Gone to Carolina, a blessed people...

Our favorite part of visiting the Carolinas 

was the people we met. 

(Pechacek Family) 

(Bills Family) 

The same people that have won a piece of Zac's heart 

(Johnny)

(President and Sister Alexander)

(Knoop Family)

(Smith Family)

(Jessup Family)

(Shepherd Family)

They were kind and clever, 

(Kelley)

(Brother Smith)

full of faith and optimism,

(Rachel and Hoss)

(Brother Roper)

(Castaldo Family)

the salt of the earth. 

(Ruppe Family and Naoko)

Zac didn't have phone numbers, addresses, or facebook messenger

(Sanders Family)

for some people

(Netherland Family)

(Reynders Family)

so I wondered how they'd react when we knocked on their door 

(Canty Family)

and said "surprise!"

(Brother Simmers)

They couldn't have been more welcoming!!

(Sister Foy)

(Love Sister Foy's photo bombing horse ;)

(Dave the mailman)

Thank you dear friends for being so good to our Zac.

<3

(Dwayne)

"...no more strangers and foreigners but

fellow citizens with the saints

and of the household of God."

-Ephesians 2:19

We missed getting pictures with the
Christensens, Watsons, Chalmers, Butchers,
Janet, Tim, Brian, and Sister Porter
but we love them too!

Gone to Carolina, traveling...

This summer after Zac came home from his mission 

to his beloved people in the Carolinas 

and before Hunter left home for his mission 

to the wonderful people of New Hampshire, 

we hopped a plane or two. 

We went back to Zac's most recent stomping grounds 

so he could introduce us to the people and places 

he'd loved in North and South Carolina.

Traveling in and of itself can be an adventure 

and one of our biggest laughs came from this little guy 

who had found a unique way to pass time 

while waiting for his flight. 

The twigs noticed him first and snapped this picture. 

Can you see the sign above him as he rides the moving sidewalk hand rails?

Yup, he was definitely embracing creativity!

We loved the green that is the Carolinas!

This was our girlie's first time on a plane 

and all three twigs on one flight or another

 got the chance to enjoy a window seat. 

Yikes - we were sad to see our favorite Antelope Island on fire!

On our last layover as I watched people hurrying by, 

carts zipping here and there, 

I considered the marvel it is to fly across the country 

and the orchestration required 

to make things run as smoothly as they do. 

It amazes me!

The Miracle...

Linda came by on Friday with a plate full of delicious chocolate birthday cookies

(she always does that - did we score with the best neighbor or what!!) 

She said she'd be making another hundred and something cookies 

for all the Primary Children who would attend Saturday's practice 

at church for the Children's Sacrament Meeting Presentation. 

She's amazing!! 

Then she said to be listening on Sunday 

for a song called The Miracle 

and that it was really something special. 

Did you know this fun guy was a Primary Teacher this summer?

I found these pics, taken by his Primary children,

on his phone - hahaha!

He totally loved those kids and his team teacher, Carlos (Bro. Diaz)!!

This sweet girl came over just before he left on his mission

to say see ya later alligator.

Today at church, those precious kids and all their siblings and friends 

sang and shared with us messages about Jesus Christ 

His miracles, His prophets, and His teachings. 

I'd gotten caught up in the whole program 

and forgot Linda's heads up about The Miracle song 

when a soft sweet melody began playing 

(that was Linda, she plays the piano for the Primary) 

and then children started singing a song I wasn't familiar with. 

The words were beautiful but the feeling that flooded the chapel and my body

when they sang the chorus was indescribable! 

It's that feeling you get when you hear truth. 

I LOVE that feeling! 

The song is by Shawna Edwards and the chorus says, 

"Jesus is a God of miracles. 

Nothing is at all impossible to Him. 

But I know this, of all His miracles the most incredible must be 

the miracle that rescues me, 

the miracle that rescues you and me." 

I wish you could have been there and felt that feeling!

How about this... 

Here is Shawna Edwards video! 

=D

The Miracle

Enjoy and I hope you feel that feeling. 

xoxo

Our girlie's summer of fun in the sun...

I found lots of fun pictures from this summer on our girlie's phone.

She had a great time in the sun!  

   The pics are from efy,

and her Camp Kiesel job.

 She worked hard and and she played hard!

I like that about her!   =D

I found pictures of Youth Conference,

and dates with friends,

racquetball,
(this is our standard racquetball picture 
because we're always having too much fun during the game 
to think of pictures.   ;)

and our good times in the Carolinas.

I also found pictures of shoes!

Lots of pictures of shoes!

Then I even found pictures of feet!

The shoes and feet pictures reminded me of 
Doc & Cov 87:8 which says
"Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, 
until the day of the Lord come; 
for behold, it cometh quickly, saith the Lord.

I'm grateful for Holy Places.

I'm grateful for all the good, kind, loving people 

in our lives who make the places around them holy. 

Life is a gift and I'm so very grateful to the Lord for it.   

<3

Wonderful water...

We got lucky this summer and made it out in kayaks a few times 

to enjoy some wonderful water. 

At the beginning of summer, Gary told us Pineview Reservoir was so full 

you could kayak the inlets way back into the willows. 

He was totally right and it was a whole new experience!

Back in the willows and reeds, we came upon this young man 

with a bow and arrow, only thing was the arrow was hooked to a fishing reel

which was hooked to the bow and he was bow hunting for fish. 

It wasn't long at all and he had this huge fish!

He told us it was a carp and that they weren't very good eating 

because they were bottom feeders. 

He wasn't going to take it home. 

I thought about that and felt sad. 

Maybe there are too many carp and the population needs managed?
Don't know but I hope some hawk enjoyed an easy meal.

We got to go to Hyrum Reservoir just last week.

It was our first time there and it was a nice little place.

Sean joined us and he and the twigs traded back and forth 

between kayaks and paddle boards. 

Zac and our girlie thought to bring a ball and we had so much fun trying to score baskets in everyone's kayaks or on the grey part of the paddle boards!

No pictures of that though because there was LOTS of falling in 

so the camera was playing it safe and staying dry. ;)

Water, family, and friends are wonderful!

<3

Our 2016 Summer Bookends of white shirts and ties...

It's been a summer we'll always remember 

because this wonderful guy 

(the one in the white shirt and tie on the right) 

came home from his 2 year mission spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ

to the fantastic people of North and South Carolina. 

This is the group of missionaries that returned home

from serving together in the North Carolina Charlotte Mission. 

I think there's a piece of each of their hearts still left behind. 

I also think President and Sister Alexander 

are the greatest things since sliced bread and electric lights. 

Lots more to come about those fantastic people in North and South Carolina

in future posts because we were blessed to meet many of them

when we traveled back and visited a few weeks ago. <3

Speaking of "future posts", 

I've come to realize my main motivation for writing this blog 

is to have something fun to email our missionary on p-day. 

Who knew? 

The poor blog sat by it's lonely self 

collecting dust all summer. 

That changed in a hurry tonight 

because last Wednesday our new missionary 

(the one in the white shirt and tie being man-handled by his siblings below) 

entered the Missionary Training Center 

on his way to the New Hampshire Manchester Mission. 

His p-day is tomorrow 

and I'm frantically writing this blog post 

so I'll have something fun to send our missionary! 

What a silly girl! 

So here are some fun twigs

and their fun dog. 

We love you Elder Branch!!

Thanks for spreading the message that 

we all need Jesus. <3