Sponsor a Ducky In Memory of Lauren!

This organization is such a special team of people. When Lauren got out of the hospital she got to make a wish. Her wish was to go to Disney World with her family. Lauren passed away the same weekend that she had gotten home from Florida. Thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, her family will always be able to remember that magical weekend they spent at Disney World with their daughter and sister.

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Utah is hosting their 23rd Annual Rubber Ducky Derby and you can help make a child's wish come true by sponsoring a ducky. They're only $6 a ducky, so donate in memory of Lauren!

Baptism

Last month my oldest son, Timote, turned 8. Eight is such a special age for us because it is a time in life when you choose for yourself to become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Normally I only write about church related things in my personal blog, but I feel impressed to share this special experience from our family. Before I had kids I remember thinking about baptism and how it occurred at the age of 8. I thought 8 was way too young for a child to make a personal decision about religion. I wondered why 8? Why not wait until your older and wiser and have a better grasp on decision making? Why 8? When Mote turned 7 I told my husband that I didn't want Mote to get baptized unless he understood the meaning of it. I didn't want him to get baptized just because you're "supposed to" when you're 8. This summer, as his birthday drew nearer, we talked more and more about the gospel and I could tell he was so excited to get baptized . We scheduled an interview with our bishop and I didn't really know what to expect. When we got to the church I waited out in the hall as Mote went in to the office. I sat outside for longer than I had anticipated. When the door finally opened, the Bishop invited me in to sit next to Mote. He recapped on what he and Mote discussed. They talked about the actual baptism and how it would be conducted. I listened to the Bishop talk and glanced at Mote from time to time. He was so handsome sitting there. I couldn't believe how much he had grown. I sat there and smiled. Together, Mote and the Bishop reviewed with me the covenants Mote would enter. The Bishop explained that Heavenly Father promises that if Mote keeps the commandments and is obedient that he can return to Heavenly Father and live with Him in heaven. When I heard this my eyes filled with tears. I immediately thought of Lauren. I thought of her in heaven, waiting for us to make it back to her. I leaned over and hugged Mote and whispered in his ear "Mote, did you hear that? We'll get to go to heaven and see Rennie." He smiled at me and nodded his head. What a beautiful promise. The realization that I too made this promise at 8 filled my heart with joy. The Bishop said he asked Mote personally if he wanted to be baptized and Mote said yes. I walked out of that office and said a silent prayer of gratitude, thanking Heavenly Father for such a wonderful son who is an example to me, for his character that has helped strengthen my testimony, and for the beautiful covenants that we have and the opportunity to live in heaven with our Father and our family.

Mote got baptized on July 2, 2011. He was baptized by his grandpa Kina (Ti Tonga's Dad) and confirmed by his Grandpa Ti (my Dad). It was so special to see these ordinances take place by these men that mean so much to Mote. It was neat to reflect back on my baptism day as well. I thought a lot about it during Mote's. As I watched Mote and listened to the words that were said that day, I remembered the details of my baptism day and silently renewed those covenants in my heart with my Heavenly Father.

 

I'm so proud of Mote and the righteous decision he made. I have a testimony that this gospel is inspired and run by a divine Father who knows all. I now know how special the 8th year is. I believe it is a time when we are old enough to understand the ordinances of baptism, and still pure enough at heart to make a worthy decision. It is a special age when Heavenly Father thinks that his children are ready to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. I thank my son for teaching me this.

DUMBfounded

Our garage remote has been inoperable for months now... maybe even a year. The battery died and I attempted once  before to buy a new one while grocery shopping only to find out it was the wrong size. So we've been parking the car out on the street for quite some time. The times where we've actually parked in the garage have been a pain. We'll pull up, turn off the car, send someone to unlock the front door, then they have to run the key back to the car so we can start it up again, run back to the house through the front door, take their shoes off ;) , go in to the garage and push the button to open the garage door. It sucks! Today me and Ti FINALLY decided to take a trip to Radio Shack to get a new battery for the remote. When the clerk opened up the remote she looked at the battery and said "Oh, your battery's not dead... it's just upside down."

 

 I didn't even know how to react. She tested the battery to make sure that it was still active and sure enough it was. Since I was already there I decided to buy a new battery for my car remote. We tested that as soon as we walked out of the store... and it worked yay! When we pulled up to the house with our existing battery in the garage remote (now turned the right way) we pushed that magical button... and up went the garage door. Hip hip hooray. I'm an idiot.

An Empty Home is a Boring Home

The kids left back with our family to Salt Lake. I miss them. Home just isn't the same without them. They got to Utah before the sun went down so they went straight to Wasatch to visit Ren.

Yesterday Ti drove out to Utah as well for a rugby tournament. So I'm sitting in an empty house twiddling my thumbs. As long as everyone else is having fun right? Blah

One Last Time

May 20th will be a day I will never forget. I remember the way my heart raced, the pain and sadness I felt. The level of heartache that I experienced for the first time. But also the calm, peaceful, joyous feeling that entered into my heart as well. I remember a love that filled a small hospital space as we gathered around such a special, beautiful, choice daughter of God. I remember the tears that were shed, the embraces that were shared, the sweet words that were whispered, and the songs that were so beautifully sung. I remember witnessing such a pure love shared between a mother, father, and daughter. As I stood and observed my oldest sister and her husband at the bedside of their oldest daughter, my attention was also drawn to my parents, as they too knelt by their oldest daughter. We wept together. It is a memory that will always hold a special place in my heart. I got to witness one more miracle before before Ren left. Of all that I was ever able to see and learn from, this may have been the one that I will forever thank the Lord for letting me have. She held on for me. She held on for me, Misi, and Fatu. I got to hold her hand one last time. I remember clenching it and rubbing it against my cheek. I got to touch her hair. I got to kiss her little face. And I got to whisper in her ear that I love her. One last time. I know not everyone gets that chance. I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father allowed us one last sweet memory with our princess.