Lately...

This is what we have been up to lately...

On Labor Day Jordan and our good friend Paul participated in the Austin City Triathalon, and not only did they do the triathalon they signed up for the "olympic" triathalon which means the lengths of the swim, bike, and run are way longer. To say the least I was pretty impressed for someone that has never done anything like this! They finished in a little over 3 hours and are gearing up for the next one.

Then at the end of September I met my parents up in Salt Lake, along with my sister Brandy and my Aunt Lisa and cousin Heather, to go to the So You Think You Can Dance tour concert. It was fabulous... love that show. Unfortunately I didn't get a pic with everyone but we all had a great time. After being in Salt Lake for a few days I flew back to Vegas with my parents to celebrate my birthday, the big 25. I feel like for what I have been through and everything that has been going on, that I should be alot older, maybe it's just me. But it was a great birthday anyways.

A couple days after I got back from Vegas, Judy came to visit us. She spent a week with us and had a lot of fun shopping, going to Dallas to visit a great cousin, Julie and her fam, and then I followed Judy out to Conneticut for a week. Jordan's brother and sister in-law just moved there and so we went out to visit. It was gorgeous. The leaves were changing and everywhere you looked there was fluorescent orange, yellow and red with a green background. So pretty. So we had a great stay with them and their cute kids. One day Judy and I went into Boston and toured all around which was so fun, I just wish Jordan was there to experience it all as well. I had a great time with them and if anyone can get out there to see the colors I highly reccomend it!

Family Pictures

These were taken 2 weeks before Maddie passed and are SOOO grateful we have these as our last pictures as a family (another tender mercy). Thanks to Kam, she captured moments we will cherish forever.

What to Say...

That is the question that has been going over and over in my mind. What do I say to start back into the blogging world. I think I am having such a hard time because this blog has always been of the happy times in our family for the past year and right now in our lives emotions are up and down. I don't feel like I am a emotional writer and maybe that is another reason why I haven't written until now. I haven't even written in my journal yet because the words are hard to write. But the problem is, I want to. I want to write and remember my feelings. Anyways this probably just sounds like a bunch of rambling and me thinking out loud, but I wanted those who read my blog to understand where I am coming from. And alot of people have asked when I was going to update.

To be honest I am really doing ok. Ok in a sense that I am able to go on with my days and look forward to this little boy coming into our home. There isn't an hour that goes by that I am reminded that Maddie is gone and how that makes me ache, I am also able to remember that it is temporary. I am ok because I have a knowledge of the beautiful Plan of Salvation and the strength of this gospel to lift me up. Heavenly Father has held my hand throughout this whole tragedy and still has not let go. Some of you know but I have been called to be Primary President in my new ward and as some are baffled by this, it was an answer to my prayers. I have loved it and it has kept my days busy. Also, when we found out that we were going to have a little boy, a weight was lifted off of my shoulders and another prayer was answered. I needed to be able to put the girl stuff away for awhile, not erasing Maddie by any means, but a new start to another baby.

This is still going to be a happy blog! I had to clarify where I was coming from and now be able to show we still are having happy times. I will forever miss Maddie in this mortal life as I do everyday but I know she is happy and has her arms open for our reuniting!