Easter in Utah

It's June, but let me tell you a little about what happened in April...

Easter.

In April, Russell, Taylor and I flew to Utah for a week to celebrate this, one of my favorite holidays, with my family.

This was the first time that I had flown alone with two small children. It was an adventure to be sure--made possible with help from a double umbrella stroller, my husband and dad who checked my luggage and helped handle the kids up to security check, an infant carseat and entire row to myself while onboard the airplanes (so fabulous!), an iPad loaded with Disney flicks, lots of kiddie snacks, and several good samaritans in Salt Lake and at DIA who offered to lend a hand. And we all made it there and back without a scratch! Whew.

Having the chance to visit individually with each of my family members while there--Dad, Mom, Larz, Devin--was special treat I received during this visit. They all have such great insights and positive outlooks on life that leave me wishing that I were more like them.

Of course, I missed my missionary brother, Kyle who's serving in Sao Paulo, Brazil for another year, and Andrew, who stayed in Denver for work (but was great at keeping tabs with us via Face Time on my iPad). It will be great when we can all be together again.

Mom planned the fun holiday events--egg dying for Taylor with my Uncle Mitch and Aunt Megan's kids, an egg hunt in my parents' yard on Easter morning, Easter baskets filled with holiday goodies for my family and my brothers, and special meals with family. Since getting married and having Easters on our own for the most part, I'd forgotten a little how much I missed those things.

An awesome bonus while we were there was that BYU's graduation fell on Easter weekend this year, and Andrew's little sister Christy was graduating! I was able to celebrate with she and my mother and father in-law over dinner at Mimi's Cafe and later at her convocation on campus. She looked so beautiful and so happy. It was also so strange and exciting to see my Alabama family and my Utah family all on the same trip! Utah sure brings people together, doesn't it? Love it.

My favorite part of this Easter vacation was on the Saturday morning before Easter, when my parents, my brother Larry, and I went to the Provo Temple together and performed sealings for some of our Danish and Scottish ancestors.

Larz, who is quickly becoming our family genealogist, had found our ancestors' names on his own and prepared them to take to the temple. Until he had done this, I had thought that we were at a bit of a dead-end with our family's history and honestly never imagined that I would have the priveledge of serving my ancestors by doing their temple work. I was so happy to be wrong! I was also deeply honored to help Larry with the work, as I prepared some of the sisters' names for the sealing room by working in the Denver Temple a little the week before I went to Utah.

Going to the temple, for my ancestors, with my parents and younger brother there with me, was sweet and tender time. Thank you Larry, for making that possible.

May and June were filled with family visits too! I have been so blessed this year. Stay tuned...