Eternally Yours

Our Big Eternal Family.

This day was filled with love and peace.

I am so grateful for the struggle and pain it took to get to this day. It made it all the more sweet in fully forgiving myself and feeling free.

All of the kids got to share in this day. After Brian and I knelt together and said "Yes," all 7 children entered the room all dressed in white. We were both already a mess before they entered, but as they did, we both completely lost it. Tears of joy and peace filled the room, and it was awesome to be able to all share this experience together.

 I am so thankful for the prayers and love we have been given over these past years. I know we couldn't have made it with out the love and acceptance of our families and friends.

I will not forget...

I will not forget the time...

time that felt stopped for so long...

long days and night of repenting & seeking...

seeking for the strength to overcome...

overcome weakness and mistakes...

mistakes that the Lord took upon Him...

Him who is perfect...

perfect like this day...

a day I will not forget...

                                  ~Ali 

Halloween Fun

Cops, robbers, and some convicted felons.  I think this will be the last themed year with all of the kids. But I love it!

I love to see the Temple.....

Today the Ogden, Utah LDS Temple was dedicated. It was my Sunday with my kids so they got to attend with Brian and I. I was a beautiful service, filled with the Spirit.

{my photo}

There were so many words I wanted to remember spoken by each on the program, but as our Prophet of God spoke I knew I had to find something to jot what he said down.  He said "Love the Temple, Appreciate the Temple, and Attend the Temple... and closed with - "May the Temple be the lighthouse of the Lord, guiding us through the storms of life."  It being a stormy day I had to run and capture this picture tonight, because it was fitting.

My heart is full of gratitude that I was able to attend and feel the sweet spirit that attended.  I was in full-on labor last night- but baby girl decided to go posterior and wouldn't move down, helping my body progress...and being 3 days shy of 39 weeks they will not help the labor along and sent me home. I was very discourage- but today, as I was filled with the spirit, as we sang the closing song "The Spirit of God" I started to sob as I felt she was part of the heavenly choir that I know was in attendance also. So baby girl just had another thing to do before she joined us. :O)

After the meeting we ran to get Beth from Papa and G-ma. I was exhausted from laboring from 3pm to 2am and asked for a blessing for me and the baby girl from Brian, G, and Papa. As these men I love placed there hands on my head I was again filled with the spirit and the words Brian spoke I knew were from our Father in Heaven.  And I am grateful that he is a vessel where our Heavenly Father can give me peace and words of encouragement.

I have a testimony of the Temples and our Saviors love for each of us. Since I have repented and gained my blessing back  I have rarely missed attending the Temple each month.  I find so much joy and peace from the struggles I face daily when I am in the Lords House. I am SO grateful and excited for the Ogden Temple to make my goals of attending even easier.  I know the Temples of God on the earth are a place where we can find peace and safety to our souls.  I know it is through the power of the priesthood that the ordinances preformed in the Temple are bound on earth and in Heaven.  I am excited to go to the Ogden Temple {so soon} with Brian to be sealed to each other and our 2 girls. It has been a long road of repentance and struggle to reach this point, and Satan works hard with his outside influences, but as the Lord has promised His tender mercies are on those who seek repentance and forgiveness....and His promises are sure!!! and I know this to be true.

I am reminded daily He loves me and He has forgiven me. I believe! And I stand as a witness of His love, mercy and grace.  In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Park fun

I Love going to the park and watching you interact with each other and other kids who want to join in your fun. I love you all very much!!!

Recoonion 2014

 Katie& Cam hosted- @ Pinebasin -A BlaSt!

Coon CRAZIES!!!

Waterfall near by...

Awesome fun activities for the kids...

We had SO much fun! I am so grateful for my Coon Family and all the fun we share together. :O)

Lagoon

So much fun with you kids! I'm so glad we were able to go. I hope we can always remember good times like these. We are so blessed!

WE WILL GO....

I love going to the temple. I love being reminded of the covenants I've made. And learning and growing in the gospel. I'm so thankful to have a husband who takes me to the Temple. I can't wait for the upcoming months and going to be sealed to this man I love!

Family Morning @the Dam

Awesome Papa & G-MA date.
We got up and gone by 8am.
Haylee, Syd, and Ben tried skiing and made good progress!

Hogal Zoo on Memorial Day

I love having my family come in town. It's  much fun to go. To the zoo with kids who haven't been before.

Easter love....

