Miss ya Mason

Mason, Happy Birthday my precious little angel.
Never did I think that 8 years would pass since we witnessed the biggest miracle of our lives, watching you defeat all medical odds to bless our family with your birth. You fought so hard to be here...your little heart and lungs were barely hanging on...but you did it. You gave your family the chance to meet you. To see those beautiful eyes, to be graced by your ear to ear grin, to smell your sweet scent, to hold your frail little body. You gave us the chance to love you...if but only for a few short months. You forever changed the course of our lives. Not a day goes by that we don't talk of you, think of you and wish you were here for us to see. We cherish our memories and thank Heavenly Father for the miracle of your life. We know the plan was for you to return to your eternal home but we are so thankful that we got to behold your face.






Your sisters talk of you often. Madison has such tender feelings for you. She is so proud to have been your big sister. She remembers you wearing a little pair of brown sandals. I think you two still have a special bond and I know she has seen and felt you near her. Reagan and Riley never got to know you in this life but they know you. Reagan doesn't let a stranger think that we only have 4 girls...she quickly shouts out that she has a brother too that died and lives with Jesus. Riley told her sunbeam teacher that your body was coming back someday when they were discussing the resurrection. And Avery too will know of you and talk about you with such honor. Sometimes when Avery is staring off in space and smiling so big...I think that you are around and she can see you. I know her eyes and heart are still pure and can be blessed by seeing such a heavenly being.



Our new house in Utah did not feel like home until I hung your beautiful picture in the entry way. We pass it many times a day and I love to see your smile. I held Avery up close to it today and saw a big resemblence. It made my heart warm to still be able to see glimpes of you in your sisters faces. Avery turned 5 months old this week. She is exactly one day older than you on the day your left this earthly life and returned to your Father in Heaven. I had a good cry about it today. Some still ask how we survived that terrible trial. How have we survived losing you. And I like to say that we did NOT lose you. We just sent you on to help prepare the way for all of us to return and be an eternal family. I don't think of you as a tiny helpless baby sitting on a cloud waiting until the resurection. But instead I know that the Lord had a great need for such a strong spirit up there. I know that you are a missionary up there...teaching those souls who didn't have a chance to hear the gospel in this life. You are very busy there preparing for the 2nd coming. That is how I have survived..knowing that I will be your mother again. Knowing that you had a purpose for blessing our family if only for 5 months. You continue to bless our family and I know you are blessing our ancestors who have already passed on.


Mason, I wish you were here to give you the biggest birthday hug and kiss. What a special year this would have been to see you baptized. But what a bigger blessing to know that you will inherit all the blessings that our Father in Heaven has for each of us. You will gain exaltation because you died sinless and perfect. I can't wait to behold your face again. Happy birthday my blessed little baby.

Love Mom

Eggs Anyone

We lucked out this year. We didn't have to hunt eggs in the snow this year. It is always a possibilty up here especially when Easter falls in March.
We had a big extended family egg hunt at our house this year. They cousins ranged in age from 15-1. Only half of the cousins were there. There are 18 in all. It is so nice to be able to be close to hubby's family for a change. He has enjoyed seeing his brothers more. 3 live in the surrounding area. They have snowboarded togther, hung drywall together, helped each other move into new homes, and just hung out. We look forward to many more family get togethers.

HOMESICK

BFF4EVER


We were so lucky to have 19 of our dear Texas family and friends visit us over the last 2 weeks. But boy are we HOMESICK. We miss those treasured relationships. Never did we think that we would live 1200 miles apart from people who lived down the street or in the same city. Why didn't we spend more time together while we lived so close. Now it takes a lot of effort and $$$$ to fly back and forth.

We did so many fun things while everyone was here...skiing...tubing...swimming...eating...and best of all just hanging out. We miss each of you.

Birthday Beauty

Good bye to my cute 5 year old Reagan. Hello sassy 6. She celebrated at a waterpark with her best cousins and Nana. She was lucky that even some Texan cousins were in town and could splash around in the fun. You might wonder how a waterpark would be in March in Utah....well freezing if it was outside. Luckily we were all nice and warm inside.

Reagan got lots of great presents...DS (now she doesn't have to sneak and play Madison's she has her own)....butterfly treehouse (she sends off to get caterpillars and watch them turn into butterflies, lets hope she doesn't release them in the house)....Littlest Pet Shop (to add to her vast collection)...a darling handmade apron (so she can pretend to cook like her Mom pretends to cook)...Moon Sand (to replace the sand her cousin ate while he was here...YUM!!!) and best of all her favorite cousins.

Valentines Day

Here are the 4 little darlings on Valentines Day. We had to hog tie Riley to put on a Valentines shirt. She only wants to wear her ballerina dress. Hello does she know it is 30 degrees outside. Avery is wearing an outfit Reagan and Riley both wore as babies. It's great to have hand me downs that still look brand new. Do her eyes look crossed????

Do you like the new wall color. It is burnt orange. It is the very first room you see when you walk into our house. We wanted everyone to know that we still bleed orange. We even have the cowskin rug in the entry. Now I just need to find a place for our mounted longhorns.

What a Blessing

What a little dollie! She had an extra special day. She looked gorgeous in this custom made dress from her mommies BFF, Jenny. She smocked and beaded this beautiful gown. It was trimmed in the most exqusite laces and trims. She even made a slip, booties, and that sweet little bonnet. She was so pretty that I didn't want to take it off her. I was so afraid of her spitting up (or worse) on it. But she was a little lady and treated it with the utmost respect. Although she loved sucking on the silk ribbons. What a dear friend to spend countless hours designing and creating this dress for my little baby. It will be treasured for generations to come.

This is the designer and creator...Jenny Nogales. She flew in to see her all dolled up.

Avery's daddy bestowed a beautiful blessing. Both of her grandfathers and 2 uncles were able to be in the circle. There was a bad snow storm that day and some family couldn't make it. We had a wonderful dinner afterwards in which Matt was bar-b-qing fajitas on the grill in a snow storm. What a dad.

Avery you truly are a blessing!!!

A New Year

It's a new day and a new year, so I thought I would record some of our happenings for those we love to see. Each day is an adventure in our new state of Utah. So check back often to see what our family has been up to.

Our News Years Resolutions ...well hubby refuses to make any. He says he doesn't need a new year to refocus...but makes resolutions all along the way. I on the other hand like to think that i have a clean slate to start on again. So here are my resolutions:

• Lose the baby weight from birthing 5 kids. Okay so some of it may be due to my powdered donut fetish but I would like to blame it on the kids.


• Take more time to do things I love.


• Be more patient with my family. ie. not yell at the kids.


• Learn to drive in the snow...not easy for a native Texan.


• Decorate and organize a fabulous new hobby room for scrapbooking, sewing, and creating.


• Be more focused spiritually. Start and end each day with a sincere prayer. Read daily from the scriptures.


• Shop LESS. Try to gain control of my obsession to shop. Live within my means. This might be the hardest one yet.


• Nurture my friendships more. Email, call and write my beloved friends.


• Remember every ones birthdays this year and send a card on time to each.