Kelly's Three!

I am a week late posting this, but better late then never. Kelly turned 3 last Sunday, and she knows it. What a cutie we have. We have lots of cuties here, but at three, they are really getting fun and cute. She is a real talker now. She holds her own with her sisters, let me tell you!! She loves playing with babies and Barbies. I think she loves it because that is all her older sisters play, and she is now old enough to play with them too. So that is awesome for me!! Kelly is just an awesome kid. She loves to help me with Alex and Robbie, being their second moms. She also protects Robbie from her mean little brother Alex. She tell Alex, "be nice to Robbie, he your cousin!!" So cute. Kelly has also mastered the tricycle. She "rides" with her sisters now outside and thinks she is so big. Here are a few fun pictures of Kelly's birthday party from last week. She had so much fun opening presents, getting her own cake and have lots of attention. I made a yellow brick road cake for her because she is in LOVE with Wizard of Oz and Dorothy. Hence, her costume for Halloween my mom is making her. One of her birthday presents. Plus, she got a new Ariel baby from Grandma and Grandpa Bingham, which she carries everywhere now. Kenny and Lena and the boys got her a Toto basket and doll for her Halloween costume as well, and she loves that too!! Sometimes Ariel and Toto are in the basket together, they are close friends now. Aunt Merideth got her a new Barbie movie which we have watch a zillion times now. And Uncle Kyle got her a fun and colorful monkey that she sleeps with. All in all, it was a great day!! Love you little girl.

Kelly and Toto The feast of pork chops and baked potatoes. Her Dorothy costume. The cake, can you tell it's the yellow brick road?

Kelly is showing you how old she is.

Funerals

I always find it interesting that whenever I attend a funeral, I came away with a strong testimony of the gospel and feel joy. Is that weird?? I really don't think so. I find funerals comforting in so many ways. First, I know that our Savior lives and loves us, because I know this, I also know where that persons spirit is and that they are surrounded by love. They are with our Savior, and all is well. Second, I know that we have a true purpose on this earth. We are here for a reason. I find that very comforting. It is nice to know that what I am doing, means something. Lastly, I have a true love for family. I want to be able to be with my family again. I know that we will have the opportunity again in the next life. I am sealed to my wonderful husband and children and will have that relationship in the next life. I know this to be true.

I am always reminded of this at funerals more then any place. My testimony was renewed of this yesterday. My wonderful sister in law's mother, Electra Ess, passed away after a lifetime of battling various sickness in her life. Cancer and polio were the biggest enemies. I meet Lena's mother only twice since Lena married Kenny. Both times I was really amazed to look at a women who was happy and content while sitting there in pain. I also knew her through others, mainly Lena and my nephews Kendrick and Johnny. When Kenny married Lena after his divorce, Lena stepped into a very hard situation that was there long before she come around. My two wonderful nephews were really struggling with lots of emotional problems that stemmed from their parents unfortunate divorce. Kenny was also lost and struggling as well. Lena amazed me. She instantly loved those two boys as her own. And that is what they needed. She has made such a huge difference in their lives and in my brothers, more then I think she realized. We as a family were so grateful for her and her unconditional love for these lost boys.

I bring this up because Lena is that way because of her mother. It made more sense to me after hearing more about her at her funeral. She is a strong women, that raised a strong women. She also loved my two nephews as her own, as soon as she met them. It is also what Kendrick and Johnny needed. She was and is their grandma Ess. She will always be that too, even in the next life. Yesterday I realized this when Kendrick, or Rick as it says on the program, gave a wonderful opening prayer and said how grateful he was that Grandma Ess lived long enough for him to meet her. How profound to hear that from a ten year old. I too am grateful for strong women in my life and others that are true examples of the gospel. They live their lives because they believe in our Savior and his plan for us. I am so grateful for this reminder, because I needed that spiritual boost right now. I needed to be reminded of why we are here, and I need to start acting accordingly.