Jumping Back Into School...

I can hardly believe that we have moved so quickly through the past few months!

Kambriella had the time of her life in the most awesome preschool ever...and as we have very quickly flown through summer and have started school again, I just have to take a minute to share a few highlights from Kambriella's last days of preschool on "The Farm."

 Little Farmer's Preschool was everything that Kambriella needed! 

She spent time learning in a very fun and hands-on atmosphere! She did all of the normal class room activities, and even learned how to read!

But, her favorite part was spending about 20 minutes out of everyday with the animals on the farm.

Kambriella loves animals and loved holding the chickens and new baby goats...

feeding the pigs and watching the sheep get sheared...

She also loved getting to help collect the eggs from the chicken coupe..

If you ask her, she will tell you that the chicken definitely came before the egg! ;)

 Kambriella also enjoyed a field trip to the Fire Station with all of the morning and afternoon preschool classes combined. It was so fun to tour the fire station and hear the loud bell ring...

 And here is Kambriella with her great friend Tucker. :)

They were best friends all through the year! They rode to and from preschool everyday together, and loved it when they would wear their cowboy boots on the same days. :)

 Kambriella and Fireman Brad...just like Grandpa Panter. :)

Now fast forward 4 months!!!

Kambriella is in KINDERGARTEN!!!!! :)

 Such a big girl on such a big day!

I went with Kambriella to the first 45 minutes of class where all of the parents were invited to do some fun games and activities to help the kids get used to being there...then when it was time for her to go out to recess, I told her that I would probably be gone when she came back in...

She said, "OK Bye Mom!!!" ~as she ran out the door with her friends.

Part of me wished she would ave been a little sad...as if she still needed me there...

but the BEST side of me was so glad that she was so eager and READY for this big day to finally be here! No looking back! Only moving forward with excitement and enthusiasm for the many adventures that lie ahead...:)

Kambriella Noel ~ 1st Day of Kindergarten!

Carew James and Kierra Nicole ~ 1st day of High School together! :)

I think they were a little embarrassed as I clicked pictures of them driving away together...I couldn't help it though! A Sophomore and a Junior? Really? WHEN did this happen?!?!

 ~ What Awesome kids!!!

And these sweet little brothers...

Gavin Ryker and Dallin Clint

3rd grade and 6th grade!

I thought it was so cute that out of the many new school outfits we had bought them, they both decided that they wanted to be twins for their first day of school!

I love that they are best friends and that they love each other. I also love that they want so much to be like each other...it makes my heart smile. :)

I once again am so grateful for this family that I have been entrusted with and pray for their safety and happiness each and every day. They make life fun. They make my life worth living. They make a LOT of messes too ;) .... but my life would be a mess without them!

I LOVE you big kids!!!

The Road That Leads "Home"

Even though my stride isn't as quick as it used to be, I am still doing my best to go outside for a morning run... but mostly for a breath of fresh air and to clear my mind.

The other morning I found myself running down by the river...it reminded me of my dad...

he loved to go fishing and I have so many fond memories of time down at the river with him.

 It felt very peaceful and I could almost picture him standing there with his fly rod...

it's moments like these that I love to have when I go out for a run.

I started running home and found myself passing so many other people out for their morning walk or run as well. 

I smiled and waved to everyone I saw, and I wondered what was going on in their lives too.

How many of them were feeling the same sense of peace that I was from being out among

 Heavenly Father's beautiful creations?

How many of them sent children out the door to school and were praying for them to make new friends and for them to return home safely at the end of the day?

How many of them were facing tough trials in life, or were helping someone close to them to make it through one of their own?

How many of them were just headed out for their run...

and how many of them were headed back home?

How many of them know HOW to get back home?

Home here on earth is pretty easy to find...after all, it's where we live, right?

But how many of them know how to make it back to our Heavenly home?

It really made me think about being a missionary.

 I feel that I am always trying to do my best to be an example in all that I do. I try so hard to really live what I believe although sometimes I make mistakes. 

 I sincerely want to live my life so that 

"Those who don't know God will want to know Him because of me..."

Am I doing enough? 

Am I saying enough?

