How I know the Gospel is true

Listen up.  You'll be quizzed on this one day.  Not on my testimony, but on yours.  So listen for your own testimony.

Sure, my testimony started in high school.  It started with a comforting feeling I had when I went to church with Jen and her family.  It expanded from just knowing that the Biglers knew something that most others didn't.  They are the kindest people I have ever met; from their toenails to the hairs on their heads - kind.  The love I feel at my church, and the sense of belonging with them, helps too.  But sometimes things happen and you just think....this church is true.  I KNOW that this church is true.

Let me explain.

One day about 8 months ago, my new Visiting Teaching companion, Tina, and I were making plans to go visit our new Teachees.  One woman who is not so active in our church (but is active in a different ward because she's from there), was dodging our calls (or so we thought).  The missionaries didn't visit them much although they should have because the husband is not a member.  Anyhow, one day the missionaries showed up on their doorstep.  They hadn't visited for several months, but on this day she had come home from the hospital.  You see, she lost twins at 16 weeks and had a DNC that day.  She was hurting and needed the Gospel to help her through it.  The next day, Tina and I went to visit her.  We have a great friendship with her now and she is pregnant again.  You may say it's a coincidence but I know that the Holy Ghost guided the missionaries and us to her house.

But tonight my testimony was expanded even more.  This story is amazing, so be prepared.

A 21 year old is praying to whatever God there is.  She has a 2 day old baby and is in a deep depression.  She doesn't know who the father is and is single.  She is praying for someone to come take the baby from her.  A knock at her door.  The missionaries!  They call a social worker they know and have the baby temporarily placed in a home.  The family where the baby is placed is friends with a friend of ours who adopts their kids.  They've been waiting for awhile for another baby.  The friend tells our friends that this baby is available.  Our friends meet the birth mom.  On Sunday, our friends are bringing home a 1 month old baby boy.  The birth mom is taking the missionary lessons and I will pray for her.  In the meantime, I am beyond excited for our friends.  I pray that you take this story to heart as much as I did because it makes me sure that the Gospel is true.  The missionaries got my friend a baby.  It all happened because of the church.  God provides.

I know this church is true.  I say these things, humbly, in the name of thy son Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Mexico!

We just spent a week in Cabo!  We had a villa on the side of a mountain, overlooking the ocean.  It was awesome.  We spent everyday in the pool.  We ordered breakfast every morning.  Then we would go down to the neighboring resort, ride the buggies to different pools, order lunch by the pool and play until nap time.  Then in the afternoon we would go in the pool at our Villa, which was heated to 93 degrees.  Aspen loved it so much that she would cry when we took her out of the water!

Highlights of the trip included:

Hunter now calls Landon "Land" when he is trying to get his attention.  It is SO cute, even though I'm not a fan of nicknames.  "Land, do you want to play with me?" How could that not melt your heart?

Landon's eczema cleared up. 100%.  We went to the allergist when we got home and he confirmed that it is definitely an allergy.  It's hard to find the root of the allergy so we're just treating him.  I'm glad to have his skin clear for a change!

We explored Cabo a little bit and ate at some really cute restaurants.  Our favorite is called "Hacienda" and we ate there 2 times!

We grew even more thankful for our house here.  When you leave the country you are reminded of how other people live.  I tried to explain to Hunter about how poor people live.  I think it's a valuable lesson to learn.

Aspen started needing regular naps.  She is now napping in her crib! Such a big difference.  

Aspen had her first giggles (courtesy of Daddy). She is growing up way too fast!

Brian and I loved watching our boys behave as the best little friends they have become.  Partners in crime to the nth degree, we are so happy that they play together (even when they're doing things we don't want them to do).

We also decided that we are no longer going to restaurants if we have to bring the boys.  It isn't worth it at this age.

Here are some moments from our trip:

Ready for the pool

 This is the view from the pool at pour Villa.  So beautiful.

 Me and Aspen about to go in the pool

 Her first time in a pool! I think she likes it!

 We went up and sat in the hot tub and all 3 of them piled into my lap.  What could be more fun than being loved by all 3 of your babies?

 Sleeping while the rest of us enjoyed the hot tub.

 She's such a star! I love dressing her up.  Gymboree, the store, is a horrible obsession for me.  They have all the matching parts of an outfit.  From shoes, sunglasses, hair clips, socks, pants, t-shirts, sweaters, dresses, etc, etc. That store is amazing and a lot of her clothes on this trip were from there.

