Rocktober

 This past month FLEW by so quickly!! After Mike's wedding, it seemed like all the Halloween festivities were upon us. my boss's wife had her baby a few weeks early, so I worked a bit more than usual to fill in. That always makes things busy. I honestly don't know how moms that work full time can get anything done at home!! Even 3 days a week throws me way off!!

We visited the Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch with all Zach's preschool friends. All the moms have a child Zach's age and another Zoey's age, so it is really fun to get together.

 Look at those gorgeous eyes!!! Corey said they have my eyes when he saw this picture. Theirs are so much brighter than mine, though! I love my blue-eyed babes, but I hope we get a dark-eyed baby like Corey, also.

 Zoey just kept saying, "Punkeen!" Sooo cute!!!

 This is Zach with his best friend, Cruise. They are only 5 days apart in age, and definitely 2 peas in a pod! His family just bought a house in Flower Mound and we will miss living around the corner from them like crazy!! Cruise's mom, Joanna, watches my kids a lot while I am at work. We love their family and will miss them. Thankfully, they won't be too far away.

 The kids enjoyed riding the ponies.

 It looks like little Z grabbed my camera!! This picture made me laugh, little blue-eyed boy!

   

 Zoey fearlessly braved the bounce houses and the giant slide.

 I adore these little pigtails!!! Sweetest curls ever!!

 This was Corey's 36th birthday "cake." He is not a cake fan, but is quite the cookie connoisseur. There is a sister in our ward who makes the most amazing Chocolate chip cookies. I don't even want the recipe, because they are deathly good and we gobble them by the dozen and it shows the next few days!! Anyway, I "won" these at a service auction at church, and had her deliver them on his big day! Best service ever!! 

I encouraged Zach to write Dad a birthday card, and this is what he did, completely on his own. Not bad for 3 years old!! ("HAPE BRTDA FRUM ZACH"= "Happy Birthday From Zach." And that;s a serious "DER" on the right- extra lines added to make it a really long E sound!!)

 My little BYU cheerleader

 And handsome future football star

 Zoey likes to climb into tiny things. I made a bed for her doll by placing a blanket in a little wet wipe box, and she threw the doll out and snuggled right in!

 She also dove feet-first into this new potty chair I bought her. She is always wanting to sit on the potty chair lately- and she's even gone in it a few times. I am in no hurry to train her. I swore after the difficulty we had training Zach, that I would wait til the child was ready to train him/herself. 

 We dressed as Toy Story characters for the ward trunk-or-treat. Corey was Woody, Zach was Buzz Lightyear, Zoey was Jessie, and since I couldn't find/make a Bo Peep costume to my liking, I went as a sort-of Jessie. We have a blast dressing up and there probably won't be too many more years we can do a family theme.

Zoey grabbed my boots and her sippy cup after a long night of partying!

 Corey carved us an awesome jack-o-lantern. Zach was less-than-thrilled, because Corey and I couldn't make the pumpkin have the "laser eyes" he requested!

 It was a little too scary for both the kids' liking!

 Sadly, Corey had to be at school late on Halloween night. Our neighborhood has a really fun parade and then the homeowners stand/sit on their lawn and hand out candy, so it is a lot of fun and much easier than knocking on the doors. We decided to go with a Star Wars theme. I spent a few minutes creating the Millennium Falcon out of our stroller, and we ended up with two Princess Leias and a Clone Wars Commander. Our Jedi was sad to have missed out. ;( We received lots of compliments, but I was glad to get home and out of the heat. Zach had been sneaking candy, and was about the craziest we've ever seen him afterward!! Zoey was content with her one sucker. I headed to the grocery store and bought tons of healthy food afterward. I am done with sugar for awhile!!

A Beautiful Day in Oakland

Our family had the wonderful experience of travelling to Northern California the weekend of October 13 to be with Michael and Allyx as they first received their endowments, then were sealed in a sacred, sweet ceremony in the Oakland LDS Temple. It was truly one of the most beautiful days in the lives of my family members to have all of us siblings and spouses in the temple together with our precious brother and his darling new wife. We had relatives come from far away to attend this special event, and were so grateful for their sacrifice in being there for the blessed occasion.

 This one will be a classic- Faith losing it as we tried to get a photo with all the nieces and nephews.

 Zoey getting reacquainted with her Grandpa, whom she randomly started calling "Bucca."

 The beautiful couple who made it all possible. We love you, Mom and Dad!!

  No one could get enough of this adorable guy- little Jonathan always has a smile and easy-going attitude.

 Little Michael Foster in his Daddy's arms

 Cutting the lovely cake Meadow made

 The gorgeous dress Meadow crafted. Simply stunning!!

 The hit of the entire wedding. Can you guess which dapper dresser is donning these lovelies?!

It had been a long night at this point, and I only got a few photos in, sadly. Still, look at those handsome Michaels! 

 Zoey and Michael Foster- two peas in a pod!

 And Zach- glued to a game on someone's phone despite the breathtaking views from the temple grounds.

 Precious Tressa. When did she grow up??!

 Beautiful bride

 Zach absolutely adores his grandpa

 The only decent family photo of ours at the wedding. 

 The last photo I got at the temple before my battery died. Seriously??!

