Happy Easter

Spring is a magical time. I think it is so magical because it is a time filled with life, growth and new beginnings. David and I have a beautiful tree outside of our bedroom window. For months it has been bare, dry, and showing very little signs of life. It has been with awe that over the last few weeks I have watched as slowly, little blossoms, tiny leaves and shades of green have begun to spread the news that spring is here. For the last couple of mornings the gorgeous white blossoms have been so full and thick that I can hardly see out of our window. Several birds have come to nest in the safety of the tree's full branches. After a long, quiet winter, we can now wake up to the beautiful song of those birds. Spring is such evidence of new life, and of that which was barren and dead, rising once again to become full of life and beauty.

Is it any wonder that we celebrate Easter in the spring? This holiday is an opportunity to reflect on the most miraculous and eternally significant return of life -- that of our Savior, Jesus Christ.


Some of my favorite scriptures in the New Testament is found in Luke 24:5-6; "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen..."

Because of our Savior, his infinite love, mercy and sacrifice, we need not dwell on that which is gone. We can, with confidence. know that just as spring brings new life, our Savior's atonement and resurrection has allowed each of us the opportunity to break the bands of death, that they need not be a bitter end, but a glorious beginning.

I can not think of the glory of the resurrection without thinking of the mercy of the atonement. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the quorum of the twelve apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints said, "It is a matter of surpassing wonder that the voluntary and merciful sacrifice of a single being could satisfy the infinite and eternal demands of justice, atone for every human misdeed, bare every mortal infirmity, feel every personal heartache, sorrow and loss. But I testify that is exactly what Christ did for every one of us."

I add my testimony to his this Easter day. Happy Easter!

"When I'm not working full-time..."

Isn't it funny how we always seem to think we may have more time in the next phase of life? Although I have learned this to be a false notion on more then one occasion...I have created a long list of things I will do "when I'm not working full-time anymore." I am just believing, at least for now, that I will have much more time on my hands. Among couponing, learning to use a cricket, tutoring and personal preparedness - one of my "when I'm not working full-time" goals is to be a much more dedicated blogger! David and I just laughed when we saw that our last post was November..2009! But I am recommitting myself, both as a way to stay in touch with friends and fam, and a way to keep a history of the great things going on in our lives. As our time here at BYU comes to a close, I reach the age of early retirement, and we head off for medical school at the University of Washington, we will have plenty of opportunities to count our many blessings, laugh at many memories and post them on this blog! Though I am sure that in the not too distant future I will find plenty to fill my time with...here is my re-commitment statement to be better at this!

Halloween in Room 139

Summer had a fun Halloween party on Friday in her class. In the pictures Summer is the black cat in the back! There are a couple room moms that came to help out and do some activities with the kids. There's one picture of our pumpkins we carved Saturday night at our private Halloween party at home! We drank homemade Italian sodas while we carved and watched a movie. We watched "Inkheart" and really recommend it - it was a fun, exciting movie. And, unlike some movies we've had to turn off lately, it actually lived up to being rated PG! Although Halloween was fun, we're excited to be one holiday closer to Thanksgiving and Christmas. And to prove it, somehow a Jenny Oaks-Baker's Christmas CD ended up in our CD player this week...