Gould family visit

Our guests who were family, and who became a part of our immediate family, have gone home. There was a touch of melancholy as we all woke up yesterday to a quieter than normal house.

There is talk already of a vacation to visit them sometime in the next year or two.

When Megan first approached Tyler about staying with us for two weeks this summer while they were in town for reunions, he immediately said yes. And then I had to remind him that the very week they were coming into town, I would be at girls camp and he would be in Wisconsin for work leaving them here alone with our kids.

Now I'm going to bare my soul here but just know I've done a complete reversal in the last couple of weeks. 

The first time we saw our Gould family was 2 years ago after many, many years. I wasn't sure how my kids would accept having people here whom they barely knew, and I thought they should stay with someone else, at least for those few days. Goodness, they were coming from half way across the country so why not spend some time with other family. None of my talking seemed to work and my kids assured me that they loved the idea of having them here. Talk about becoming as a little child with no reservations and so accepting. I prayed for peace in the situation and a week before they were to arrive, an email from Emily Freeman, a Time Out for Women presenter, showed up.

"There is one season in our family I will never forget. It was a season that began with a prompting. My girls and I were traveling in the car and we began talking about one of my favorite scriptures verses found in D&C 124:23, 'And it shall be…a house that strangers may come from afar to lodge therein; therefore let it be a good house, worthy of all acceptation, that the weary traveler may find health and safety while he shall contemplate the word of the Lord.' I asked my girls if we could try to make our home like that for one whole season. The type of home where people would feel something good when they walked in. I wanted them to come to our doorstep and find a welcoming home. A home where people could come to talk about Jesus."

Hello. Wake up call. Our home was to be a home where they felt comfortable and welcomed and might feel of God's love.

We put them up in Nate's room. Nate was kind enough to vacate himself and all his belongings for two weeks.

At girls camp I included in my testimony my strong feelings of the camaraderie and relationships that are strengthened when you live with people and break bread with them. There is a certain bonding that forges deep friendships. I've seen it with girls camp, with Kiersten and EFY, and when me and my siblings end up at home for the weekend. A couple of hours here and there just aren't comparable.

Well, after two weeks of living with the Goulds, I've done some serious repenting regarding the earlier feelings I had (I even told Megan of these feelings I had had and how grateful I was for the opportunity we had to get to know them better). I loved listening to Ash and Alex giggle and giggle with Hailey and Jaden one night . . . late one night . . . as they made up stories. Yep. I finally climbed out of bed to go snap a picture of their late night antics.

I loved watching Alex develop a bond with "his buddy" Megan as they worked out in the mornings and she helped him gather seashells at the beach.

I loved watching Erik take his younger brother and cousin and help them with a lemonade stand.

I loved getting to know Megan a little more through our casual conversations we had in the kitchen. I loved that my nieces Lexi and Maddie stayed for a few days and that Maddie got to come to church with us. I loved our movie nights and ice cream and slush parties.

This is an experience my family will not forget. It was a little strange at first, getting used to having extra people around, but the day they left was just as strange.

We have missed them and my soul is better for having them here.

*I had to pilfer a few photos because the ones I took of everyone on our front porch were so blurry when I opened them on my computer. I might be looking for a new camera.

What's happening in my yard

Loving the daylilies (red=Red Razzmatazz; white=Blueberry Candy) and blanket flower (Gaillardia X grandiflora) that are blooming this time of year when nothing else is. The blanket flowers are self-seeders and are easy to transplant all over the yard. They do not like a lot of water.

Good things
giggling cousins
horseback rides
pioneer faith