 The boys on the buggy.  They LOVED the buggy.  Aren't they so cute?

 Playing in the "Sky Pool" which is all the way up on top of a hill! They had a shallow area just for the kids.

 Aspen is chillin'

 Daddy and the boys on the buggy

 Ms. Aspen, rocking the red, white and blue

 And in her cover up.  A lady always wears a cover up!

 Me and Aspen in the pool

 Dinner at Hacienda.  It has the most beautiful view of the water!

 Daddy and Hunter at Hacienda

 Sweet little baby girl!

 Sleeping Aspen. Sweet little girl.

 Landon was brrrr! COLD.  He's speaking so much now so he tells us "I'm COLD! I'm COLD!"  Another favorite saying is "I no like that!" We find it hilarious and often say it when we no like something.

 Sweet baby girl.

 And snuggling.  What's better than baby snuggles? They're tied with toddler snuggles I suppose - except Aspen never elbows me in the boob.

 Landon burrito.  So yummy.  I'd order it in every restaurant if I could.

 Daddy and Aspen played a lot so that I could take the boys in the pool.  Both boys are swimming on their own now, which is kind of amazing.  They won't do it at swim classes - I have no idea why, but at the pool with mommy and daddy they swim like stars.  It is so much fun to watch them enjoy the water like I do!

 My beautiful, beautiful girl

 And the superhero

 Hunter loves Aspen SO much.  He loves to snuggle with her and anytime I set her down, I am guaranteed that he will be sitting with her or kissing her.  It's very sweet.

 The boys really enjoyed making a "bed" around and under the lounge chair  It was really cute and funny to see where they would lay down....

 Like here, for example.  Who would think this is comfortable?!

 After a bath I got my naked little kids to take a picture.  How sweet are they? Hunter wasn't actually grumpy, he just likes to make silly faces.

 Family photo in front of the big fountain.  This was down at the resort, as opposed to up at the Villas.  We tried to get several couples to go with us to Cabo because the whole upstairs of our house sat empty.

 I love this.  Landon and his pillow - just up from a nap with the pillow on his nose.  Adorable.

 FISHIES! They loved these fishies.  There was also a big cage with parrots and cockatoos in it.  The first time we walked by a parrot made a big, startling, BRAAAACH! Landon was afraid of the birds for the rest of the time.

 On the buggy again.  They were sitting still! I had to try to get a photo.  You can see how well it worked.

 My boys in the sky pool.

 Aspen in her yellow polka dot one piece.  So beautiful.  I always thought yellow would be her color given that we named her after the Aspen trees, and I always picture them as being yellow.

 Asleep, in her cover up.  Her favorite thing to do is to move the paci out of her mouth.  Then she wakes up because she can't suck.  She loves to suck on her fist too and often yell at me that she can't nurse with her fist in her mouth.  Oh, the hard things in life!

 Happy girl!

 Aspen in her flower dress.  Yes, her hair is long enough for a ponytail!

 Breakfast.  Who wouldn't want to eat breakfast up here everyday? I do.

 The kids were all lounging on their own chairs.  I thought it was pretty cute.

 My sweet little angel face.  I could nibble on those cheeks all day long!

 Family photo at Hacienda

 My cutie pie face

 Hunter was helping Landon with his food.  He's a very good big brother.  We were about to go back to the Villa for a nap.

 Beautiful sky pool

 HI!!!

 I think we're on the buggy again.  I guess I really liked buggy rides.

 Daddy and his girl

 Mommy and her momma's boy

 The boys were fighting over who got to sit by Aspen. It was pretty cute.

 Happy Valentine's Day!!! Her shirt says "All I need is Daddy and Love"  I was so excited to buy her a "Daddy" shirt because the boys always get "mommy" shirts for Valentine's day.

 Landon stole Aspen's headband.

 Hunter is giving Aspen kisses.  "Gentle" is the word of the year with him.  He loves her so much though!

 Naked little angel

 Landon is doing tummy time with Aspen.  How cute!

 Daddy's boy and Daddy.  This kid adores his Daddy!

We had so much fun, but as always, we are happy to be home.  We leave for Jackson Hole in less than 3 weeks now! I cannot wait to have such a different kind of a trip.  We'll be all bundled up in snow gear to go skiing, sledding, possibly dog-sledding, and generally playing in the snow.  I can't tell you how excited I am about it!!