Katelyn's Homecoming Talk in Sacrament Meeting!

Katelyn gave a beautiful Homecoming talk in our ward today!  I was in awe of her testimony and how much she's grown over the last year and a half!  She didn't save a copy of her talk, but she gave this poem at the end as she bore her testimony of the gospel and her love for her Savior and also the people of South Carolina.  That place has definitely left it's mark in her heart!!  My most favorite part of her talk was when she said that she came to know Jesus through the people she met on her mission because each of them had His attributes.  She will recognize Him when He comes, because she already knows Him because of knowing them!  

Poem I wrote towards the end of my mission:’)

Holy Ground:

Under the desert moon
I’m trying to find You
Mirages can’t replace
This vast empty space
Lost and lonely in the night
Only whispers in the wind
Shout solace to my fears
You plant hopes' life in my tears
I will find Your grace
Forever changed by Your embrace

My Holy Ground, Holy Ground
Help me find you
When the wildflowers bloom
Safe and sound
Where souls can be found
Holy Ground, Holy Ground

Under the palmetto moon
Life has unexpected views
I feel so out of place
But Your warmth falls from cold change
As I watch others come to You
Your hand turns winter into beauty
I feel you strengthen my resilience
Pressing towards heavenly brilliance
Give me the strength to grow into
The heart You have made new

On this Holy Ground, Holy Ground
I’ll trust in You
That the wildflowers bloom
Safe and sound
Souls being found
Holy Ground, Holy Ground

Under the palmetto moon
wildflowers bloomed
I found a place
Surrounded by Your grace
Your soft touch of Evergreen
Floods through time’s fade
I’ve grown from the rain
And blossomed in Your name
You painted my heart with purple pink skies
With every sunrise
And every goodbye

I found Holy Ground, Holy Ground,
Has brought me to You
Where the wildflowers bloomed
In You I’m safe and sound
Lost souls were found,
Thank you Lord for Holy Ground

New Year's Eve! Goodbye 2023...

It was Katelyn's Homecoming in our Sacrament Meeting today. (See other post for today.) Lukey Bear had fun in nursery on his walk in our ward today! We enjoyed everyone's company this afternoon. We came home from church and enjoyed a wonderful family dinner with all our company and then Shelby and Brent and her kids left in the afternoon. Then we started the New Year’s celebrations! We played 4 square pickleball, Mafia, lit off fireworks both before Luke went to bed and at midnight, watched a movie and played games! We toasted the New Year with Martinelli’s at midnight! Here’s to 2024! It's my goal to come to know my Savior better this year and share His goodness with others, so they can know Him too!

Girl's Day @ the Temple!

We all got to go and do an endowment at the temple today! It was fun to go together this afternoon! McKenzie had work so she couldn't go... darn! It was a nice break and fun to be together!

Pickleball!

Luke had fun this afternoon playing pickleball! He calls his shoes "pickleball shoes". Fun afternoon!

Christmas Day!

It has been so fun having a little one around for Christmas! Luke thoroughly enjoyed all of his presents! We had so much fun opening gifts this morning! We started at 8:30 this morning (Luke was up before that with his Santa gift...) and didn't finish until 11am! We enjoyed our traditional hootnanny egg breakfast and had fun playing Brooke's new game called Herd Mentality and a lots of pickleball in the front yard this afternoon. Naps were even taken here and there! It was a fun day!!!  Later on Auntie Boo gave Lukey Bear some fun rides in a box!!!

Lots of Christmas Eve Traditions!

It was the PERFECT day! We went to church and enjoyed such a beautiful Sacrament program filled with so much beautiful music! We came home and enjoyed a beautiful day together with pictures and lots of fun traditions and the best Christmas meal EVER-- it was so good and Katelyn's rolls did NOT disappoint! She did not forget how to make rolls! Allison flew in later in the evening and Polley's opened their Christmas PJ's! We watched (instead of reading) the Luke 2 Christmas story and then Luke got to set out cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer-- except he wanted to eat the carrots! Hahaha! (Not the cookies!) We enjoyed such a nice day together as family all the way into the evening... after Luke went to bed we stayed up playing Lobster Pot and other fun games Brooke taught us!  It was way too late when I went  to bed and Dad, Brooke and Katelyn stayed up to work on a puzzle!