The tale of the locks...

Wow, it has been so long since I have had time to blog. So much has happened and there are so many stories to tell. It has been non-stop craziness for the last few weeks. Some big events have taken place over the last month but probably the biggest was us leaving Dominica. That will have to be it's own post and hopefully I can get some posts up about some amazing stories that we have experienced. We are now on US soil and it has been so good to be with family. (Though, I still miss my home in Dominica).

Last week Broc's parents rented out a huge house so we could all be together. It was loads of fun, amazing food and some good ol' hearty laughs! Seriously, my belly hurt after a few rounds of Catch Phrase. Haven't laughed that hard in a long time! This was the first time in two years his family was able to have everyone together. So of course family pics were on the agenda.

Some of you might remember this post about our sweet niece Kaelyn. She has been undergoing chemo treatments and just recently started loosing her hair.

After the photographer had snapped a few pics of us, all of the guys had decided they were going to shave their heads in honor of Kaelyn. Earlier that day, Crew heard that the guys were doing this and told me that he wanted to shave his head. When we ask him why he said, "because I want to do it for Kaelyn. I thought it would be nice to do, so she wouldn't feel bad." How can you say no to that?

 The guys were draped with garbage bags and the head shaving began. 

I actually think the shaved head looks pretty good on Broc! I was always dreading the day when he would start loosing his hair, but I think he wears it well.

This sweet girl was probably feeling a little overwhelmed from all of the excitement. 

It was finally Crew's turn. It was a little emotional for me to watch. Not that I was sad about him not having his curls (well it kind of was), but it was really more amazing to watch my 5 year old want to do something like this. Knowing how much he loved his curls and watching him give them up for someone else was just about the sweetest thing ever.

He rocked a killer mullet for a few seconds!

I just couldn't quit thinking about how Crew had a choice to cut his hair, but there are sweet innocent kids who have to go through so much pain who don't get a choice. It was a moment that made me very grateful for my healthy boys. And recognizing the bigger picture- it is just hair.

 So proud of this one! Loosing the curls made him look so much older. 

Both Broc and I were really surprised that he wanted to do it. I would have never thought that he would ever want to shave his beautiful golden spiral locks. Because he has told us he would never want to shave them. If any of you know Crew, you know how attached he was to his curls. But he made the choice and wanted to do it. I was so impressed that he was capable of making a decision like this to sacrifice something to try to make someone else happy. Sweet sweet Crew and his huge heart! I just love this boy!

He was so fascinated with the feel of little Rae's head! He just had to keep feeling it!

I was worried about how he would feel about it the next day. But he just kept feeling his head and saying, "my hair feels pokey!" He hasn't been sad about it at all!

This is for you sweet girl! We love you!

Dominican Moment: Beds for the boys

Sleeping arrangements lately have been a bit amusing at our house. Four people living in a ONE bedroom apartment is lots of fun! The idea when we first moved here, was that Crew would sleep on an twin sized air mattress on the floor and Jack would sleep in the pack n' play. Well recently, Jack has decided to boycott the crib. I don't blame him- he feels confined and it squeaks anytime he moves around. (I think the humidity here has rusted it). So Jack has been in our luxurious - full sized bed- with us.

Crew's poor little air mattress has a leak in it. (Probably from one too many jumps from our bed to the air mattress). So we have to blow it up every night and by morning he is on the ground because of the hole. He hates it. I feel awful because there is nothing else we can do to make this situation better. 

The other night, Crew decided that he was going to sleep in the vacant pack n' play. 

With Crew's bed (aka- air mattress) now available Jack was happy as could be to sleep in Crew's big boy bed. (He loves anything of Crew's!)

My five year old is in the pack n' play and my one year old is on the air mattress. Not ideal and pretty ghetto- but it works... and they are happy!

Crew & Prayer

Tonight, was Crew's turn to teach family home evening. (In our church, Monday evenings are set aside as family night or better known as "family home evening"- where you have a little spiritual lesson, fun activity and usually a treat!) Crew has just started to give some lessons on his own, and tonight he was excited to plan his lesson. He has loved the Old Testament picture stoy book that Grandma Durrant sent and seriously hasn't put it down. Since he is able to read, he can read the stories to himself.

I walked into the bedroom (our all sharing room where all four of us camp every night) to find him on his knees with his picture scripture book in his hands. Here is our conversation.

M: "What are you doing?"
C:  "I was praying to Heavenly Father."
M:   a little shocked, asked "what were you praying about?"
C:  "for help with the lesson"

Obviously our conversation continued on. But it was just such a sweet moment to go and find my 5 year old, in his room by himself, on his knees, praying for help with his lesson. I hadn't told him to do that. There are so many times when we are reading scriptures or having family home evening and Crew and Jack are playing WWF smackdown and I wonder if they are getting anything out of it. Then, experiencing a moment like where it seems like he totally gets it, is simply the best feeling. Knowing that your son, knows that if he needs help he will go to the Lord in prayer is one of the greatest blessings any parent can experience. I am just amazed that at his young age, he talks like he knows Heavenly Father and Jesus. I never want to forget this sweet moment. I don't know what we would do without Crew. He teaches me so much. I can't imagine life without him.

Easter in Dominica!

Two little bed heads excited to find some eggs and their baskets! 

I don't know why, but I just adore pictures like this!

Jack spotted his basket first thing! 

And wouldn't you know that silly Easter Bunny must have got his tail stuck in the door on his way out! Silly rabbit!

This boy loves chocolate! Check out that death grip he has!
Crazy for me cause Crew never really loved it... until recently.

"elp meh" aka (help me)

and it didn't take long for Crew to spot his basket!

These two...

"eggie!!!"

Oh I just love this age that Jack is at. He loved finding eggies! All day long, they would play Easter Bunny. Crew would hide the plastic eggs and then jack would come with his basket and find them! Kids make everything so much fun!

Both Broc and I spoke in church so it was a bit of a crazy morning, making sure we had everything ready. I am not a huge fan of speaking in church, but I always feel so uplifted after I prepare a talk. We spoke on the Atonement. So fitting on Easter Sunday. Right after my talk, my young women and I sang, "I know that my Redeemer Lives." I joked with Broc saying, I should have said the opening and closing prayers as well! haha. But the young women did great! (And for the record, we had planned to sing that song weeks before. We found out sort of last minute that we were speaking.)

We had Lance, a friend from the Branch, over for dinner.

And for dessert...I had made a cake for my friend Kristen. It was her birthday on Easter! 

So we headed over to Glanvillia after dinner.

Happy Birthday my beautiful friend! I don't know what I would have done without you! 

It was a beautiful day. Crazy and non-stop, but wonderful. Wonderfully, filled with the spirit of good news that our Savior lives.

Pieces of my talk were taken from Elder Hollands talk, None Were With Him. I love this video and I think it touches on the true reason we celebrate Easter. I don't think it's possible to watch this and not feel the love our Savior has for each of us. Happy Easter!