The Now

Aren't we adorable?  My love
 fresh off the plane from England
and finally home to me :)
November 5, 2012

I can't believe it's February already.  It's funny how fast time marches by when all is well.  Why is it that the harder the day, the longer it is?  A most unfair anomaly.  Well at any rate, Geoff has been home for three months now!  That's 1/4 the time he was gone.  I can hardly believe it.  So much has happened since we were reunited.

Having the house full of laughter again is the most comforting thing.  For those that know my dear husband, you can appreciate how much laughter he brings into our lives.  The antics are nearly never-ending and I am more than fine with that.... apparently, that's how I can know he loves me :)

I love that even after 13 years together, we are still so excited to be together.  Actually, I would say, our love has grown in infinite amounts as we have weathered the seas of life together... and the older I get the more license I have to be cheesy.

Devon, Geoff and Mom at The Little Chapel on the Hill

Just after Geoff got home, his family came to visit.  He was so happy to see Mom, Dad and his younger brother, Devon.  It had been almost five years since he had seen them.  We had a lovely few days together and were sad to see them go.  We are looking forward to a summer in Idaho!






The Monday after Thanksgiving, we took a plunge and enrolled all the children in public school.  It was very difficult the first few weeks and there were many tears, both theirs and mine, but currently everyone is adjusted and thriving... Even me.  I've taken a new job as a Special Needs Substitute at the elementary where my children attend.  It is a great fit for me, I can use my skills and education doing something I love, but only when I want to.

Our Gingerbread/Graham Cracker village.

Christmas all together was wonderful.  Being able to have a partner in crime, as we laid out presents Christmas Eve was the best part of my Christmas.  I think Santa is much more fun as an adult.

And we got to have our annual Gingerbread/Graham Cracker House party.  We had a few other families join us in the festivities and enjoyed a night of good food and sugar!

After two months of anxious searching, Geoff has also found the perfect job: working in the county juvenile detention facility.  He has been working for a few weeks now and is finally starting regular shift work after finishing his training.  He loves it, the hours are conducive for further his education (both in Criminal Justice and as a helicopter pilot) and the pay more than meets our needs.  God is good.

We are feeling very blessed and watched over.  God loves His children and He is a very attentive Father.  He knows our needs and longs for us to have joy.  As long as we trust in Him, we cannot fail.

Life is good.  It is oh, so good.

Enjoying quality time with Daddy at the park because we can do that in Texas in December :)
And what better way to utilize time at the park than burying one of your own.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Even when our fearless leader is 3386.5 miles away.

Our Christmas has been quiet and peaceful and just enjoyable. The kids have been sick, but still happy. We got to talk with G on the web cam today and it was definitely the highlight!!

Christmas eve was fun and laid back. The kids and I went to the BXtra (a.k.a. the toy store) with some money from various grandparents (Thanks Marrott's and Grandma Waters) and left with full arms. We went out for lunch and then made our rounds to the post office and bank while watching Christmas movies in the car (gotta love the in-car DVD players, we are so spoiled!). Then we set out delivering Christmas CD's we had made (in lieu of baked goods) to our friends. We came home, had homemade pizza and made gingerbread (don't tell the kids, but they were actually graham crackers) houses and went to bed.

It was great! Don't get me wrong, I love celebrating, we usually do a Christmas Eve party at our house, but it was so nice to have nothing on the agenda and to just relax.

*In order by Artist: Daeglan, Mac, Emeryss, and Brody

I have to tell ya a little about the 'gingerbread' houses though. After making them with my kids, I am convinced that you can tell a lot about someone by their gingerbread house. For example, Mac's house was simple, almost plain and he didn't get frustrated once while making it. Then there is Daeglan's house, or rather houses. He made a total of 3. The first one fell down and he refused to rebuild so it's in the trash; the 2nd was "ugly" and it also went into the rubbish bin; 3rd times a charm though! Emeryss made a "Princess Castle" which she decorated with half-eaten candy and Brody's was a church for the gingerbread man and woman to get married in (guess we haven't taught him enough about the temple, just kidding!).

