44 and still kicking

I had a pretty eventful year, I lived in Missouri ( which to be honest was a lot of fun and way better than I had expected!)

And I lived in Arizona (which is never a bad thing with all my friends and my family near!)

And I lived in Italy... (I'll stay here a bit and let you know!

 I also played some new rolls like "Mom of an eagle scout" and if you haven't done that before, let me just tell you the badges I got from it grow in gray and are on my head! But... WOW!!

I gained a new child and that was a bigger celebration than we threw when we got any of the original four. We must love him something huge (we do!) We think they are a great couple and couldn't be prouder of how our family has evolved!

Missionary mom was a new role for me  this year as well. I recently heard someone say 

"It's the saddest happy you'll ever be" 

I can't think of a better way to describe it. We look forward to her letters because she seems to express so much happiness in working for the Lord, but also because we miss her as a normal part of our home and for the few minutes it takes to read it, she feels here.

The most fulfilling experience of my whole year was being able to attend the Lords Temple with my girls and my husband to feel the love My Heavenly Father has for them and for my family and for families in general. The eternal arms wrapped around us and the tender nudges to choose the things that bring us closer to him and bind us through His athourity with our families forever. 

Our family is in so many different places right now and yet we love each other and cheer for each other and spend time thinking of each other and while it is more different than I could have imagined, I find joy everyday in this family and in each one of its amazing unique individual members. It's the greatest gift I have.