HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY JUSTIN!!!

Justin turned 30 yesterday!  He is in Ghana right now, but comes home on Friday.  At least we were able to video chat with him!  I will be posting more about birthday festivities after Justin gets home.  He may be 30, but he is a kid at heart and that's why we love him!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!

Deja Vu

Emme: December 2009 (7 months old)

 Charlie: September 2011 (6 1/2 months old)

Emme had better lift, but Charlie has been reaching milestones about a month before Emme reached them.  Emme crawled around 7 1/2 months.  Charlie is 6 1/2 months and I am crossing my fingers that he waits until Justin comes home on Friday.  He is sooo close!

9/11 - I REMEMBER

I can't believe today is the 10 year anniversary of 9/11.  I have been pondering what happened, where I was, and what I saw for the last few weeks.  I knew that event changed my life, but I didn't realize what an emotional scar it left in me.  I have never recorded my 9/11 story.  I think this is the perfect opportunity.

I remember.  I was a senior at East Troy High School in East Troy, WI.  I remember walking out of the gym from my morning gym class.  I was walking down the hall (which had a red brick wall) on my way to my locker and then to home room.  I heard someone say a plane had crashed into a building in New York. I remembered seeing another small plane crash into a building on the news in the recent past, so I didn't think too much about it.

I got to my home room and everyone was watching the news coverage.  I honestly can't remember if the second tower had been hit yet, but as soon as I saw the images on the TV I knew this was more than an accident.  I do remember seeing the first tower fall live on TV.

I just remember sitting on the top of a tan desk with my feet on the red seat of the desk in front of me watching in shock.  I couldn't believe what I was seeing.  I don't think anyone could really comprehend what was happening.  It was terrible, but I couldn't stop watching.

Most of our classes were spent in discussion about the attacks and watching more of the coverage on TV.  I think about our teachers who we looked to, to make sense of all that was happening.  I know now that they were just as lost as we were that day.

There are a few other things I remember from that time.  Someone made red, white and blue ribbons that were passed out around school.  I wore mine for a long time, then put it on my backpack.  I still have it somewhere, but naturally I couldn't find it this morning.  I was a cheerleader my senior year (yes... I know...)  During half time at our game that Friday night we handed out candles to the crowd, lit them for everyone, then had a moment of silence.  I remember knowing that the lives of my generation had been changed forever.  I remember being scared we were going to war and that my friends could potentially be drafted.  It's silly now, but we did go to war, and I do have friends who have and are serving.  The last thing I remember is the few days when the airlines were shut down.  It was eerily quiet and the sky was so empty.

I will always remember the heroes from that day and I will always be grateful for the men and women who have given their service and their lives to protect our freedom.  I am grateful for the knowledge that I have of a loving Father in heaven and that He has a plan for me.

I am sad for the innocence that was lost that day.  I started to explain 9/ll to Emme today because of it's importance.  I want her to know.  She repeated back that airplanes crashed into a building, that people were hurt and that it was sad.  Then she happily ran off to play.  I know she doesn't understand.  It was strange at first, but the more I thought about it, the happier it made me.  Yes, innocence was lost on 9/ll, but I have found it in my children.  I am grateful.  I am proud to be an American.

From Justin today on Facebook.

While eating breakfast with my companion Quade Reynolds, Sergio Andres Pereira Contreras told us the news of the planes hitting the world trade center. I'll never forget walking the streets of Lota Chile that morning. There was an unusual silence as people were glued to their TV sets, wondering what would happen next. Although distanced from the events of 9/11, I am grateful to have been a missionary during that time to bring a message of peace and calm during a time of trouble and confusion

Kind of funny that he was in Chile on his mission during 9/11 and now he is in Ghana during the 10 year anniversary.

"Bean" Museum

We took Emme to the "Bean" Museum at BYU at the end of July.  They have a bunch of real stuffed animals, insects, etc. from all over the world.  We went on a Saturday when they have a reptile show.  They told us all about the different groups of reptiles and let us touch some live ones.  We got to see a turtle, a lizard, and a snake.  Emme loved it!  She loved seeing all of the different animals and especially touching the reptiles.  She wasn't scared at all and even still talks about it.  Justin was really brave and let them put the snake around his neck!  There was so much to see that we plan to go back, especially during the winter when we need to get out of the house!