Am I trying each day to be the Savior's hands and do the things that He needs me to do?

Am I #Sharing Goodness?

Am I being a light for others to follow so that they will be able to find the "way back home?"

With Clint's calling of being the High Council man over the missionaries, we are blessed to have the missionaries in our home every week. I love giving them treats, sharing life's stories, and taking care of their dry cleaning for them... :) 

(They know not to ask me to mend a hole in their pants though because I would probably just pull out my handy dandy glue gun! :)

I am teaching my children to be missionaries at school and to be a friend to the one that's alone on the playground...and I am raising 3 boys whom I hope and pray will desire to serve missions of their own...

It makes me smile when Carew comes home and shares what he has learned in Seminary...or when he tells me he gave his friend at school a Book of Mormon, and his friend had it taken away for reading it during class.

(We will have to work on that...:)

Anyways, I guess I just needed to write down my thoughts today of helping others to know how to find their way "back home." 

I'm always the one that benefits from these teaching moments that come from the Spirit.

I'm so glad he speaks to me in a way that is so easy for me to understand.

Now I just pray that I can do my part, and help be a light that others (especially my family) can follow to find the way back home.

My Sweet Dad...:)

On July 31st, 2014 my loving dad passed away peacefully in his sleep. 

Heavenly Father was so kind and merciful as my dad was able to take his sweetheart of 54 years, out on a date just the night before. :) 

My sweet dad had gone through quite a few health challenges throughout his life, but nothing he was never able to overcome...he always got better, and kept on going! :) We have had so many wonderful memories together throughout the years, but one of the best days that we had together not too long ago was when my mom, dad, Kambriella, and I went to Thanksgiving Point together during the tulip festival.

We rode around the grounds together in a little golf cart just enjoying the warm spring air and the scent of lavender and fresh blooming flowers all around us.

 It was a perfect day.

Just one week before my dad passed away, my family had held our family reunion where we all enjoyed each other's company, and I vividly recall my children sitting around the table listening to grandpa tell them stories of when he was a little boy. It made me so happy to watch them admire him and laugh at the crazy things that him and his brother Tony did to get themselves into trouble!

Family is so precious. I hope that I will never take that for granted...

I could go on and on about the wonderful man that my dad was, and how he always helped everyone out, even when it meant that things would be harder for him in the long run...

He was a man of family, fishing ;), and faith. 

He loved his wife first and foremost...sweethearts from high school...

He loved his children...9 all together, 6 beautiful girls, and 3 handsome brothers...

He loved to fish! Ever since he was a little boy!

But even more than that, he LOVED his grandchildren...all 36 of them! :) 

They were his pride and joy. :)

(although I don't have pictures of all of them, some of my most recent ones represent the same feelings that he had for each one of them...)

I can see what he is saying with his eyes...

"Please don't make me get up, I'm enjoying cuddling with this little piece of heaven!"

...And now he seems to say...

"Looky here! Don't I have the most beautiful grandchildren EVER! Yep! Their mine!"   :)

And now..."Oh how I love to kiss their little chubbies!

 Even if their little knuckles are all they want to share right now!  ~  I'll take it! " :)

~And this smile says it all..."I am one blessed and happy man...Thank you Heavenly Father! "

* I am so grateful for the loving earthly father that I have been given.

* I am so grateful that he instilled in me the values of God and families and service to others... 

* I am so grateful for his example of selflessness and hard work and always trying to do what's right...And that he showed me how important it is to 

give your spouse constant and true love and time and devotion at all costs...

* I'm grateful he took me fishing and then fried it up for breakfast! :)

* I'm grateful for the trips to the gas station in his big red truck for a soda and a candy bar while singing to me, "Suzie Q ~ Baby I Love You, Suzie Q!"

* I'm grateful for the hiking trips up to Hatcher's pass to shoot guns and pick blueberries.

* I'm grateful that he protected me and kicked the boys out of our house when I was a teenager! (Even though I thought it was totally embarrassing at the time! ;)

* I'm grateful that he approved of Elder Trickett, and that he allowed me to follow my heart and my dreams that led me to an eternal marriage and an eternal family!

