*This post is soooooooo lonnnnnnnnnggggggg!! If no one reads it all I completely get it. But I had to write what I feel in my heart right now. Even if its just me that ever knows what it says right now. I hope at least one day my kids will read it.*
Sooooo, recently, February 5th to be exact, David and I moved my parents out of their lovely home in Hamilton Fort and moved Davids mom into it. Twas a TON of work since both moms have so many things haha but we managed. Brey & Ethan's wonderful aunt and uncle kept the kids with them in AZ while we went up north for the big move. We are totally grateful to them too because I seriously doubt I would have been able to be much help with 2 young kids to take care of.
Well today is the 3 week mark of how long my parents have been Arizonans. They are enjoying it here. Although Im sure its an adjustment and Im sure my mother especially misses her other kids in Utah as well as family and friends.
Well today is the 3 week mark of how long my parents have been Arizonans. They are enjoying it here. Although Im sure its an adjustment and Im sure my mother especially misses her other kids in Utah as well as family and friends.
Everyone asked before my parents moved here how I felt about it...if I was excited or what. I didnt know what to think. Its been three weeks having them and Im still at a loss of words. It seems so familiar to be around them but yet so surreal at the same time. I am most definately used to seeing them since my sweet husband has always made a great effort to either take me to visit family in Utah or allow me to go up without him to visit.
After 7 years of living here in AZ without my parents or anyone on my side of the family, I have to say it is pretty wierd to think my parents of all people are here with me now. What a great joy I feel in my heart for the blessing it is to have my parents close by where they can be a great part in my childrens lives and my childrens in theirs.
I came from a world growing up where I lived in the middle of both my grandparents homes. And I LOVED it. I was very close to my grandma on my moms side...much like Breyonna is with her gramma. So yes, it brings me great joy to know that Brey & Ethan have gone from an 8 hour drive to grammas house to a 2 minute bike ride for them. How awesome is it that not only do my parents live in AZ now but that they live a block away!
It has been HEAVEN! The kids are so full of joy everytime they see my mother. They love the idea of being able to see gramma and grandpa anytime they want... Brey loves to tell me "Lets go to grammas house." And it brings me great joy to not have to wait for David to get work off or pack all of our bags and take a 8 hour trip to UT to 'go to gramma's house'. All we need are some shoes, a bike and a stroller!!
I NevER eVEr in my wildest dreams ever thought or imagined anyone in my family moving here let alone my parents. So it is with a humble heart and an uplifted soul and gratefulness that I thank my father in heaven for having one of my most longing dreams come true...a chance for my my parents to be in my childrens lives as a constant. I always thought that I had to move back to Utah or atleast one of those small border towns in AZ (which I knew was impossible becuase David would never leave his job) in order for that to happen. But no, the Lord brought my parents to US. I am here in awe at the love and mercy HE has always blessed me and my family with. I truly look around and have so much to be grateful for.
I have an amazing husband who now holds the Melchezedeck Priesthood, who is a hardworking, loving and devoted father and husband. I have two amazing kids with good health and function who bring the greatest of joy into my life each and every day. I have a beautiful new home and a new ward to look forward to which I know will help us progress in our determined goal of sealing our family in the temple someday soon.
I have adorable nieces and nephews and... another one in the oven who is due in September! (YES....my brother is having a kid!!!! HOW FREAKEN EXCITING!!!) I have amazing family and friends who are so sweet, helpful, loving and supportive.
I have an extremely strong testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel. My family were converts to the LDS church many many years ago. Before and after I became an official member, I have always believed strongly in the gospel.
Some people can know through the scriptures and through prayers of the truthfulness of the gospel. But as I live and breath today, I know it is the true and everlasting gospel from experience with trials in any form up to this very day. I have literally seen the powers of Satan rip through my family and home with full force in many occasions.
