Happy Birthday Pops!!

Christmas was fabulous!! Brooklynn truly brought the magic of Christmas into our home this year. She was SO fun!! She talked constantly about the baby Jesus and it really helped everyone in our house to have a more Christ centered Christmas. We also learned that Santa should bring a 2 year-old a total of two presents. That is all her little mind could handle at once. Hindsight...

Emma was fun too...although she was fun in more of a "we are SO blessed to have these two miracles in our lives" kind of way.

The highlight of Christmas was definitely talking to (and getting to Skype with) this girl...

Oh, how I love and miss my sister missionary!!! She is an awesome!! Brooklynn constantly asks if we can call Chelsea again. She doesn't understand why we can't just pull her up on the computer and see and talk to her for a little while. And while I do understand why we can't, I can't wait to talk to her on Mother's day!!!

Now the holidays are over and I'm ready for spring!!! Bring on the warm weather...

Today is one of those melancholy days for me. It's my Dad's birthday. I miss him. I long to be able to talk to him, if only for a few minutes. It's a day that causes me to look at my life and ask myself if I am living the kind of life that would make my Dad proud of me. Am I carrying on the legacy my Dad left to me? I hope so.

I wish he were here to see his beautiful grandchildren. He would have LOVED seeing all these little ones that are starting to fill the house when we get together. He would have been in the center of it all. I think there are times when he is!!

And though today is a melancholy one for me I'm grateful for the time it gives me to reflect on all the great times I had with Dad. The times we talked, played and most definitely laughed. The lessons he taught me about the gospel and what truly is important in life. I'm grateful that he not just told me what kind of person I should be but he actually showed me by the way that he lived his life. With a twinkle in his eye, a smile on his face and a room full of laughter.

Happy birthday Pops!! I love you!!