* I'm grateful for the many "thumping" lessons we had together in the produce section of the grocery store! He never once seemed annoyed that I would ask him to show me just "one more time" how to pick out the perfect watermelon! (My favorite time though was when he let out a rear end "toot" as he bent over and picked up a heavy one! :) Oh how we laughed for days!!! :)

* I'm grateful he had big, strong hands and always wrapped them around my mother...and that he had a big, strong heart that he shared with the world!

My dad was not a perfect man, because none of us are...

but I believe he is perfect for me, and that he loves me,

 Perfectly!

Angels among us...

Last night as I was tucking Kambriella into bed, I found myself having a very hard time pulling my puckered up lips off of her squishy little cheeks. :)

I kissed them and kissed them, and kept kissing them until her blinks started to become slower, and slower, and I could feel her little body giving in to the night slumber.

As I lay there next to her I had an overwhelming rush of love, and of the spirit of 

Heavenly Father's love for me.

As I stared at her angelic little face, my heart became so full of gratitude for that moment.

Through that little face I was reminded of all of the love that Heavenly Father has for all of His children. I was reminded how quickly time is passing and that I need to try harder every day to enjoy the "little things." I was reminded that we each have a mission in life to fulfill, and that each of us as children of God have so much potential...

Then, as I stood up to leave her room, I offered a silent prayer of gratitude. 

~And as small and simple as the moment was, and how quickly the time was spent, 

I again received a rush over my body, an "exceedingly great amount" of love from Heavenly Father, and an impression of the angelic love of my earthly father who peacefully passed away a little over 6 weeks ago.

As I thought about my dad, I saw him dressed in white. I saw him with me in my home. I saw him with a smile on his face and his arms open wide, Then, with my spiritual eyes I saw many angels dressed in white surrounding him and walking through the halls, up and down the stairs, all with smiling faces with an assured and sweet demeanor that they were busy about "their work." 

"Their work" to me looked exactly like what I have always imagined angels to be doing...protecting, defending, supporting, uplifting, inspiring, and bringing heaven into my home.

In 2 Kings 6:16 Elisha talks about how

 "..they that be with us are more than they that be with them."

I know that those spirits who move on from this life, especially family members or those who are close to us, are ministering angels to us. Even though we may not be able to "see" them with our physical eyes, we can feel them with our hearts and through the gentle "nudges" of the Spirit.

As I walked down the stairs with that glorious vision in my mind of my home being filled with angels...both my family members, and those that are "busy about their work" and I cannot physically see...I was overcome with the Spirit yet again for a third time, with each impression getting stronger and stronger. 

Tears of love and gratitude fell easily down my cheeks as I knew in my heart once again that Heavenly Father was there. He is always there, and I am so incredibly grateful for the sweet and simple ways that He lets me know He's there...and just how much He loves me.

I received through the confirmation of the Spirit a quiet confidence and empowerment that

 I can do hard things. 

Every day that we live can present hard things. But we are NEVER alone. Although there are times where I question myself and wonder what "good I have done in the world today," I now know without a doubt that there is more good going on than I can see.

 I don't need to "see" something done, or "check it off" of my "to do" list to know that the most important things that we accomplish in this life are not "things" at all. All of the good that we try to teach our children, all of the service that we give to others, all of the hope and faith that we have in our hearts are producing "heavenly notes" in the great Book of Life. 

Having a personal witness that my sweet dad, my brother Kelly, my grandmas and grandpas, and other loved ones are on the other side of the veil doing a greater work for me there than they ever could have here, is absolutely amazing to me. I truly do "stand all amazed" and know that I can be strong, stand for truth, teach principles of the gospel, live a life of goodness and example, and even on the "bad days" when I feel insignificant or inadequate...I know that I am NOT alone. 

I can always speak to my loving Heavenly Father through prayer...I can receive instructions from Him through my personal study...I can rest assured that I have "heaven's help" because I know that "they that be with us are more than they that be with them..."

I know that in the tender quiet moments when I feel the love, or simply am completely consumed with gratitude, or testimony, or a little 5 year old's irresistibly squishy cheeks...I love that I know heaven is here...right where I am...and right where we want it to be.