A Tradition Continues!

Today Momma and Nathan told Jeff and I that they had a gift for us. They wanted us to open it together so when we sat down in the living room, they handed me a yellow gift bag with tissue paper inside covering the contents. As I reached in the bag and pulled out the present, the tears began to flow when I saw the box for I knew what it contained. When I opened the box, there sat a blue set of scriptures with Noah's name embossed on the front. This would have been Noah's 8th birthday and as has been the tradition with all of the grandchildren when they turn 8 years of age, they receive a brand new set of scriptures. Even though Noah no longer has need for the scriptures on this earth, they still wanted him to have his own set as he is their last grandchild and thus they would have given each one a set. As I read what they wrote on the inside it brought tears because I knew what a gift of love this was and it meant the world to both Jeff and I. Jeff suggested I keep his scriptures on the table where his book that Kim made him is along with his pictures and several other special items. We placed them there and they will always be a constant reminder to us of the importance of reading them each day so we will one day be able to return and be with him for eternity. It was a special gift and made this particular birthday easier for me. Thanks Momma and Nathan....I love you and I know that Noah does!!!

Good Hair Day!

Okay...since I rarely have these and I love my new highlights and it was the perfect day to have a good hair day, I have to show off my hair! I love Sundays...esp. loved today since I haven't been to my ward in over a month between being in the hospital and then leaving the very next day out of the hospital for the beach, I haven't had a chance to catch up with anyone and so seeing everyone after a while was fun for me. I loved showing off my new highlights that LaNelle gave me and wouldn't you know that today my hair did exactly what I wanted it to...that in itself is a shock, esp. after looking at all the beach pictures and realizing that I don't have good hair in any of them and they forced me to drag out my Weight Watchers stuff (a whole other subject...but I digress)..anyway, so I thought I would try to take a snapshot with my webcam so I could remember my good hair day. It actually looked really good from the back but since I am not good at taking a picture of the back of my head, you will have to settle for the front..hahaha! So here is my good hair day...

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Our 2009 Myrtle Beach Vacation!

I do not even have the words to describe how great our vacation was this year! Two whole weeks with almost my entire extended family was incredible! I loved seeing and spending time with everyone! There are so many pictures that I would love to post but here are just some of our fun these past two weeks...we laughed and talked and visited and laughed some more and swam and ate and laughed even more. It was just what the doctor ordered for my family and we all came back home a little more tan or red in some cases and with a whole lot of wonderful memories to tuck away...we are already planning for next year. What a fabulous time was had by all.....here are some of our memories (there were probably close to a 1000 pictures taken combined by everyone so these are really just a few...)

Momma and Nathan with their light up cold drinks

Jeff and Pugslie hanging out at the campsite

Sarah Beth, Patti, Kyle and Kalib eating Sunday dinner
Heather enjoying her dinner on Sunday

Sisters..Kim, Kerry, Jean, and Libbi

Emily and LaNelle in the camper after Emily's new hairdo by LaNelle!

Momma and her four kids (Jean, Kim, Momma, Libbi, Floyd)

Jean, Jeff, Kim, Jerry, Libbi, Pete, Laurel, Floyd (Me and my siblings)

Momma and Nathan with our whole family

(5 were missing...Noah, Katie, Jacob, Jared, Kristin & Chloe)

Daddy and Dibbie with most of our family

Jeff and Jean on the beach!

(See, Jeff really did go on the beach..hehehe)

Jeff taking a break from the conversation on Sunday

afternoon to do some reading (and sleeping..haha)

Nathan on July4th waiting for Jeff's burgers!

Kim, Laurel, David, and Grandma on one of our

family dinner nights!

Michael and Sarah Beth out on the balcony!

Jeff cooking hamburgers on July 4th

(Jacob taking notes!)

Kim and Lauren in the condo!

Laurel, Floyd, Libbi, LaNelle, and Pete at

a family dinner night!

Will and Jean

Peter and his fiance Ellen

(our newest family member to be)

Steven playing with Kaitlyn in the sand!

Jean and LaNelle

My two best friends...aka as my sisters!

4 of my adorable great nieces and nephews

(Natalie, Carolyn, Kaitlyn, and Seth)

Daddy, Dibbie, Floyd, Jean, Kim, Libbi, and Kerry

Grandma and Natalie playing on the beach!

The balloons going up and up for my Noah!

Emily's new hair do after LaNelle got done!

Kerry, Jean, Libbi, Kim, and Laurel!

Kim giving advice as LaNelle finishes up my highlighting session!

One of our nightly talk sessions at the campsite!

Andrew, Connor, Gramps, David, Steven, Michael, and Jeff

David, Libbi, Pete, Floyd, and Andrew

Libbi and Beth on the beach!

Lauren under Aunt Libbi's nice cool tent on the beach!

My Noah Day!!!!

Today we are at Lakewood on our vacation and I just wanted to take a minute out and say that on this day, 2 years ago, we had to say goodbye to our precious little by Noah. No one loved being down here more than he did..no one loved the golfcart more than he did. As we have ridden around on the golfcart and all the kids that have come to see us have jumped in it to ride, it has brought back very fond memories of my Noah and his ability to jump into the golf cart at a moments notice when he thought anyone was going to ride somewhere! I see his smile everywhere I turn and as we look at his little flipflops hanging from the back of our trailer, I can close my eyes and still see his little feet running across the campground in those little shoes. I can hear the sound of his laughter as he jumped up and down in the waves and how he loved to sit under the awning and "relax" with his feet propped up on one side of the chair. I can still see him busily working his puzzles we kept in the trailer for him and how he would snuggle on the bed with us at night. As much fun as we are having, these memories still bring tears to me...tears of gratitude that I was allowed to have him for five years. Tears of sorrow that I can't see him today running with everyone else and then tears of joy as I know if Jeff and I live in strict obedience to the Lord's commandments that I will one day be reunited with my precious little boy on the other side and that reunion will be sweet. For now, I will allow these memories to envelope me and I will shed a few tears and Jeff will wipe them away and together we will move forward with faith for we are an eternal family who understand the simple beauty of the Plan of Salvation and it brings us hope and peace and absolute faith that the Lord's promises are sure. So today is my Noah day and all is well! I love you Noah and I miss your presence in my life but one day our reunion will be sweet and then we can look back on this time and be grateful for the growth that our family experienced and it will have made us stronger!