Dear Kaylee

My youngest child was baptized today.  Of all the hymns she could have picked for the closing song of the services, she chose to sing "Angels We Have Heard On High".  Even though it's the beginning of August and this is a Christmas piece, I thought her selection was perfect!  After all, I have no doubt that angels were rejoicing with songs of gloria at her decision to enter into a covenant with Christ.  Her choice today will affect generations to come in so many wonderful ways!

With each of my kid's baptisms, I've had a tradition of writing what I call "A Mother's Blessing" in the cover of the new set of scriptures they receive.  These are my words to Kaylee on this special day.

....

"Dear Kaylee,
I'm so proud of your decision to be baptized.  Your first name means "pure" and your middle name, Elizabeth, means "My God is an oath."  Today, through our Savior, and every day of your life, always remember that it is Him who makes you pure, it is Christ that makes you whole.

Kaylee, an oath is a promise, a vow... and when you make the promise to testify of Christ, to keep His commandments, and to always remember Him, then He makes a promise that you will always have His spirit to be with you... and this is the covenant you enter at baptism.  This is powerful!

Kaylee, I pray you will always seek the words of Christ in your life because they will always lead you right.  His words are to be found in these scriptures!  In the scriptures, you will also discover that they testify of the great importance and vital need for prophets and apostles.  Always remember that whether it is by [Christ's] own voice or by the voice of [His] servants, it is the same." (D&C 1:38)  Always remember Him by treasuring His word and let it sink deep within the soil of your heart with constant nourishment.

Kaylee, another thing you will notice in the scriptures is a pattern of behavior that destroyed many people even entire civilizations.  This pattern was pride, arrogance, vanity and selfishness.  It is a temptation we all struggle with to some extent in our lives.  We lose sight of what matters most and begin to think that happiness will come when we are popular, when we are beautiful, when we are recognized or praised by others.  Avoid the temptation to be self-centered.  It will only bring grave disappointment and breed envy and hate.

Seek to live as the Savior did with an outside focus to constantly seek for opportunities to lose yourself, to openly praise the good in others, to recognize true beauty found in pure and honest hearts.

Never forget your Divine worth.  You don't need the lime-light, you need the Savior's light!  The world is His stage and you are already the center of it.  There is no other approval that even remotely compares to that which comes from the God of the Universe, " Well done, my good and faithful servant!" (Matt 25:21)

I love you, my sweet compassionate Kaylee!

Love, Mom"

"Today and Tomorrow"- Ponderize - Week 41

Kaylee turns eight today.  However old she is marks how long we've lived here.  I had her two weeks after moving into this wonderful little apartment.  Last night, she couldn't fall asleep because she was so excited to celebrate her special day.  I laid in bed with her and scratched her back for a few minutes.  Every time she saw daddy pass by in the hall she'd call out "Good night, I love you."  (She must have said it 10 times and was obviously not tired at all.)  Then she turned to me and asked, "Will you have my birthday sign in the window before I wake up?"
"Of course I will." I responded.
Little did I know how early that would be.

Before my alarm this morning, she crawled into my bed and I wondered how much rest she had gotten through the few hours of the night.  It's cute that she's so excited.  I let her take my place sleeping next to daddy and got up to pray and study.  An hour later she came out asking for pancakes.  I said I'd be happy to make her some and asked if I could just finish up with some of my studies first.  She complied, grabbed a blanket, and sat on the couch to wait... and then zonked out seconds later.   

She loves her birthday for lots of reasons but one is because it's free Slurpee day at 7-11.  For Kaylee, all of the 7-11's everywhere are celebrating the day she was born!  

Tonight, we are having a very special Family Home Evening on baptism to prepare her for another wonderful day in a few weeks when she enters into a covenant with God to love and to be a witness of the Savior all her life.  My parents are coming down for dinner and FHE tonight.  (Joseph's parents came last night to bring birthday wishes.)

There's plenty to do today.... but before everything kicks into full gear, I need to share the scripture I've chosen to ponder for the week:

Make the day beautiful, my friends!

