Wednesday--Where Has The Week Gone? Sunday Re-Cap.

Here are some pictures that I 'borrowed' from Megan's blog! (Thanks, Meg.) I'm finally getting brave and learning how to do pictures. I wanted to post these in the text, but haven't figured that out yet! (Top: Megan (Mere's sister) and Josh proudly wearing BYU. Notice the BYU pillow on the piano. We named the cabin: Cougarhaven! Fitting! Middle: The Peterson family, missing: Erik, Kristen and Brent and soon to be baby boy in December, and Julia. Bottom: Baby Christian David Peterson in family blessing gown.)

I can't believe it is Wednesday already!

This is a crazy week for us. So much going on. Tonight is YW in Excellence for Christine. She has to finish her poster for it this afternoon inbetween school and soccer practice. The theme for the evening is like a hollywood premier with a red carpet, etc. 'starring' the girls and the YW values. It sounds like it will be cute and fun. We have to dress up 'glitzy style'. Hmmm. I don't have anything like that! Maybe my outfit from the wedding...

Then tomorrow the bridal shower for Jessica Hobbins.

Friday, will be a very special day. My cousin Wendy's husband is going through the temple for the first time. Wendy has had quite a few ups and downs in her life--most recently the recurrence of her breast cancer which she has been battling for 9 years. She will be going back to the temple for the first time in 25 years. She and Larry are sooo excited to be at this wonderful place in their lives. Duff and I are going with them. Redlands Temple. I'll post more about this after Friday.

I want to recap last Sunday for my journal:

A day to be remembered. It started out with 'conference quiche' in the oven, and a sleepy family in pajamas and sweats with pillows and blankets gathering in the great room for the morning session of conference, which was awesome:).

The Blairs loaded up their mini-van and headed back to Idaho Falls after the first session. We sent them off with the traditional Duffy Wave from the front porch. Then got beds made, showers, and dinner prepped. The Petersons (Mere's family) were coming up to bless David and Kat's sweet new baby boy, Christian.

After the afternoon conference, they dressed the baby in a blessing gown. Patti had made it for all of her children to be blessed in and now the grandchildren are being blessed in it. It is a very old fashioned and beautiful English gown. All the names of the babies blessed in it Patti has embroidered inside on the slip. One day Josh and Meredith's babies will be blessed in it too! What a great tradition.

We had dinner after the blessing and pictures. Everyone pitched in and helped. It was pretty simple, but delicious. Pork tenderloin, funeral potatoes, fresh asparagus, salad, rolls, butter, and homemade jams. This was all very nice--BUT--the most wonderful thing happened after that!

Since Duff and I don't have the blessing of having most of our family geographically close to us, we have been trying lately when we are together, to set aside some time for some 'spiritual bonding'. FHE, scripture study, gospel conversations, priesthood blessings, etc. SO, we were going to have priesthood blessings that evening and talk about the Family Proclamation. (In the RS broadcast the week before, we sisters were counseled to go home and make sure our families knew of our testimonies of that proclamation and that this is our goal as a family, recommitting each of us to do our part of being a forever family.)

Well, since Meredith had her dad there, she wanted him to participate in the blessing before they had to leave for the airport to go home. Josh gave her a beautiful blessing with Richard, David, and Duff assisting. It just mushroomed from there! It ended up that each father blessed each child, each young husband blessed their wives, and Richard and Duff blessed Patti and I. ( I need to mention that Christine asked Josh to give her her blessing--she has missed him so since he got married! It was a tender moment for all of us, but especially for a brother and sister.)

Now one of the things that I want to remember from this is this: All of us there are in different places-- in our lives, the church, our testimonies, trials, choices, circumstances, etc. But once the spirit was 'invited' it just became stronger and stronger, until everyone desired and was given a blessing by and witnessed by those who loved them the most in this world--our FAMILIES! Father in Heaven's love for all of His children was felt deeply and it was expressed there that day. Hugs, kisses, the physical affection between family members (also talked about in this last conference) was sweet and tender.

The Peterson's left with just barely enough time to catch their flight, and then David and Kat had to get on the road back to Rexburg and BYUI, but the feelings and 'high' stayed with all of us.

We realized after, that the father's probably would have liked a blessing themselves, so Duff asked Josh to give him a blessing. That was great too, to see a son bless his father.

We ended the day with a rousing game of dominos and pizookies for dessert realizing that the 'real frosting on the cake' came much earlier in the day!