YEAH!!!

Madisen's weekend with Grandma

This is Madisen with her "faith box"

Getting her nails done.

Madisen at Aunt Nancy's with her new puppies. 

Madisen at Grandma and Grandpa's house. She is teaching Grandpa how to play Nintendo Dogs

In October Tanner went to Disneyland with Grandma DeMille and Madisen stayed home. This weekend it was Madisen's turn to have a weekend alone with Grandma. I picked her up from school early and took her over to Grandma's house to go to Utah. They were going to visit Grandma and Grandpa Latimer. She was so excited! While there she got her nails done, visited Aunt Nancy and got all the attention she could get from all her Grandparents. 

On the last night they were their they couldn't find Grandma Latimer's ring. Madisen said a prayer to find it and promised that if Jesus would help them to find the ring she would sing some church songs. A few minutes later Grandma Latimer thought she should check the binder one more time and there they were. Madisen was so excited and said "Grandma I felt the Holy Spirit" and she started to cry. Grandma Latimer gave her the little pink box she kept her rings in and told her that inside that box was faith. You can't see it but it is their as long as you want it in your life.  She has been talking about it over and over since she got home. She has even teared up again a few times. I am so happy that the kids have learned some very important lessons early in their lives. I hope as their mother I am able to help them remember the feelings they have had and help them strengthen their testimonies throughout their lives.

Eternity

Eternity is such a giant concept for most of us to really comprehend. I was reading some other blogs today as well as an entry on our family website that has me thinking. I have been thinking about heaven. My thoughts use to be of white fluffy clouds, and sunshine all the time. But then came that day 25 years ago that changed heaven from some place abstract to some place very real. It became a place I HAVE to go and not just a place that would be nice to go to someday when I die. I now had two of the most important people in my life there. And Michael was only seven when he died so he will be in the Celestial Kingdom because he didn't reach the age of accountability. Growing up I put a lot of pressure on myself to be perfect in every way. Knowing that if I wasn't I wouldn't be with Michael and Dad forever. Almost to the point of driving myself crazy. Let's face it this is an impossible task without an understanding of the Atonement. Once I learned and gained a testimony about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and what it means in my life things got easier. I am not alone in this quest for perfection and whenever I screw up He is there to pick up the pieces and set me straight again.  I write this because people we love die everyday whether we have known it was coming or it is sudden, tragic accident. I won't know why Dad and Michael were taken back to heaven when they were until I am able to see the work they are doing in heaven. In the mean time I can pray for comfort to know that this was God's will. He needed them in heaven more than I needed them here on earth. At times when I get mad, and I still do get mad, or I miss them, I pray again for the comfort I have felt many, many times and put my trust back in Christ's loving hands. 

Today I am thankful for my family. For a mom who continued to take us to church, made me go to seminary and got up early to drive me there, worked hard, and prayed harder. She is the most incredible person in my world and there is a special place in heaven waiting for her!!! I have the two most amazing kids. They teach me everyday not to sweat the small stuff. And words cannot describe my wonderful husband. He looks at me crazy when I cry for no reason and holds me until I am done. He works so hard so that I don't have to. He is my rock here on earth and I am lucky to have him with me for eternity.