Our Clan of Celtic Offspring: updates

Thursday, February 7, 2013

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.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

It's been a long time...

Well, that's an understatement!

I'll be posting some updates soon. But to give a quick filler-inner...

Geoff got home on July 9th and we are all soooo happy to be together as a family again, 7 months is a long time! Since then we've just been living and going with the flow. We took a family trip to Legoland and Windsor the end of July, Emeryss and I went to Germany in August and in September school started back up and Brody was baptized. So there is much to update everyone on and there are lots of pictures!

I'm trying to get back in an organized mode, so bear with me...
until then...

The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles

As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ two millennia ago, we offer our testimony of the reality of His matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice. None other has had so profound an influence upon all who have lived and will yet live upon the earth. He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New. Under the direction of His Father, He was the creator of the earth. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). Though sinless, He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. He “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), yet was despised for it. His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example. He walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. He taught the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potential for the sons and daughters of God in the life to come. He instituted the sacrament as a reminder of His great atoning sacrifice. He was arrested and condemned on spurious charges, convicted to satisfy a mob, and sentenced to die on Calvary’s cross. He gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift in behalf of all who would ever live upon the earth. We solemnly testify that His life, which is central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary. He was the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world. He rose from the grave to “become the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15:20). As Risen Lord, He visited among those He had loved in life. He also ministered among His “other sheep” (John 10:16) in ancient America. In the modern world, He and His Father appeared to the boy Joseph Smith, ushering in the long-promised “dispensation of the fulness of times” (Ephesians 1:10). Of the Living Christ, the Prophet Joseph wrote: “His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying: “I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father” (D&C 110:3–4). Of Him the Prophet also declared: “And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! “For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father— “That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God” (D&C 76:22–24). We declare in words of solemnity that His priesthood and His Church have been restored upon the earth—“built upon the foundation of … apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20). We testify that He will someday return to earth. “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” (Isaiah 40:5). He will rule as King of Kings and reign as Lord of Lords, and every knee shall bend and every tongue shall speak in worship before Him. Each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires of our hearts. We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles—that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son. © 2000 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. English approval: 12/99. 36299