After the wedding in Oakland, we traveled 45 minutes to Benicia, where Allyx is from, to have a delicious brunch of Waffle Love liege waffles, courtesy of Missy and Adam, and nice sandwiches. We stayed in the area until the reception began that evening. The church cultural hall was transformed into a magical fairyland with a antique-vintage-country theme. (Did I get that right, guys?) The food was immaculate, the decorations and flowers breathtaking, and every detail was tended to for a perfect atmosphere and presentation.

 Tabletop decorations.

Ahhhhhh!

 Beautiful bridesmaids

 Had to include this for a great laugh!

We wish Mike and Allyx the very best in their new life together. They have worked hard to make the best start possible, and have eternity to perfect it!! I hope they will always remember the sacred covenants they have made, and that they will strive to look at one another in the positive light that they now see each other. Difficult times are sure to come in every marriage, but remembering to love and forgive, to lift and serve, and to look to God for guidance through the tough times will strengthen and tighten your eternal bond. Love you guys!!

New Missionary Age Requirements

I had the privilege this weekend of watching the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and it was amazing an inspiring. Every 6 months, we enjoy this spiritual feast as the prophet and apostles, along with other church leaders, speak and reveal God's will on subjects ranging from baptism to parenthood to discipleship to service.

This conference, there was a monumental announcement made that stirred my soul so much that I had to write about it. For decades, the age requirement for missionary service has been 19 for men and 21 for women. President Thomas S. Monson announced that the age requirements would immediately be lowered to 18 for men and 19 for women. (Also, for any reading who are not LDS, young men are all expected to serve, but young women do not have that same obligation. Rather, women are encouraged to go if we would like to/if we feel it is God's plan for us.) This news is so exciting!!! Why, you may ask?

Well, I always wanted to serve a mission so badly. But the timing of 21 years is a challenge for many young women, and it definitely was for me. It is in the middle of decisions about school and profession and serious dating and opportunities for marriage. For me, 21 was the age that several young men my age (Corey included :)) I had dated were returning home from their missions, and I questioned what effect leaving on a mission before having the opportunity to date some of them again might have on my eternal choices, as they would likely be married by the time I returned home from a mission 18 months later. I also wondered how school would work into the equation: I wanted to attend medical school at the time. I rushed through my undergrad so fast that I just had one semester left when I turned 21, partly so that I would be free to serve a mission and then return home to attend graduate school. But I was very unsure of what the process for admission would be, as most application terms were about one year. I didn't want to come home and then wait around a year in the application process. I also didn't know how long my admission test scores would be valid. There was also the question of finances. I had spent all my savings on college expenses, and would need to work more to earn for a mission. Of course, I knew my parents and ward would gladly help, but wanted to do my part.

More than any of those reasons, though, was the question of whether or not it was a part of God's plan for me individually. Though I had always desired to and planned on serving a mission, as I was approaching 21, it suddenly did not seem like the path I was supposed to follow. It was actually a very confusing and difficult pill to swallow. I sincerely sought guidance and inspiration from Heavenly Father and my bishop to know whether I should go or not, and was disappointed not to hear a resounding Yes or No. I trusted in the counsel that God would not let me go ahead with a "wrong" decision of that magnitude, and through months of fasting and prayer and pondering on the subject, just never had a strong spiritual impression that it was something I needed to pursue, much to my dismay. It was definitely not a choice between good and bad, but of what was best for me at that time.

I had really longed for the opportunity to share my testimony and love of the gospel of Jesus Christ with others an a full time basis for 18 months. I wanted the opportunity to live away from the familiar. I wanted to gain that spiritual strength that most missionaries achieve with the habits of rigorous scripture study, prayer, service, and active proselyting.

Luckily for me, Corey and I began dating shortly after my 21st birthday, and were married a little over a year later. I had the chance to date those boys I was wondering about, and things obviously didn't go anywhere. :) I did wonder quite a bit before I got married whether or not I should still pursue a mission and whether or not I had made the right choice in not going. I don't think the Lord would ever withhold blessings from someone who decided to go and serve- unless He had given them a clear answer that He wanted them to do something else. But even now, I sometimes wonder if I would be a much better wife, mother, and person in general if I had served a mission. I know that women can gain strong testimonies, etc., without serving a mission, but I have not taken the opportunity to develop some of those habits that are everyday life on a mission. I look forward to serving a mission with Corey in the future, and have already saved up enough to do so, but it is not the same as serving in your youth.

So, to me, lowering the age requirement for serving a mission is AWESOME- it really takes a lot of the tumult and confusion due to timing out of the equation. Both women and men at this age can just focus on saving and preparing for a mission without the distraction of serious dating, marriage, and school yet- at least that is what I would have done. I would have graduated high school, worked full time until I saved enough for a mission, and been out the door at 19, home again at 20.5ish years, and ready to begin the monumental tasks of completing school, training for a profession, and searching for a companion with much greater maturity, wisdom, strength in the Lord, and also being endowed with temple blessings. I have faith that this new policy will create a generation of young men and women that are more prepared to serve, that are less stained with the cares and temptations of the world that come during this crucial period in life, and that will return better able to live the gospel and use the many tools gained on their missions to make the best choices about school, careers, marriage, and family.

It is also of importance to me because it will directly affect my children. I think that many more women will serve a mission now--there is much less reason not to go, as before, marriage opportunities were at the top of the list. Nineteen is quite young to be looking for a spouse these days, and I don't think there is much better preparation for marriage and motherhood than serving a mission, so I will definitely be encouraging both my boys and girls to take this amazing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go and gain their own testimony and share it with all who will hear at the ripe young ages of 18 and 19.