Sweet Treats

I do believe that my spiritual pants are fitting a bit tightly lately. You would think that the spiritual gifts would setting more towards the heart area but as with my mortal body, when I tend to expand, I expand all over--starting with the hips. Perhaps that is because the hip area is a more central part of the body and it makes my life more centered? Perhaps I'm just rambling trying to find a confusing way to share my thoughts of being very grateful for the spiritual warm fuzzies that I've been feeling lately.

Although our trip down to Mesa for London's blessing was way too quick and short, it provided a lot of fun as well as spiritual uplifts. When we arrived, we met up with the kids at Don & Cathy's hotel which also happened to be a resort touting three swimming pools and various hot tubs planted in the mesa (little bump of dirt and rock jutting out of the flattness of the area) overlooking the city. It was pretty awesome. Dillon quickly talked Duane into jumping into his swim suit to join everyone in their frolics down the water slide. We were welcomed with open wet full bodied hugs from Sydney as she told us that she had missed us. Those hugs just never last long enough. Before long Grampa Creapy Eyes, as he is known by Sydney, found himself climbing up stairs and sliding down the twisty slide more often than he thought humanly possible for anyone except for a grampa with such an adoring grand daughter. It took some time for me to don my bathing suit simply because I needed to wait until the sun was a little lower in the sky so that my blazingly white legs wouldn't outshine the sun and blind everyone within eyesight. You know how they tell you to look away from a nuclear blast so it doesn't blind you...well...picture than when you think of my legs. Just...protect yourself from all kinds of dangers with those babies around. (PHOTO: Val standing in front of Mila (Jen's daughter); Dillon holding London; Sydney in the front; Don in the back; Cathy and Jennifer who is holding Ivan)

Sunday brought the early session of church and the blessing of Sydney. She reminded me so much of Sydney on her blessing day with her beautiful long white gown and little headband with tiny pink rosettes. The blessing was one of the sweetest and most personal blessings that I have ever heard given to a baby. Dillon did a wonderful job and the love that he felt for his little daughter was sublimely evident through the words that he spoke. She is a special and sweet little lady. I listened to our son, who has a very personal and private relationship, with his Savior and it warmed my spirit like nothing else can. (PHOTO: Valerie, Dillon, London, Gay, Sydney, and Duane)

That afternoon we were able to get in touch with Aunt Pam, dad's sister, and set up a time to go over for a visit. Dillon came with us and we ended up at the hospice where Grampa Van was staying. He didn't recognize Duane at first and thought he was Mike's (Duane's brother) son. We had a good chuckle about that but the best and most lasting chuckle has been from the first comment that Grampa Van said to his long absent son. "Remember when you got drunk and fell in the ditch!?" HA! That was the one and only time that Duane got drunk and it was when he was around 13 or 14 years old...but that is the first thing that Van remembered about him! HA! We had a good visit. It was good to finally re-connect with him after a very long separation of about fifteen years, if not more. (PHOTO: Duane and his dad, Eugene--or Van as he is known to others)

Monday morning we had to catch our flight back home. We didn't get to have a goodbye hug from the girls because they were still sleeping when we left. My favorite part of the day is when Sydney creeps in to our bedroom first thing in the morning to give us a morning hug and visit. I love that quiet and private time with her.