Highlights

Yes, I do need to get my roots rehighlighted (now I remember why I hate highlights in my hair) But, that is actually not what I meant by the title. The last week has been really packed and full of many things, so instead of trying to cover it all, I will just give you some of the highlights...the moments that mattered.

*A dinner fireside with Chad Lewis (you know, the BYU football player who played NFL for 7 years and won 2 super bowls and is now the athletics director for BYU?) He came to our town to be the special guest for a BYU alumni group that Cory and I have become involved in. Every year this alumni group earns tens of thousands of dollars for all the students in our stake who go to BYU, BYU-Idaho, or BYU-Hawaii. This year $32,000 was earned...pretty amazing, right?!! Anyways, there were about 30 guests at the dinner. It was such an INCREDIBLY uplifting experience. Wow, he is such an amazing guy with such an incredibly strong spirit about him. He talked about his experiences in the NFL and how he kept himself from the filth that was all around him. It was very inspiring.

*Attending the Atlanta rededication on Sunday. It was AMAZING!!! I've actually never been part of a temple dedication. I loved it!!! Elder Ballard and President Monson gave such beautiful talks!! They bore testimony with such power and conviction of eternal families. Thankfully, we had some good friends of ours who watched our girls so that Cory and I could go together. It just wouldn't have been the same experience without Cory sitting right next to me. I wish I could go back and re experience the whole thing again.

*Being able to see a community come together in service and love. There is just nothing in the world as wonderful as working side by side with brothers and sisters in and out of the church who come together with a common purpose. National disasters are chaotic and horrible, but the humbling effect it has on a people is so incredible to watch. People are more grateful, humble, kind, and gentle everywhere you go. Yesterday as I waited in the doctor's office, I was so touched by the scene that I witnessed. There was a lady in the room who was sharing her scary experience with the tornado with the lady next to her. As she spoke, everyone in the doctor's office was intently listening in solitude and reverence to each word that came out of her mouth. It was not the normal scene. Usually, there is a room clear full of people who are either talking/texting on their phones, reading a magazine, or working on their computer/other electronic gadget. All of the sudden none of that seemed to matter. What mattered was the story that this sweet old lady had to tell. A story of struggle, humility, gratitude, and answered prayers.

*The death of Bin Laden. I have mixed emotions about this. I am sad for him. Sad at what he did with his life. Sad that he never changed. Sad that he chose to hurt, murder, and torture instead of using all of his wealth and influence for good. I am happy that there is one less wicked person on the earth, but not because I feel like justice has finally come. As they have searched for him for the last ten years, I wanted them to find him so that he would be stopped, not so that they could take his life because he took so many others. There is no possible way that justice could be fulfilled by taking his life. But, I don't worry about that. I know that when he stands before the judgement bar of God, he will be held accountable for the crimes that he committed, as will Hitler and Saddam Hussein. Justice will come for them, just as it will come for each of us. But again, I'm happy. Happy that there is one less wicked man and hopefully hundreds of millions of others who will commit to living with more mercy, love, forgiveness, and hope for mankind.

*And of course I couldn't exclude the moments of motherhood. The small and simple moments each day that give meaning and purpose to my life. The hugs before and after school, the giggles that fill our home, walks to enjoy the blue skies, warm sun, and singing birds, the prayers that unite our family, the singing and testimony that fills our home on family night, and the running stampede that happens each morning as Hailey wakes up and we all fight to be the first one to see her smiling sweet face. And of course, the moment yesterday in the doctor's office when my heart filled with peace as I heard Makayla's heart beat on this 28th week...the week when Clairisa's heart beat stopped. These are all the moments that keep my heart joyfully beating each day.