Grotto Trail Hike

We had a fun Family Home Evening tonight. We hiked the Grotto Trail in Payson Canyon. I've been wanting to go there for a long time. We hiked it once with the Maple Dell Ward back in 2004 when I was pregnant with Rebekah. It is awesome! We had a great time. Even our tuna sandwiches tasted good. If you want to go there, it is 6.4 miles up Payson Canyon. It only takes maybe 20 minutes to hike to the Grotto, and then you can play in the water and/or under the waterfall. There was more water there than the last time. It made me want to move back to Payson. I am definitely going to plan a hike day with my siblings and their children. We just have to figure out how to get Cassidy up there. :-)

Pirates on Parade

On June 13th, we had our annual family BBQ at Janice and Lorin's for the Orem SummerFest fireworks. Usually we skip the parade, but this year Pirate Island had a float in the parade, so we had to go and watch that part. Roy rode in Matt's truck, and Elisabeth was the beautiful pirate princess up on the top of the float. (She was very happy when she saw some of us in the crowd.) Roy's dad was also in the parade with the veterans. The weather was super rainy that day. It was horrible in the afternoon, cleared up for the BBQ and parade, poured like crazy again, and then cleared up for the fireworks. There was a beautiful rainbow during our BBQ. That's twice in 3 days. Good omen!

Torri Lyn Martin

This post is WAY past due, but I just wanted to put a little something about sweet Torri who passed away on June 4, 2009. We agonized with her family for 2 months while she was sick at Primary Children's Medical Center, and I was privileged to visit her just hours before she died. We are still so sad that she had to leave us, but we know that she is happy and carefree and busy with Samuel doing lots of important work for our Heavenly Father. I truly believe that she and Samuel and the others in our family who have passed on are our personal guardian angels. Her funeral was beautiful, and yet somehow I was still a total disaster that day. I guess I was reliving my own experience, but with the added pain that I felt for Brad and Cathy. We are so blessed to have the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives. Here is a picture of Torri with her mom , Cathy, who is my (Laura's) first cousin.

Cathy and I are the same age, and we just can't believe that we have each had to say goodbye to a child. I am sure we will help each other as we press forward. And we will rejoice together when we are reunited with our babies. I love you, Cathy! The evening after the funeral, there was a beautiful, full double rainbow. It brought such warmth to my heart as I reflected on the significance of rainbows and how they are reminders of our Heavenly Father's love for us and that He always keeps His promises. (The pictures don't do the rainbows justice; they were really magnificent.)

Happy Independence Day!

July 4, 1776

Spring in Utah

April 15, 2009

Snow Man and Snow Horses

Spiritual Sunday

When Faith Endures

Silly Saturday

Dribblin' So we went to Elisabeth's soccer game today because it wasn't really raining right then...until they started playing. Then it downpoured! I think they played for about 7 minutes, and then we called it. It was enough time for Elisabeth to hit another girl in the gut with the ball (HARD) and to score once.

Job well done! :)

Little Purple Pansies

Little purple pansies touched with yellow gold,

Growing in one corner of the garden old;

We are very tiny but must try, try, try

Just one spot to gladden you and I.

In whatever corner we must chance to grow,

Whether cold or warm the wind may ever blow,

Dark the day or sunny, we must try, try, try

Just one spot to gladden you and I.

Two Wheelin'

She can't start on her own and doesn't know how to use her brakes (although she knew how before), but when Rebekah's training wheel broke off earlier today, she was apparently ready to goooooooooooooooo!!!

Easter

We had our annual Swensen Cousin's Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 11th. The weather was rainy and cold that day, so we had to do the hunt in Grandma and Grandpa Swensen's family room. Not quite as good as outside, but the candy all tasted the same! All 24 living grandchildren were there, so it was quite a riot.

Easter morning was beautiful, just like Elisabeth and Rebekah.

Panthers On the Prowl - Spring Soccer

Spring soccer has started again, and we love watching Elisabeth play with her team, the Pink Panthers. She has so much talent, and we would really like to get her more involved, maybe in a league that plays year-round. We'll have to see what Elisabeth decides. We freeze at the evening games in the spring, but the Saturday games are often very nice.

Lissa's cousin, Megan, came with us to the first game. She made this cute sign to cheer with.

Rebekah loved the sign too. It was FREEZING at this first game!!! Bekah didn't want to wear a coat at first, but she changed her mind after a while.