BUT, I have also seen the power of the priesthood...the power of God. I have seen the beautiful miracles of deliverence from our enemies, I have seen the troubles of tribulations that happened to us at a very young age without it being our fault. I have seen many horrific things in my life, that when I think about it these days, I shake in disbelief that those things really happened.
But I also kneel in gratitute for the other things I experienced. Like my mother who raised 3 children on her own after a horrible devorce. A mom who worked as hard as she could to take care of us, a step father who is full of selfLESSness, a highschool sweetheart husband whom I would never have met had it not been for those trials such as my parents divorce. A brother that served a full time mission to the Dominican Republic in the service of God and who sealed himself to a sweet lady, a sister who is such an amazing example to me for her hard work and love of her family, 2 amazing kids and all my dreams coming true.
How could I not know with every fiber of my being that the gospel is TRUE to the core after being delivered from the hands of satan to having the richest of blessings??!!!
I bare testimony, that this life is sometimes if not most of the time, extremely hard to go through. But I also testify that if we let the Lord and his spirit into our hearts and homes, that he will comfort us, even from those petty problems we (at least sometimes me) complain about from day to day. That He will guide us and stregnthen us in our every endevour. That he will be there as a companion and a friend anytime we may feel in doubt or alone.
He does not leave us EVER. It is sadly us as people who leave him behind as we go about our lives seeking for things of this world..which is an illusion of happiness that this world has created for us.
It is a sad place to feel alone or overwhelmed. If we open our hearts and mind to HIM, I know we will all be blessed in the Righteous prayers of our hearts.
I thank the Lord for not only the blessings in my life but also for the trials in my life. The trials are what makes us wise and teaches us strength and perseverence. Trials also make the blessings that much sweeter because the blessings that often follow trials after perseverence come to us as an, 'I earned these blessings from the Lord through my following the commandments and my strength to endure through the trials.' Which makes us feel accomplished.
They teach us to never forget the Lord. They remind us that we need Him always.
I say these things with gratefulness to Heaven Above and do so in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
After 7 years of living here in AZ without my parents or anyone on my side of the family, I have to say it is pretty wierd to think my parents of all people are here with me now. What a great joy I feel in my heart for the blessing it is to have my parents close by where they can be a great part in my childrens lives and my childrens in theirs.
I came from a world growing up where I lived in the middle of both my grandparents homes. And I LOVED it. I was very close to my grandma on my moms side...much like Breyonna is with her gramma. So yes, it brings me great joy to know that Brey & Ethan have gone from an 8 hour drive to grammas house to a 2 minute bike ride for them. How awesome is it that not only do my parents live in AZ now but that they live a block away!
It has been HEAVEN! The kids are so full of joy everytime they see my mother. They love the idea of being able to see gramma and grandpa anytime they want... Brey loves to tell me "Lets go to grammas house." And it brings me great joy to not have to wait for David to get work off or pack all of our bags and take a 8 hour trip to UT to 'go to gramma's house'. All we need are some shoes, a bike and a stroller!!
I NevER eVEr in my wildest dreams ever thought or imagined anyone in my family moving here let alone my parents. So it is with a humble heart and an uplifted soul and gratefulness that I thank my father in heaven for having one of my most longing dreams come true...a chance for my my parents to be in my childrens lives as a constant. I always thought that I had to move back to Utah or atleast one of those small border towns in AZ (which I knew was impossible becuase David would never leave his job) in order for that to happen. But no, the Lord brought my parents to US. I am here in awe at the love and mercy HE has always blessed me and my family with. I truly look around and have so much to be grateful for.
I have an amazing husband who now holds the Melchezedeck Priesthood, who is a hardworking, loving and devoted father and husband. I have two amazing kids with good health and function who bring the greatest of joy into my life each and every day. I have a beautiful new home and a new ward to look forward to which I know will help us progress in our determined goal of sealing our family in the temple someday soon.
I have adorable nieces and nephews and... another one in the oven who is due in September! (YES....my brother is having a kid!!!! HOW FREAKEN EXCITING!!!) I have amazing family and friends who are so sweet, helpful, loving and supportive.
