McKay gets Baptized............

August 17th (which was also Nathan's Birthday) McKay got Baptized & Confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It was a very special day. He was the only one getting baptized so it was a small intimate setting. His Grandma Coco said the opening prayer & the opening hymn was "I Stand All Amazed" (which was the first song his Grandpa Gary sang as a new member). Then His Grandma Susie & Grandma Louise each bore their testimonies. Then Eliza & Taylor sang a song called "Follow the Son" by Dean Kaelin. He was then baptized. After that Nate & our dear friend sang a beautiful arrangement of "I KnowMy Redemer Lives". I then spoke & then McKay was confirmed then our Bishop spoke. We sang "I Am a Child of God" & our dear friend Natasha said the closing prayer. After we went up to the "Holy "Land for refreshments & to visit. It was just a beautiful day. Shared with those we love greatly. Our dearest friends in Idaho had an emergency & couldn't come but McKay said he could feel their love there. For me I only had two siblings show up. Half way through the program I realized that there was another one of my siblings that had come. My brother who had passed away almost 3 years ago. He was there without a doubt & that brought great peace & comfort to me.

Grow old along with me........

My Grandma Bonnie (my Mom's mother)

My Grandpa Don (my Mom's father)
Nathan's Grandma Smith & Grandpa Smith (his Dad's parents)

Okay so I am really starting to feel older......... My baby gets baptized in a week. Now my parents & Nathan's parents are the grandparents coming to all these events but my grandparents are still young and full of life & traveling the world & Nathan's grandparents are still so on the go. Why do I feel like I am the only one aging? I feel like time is standing still for everyone but me.

As I reflect on the great leaders of our families I am so grateful for all the love & sacrifice that was shared for Nathan & I to be here & together with our own little family. I love to watch my Grandpa with my Grandma, she is his Queen & his most valueable gem. He handles her with such care and devotion. He defines what a gentleman truly is and my Grandma defines what a lady is and reminds me of happy ever after. They haven't had a perfect marriage, but a real marriage & a marriage that they work on every single day. I think that is the key to the happy ever after. My Grandparents have grown old well together.

"Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be.........." (John Lennon) that was our wedding song. I am glad we have had good examples to look up to for growing old together

These are a few of my favorite things.........

When the dog bites I run bawling I don't sing about my favorite things & when the bee stings I am not sure what I do but I am guessing that I also cry because the last bee sting I remember was water skiing on the Snake River in Idaho & I know I cried. Generally though when I am scared or upset I EAT!!!! That is my favorite thing to do. Isn't it every persons favorite? Well here is a list of my favs & our family favs: (please do share your favs too)

The Smith Family Favorite Things (can you guess which belong to whom?)

-pizza

-cotton candy

-4-wheelers

-boating

-knitting granny

-cooking

-eating

-g & g

-sleeping

-laser tag

-singing

-all sports

-drama, drama, drama

-big stars (jeans / not acting)

-lucy who is a master with the hair

-the "kardashian girls" who keep us in line with style ;)

-coco

-moms

-dads

-guitar playing grandpas

-nick names

-talents

-the sun

-friends that are family

-doctors

-children

-jobs

-LAUGHTER & PRAYER (you may wonder why those are together? live at our home or the home I grew up in & you will see. these are my saving graces)

-the outdoors

-children who are all old enough to do almost everything themselves yet still young enough to need mommy & daddy for everything

-a father that sacrificed his son & a savior who gave his life



No matter what life puts us through, what we gain or what we lack, we never loose the love of the truly begotten & that is what is worth singing & rejoicing about........not dog bites & bee stings but the Love of our Father & His Son. It is when I have been bit or stung & knocked down though that I forget that love & I forget my blessings are not the material things I have but rather the knowledge & love.

We are.....MARSHALL (or what ever school you like)

We are.............. MARSHALL!!!!!!!!

Okay so it's football season & our boys cannot get enough of 5 nights a week practices plus

Saturday afternoons so we have been watching every football movie.

But to my complete shock it's my daughter who comes in to tell me that she is no longer going to Oxford

(she only wants to go there so she can be as far away from mommy dearest as possible & see what life is like without the choke collar & for no

other reason) anymore but to MU (Marshall University) because the movie was so inspiring.

Isn't that so touching? Don't get the tissue out guite yet, she has been grounded from TV & music for a week & it

was the first of anything she got to see so it was more the fact that it was tears of

wow I really have starved myself for a whole week!

It is a great movie though if you have not seen it. I highly recommend it.

I am a push over for the crush your heart true stories. They lift me up some how even though

they are depressing. Like a good country love song. ;)

Mormon Women.....

The Girl in a Whirl by 'Dr. Sue' (a.k.a. Vickie Gunther)Look at me, look at me, look at me now!You could do what I do if you only knew how.I study the scriptures one hour each day;I bake, I upholster, I scrub, and I pray.I always keep all the commandments completely;I speak to my little ones gently and sweetly.I help in their classrooms! I sew all they wear!I drive them to practice! I cut all their hair!I memorize names of the General Authorities;I focus on things to be done by priorities.I play the piano! I bless with my talents!My toilets all sparkle! My checkbooks all balance!Each week every child gets a one-on-one date;I attend all my meetings (on time! Never late!)I'm taking a class on the teachings of Paul,But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all,I track my bad habits 'til each is abolished;Our t-shirts are ironed! My toenails are polished!Our family home evenings are always delightful;The lessons I give are both fun and insightful.I do genealogy faithfully, too. It's easy to do all the things that I do!I rise each day early, refreshed and awake;I know all the names of each youth in my stake!I read to my children! I help all my neighbors!I bless the community, too, with my labors.I exercise and I cook menus gourmet;My visiting teaching is done the first day!(I also go do it for someone who missed hers.It's the least I can do for my cherished ward sisters.)I chart resolutions and check off each goal;I seek each "lost lamb" on my Primary roll.I can home-grown produce each summer and fall.But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all,I write in my journal! I sing in the choir!Each day, I write "thank you's" to those I admire.My sons were all Eagles when they were fourteen!My kids get straight A's! And their bedrooms are clean!I have a home business to help make some money;I always look beautifully groomed for my honey.I go to the temple at least once a week;I change the car's tires! I fix the sink's leak!I grind my own wheat and I bake all our bread;I have all our meals planned out six months ahead.I make sure I rotate our two-years' supply;My shopping for Christmas is done by July!These things are not hard; 'tis good if you do them;You can if you try! Just set goals and pursue them!It's easy to do all the things that I do!If you plan and work smart, you can do them all, too!It's easy!" she said... and then she dropped dead.