Samuel's One-Year Anniversary

March 26, 2009, marked one year since Samuel left us. It seems like yesterday and forever at the same time. I miss him so much. I wanted his anniversary to be really special, but I couldn't decide what to do. Then Roy ended up being in St. George anyway, so I just took Elisabeth and Rebekah to the cemetery with me in the morning. We put some flowers and a sign on his grave and said a prayer together. The sign said, "We miss you, Sam...but we are one year closer to Together Forever!" It was a beautiful day, but very windy and cold, so we didn't stay as long as I would have liked to. I went to the Mount Timpanogos Temple in the evening. I felt a really strong feeling of peace and relief as I entered the Celestial Room in the temple that night. It was very real.

I wrote this poem a while back. It's not perfect in its cadence, etc., but when I tried to "fix" it, I couldn't change anything. It describes what I have been through and how I feel.

Sweet Peace

For years I dream of having a son.

Surprise! Here he comes.

He looks deeply into my eyes at birth.

He knows me, his mother.

Peace.

He cries and cries and cries.

Life seems tough for my precious little guy.

But he’s so incredibly sweet, an angel.

The perfect little boy for me.

Peace.

Being a mother is hard.I

can’t get any rest.

But this baby is my dream come true.

He loves me.

Peace.

He grows so fast.

It’s so easy to love him.

His smile melts my heart and others’.

A real charmer.

Peace.

It’s late, and he’s nestled on my lap.

Something goes terribly wrong.

“Please, God, don’t take my baby!”

Over and over, I plead.

Peace.

I am scared.

How can this be happening?

So many questions with no real answers.

In humility, I pray.

Peace.

They try everything.

Saving lives is what they do.

Sometimes, though, God has a different plan.

He is in control.

Peace.

I have to let him go, don’t I?

Tough decisions made by the Spirit.

One last smile from my baby boy

Tells me he loves me.

Peace.

All is quiet; he is gone.

The sorrow is so immense.

How can I go on without my baby?

Relief that he is free.

Peace.

I hold him close,

But he is not really there.

His body is an empty shell.

He sleepeth.

Peace.

I feel numb.

Everything has changed.

Can I face my family and friends today?

Open arms and hearts.

Peace.

Reality sets in.

How can this be real?

It wasn’t supposed to happen to me.

Blessings come.

Peace.

Life does go on.

I wonder how sometimes.

Our family will be complete again one day.

Jesus Christ made it so.

Peace.

Prayers are answered.

Hope fills my heart.

I see that I can be happy again.

Comfort fills my soul.

Peace.

Even though I would love to hold my sweet baby boy again...right now!...I would not choose to go back to where we were before. We have been so blessed. I am grateful for everything that I have and everything I am learning. I feel sorry for myself sometimes and wish for things to be different. I cry really hard, and sometimes I honestly cannot breathe. I have not always felt that I have "endured well" throughout these past few years. But I know that Heavenly Father is mindful of us, that he loves us, and he is helping us. He hears my prayers, and he answers them. I am learning to "Let Go...and Let God." Today (March 29) I have been hearing these words in my head, "Sweet is the Peace the Gospel Brings" (the title to a hymn). It is true! It can carry us through anything and everything! I am incredibly blessed to have so much support from friends and family. I don't know how people make it through anything without that. I don't think I could.

Laura's Birthday

Birthdays just really aren't that exciting when you're old like me (Laura), but here are a couple pictures from my birthday on March 12th.

My birthday cake was a Cheesecake Factory cheesecake (vanilla) and super scrumptious! We ate out at Golden Corral that night to try to please everyone. A week later or so, Roy took me to Romano's Macaroni Grill, which is my favorite. I also got a couple rocks at the Spring Parade of Gems for my birthday. I do that every year. I love rocks!

Malachite (green) on Chrysocolla (blue).

Cerussite (pinkish) on Barite (blackish).

Happy Easter!

Rebekah

Rebekah has learned to write her first name! :-) I think it is so cute, and she really does a great job.

Next step...potty training (I hope).

Inspiration from Sheri L. Dew

On Thursday, February 19th, we had our Stake Women's Conference. The theme was "The Power to Become" and was taken from Sheri Dew's book "God Wants a Powerful People". We were so blessed to have Sister Dew speak to us! She is one of my favorite people, and she is such an inspirational speaker. Here are the notes that I took.