I have an extremely strong testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel. My family were converts to the LDS church many many years ago. Before and after I became an official member, I have always believed strongly in the gospel.
Some people can know through the scriptures and through prayers of the truthfulness of the gospel. But as I live and breath today, I know it is the true and everlasting gospel from experience with trials in any form up to this very day. I have literally seen the powers of Satan rip through my family and home with full force in many occasions.
BUT, I have also seen the power of the priesthood...the power of God. I have seen the beautiful miracles of deliverence from our enemies, I have seen the troubles of tribulations that happened to us at a very young age without it being our fault. I have seen many horrific things in my life, that when I think about it these days, I shake in disbelief that those things really happened.
But I also kneel in gratitute for the other things I experienced. Like my mother who raised 3 children on her own after a horrible devorce. A mom who worked as hard as she could to take care of us, a step father who is full of selfLESSness, a highschool sweetheart husband whom I would never have met had it not been for those trials such as my parents divorce. A brother that served a full time mission to the Dominican Republic in the service of God and who sealed himself to a sweet lady, a sister who is such an amazing example to me for her hard work and love of her family, 2 amazing kids and all my dreams coming true.
How could I not know with every fiber of my being that the gospel is TRUE to the core after being delivered from the hands of satan to having the richest of blessings??!!!
I bare testimony, that this life is sometimes if not most of the time, extremely hard to go through. But I also testify that if we let the Lord and his spirit into our hearts and homes, that he will comfort us, even from those petty problems we (at least sometimes me) complain about from day to day. That He will guide us and stregnthen us in our every endevour. That he will be there as a companion and a friend anytime we may feel in doubt or alone.
He does not leave us EVER. It is sadly us as people who leave him behind as we go about our lives seeking for things of this world..which is an illusion of happiness that this world has created for us.
It is a sad place to feel alone or overwhelmed. If we open our hearts and mind to HIM, I know we will all be blessed in the Righteous prayers of our hearts.
I thank the Lord for not only the blessings in my life but also for the trials in my life. The trials are what makes us wise and teaches us strength and perseverence. Trials also make the blessings that much sweeter because the blessings that often follow trials after perseverence come to us as an, 'I earned these blessings from the Lord through my following the commandments and my strength to endure through the trials.' Which makes us feel accomplished.
They teach us to never forget the Lord. They remind us that we need Him always.
I say these things with gratefulness to Heaven Above and do so in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
David & Gary in the white truck & trailer, Curtis in the gray truck & trailer & mom & I behind in the Cadi going through The Gorge heading to AZ ...........................................................
The weekend that Elder Stroud got back into town was crazy awesome!! We had so much fun spending time with family and partying at my parents home. But, Monday was by far the best night because we got to spend the entire day with Jesse and our immediate family. 
In the evening I made my famous chicken enchiladas for Jesse. David made a fire. So we all gathered around the firepit for some marshmallow roastin' as we sang all kinds of songs with Jesse and my old guitar.
It was the perfect way to spend the day with JESSE!! So proud of him and all that he accomplished in the mission field. But, man does it feel so great to blog about a day with my brother!! AGAIN-FINALLY!! :)
Then it was lunch time where we had yummy subway sandwiches and Jungle Juice.
And of course cousin Hayley made Brey sparkle with a make-up session for the bday girl.....
Bday gifts and party favors.....
Banana Splits and the Happy Birthday song.....
Goodbyes are not so bad when you have a bunch of new toys to play with. Including this pretty new dress Uncle Andy got....
spots on the way up the stairs.
Loved, Loved, Loved the Sunset Cliffs!! So Pretty. These pics are nothing compared to actually being there and getting splashed by the waves hitting up against the cliffs or looking at the sun set across the ocean! Not to mention romantic when you are with your lover! No wonder the cops always patrol the cliffs to bust the naughty ones. Saw that happen several times. :o 