We are so lucky to have grandma Susan. She always plans the most special things and always includes her testimony.
She took you kids on an Easter egg hunt, feed us dinner, and then had a special Family Home Evening prepared on Jesus and his last week.
I'm so grateful for her example in our lives!

Surprise!

We're having another baby! I made our own geocache and took you kids to feed the ducks. Your reactions were hilarious when they finally figured out what it meant. You were SCREAMING and so excited.
I'm so excited to have another baby and add to our crazy... here's our day at the park when we found out the big news.

Support our kids...

It lives get pretty crazy keeping track of not only or schedule but the kids in their other homes.  But I love to support the kids in all they're different activities. This month
Piano, soccer, clogging & choir.

We love visits

The Renfroes came to stay for the weekend we had so much fun. BIran spoiled then with nagging yummy food, & Becca spoiled me by making me my own apple pie (which I kind of shared)
And then we took all of you kids to Nickel Cade and you had so much fun running around and being crazy.
I love when we have visitors. Its my favorite!

Lucky Us...

“At the creation of man and woman, unity for them in marriage was not given as hope; it was a command! ‘Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh’ (Genesis 2:24). Our Heavenly Father wants our hearts to be knit together. That union in love is not simply an ideal. It is a necessity” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1998, 85; or Ensign, May 1998, 66

I know we have been divorced & that we haven't been perfect examples but I hope you know that dad and I have learned from our mistakes and what we failed to do in our first marriages and we are trying to set a better example of what you should do in your marriages to keep them strong and healthy.

Here are some things that have helped us... 

~Weekly date night- you don't have to spend any money to go out together- 

~We go to the temple @ least monthly 

~COMMUNICATE & LISTEN 

~take a trip together alone every year.

I hope you marry someone who spoils you. Who makes you feel like you are important & special. But I also hope you make them feel the same. You have to invest TIME and energy in your marriage to make it work. 

I am so grateful to be married to Brian. For the sacrifice and stress he takes on to support 2 households. He sets a great example for each of you. We are all lucky to have such a great example in our lives.

 I Love This Man!!!! :O)

So excited to add another sweet spirit to our family!

Learning through kindness...

Since the beginning of December I have made a constant effort to except my husbands challenge to Be Kind NO MATTER WHAT.  I have struggled with my feeling towards certain people in our lives and what I believe to be their real intent. And as I have let go of responding and communicating with this person, and just been kind when I have had to- I have come to find more peace in my life, because I'm not always trying to figure out "what is meant" and "how it was intended."  

I have found myself more concerned with who I am and who the Lord really needs me to be.

Before December I was suffering with depression, severe anxiety which caused rapid heart rate, to the point of loosing my breath, & acid reflex in my throat daily for hours.  Since I excepted my sweet Husbands challenge I only rarely have these symptoms, and it is usually from my failing and having unkind thoughts.

For 4 years I thought my way was the right way...."responding is the kind thing," "being helpful is kind." Brian finally said to me "Sometimes the kind thing is to leave it all alone, and not respond."  He was SO right...I only wish I would have listen 4 years ago.  He is such a good example of just not responding when he's being pushed & bullied...of course he has failed, but 

I am SO grateful I have FINALLY decided to make this change in my life. "I really am THE ONLY ONE who can change me, and I can't change anyone else...ONLY ME!"

I am in awe every time I apply the Lord teachings- how His promises are sure...how He asks us to give Him our burden, and how light then the burden becomes. I have also realize I "vent/complain" less to those around me about my problems because I seem to have less problems.

In Ephesians 4:31-32 it says "Let all bitterness, and wrath, ad anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you...and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving on another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

The MOST beautiful & glorious news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is the opportunity that we have to be whole because the Savior suffered all pains, afflictions, & sickness that He might know exactly how to heal us.  I have experience the FULL and beautiful sweet forgiveness, and I am grateful to continue daily to seek His sweet peace and tender mercy in my weakness.

This past week I have been studying "Contention" & I realized being kind is the best way to rid my life of contention and the feelings, anger & confusion it brings into my life.  3 Nephi 11:29 says "...he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another."

I do not want something that invites the devil and his influences into my life...or into my marriage. It was a spirit I was allowing in my home daily through my anger and hate. Even if I thought I was hiding it well, I know I wasn't. 

I don't know if any of you struggle with unkind thoughts or saying things that are hurtful, or speaking ill of someone. But I am sharing this post to testify the Lords promises are sure!  He will help and lift and strengthen, but we have to ask, seek, and repent. I am so grateful for a gaining a testimony of something that I am sure is easy for most....KINDNESS!