An Amazing Woman

 Wow! I'm back! I had finally figured out how to create the blog - but when I came back to post new information I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to do it. I honestly wasted so much time trying to figure it out that I finally gave up. Then when I was talking to my sister in law, Jade, she reminded me that it was very SIMPLE and that I was probably overthinking it. She gave me a few directions and here I am! YEAH!!!!! I am so happy that I can finally do it now!

 So life with Lizzie has already gone so fast. She has been the most precious baby ever and I can't believe how much time I can just sit there and stare into her eyes waiting to get a smile from her. Her nonstop smiles make it impossible to put her down. And she loves to talk back to you if you talk in a quiet voice. The other day I went in the room to see Brooke singing to her and as Brooke was singing, Lizzie kept singing back with her ooooos and ahhhs. It was the cutest thing ever! :) I am just in love with those little girls. And as for Cody, he is just about the sweetest big brother that there could ever be. He is a huge help to me around the house and with Lizzie. We are truly blessed.

 We got some devastating news last month that still hasn't completely sunk in. Our precious Grandma Bethers passed away. She has always been one of my heroes and I am going to miss our long conversations so much. She was so great with the kids and they love her SO MUCH. They are still asking all the time why she had to leave us. Brooke prayed the other night that Grandma Bethers would come back to life. I explained to her that she won't come back to life anytime soon, but that we WILL get to see her again and be together as a family. This is a time when our beliefs have really helped us to stay strong. It is such a blessing to know that "Families can be Together Forever". She had that saying printed in several different places throughout her house and now it will be a constant reminder whenever I hear that beautiful phrase. I am grateful that Brooke Caroline is named after such an amazing woman who served more than most people that I know. I pray that she will follow her example and strive to be the kind of woman that Grandma Bethers was. We were so blessed to see Grandpa and Grandma Bethers only weeks before she passed on. They flew here to be with us for Elizabeth's baby blessing and it was such a special time to get to spend with them. We were also blessed to be able to make it out to Idaho for the funeral. All of the living children, 12 of the 14 total, were together for the first time in over 10 years. It was an amazing thing to be together as a family and talk about the fun memories that we all had of Grandma. I will be forever grateful for the unconditional love that she gave to me and for her acceptance of me from the very beginning. (Wow - I can't keep the tears from coming down.) I just love that woman and will forever be grateful for her amazing example to me. She is a true example of someone who had Christlike love and I miss her.

My all time favorite picture of her! She NEVER rode on the 4-wheeler, but when Cody asked her to she could not resist! :) That shows how much she LOVED her grandchildren!