Enraptured

Every time I take a walk outside, I am enraptured.  Birds are singing, flowers blooming, the temperature is just about perfect.  Even Alice loves to be outside.  Here are some photos of the front yard:

I take walks as often as I can.  Always with Alice and sometimes with a friend or two.  I feel renewed and lucky to be living in such a beautiful place.

Things are busy.  Soccer season is keeping us on our toes.  We have a total of five practices during the week and as many as three games on the weekend.  We would have more, but we have committed as a family to not playing on Sundays.  Thomas was bumped up to the "A" travel team and I was concerned that they may not want him since he would miss half of the games.  After talking with the coach personally, I was assured that they did and Thomas has already scored several goals at the games he has attended.  Haley is loving being on the same team as her best friend and Jonathan is also doing extremely well.  I am very pleased with how well my children continue to do here socially, academically and physically.  They are all excelling. 

We have had a lot of activity going on the last little while, but I have to say that by far the most special experience this last month occurred last Saturday as we finally went to the temple for the first time since moving here nine months ago.  In Utah, we could be at the temple in seven or eight minutes.  Here, it takes about two hours.  There is something about the sacrifice required that made the experience more holy for me than ever before.  I got up at 4:15 and we loaded up the car with children and supplies.  We left home at 5:30 in order to be inside the temple before 8:00 AM.  I was filled with joy as I witnessed my husband baptize both of my sons in the temple.  Thomas was entering the temple for the first time.  Later, I had the opportunity to go through an endowment session while Dave stayed with the children.  I was able to make a new friend during the session and hope that our paths will cross again someday.  It was such a beautiful experience.  One I will never forget.  I cannot wait to return again soon.

The sun was in our eyes.  Such a lovely morning, though!

We have also gone on a hike as a family recently.  Everything is much more green now than it was the day we took our hike, but it was still so wonderful to be outdoors and together as a family.  Here are some photos from that excursion:

Emma was pretending she couldn't go on after about five minutes of walking!

We have enjoyed having guests over, too.  Below are some photos of some fun we had making chocolate-dipped strawberries with one of our new good friends in the ward.  The missionaries showed up while she was here.  I love having them stop by!  

Obviously, the kids really got into it!

We had that same special friend come to our home last night and help watch the children while Dave and I went out to dinner to celebrate Dave's 38th birthday.  I feel closer to him than ever and I was delighted to have some time alone together.  We went to a terrific restaurant here in town called Abigail's.  Dinner was divine.  It is expensive, though, so we won't be going back too often.  When we arrived home, our friend had helped the kids make signs for Dave.  I thought the signs were so cute.  Many, many thanks to that sweet lady for helping Dave feel so important on his big day!

We have another birthday coming up soon. . .Sarah Jane will be six a week from Friday!  I am excited to celebrate another person in my family.  I still really miss my extended family, especially when we have birthdays and holidays to celebrate, but I wouldn't trade what I am experiencing here for anything.  It is such a gift!