Grandma Tomi Comes to Visit.

Grandma Tomi from Hawaii (that is her official name) is visiting us for a little while and we are enjoying every minute. We don't get much face time with an ocean between us. 

Last night we went to Bridal Veil Falls for dinner...it was gorgeous. Nothing like a waterfall as a backdrop for a picnic...we did some hiking, some strolling, and some playing. 

 It was lovely....not Hawaii lovely, but Utah lovely.

We'll take what we can get.

Another Goodbye.

It's been a few weeks of sweet reunions for the the Labit/Singer family. Last month Grandpa Fred left mortality to be reunited with family and loved ones on the other side of the veil, and this morning Great Grandma Singer did the same. We spent a couple of hours with her last night as she lay peacefully sleeping. There was such a sweet feeling in the room, the same feeling I felt at the birth of each child- where the veil is thin and heaven is close. I couldn't help but feel a little tug of envy, that her life here was finished and she was on the brink of  reuniting with the place my spirit feels such longing for. We will miss her, and always be grateful for the legacy of faith that she has in her two amazing daughters, Grandma Tomi and Auntie Judie.

We love you Grandma Singer.

It's Over.

Soccer season is over. 
Bring on Christmas!

 

Theater of the Absurd.

If you have a few moments today, watch some powerful messages from Benjamin Netanyahu's UN speech. 

You can find them here.

Just Because She's Beautiful.

Am I wrong?

What a Difference a Day Makes.

In just a matter of hours my living room went from this:

To this!

We LOVE the new carpet.

Paint, window treatments, and trim are all soon to follow...

God's Army

The world is pretty evil, there is no denying it.

Sometimes it is overwhelming.

Sometimes my heart gets so heavy thinking about my children having to navigate through this muck.

And sometimes I feel that the power of the destroyer is just too much.

And then I experience a sacrament meeting like today. 

Where my heart was overwhelmed by the tenderness of a newly returned missionary's testimony.

I could feel his love for Jesus before he said a word.

He wept from beginning to end. And so did I. 

It was a compelling reminder that God's army will always be victorious.

Please count me in.

You Know You Miss Hawaii When:

You dig out your favorite Hawaiian CD to clean house to...

(No, that's not a diaper, Will!)

I Hope I Never Forget.

The tragedy of 9/11...

...the miracle of 9/12.

Remember how we felt?
Remember who we were?


God Bless America.

This Means Fall...

Soccer season has begun.

What Teenage Daughters are Perfect for:

What do you get when you combine an outdoor Pack meeting and a thunderstorm? Hair that looks like this:

Too bad I didn't know it until after I had conducted the meeting, socialized with new families, and presented awards...uhg.

Shouldn't someone have told me?  

Grandma Brown (my mom).

You can only do something like leave your family on the first week of school for 8 days if someone you can trust completely helps you out.

Someone like my mom. 

Who came, and left my house cleaner than when she got here.

Who made my kids "Sunday dinners" every night.

Who left me a birthday present even though giving me a week of her life was more than enough.

Who always makes my kids feel special and loved.

Who continues to teach me that loving and serving is what life is about.

Thanks mom. 

We love you.

P.S. I asked Will what the best part about having Grandma here was. He said " Just having her here, and you can tell her I said that!"

Goodbye.

It's been a sad and sweet few days in Hawaii.
Sad seeing my wonderful mother-in-law so lost without her dear friend and companion. Sweet seeing those around her rally to her assistance in kindness and love.
Sad knowing that our time together was so short. Sweet getting to know my darling nieces and hilarious nephew in a more meaningful way.
Sad seeing that so much has changed since we were here. Sweet walking down memory lane of the days when our family was new and just beginning.
Sad having so little time with good friends from the past. Sweet remembering the profound influence they had on us as we were just starting out.

Sad saying goodbye again.
Sweet coming home.

Aloha