A Fun Surprise

On Friday I overheard Brent talking to his boss on the phone, "Well, I can work tomorrow (BAH!), but I have plans on Monday." Hmmm...I think...what plans does he have on Monday? Since it was President's Day, I knew he had the day off, but I had no idea that we had plans. When asked, Brent said, "Don't worry about it. Just be ready to go at 9a." FUN! A surprise!

Monday dawns and I get up and going by 9a. We're driving down the road and I'm wondering what he has up his sleeve, when we turn down a strange road. He parks in front of a house and goes to the door. Out comes a babysitter-looking-teenager. Hmmm...I think. We don't need a babysitter. And I knew Court had plans today, so I didn't think they needed a babysitter. But, then we drive to their house with the babysitter. When we walked in, Court said, "I should have known you guys were involved." Then Sarah comes up to me and asks, "Do you know what you're doing?" Man, it's a surprise for everyone! What fun!

We drive to the ferry and take it over to Seattle. Here we are enjoying the sun and watching the water waiting for the ferry to leave.

So, we get off the ferry and start walking...and walking...and walking. Just when I think we just can't walk anymore, I notice we're heading towards PF Chang's. Woho! My favorite! What a great lunch we had.

After lunch we went to Pike Place Market. The first tulips of the year were in, so I couldn't leave without getting some flowers and letting Brent carry them through Seattle. He loves that, after all.

You always have to do a scrunch picture! Turned out pretty good, didn't it?

What a fun surprise day! Good friends, good food, good fun! It was a gloriously beautiful February day in Seattle. We soaked up some vitamin D and are ready for the rain to come back.

Hope you have a fun surprise in your future!

I've Been Thinking About it for Awhile

What have I been thinking about, you ask? These beautiful people. They are my grandparents, Jack and Sally Gentry. I really don't have a newer picture of either of them. I didn't realize until after they died that we didn't really have pictures. They hated it. (So, learn from me - take pictures even if they grumble!)

Why have I been thinking about them? I'll give you a hint.

Grandma and Grandpa have been gone for over two years now, and I really wanted to do their temple work. But...I was a little afraid. I wanted them to be happy about it. So, I kept waiting and waiting for a "sign." I don't know what I wanted exactly (maybe them coming to me in a dream and saying, "Now!"), just something to tell me they were ready. I never got that sign, but I did get an opportunity to go to the temple last Saturday and start their temple work.

It was AMAZING! I guess that was my sign, right? I loved hearing their names said in that beautiful temple. It's hard to explain, but it was awesome!

I just love my grandparents so much and I want to be with them forever.

I love the temple. I love the fact that we can be together forever. It is such a blessing in our lives. I love that we have the opportunity to do the work for those who have gone before us. I now want to always do family names. It brought such a different spirit to the ordinances.

I told everyone at the temple that these were MY grandparents. I got a couple of hugs and a couple of big smiles. I think they understood what an awesome experience I was having.

When Brent was giving the family prayer at my grandma's funeral, he said something to the effect of, "Now she'll be waiting to welcome everyone home." I know that's true. I know I'll see both of them again. I know they will no longer be sick. I don't want to say that I'm looking forward to that day, but I am. I miss them more than I can ever say.

Love you guys!

(Ok, I'm going to stop crying now and go see what Brent's doing. Sorry for the sappy post.)

What I Learned Today

When you buy window clings from Dollar Tree, they don't actually stick on the window.

Who knew? :)

An Exciting Sunday

I had a really great day yesterday at church. I now have 3 callings - primary teacher (Valiant 9 boys), co-ward bulletin editor (with Brent), and now YW camp director. Wowie! I'm excited to serve and see where these callings take me.

Then, I got my Young Women's Medallion.

A few years ago, they changed the Young Women Personal Progress books. Then they encouraged the leaders to get their medallions as well. I didn't do it then, but I did do it now. It's a lot of work, but it is so worth it. You learn so much about yourself and about the Lord. It's an inspired program! I know that now.

It's kind of a funny story. The bishop invited me up and told everyone how I had earned my YW Medallion. He handed me the certificate, then he opened the pretty purple box to show everyone the medallion and....

the box was empty. It kind of threw the bishop off and made me start to giggle. Quite funny.

I did get the real thing later though. It's kind of pretty...

Not a great picture, but you get the idea. It is really nice.

Now here is the weird part. Exactly 17 years ago today, I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. So, it's kind of like I got my medallion when I was suppose to get it.

In the last conference, Sis. Allred spoke about when she joined the church when she was young. She said that her baptism day was the day that her "life changed forever, and the gospel of Jesus Christ became the compelling force in my life." That quote has really stuck with me. I don't think that the day I was baptized was the day that the gospel became the "compelling force in my life," but it really is now. It is who I am and what I know is true with all my heart. I am working towards the goal of being like my Savior. I'm not always good at it, but I'm working towards it. And I am so happy that I did joint the church all those years ago. And I am so glad that it is now the "compelling force in my life." It makes me happy, what more can I want?