When it comes to living our lives, Christ doesn't make up the difference. He IS the difference.

After Caden's ballgame last Saturday, we took off for a hike up Kolob Canoyon. The jury is still undecided as to whether we hiked 5 miles or 9, but I'm thinking the lesser of the two. (Don't tell Caden.) It's great to get out with the kids. Look at those dirty shoes! They were all such troopers. It was a much longer hike than I'd intended, but when they realized that the only way to get food and to rest was to keep walking back to the car, they kept on. Jacob and I are hiding from the sun in a cave . . . right next to some unidentied animal prints. . . We had a lot of fun hiking up to the double arch. It would have been twice as fast if we didn't have to cross the stream every 25 feet. It was just georgeous up there. No enhancements or changes made on this photo at all and a beautiful day to top it off!

For some strange reason, I thought that the most important thing that I had to do was to make it through the first year. I did. We did. And now, things seem very difficult, as opposed to easier. It seems I miss Dave now as much as I did in those first days after he had passed away. I am grateful to say that, consequently, I have felt him nearby. I know that he continues to help me and our children from the other side of the veil, as well as other individuals that he loves and cares for. The gospel is true and it continues to roll forth like a stone cut out of the mountain without hands. The work is being done on both sides of the veil in preparation for the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that to be true. As I am faced with each new day, I feel Satan trying to drag me down in despair and frustration. I recognize that he is there, and I also realize that God is there, That in His strength, and perhaps with the strength of his angels to come to my aid I can acc...

Happy Birthday to daddy's little princess! Allison's birthday was the day after Dave's funeral last year. It was so important to me that it was a day especially for her and it turned out to be just that. All of the focus was on her, and because of the funeral, she had around 30 kids at her party on a beautiful, warm day. It couldn't have been better. Now, she has grown one year older and is just one more year from being baptized. Initially, upon finding out about Dave's cancer, I plead with the Lord and asked that if he had to take Dave, would he please spare him long enough to baptize Jacob? The Lord heard that prayer. Now, Allison will have a choice of several worthy family members to baptize her on behalf of her father. In his foresight, Dave wrote birthday cards to the children. Allison's this year spoke of how much her Daddy misses her and encouraged her to hold on to the memories of all of the outings and fun times that we had together. He promised...