"I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38, 39

"To love abundantly is to live abundantly, and to love forever is to live forever.  Hence, eternal life is inextricably bound up with love.  We want to live forever for the same reason that we want to live tomorrow.  Why do we want to live tomorrow?  It is because there is some one who loves you, and who you want to see tomorrow, and be with, and love back?  There is no other reason why we should live on that we love and are beloved." - Henry Drummond

-Alicia

For Time and All Eternity

This evening, my husband and I had a unique experience that doesn't come around to many people.  Our good friends, Regee & Loraine, from Zimbabwe are converts to the church and Regee has never been sealed in the temple to his parents.  They passed away when he was still a baby and most memories he has of them are only from stories he's heard.

 About a year-and-a-half ago I went with Regee and Loraine to the Salt Lake Temple where he was able to be baptized as proxy for his brother who had passed away. That was an awesome day!

But tonight was even more incredible because Regee had Joseph and I be proxy for his parents while he was sealed to them as if he had been born in the covenant.  Regee also performed as proxy for his deceased brother so he could be sealed to them as well.

It was a small group, just us, the temple sealer and his wife (who they are close friends with), one other neighbor from the ward, and a long-time friend of theirs from Zimbabwe. The evening sun shone perfectly through the stain glass window of the sealing room causing everyone's face to reflect its golden light.  The Spirit was strong and all who were present could sense the sacredness of the moment.  What a beautiful experience we had!

-Alicia

Somewhere Safe - Ponderize - Week 37

...but there is somewhere safe.

How bad off are we as a country when a seven-year-old can't go to sleep because she is fearful of the choices we have for a Presidential Candidate?  Maybe it just means that we as parents need to be a little more cautious in our conversations or at least tone them down a bit.  Honestly, I didn't think we really said that much around her but it's amazing how much kids pay attention.

Kaylee timidly peered down the hallway with tears streaming down her face.  Joseph tucked her back in bed and sat patiently by her side listening to her express her concerns, 

"Can't we just move out of the country?" Kaylee asked between sobs.

Lovingly, Joseph responded, "Sweetheart, it's not that easy, I wish it was.  If America goes bad there's really not a lot of options left.  But, I can tell you that the safest place to live is always within reach.  Do you know where the safest place is?"

"Where?" She inquired with a feeling of hope.

Joseph pointed to her, "It's right where you are."

Kaylee looked confused.

Joseph explained, "It's right where you are because you have faith, you love Heavenly Father, and you have a righteous heart.  No matter where we live or what goes on around us, you can always be safe because you are 'armed with righteousness'". Then gently stroking her hair,  he reminded her of the story of Elisha in 2 Kings.
Kaylee's body relaxed and she was comforted to have her father at her side and to hear his testimony.

Joseph returned from helping her and relayed their conversation.  We discussed together our own views of the times in which we live for a while.  He shared with me a verse he's been focusing on in his studies and decided it would be a good one to ponder for the week.

"I Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory." - 1 Nephi 14:14

I love how Nephi beheld that they were scattered all throughout the earth.  There was no particular safe area or land but the power of God was found in the hearts of the covenant keeping people of the Lord wherever they were.  No, we can't run away from trouble but we can find peace and comfort in the middle of it all.

-Alicia :)

Standing By My Man!

"Stand by your man, give him two arms to cling to

And something warm to come to

When nights are cold and lonely.

Stand by your man, and show the world you love him

Keep giving all the love you can.

Stand by your man."

This song by Tammy Wynette was one I listened to quite often during the short period my husband and I dated.  Back in the day, it was among my movie soundtrack collection.  It fits perfectly for this date since today we celebrate our Sweet 16th Wedding Anniversary!

I was 21 and we married on Joseph's 24th birthday.  

So...  Happy 40th to my lovey too!

Pioneer Day @ Theater in the Pines (Just 5 wks since our first date - blind date)
This is when we first decided we wanted to "seal the deal."

(Last Year - Sundance, Provo Canyon -Celebrating our 15th- My favorite anniversary tradition.)

1999 -Honeymoon in Love, Virginia- (Yes, it's a real place.)
Horseback riding - our anniversary tradition.

Not quite "American Gothic" but close... very close.

Oct. 1999

Naturally for our first Halloween I thought it was appropriate
to have Joseph dress up as a honey bee and I his sweet, sweet nectar.  ;)

Our first St. Patrick's Day

Made these artsy-fartsy banners for my hubby.

July 2000 - My first time at Freedom Festival and every year since.
Who knew the heart of Provo would eventually become home?