A Weekend of Love, Dry Ice and Lots of Fuzzy Feelings

Saturday Jared worked and the kids and I began our day before dawn getting ready to make a jaunt out to Vail. The Hopkins family asked if I would take pictures of Seth and Michelles wedding that is scheduled for March. I was really hesitant at first, having never photographed a wedding before. Sanford assured me I'd do a great job. Jared thought it was a great opportunity to finally start up a photography business. (He's been after me for years to do it). So I took a deep breath and agreed. I placed an order for a really nice digital camera ( Canon EOS 40D) that I found on Ebay and began researching lots and lots of wedding sites. I found sites that had amazing pictures and some that were just horrible and some that weren't anything special. That made me feel better. I had Seth and Michelle over to discuss thier personal style and made an appointment to visit the wedding site with them and take some engagement photos. Which brings me to our early morning trek out to Vail. I dropped Hannah and Noah off at my parents house and visited for awhile until it was time for me to meet Seth and Michelle. Their wedding is at Seth's brothers home nestled at the base of the Empirita Mountains in Vail. OH MY GOODNESS! I had so much fun. SO MUCH FUN! Here are a few pics from our photo shoot. Aren't they an adorable couple?

After the shoot my mom, Amy, the kids and I took a drive out J-6. It was nice to visit and catch up. Amy had some really fun news!...

Sunday

Sunday was busy. We began our morning with a lesson from Jared on the wonders of dry ice. He brought some home from work to show Hannah and Noah. They were eating breakfast at the counter when he quietly began to fill a pitcher with water, sugar, vanilla, then the key ingredient dry ice. The kitchen was soon filled with "What are you doing Daddy?"," Let me see?"," What is that?"," Oh wow!"," Look at that!"," Cool!", "Is that poisonous?". Even Bailey was curious.

It was ward conference-correlation, baptism preview and new beginnings. We were at church from noon to 7:00pm. Despite it being a long day, it was a day that really filled my bucket that I felt had been running dry. The sacrament talks themselves inspired lots of reflection and feelings of gratitude. I began really thinking about my testimony and how prayer and following the promptings of the spirit had impacted my life. I was already hopped up by the influx of PMS horomones, so trying to control the flow of emotions was a struggle. I made it through Sacrament, Sunday school and Relief Society without to many tears. Then came ward correlation, and the Bishop asked if I would bear my testimony. Of all the days... I made it through without much display of waterworks. I was very grateful for that. There is nothing worse than not being able to communicate my thoughts because I'm crying.

Hannah is really excited about getting baptized this year, and had been very excited about the Baptism Preview. The Bishop spoke, then Jared. Jared gave a really nice overview of Baptism then had Hannah get up to demonstrate with him how they would go into the water-having the right hand available,(if needed) to plug their nose. Aparently water up the nose was of big concern with most of the children. When I asked Hannah what she had learned later that night, she responded that ,"I can plug my nose so I don't get water up it". The weekend ended on a very warm and fuzzy note.

I love my family, I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given.

-Mel