Rose and I put together a going away party for the Wilson family and tonight was the night we tricked them all! Well, kind of......they started to figure out something was going on towards the end. Two weeks ago Tricia and I had a girls night out (with a few husbands) for Amanda the night before she left. Rose and I knew that we couldn't get away with doing the same thing and making it a surprise so we tricked her! Rose told Tricia that we weren't even going to try and surprise her and asked for a good day for a bunch of us girls to get together. So, we told everyone about the supposed "girls night out" and to just play along. Instead, we all showed up (whole families this time!) at the Wilson home for a big Family Home Evening! We had over 50 people show up tonight!

Rose did a wonderful job with putting together the FHE lesson on what seems to be dearest to the Wilson family's hearts; service and missionary work. I haven't seen so many people cry in one setting in my life.....well, maybe other than a funeral! Tonight was proof to the Wilson family just how loved and missed they will be.

This picture touches my heart more than anything. Last week, the boys had a play date over at the Wilson home. As I was taking them home that day, Brigham started crying about how he wanted to move back to Utah and how much he was going to miss the Wilsons. This lead to Levi crying and them telling me how much they miss Grandma Adams and how we could live next to the Wilsons if Daddy could find a job in Utah. It seriously broke my heart but I thought for sure it was because they had stayed up late the night before and were just emotional. But for the next few days they would not leave David alone about finding a job in Utah. So fast forward to tonight. Towards the end of our FHE, I look down at Brigham and he is just crying and crying and crying. He tried to hide it and I felt so bad for him....then I realized that Preston was crying just as hard. I'm not sure if I will ever be able to look at this picture and not be able to feel just a twinge bit of sadness.

I love my Anna so much......and so does Tricia! Tricia wasn't here for too long before Anna moved away but as you can see, they are very close. But that just tells you the effect that this family has on people.

Our high councilman came all the way from Arkansas to see the Wilson family off.

Just wanted to share something that Rose told me tonight.

Rose Bass has become a surragate Grandmother to the Wilson kids and a best friend to Tricia. If you see a Wilson, there is a good chance that Rose is with one of them. That is how close they all are to her. Tonight, one of the Wilsons gave Levi a stack of Christmas photo cards to hand out to everyone. I guess he kept passing Rose. She already had been given one before the party but wanted to tease Levi and said, "Hey, why aren't you giving me one?" He replied very honestly, "But, you are a Wilson..."

This is why I love the Wilson Family!

Thankful

I am thankful for:

A husband and sister who knows me so well

Sons who love their Momma

Families that stick together

Grandparents that are so involved in my children's lives

Dad's back rubs

Nanny/Poppy nights

Mommy friends that are examples to me to be a more patient Mother

Old friends that remind me that it is ok to be silly

Laughter

Thunderstorms, snow, and wind

Happy hour at Sonic

David's touch

Random cookies or anything homemade delivered

My children's love for Family Home Evening

Those cries that come from heartfelt testimonies

A clean house

The Beck women hackle

When pictures capture perfect moments

Good bye, my friend....

Tricia and I put together a going away party for Amanda Bishop and tonight was the night to celebrate.....instead of crying since I had already done my fair share of that since knowing that both her AND Tricia were leaving. I love them so much and they both have been the stay at home mommies that I needed to help me put things into perspective as I struggled to be true to what Father in heaven wants of me. I know this, but it still surprised me how sad I was of their leaving. See, David and I have been married for 9 years and out of those 9 years we have moved.........9 times! I am not used to being the one left behind plus these girls were there for me at such a critical place in my life as I was getting things back in order. I will miss them so much. But as streams of tears run down my face, I truly am so happy for them and the future that is in store for them and their families.

There were 21 of us tonight to see Mrs. Amanda off. I hope she knows just how much our branch/ward loves her and how much she will be missed.

THIS is why I love my girls!

And since a few generations of women were here tonight, we got this group picture. Can I just brag on my sister, April for a minute. I was already holding Layne when we started with these pictures but instead of her holding her own baby, she knows how self conscience I am and did her typical April thing; thought of me before herself.

Can you tell that I feel extremely blessed tonight?

New Do, New You

I think I might be ready to start taking better care of myself. My poor body has went through so much in the last 5 years, physically and emotionally. Something that can seem so simple with chemical imbalances in one's brain chemistry is anything but that to someone who actually deals with it. Yet, life through this time has taught me so much. I feel past posts have shown that and I am grateful for that today. After working so hard to build my spiritual body back up I would like to continue to move forward. Who knows what tomorrow will bring but I hope to take a little more time for my physical body starting today.

Spring Houck is my hair gal and she is amazing. Look what she did!

So I went to the Lower Elementary after my hair cut and color (and yes, shockingly, I added makeup!) to bring something up to Brigham. I walked past Brynlee Wilson's class and quickly went in her room to give her a hug. She got the biggest smile on her face and said, "I love your hair! You look so good!" I walk on into Brigham's class and he just looks at me dumbfounded! It was hilarious! His face was priceless. He never said anything about my new look but it was more than apparent on his face. I picked up Hyrum from school and he said, "You got your hair cut?" I asked him what else looked different about me and he said, "Somefing on your eye!" Later he asked me if I had painted my hair......he is so cute!

But what was most important to me was to see the surprise on my husbands face. I didn't tell him I was doing this. My husband has went to hell and back for me trying to find me again (and I am not using that lightly) and lately he has been so busy with providing for us so we can get into a house that I really wanted him to know how much I appreciate his hard work and for never giving up on me. You know that look on your husband's face when all he see's is beauty? That happened today and I was grateful I could do that for him.

Christmas Open House

Today was the first day of the annual Christmas Open House in Grove, OK. Grove has lots of cute little shops and every year they do an open house to boost business. Each shop has sales and treats. I was especially looking forward to it this year since 2 of my dearest friends are moving within a month of each other. They needed breaks from packing and I needed time with them before they leave me :(

This was at the first shop that we went to. Rose and I went in the back room to try their goodies. They had this slushy like drink that we wanted to try. She took a drink which led to a sour look on her face. I tried it and indeed it was sour. I really thought it tasted like apricots and so I asked one of the workers there what was in it. She proceeds to tell us that it has this and that and...... champagne in it! Rose and I just start busting up laughing! We giggled and giggled like it was the funniest thing ever and they probably thought we were the biggest weirdos but to 2 Mormons who never drink alcohol, it was pretty amusing!

This was taken in the last shop we went to. During one of our earlier visits to another shop, Amanda ran into a friend who asked Amanda if Tricia was her mother! I think Tricia might be 5 years older than Amanda so it was quite the insult! But it made for lots of "Granny" jokes for the rest of the day!

Rose's last name is Bass so we had lots of fun in this store!

Today was everything that I needed with these girls. Rose and I are really going to miss these girls......

Meet Layne Allizabeth

Yesterday my newest niece was born in Tahleqhah, OK. Take one look at this picture and you know she was a whopper!

10 POUNDS AND 10 OUNCES!

No wonder everyone stopping April on the street (while pregnant) kept asking her if she was having twins!

When I went in to see Layne Allizabeth she was smacking her lips and moving her tongue all around.....that girl was already thinking about food!

It was a long wait for our little ones and they had to get creative :)

Brigham was so cute last night. He was being so patient and good and when we went to leave he started crying because they wouldn't let him or his brothers in to see Layne (because he was too young and not a sibling to Layne). Sometimes softness shows through that very ALL BOY heart of Brigham's and it melts mine.