Christmas Day was almost as laid back, but surely just as fun... ok, it was actually really fun! Hello, Santa came!

Before the Storm.

In The Thick of It!

The Aftermath!!!

We, again, relaxed and just enjoyed the gifts. We played and had good food and our favorite part was talking with all our family! Thanks for loving us! Despite all the flying wrapping paper and fighting over toys and poor, sick tears, we remembered our Savior. He is the reason we have hope, peace, love, and joy in our lives today.

It is our testimony that Christ was born in Bethleham, suffered in Gethsemane, died on the cross in Calgary and took up His body again in the tomb. Our family knows that Christ lives and loves us. We know that if it were not for His atoning sacrifice we could have no hope of returning to our Heavenly Father. We know that He knows us and is aware of our needs and watches out for us when things get hard. We testify that our Father in Heaven hears and answers our prayers and that He has sent us prophets to guide us in these latter days. We know that Joseph Smith was called as God's prophet and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. And we know that Thomas S. Monson is the Lord's prophet on the earth today. We know these things by the power and gift of the Holy Ghost as it witnesses to us the truth of all things. And we share them with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Like I said, It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

I'd Like to Bear My Testimony

To heed the counsel of the apostles, I would like to share my testimony with everyone I know and everyone I don't.  Let me first begin by saying that there are times in my life when I have taken for granted the things that I know.   There have been times when life's challenges and circumstances have, unfortunately, bogged me down or made me 'too busy' to stop and daily ponder the things I know.  However, I have never doubted, nor ever will what I know to be true.

I know I have a Heavenly Father.  I know that I am truly His daughter.  I know that as a earthy father loves and is aware of his children, my Heavenly Father loves and is aware of me only on a much grander scale.  I know that He hears me when I pray to Him.  I know He answers me.  I know that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to this earth to intercede in my behave.  Christ came willingly as a most beloved Brother to sacrifice Himself for all of God's children.  I know that Jesus Christ is my personal Savior.  He lived and died for me, so that I may have the opportunity to return to live again with my Father in Heaven.  I know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ can I receive not only salvation, but also exaltation.  I know that by and through this miraculous ordinance, I can be made pure, made whole and eventually made perfect.  I have felt the power of the Atonement in my life, not only when I have needed the divine gift of forgiveness, but also when I have needed the divine gift of comfort, peace and healing.

I know that there was an apostasy and a falling away from truth after Christ's death and the death of the Apostles.  And I know that Christ called for a restoration of all things.  I know that this Restoration of Christ's gospel in it's fullness was revealed to Joseph Smith in 1820 in a grove of trees.  I know that the Father and the Son standing side by side appeared to Joseph Smith as he prayed for guidance.  I know that Joseph Smith was divinely appointed to translate the Book of Mormon.  I know the Book of Mormon to be the word of God and His Son, Jesus Christ.  I know that God intends for us to have a living prophet and modern revelation.

I have a testimony of the doctrines of the restored gospel.  I have a testimony of tithing, temple ordinances, the priesthood and eternal families.  I know that the power of God has been given to man once again.  And I know that only with proper authority can man act in God's name.  The power of the Priesthood as given to Peter, James and John was given to Joseph Smith and is on the earth today.  With the Priesthood, sacred ordinances such as baptism, the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and temple ordinances can be performed for both the living and the dead.  

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ's church upon the earth today.  Christ is it's Head.  He guides and directs and leads through a living Prophet, Thomas S. Monson and the Quorum of the 12 Apostles.  And I know that Jesus Christ will come to the earth again to reign as Lord and King.  

I know these things because I have studied, I have prayed, I have asked in faith with sincere intent, having faith in Christ, and the Holy Ghost has confirmed to me the truthfulness of these things.  And I leave them with you, in the name of the Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Testimonies

In this months Ensign, Elder Ballard admonished us to use the internet to share the gospel.  The Marrott's are trying to take this to heart.  We have decided to share our testimonies with you.  

 

*Honestly, we weren't coaxing them, only helping them to remember what they had previously decided they wanted to share.*