Orlando Trip

Have I ever mentioned how wonderful life really is? Even with all of its ups and downs it is amazing!

I started writing out what we’ve been up to but, as usual, it’s WAY too wordy (surprise, surprise)! So, here are the highlights:

•  We stopped at “the Small” (Waycross has a mall but it has all of about 6 stores, so the “Small” it is) to buy a few last minute necessities for the trip.
•  We stopped in Jacksonville to visit a family friend who was in the hospital. Unfortunately we didn’t get to see him, but we got to spend some time chatting with his sweet daughter, Heather, who we haven’t seen in over 10 years! So fun to catch up with her!
• We had time to kill before the dance so we went to the pool and swam/lounged for a while in the evening sunshine (have I mentioned how much I love Florida for that?).
•  We went to a dance, learned a new dance, made new friends, and just had fun!
•  We took night pictures of the temple (read: Lori took pictures and I drove slowly once in the car…we’re a good team)
•  We attended the temple on Saturday morning…as always, the most perfect and peaceful place on earth. I love being at or in the temple.
• We drove to Lakeland for a devotional with Elder Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Rasband of the Seventy. AMAZING! (A post with highlights from that will be forthcoming).
• Before the meeting we ate the most AMAZING Thai food ever!! It was so good we went back for dinner with friends!
• We saw our former Young Women’s leader, Sister Bailey, and got to chat with her.
• We got to visit (and eat dinner with) our friend Erin from Pennsylvania. She lives in Miami now and came up for this meeting too. 
• We went to Lake Morton to feed the ducks, geese, and swans (we used to to that often when we lived in Lakeland).
• We watched (I listened) to the movie “The Saratov Approach” on the way home. It was a really intense movie, especially on the dark roads, but certainly kept me awake. We did great until I missed one of the exits in Jacksonville and then missed the alternate and we ended up taking an extra HOUR to get home. I was not a very happy camper. Lori rescued me and let me be the passenger for the last hour.

It was awesome!! We did all of this in 36 hours and put over 600 miles on my car, and I wouldn’t trade it for a minute!

Enjoy a few pictures. :)

Feeding the ducks at Lake Morton

Lori and I

Worlds collided: Sister Bailey (FL), me (GA), and Erin (PA).

Orlando Temple

Me, Lori, and Erin

Lori and I

Orlando Temple at night

Sky writing we saw right after leaving the temple Saturday morning. The message? Love God!

Best Thai food EVER!

Thanks to Lori for the pictures. :)

This and That

Since my last couple of posts I've found that I don't have much to say on the blog. Part of it may be out of fear for exposing that side of myself, though it is the more minor side of myself (what do I say now??). Part of it is the reality that yes, I am imperfect and that is PERFECTLY normal! We all have issues of some kind. Some people face their demons publicly...others in the quiet moments of their lives. Since writing these things down, reading other blogs and articles, and listening to uplifting talks, I've discovered peace. It truly has come as I've turned to Jesus Christ. It is through Him that I am able to accept my imperfections, to strive daily to do a little better, and to pick myself up again and again as I inevitably fall. That is incredible!

On a lighter note, we celebrated Mother's day yesterday. Lori and I decided to splurge on one BIG gift for the entire family this year. It was going to be given as a Mother's day gift, but instead we gifted it on Friday night as an early Mother's/Father's/Birthday for everyone. Each person got to open an envelope containing a ticket to the Celtic Thunder concert in Jacksonville in November! We're all just a little excited about this. Have you heard of them? Check out a couple of my favorites! We're groupies!!

Ahh, sigh, amazing!! Have an amazing week everyone! Check back soon for some fun posts of some upcoming activities!