True Sib Love Always

Tonight after dinner we sat around enjoying the evening

until Lottie announced she had

homework that she had "forgotten about". 

So while Christian and Lod finished up a few math problems,

 (homework on Sunday night around 10:00

at my house is just a typical Sunday activity.  Sadly.)

I cleaned up dinner and started making lunches for Monday.

Then we had family scripture study and family prayer.

Just before we said our goodnights and before we all went to our separate rooms,

 I pulled up on my phone a photo taken 17 years ago of Gigs and Jane together. 

 Gigs, 6 months, Jane, 4 when we lived in Mesa, Arizona. (2007)

We all had a good laugh.

Jane stopped growing at 5'3 and Gigs is still 

sprouting up over 6 feet!

But he'll always be the younger taller brother,

and she'll always be the shorter, older sister.

 

Make A Difference

We dropped Claire off at the airport for her  

16-hour flight to Accra to be a part of a medical mission,

Ghana Make a Difference

She's going to fly into Ghana a day before her group, so she can 

visit and serve in the temple before she leaves for the hospital

to start working.

GO, CLAIRE, GO!

She left her roller-skates at home.

 

Run In The Blood

 For Lottie's birthday, we gave her horse lessons,

 and today was her first lesson!

She's a natural!  

Her horse, Baylee, was such a gentle sweetheart 

(and 30 years old! Perfect for first-time lessons!)

I didn't want to be a helicopter mom, but I also wanted to watch her as she

saddled the horse, ride, rise & post, and learn proper horse commands.

So I hid in the bushes.  

Just this first lesson.

I LOVED horse lessons as a young girl (about the same age as Lod).

And I LOVED my instructor, Candace, she was college-age, cool, and fearless,

and I consider her to be one of my greatest mentors.

She had a way of making me feel good about myself, 

and the way I worked with my horse.

Candace prepared me to show in competitions, 

and that was such a cool chapter of my life.

I want Lottie to feel this same confidence in herself.

Her instructor, Megan,

is just as fearless and just as wonderful as Candace was to me

and I think Lod will love it.

Besides, horses run in our blood:

Nothing Can Replace A Sister

 Today Claire started packing for her 2-week medical mission trip in Ghana!  
She's been planning this trip for nearly 6 months, 

and tomorrow she's finally going!

Lottie stayed home from school today (obviously sick),

and sat curled up in her tortilla blanket on Claire's bed surrounded

by clothes, luggage, shoes, food, and other things while Claire packed.

 I could hear them laughing and listening to music.

From time to time I'd check in, and give my opinion about which sunglasses

or fanny pack she should bring, help fold clothes to fit in her backpack,

 and then die a little inside thinking

that AGAIN both sisters would leave for college in late August

leaving Lottie the lone sister.

At least she's got me!

Even though I know NOTHING can replace a sister.

RIP Brane

It is with sadness that I announce that our darling bunny, Brane,

passed away this morning around 12:35.

Yesterday evening we noticed he was acting lethargic

and showed zero interest in eating like he once did.

Sweet Brane is reunited with his sister and brother and 1 bazillion

cousins in bunny heaven.

Thank you Brane for letting us care and love you.

You've made our home happier, and we'll miss you!

RIP

 

Hi?

 Enjoy this text dialogue between me and Gigs this morning:

Now, enjoy these cute mother/son photos we got 

together yesterday during the solar eclipse

while he was working on his welding project with Christian.

(Working on the lawn mower) 

Solar Welding

Seven years ago, in 2017, I viewed the solar eclipse together with all the Nies.

We were living on the ranch and we used Christian's welding masks to 

see the beautiful solar phenomenon!

On both days, 2017, and today, Christian happened to be welding and happened

to have his masks out, and I just happened to return home from exercising

right in time to view it,

AND, it just happened to be the last day of Spring Break, which

meant everyone was home!

 What are the chances of all these happenings?

If we didn't have the welding masks, I don't think we would

have been able to see this celestial miracle! 

 Around 2:00, we noticed the sky started getting darker, and things felt eerie.

Shadows were sat differently on the trees and the lawn, 

and Stillestead was noticeably quieter.

We texted Claire who was at work and told her 

that we were outside looking at the eclipse

(with the song, Total Eclipse of the Heart on repeat blaring on the porch)

She told us the hospital had given out glasses to everyone

to view the amazing sight! 

I was happy to hear that because I heard that we won't see another occurrence

of the solar eclipse for a few years.

With The Lord's Help I Can Do This

This is what I loved and learned most while listening/watching hours

 and hours of conference: It's all about Jesus, 

and it's all about our personal relationship with Him.

It's about our devotion to Him, what we are willing to give 

and give up for Him.

It's the promises and covenants we are willing to make with Him,

 and it's our devotion to Him. 

By prioritizing our relationship with Jesus, we can find that

 our questions are met with clear and direct answers

perfectly tailored to our situations.

I LOVE this quote by Sister Wendy Nelson,

"I believe if you could remember who you said you would help 

while you are here on earth, or what anguishing experiences

 you agreed to go through, that whatever really tough situation you are

 presently in—or will be in—you would say, 

“Oh, now I remember. Now I understand. 

This difficult situation makes sense to me now. 

With the Lord’s help I can do this!”"

If You Love Jesus, You'll Love Conference!

Last week, I prayed for an opportunity to share the good news

of General Conference.  I wanted to be able to tell someone about 

this extraordinary gathering of Saints who want to hear God's voice!

It's really such an amazing weekend.

Yesterday morning, the girls and I stopped by Trader Joe's

after our Barre class and filled our cart full of delicious food 

for the weekend.  A man approached us and asked us what we were celebrating,

and I got to tell him about conference weekend!  

He asked all sorts of questions about it, too!

Here I was, standing with my two beautiful returned missionary

daughters talking and sharing our love for Jesus.

I said, "If you love Jesus, you'll love conference!"

Then I said I hoped I'd see him again so we could discuss it.

He said he'd like that.

I made our traditional conference Dutch Babies for breakfast, followed by

a huge charcuterie board to graze on during the next six hours.  

IT WAS THE BEST!

In between the afternoon session and the evening session,

we made a quick run out to grab dinner (Gigs had to work).

I love my beautiful daughters!