Just as Sister Dew and most of us use our cell phones, email, and other forms of modern-day communication to stay instantly connected with the world around us, it is critical for women to be continually connected to our Father in Heaven.

Revelation 12:7 says "And the dragon [Satan] was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Sister Dew said that we can take this scripture literally. Women are pivotal to the family and building up the Kingdom of God. Satan is running out of time, and he is wroth with righteous women for their influence.

Satan uses disruptive business practices. He distracts and disconnects us by 1) confusing us about who we really are, 2) keeping us from understanding what the Savior did for us through the Atonement and what He will do to help us now, and 3) stopping us from knowing how to receive personal revelation.

#1 We must understand who we are and what it means to be children of God. When we know we have a purpose/mission, everything changes. You will be happier than ever before. The great scriptural prophecies all talk about two things, Christ and the Last Days. We are the the "noble and great ones" (D&C 138, Abraham 3; Sister Dew recommended that we read and pray about these scriptures and ask if they apply to us). The Lord would not have saved us for the Last Days if He did not think we were strong enough.

#2 We must gain "unshakeable faith in Jesus Christ" and know that he will heal us of all things. He will heal our broken hearts, heal our wounded souls, make our weaknesses into strengths. Our difficult, heart-breaking experiences help teach us to trust in the Lord and to know that He will help us through everything. Sister Dew suggested we study Alma 7, Ether 12, Hebrews 11, Luke 4:18.

#3 Nothing is more important than to learn to recognize the Spirit and personal revelation. It takes practice with scripture study and prayer. Ask Heavenly Father to teach you how you receive personal revelation. Feeling the Spirit is different than receiving revelation.

Jesus Christ prophesied that in the last days "men's hearts [will fail] them for fear" (Luke 21:26). None of the "scary" things that are happening in the world today are a surprise to the Lord. We do not need to fear. He knew that we would be strong. He wants us here when the world falls apart. The Kingdom of God will not fail in our day as it has in other dispensations, and women have profound influence. We owe Adam, Eve, ** Abraham, Esther, Isaiah, Nephi, Moroni, Joseph, Emma, Eliza, Brigham, and * all of our predecessors our conviction!

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day this year was great! Roy surprised me with an overnight date on Tuesday to The Anniversary Inn in SLC. We ate at Sizzler and then just watched movies and relaxed in the Carriage Suite. We've stayed in that one before, and we love it! It was a great night away. We stayed up too late, but we slept in late too. Then we went to the Jordan River Temple for a session in the afternoon. We got married there 14 1/2 years ago, but we had never been back. It was really wonderful. While sitting in the Celestial Room, I felt such peace...like everything was alright with my world. Then we ate Swedish meatballs at IKEA and bought some of our favorite treats there (Bilar, Anna's Pepparkakor, but no chocoloate this time) before heading home. It was a sweet Valentine's gift!

Our girls were given so many gifts and so much attention while Samuel was in the hospital last year, so we decided to include Megan and Logan in our Valentine's gifts this year. We bought each of them an outfit and some candy. Of course, Logan's outfit couldn't match the girls' outfits or he would have been offended. He was pretty happy with Transformers. We gave the gifts on Friday the 13th since Megan and Logan were going home for the weekend with Janice. We had to get some photos. The four-year-olds are funny.

This morning Elisabeth and Rebekah were thrilled to receive a package from Great Grandma McCluskey with these adorable little plush bears. She made the cute outfits, and they just happened to match their Valentine's outfits. :-)

Black-Eyed Bekah

The goose egg from last week gave Rebekah some pretty good black eyes.

2-7-09

2-8-09

2-9-09

Follow the Recipe

So I was making Pluckits the other night, and the recipe says the dough (Rhoades or whatever) should be "thawed but still cold". I had to use the quick-thaw method because I could not wait until the next day to satisfy the high-carb craving, so my dough was not "still cold". Now I know why that is an important detail to pay attention to.

At least upside down they looked alright. And they still tasted good (and my dad even liked the crispy pieces). Craving satisfied!

No Rest Tonight

This is how I found Roy and Rebekah this afternoon. So sweet!!! But if Rebekah even takes a 10 minute nap during the day, she will not go to bed forever at night. They slept for 1 1/2 hours! Yeah, she's still awake, and it's almost midnight.

Pirate Island Friday Update

More descriptive updates are on the Pirate Island Orem blog.