Happy 39th Birthday Miss 'Manda

Today my little Amanda Ruth would be 39! And somehow I am never ever able to imagine her as any thing other than my tiny girl! She was a going concern from conception! She rarely stopped moving...

APRIL 1977

She was a constant joy (and trial)... My love for her is unbounded.

DECEMBER 1979

And of the April 15-May 19th month each year her birthday is ALWAYS the hardest.

I want to include an excerpt from journal-

I've suffered in the years since Tony and Amanda's death... usually April through August is difficult and then again at Christmas time. Several Christmas ago I started being able to go through the holidays tear-free. As I discussed this with Ann she suggested that I pray for a lifting of this burden of grief. (Duh! Why didn't I think of that?) So this year I've prayed for a lifting of that debilitating grief. I haven't been totally tear-free but I've been blessed with the ability to feel the joy of their lives and take comfort from the Master of my soul. And as always, Amanda's birthday proves the hardest of the Mom's birthday, Tony's birthday, Mom's death, Amanda's birthday month. I'm so grateful for the blessings and love that I feel from my Savior! Without His atoning sacrifice I could not continue! Truly He knows how to succor this child!

I've had a few tears but all in all most of them have come because I am so grateful for the lifting of this burden of grief.

Last fast Sunday with Bekah's family I bore my testimony about this great blessing. Then during Relief Society I kind of lost it during the opening song. Bekah was conducting and sisters that I don't even know reached out to comfort me. I was so blessed that my sisters in Spirit, who don't even know me, would offer this love. I am so GRATEFUL for the tender mercies of the Lord.

"I testify that the tender mercies of the Lord are real and that they do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Often, the Lord’s timing of His tender mercies helps us to both discern and acknowledge them." Elder David A Bednar

Grammie's Boys

I realize that I have another blog post with this same exact title... but that is what these wonderful boys are! There is no other description.

These are the boys that taught me that I am no longer the Mommie-Enforcer... I am the Grammie-Spoiler-Lover. That is such a liberating concept.

I have more photos, at home in Springville, of this wonderful threesome but sitting here tonight in YLP this is the earliest photo I have access to (I think I will come back and add the others when I get home. If for no on else but me!)

This was the second cruise Grammie-duties trip. Look how small they are! Odd how fast children change in 6 years.

MARCH 27, 2009

Fast-forward 4 years and now 2 of the 3 are taller than their little Grammie. That was when I knew that I needed to start needing these pictures WITH my boys instead of just OF my boys.

APRIL 21, 2013

Not even a year later and look how they have all shot up! This photo has been the wallpaper on my phone for the last 15 months...

FEBRUARY 2, 2014

Until this one took over. OMSH!! Man-sized people who are their Grammie's boys! I am so pleased with the young men they are. Good, good people!

MAY 1, 2015

My next Grammie and boys photo will only be with two boys! Tadhg will serve the Lord for 2 years. He leaves on June 24th to serve in the Scotland/Ireland Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am so grateful that he has made this righteous choice. I pray that he will be guided and protected as he shares the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I love that he is returning the land of his forefathers to share his love of the Savior. I'm sure he will find cousins (whether they know it or not). I am so grateful that this love of Jesus goes back many generations... because that is what is all about.