Kids

Kids

Saturday, April 23, 2016

May overload!!!

We were able to see the Mays for 3 weekends in a row!! It was the BEST! 

Easter weekend was Ames birthday, so Mama, Papa, the kids and I went to her birthday party. It was an awesome day. Meg planned the coolest Survior themed birthday party!! The kids (and I) loved it. After the party we all went to Boston Pizza for dinner. We didn't get home until 10pm and all three kids bawled their eyes out from Lethbridge to Coalhurst, but it was so worth it.
The next weekend was Papa's retirement party and conference, which I blogged about separately. 

The weekend after Jax advanced in the priesthood so we went to participate. We went up Saturday night and had a blast!! We hung out and had dinner with the kids and Nana and Papa while Meg and Matty were out at a dinner. We got the kids down for bed and then hummed and hawed about what to do. We decided to go for a hot tub and then watch Rocky IV. We did what we always do - stay up way too late having an amazing visit. I cannot say how much I LOVE Meg and Matt!

Off to church the next morning. Jax' ordination was so beautiful and we were blessed to be there. Meg hosted a luncheon after and we hung around and visited until the evening.

Three great weekends with some of the greatest people I know. We love our family so much!!!!

Papa's retirement week!

Over the last couple of months, all of us Walton children put our brains together and organized a retirement party for Papa. It took some planning and preparation, but it was so worth it! We had Papas party on April 2nd and it went off without a hitch.

Randy flew in from the Coast on March 30 and thens when all the festivities began! Nicole picked Orin and Ami up from the Hat that afternoon and then headed to our house for dinner. Papa, Mama and Randy came by for a visit that night too. The next day, we all went bowling and then to Cola ad Dallins for dinner. On Friday we headed down to Cardston for the weekend. That night, Doug and I went to the temple while the kids hung out with their aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. We had the most beautiful time at the temple...I am so truthfully grateful for the restoration of the gospel! I don't know what I would do without the temple!

That Saturday was the day of the party and also General Conference. The morning was super busy trying to get everything ready. When Meg got their, we listened to conference while we cooked and did our hair. It's those kinds of things that I LOVE about having sisters :) 

The party began around noon and we did not stop until 5! We had a delicious lunch, played games, got family photos done, watched a slideshow and are cake. We all pitched in and took are of things.  

The boys watched priesthood conference at 6 while us gals visited and hung with the kids. After bedtime, we settled down for a movie. Ames, Mama and I were not interested in the movie the majority of people wanted to watch, so us three snuggles in Nanas bed and watched a different show. It was lovely.

The next day was Conference Sunday and it was perfect!!!! Meg, Matty and the kids stayed and we all watched conference together. We are a big yummy breakfast and prepared games and activities for the kids to play while watching conference. I cant even describe the Spirit that was there....sharing gospel moments with my family is so very sacred to me.  It was the best.

I really do love my in-law family so much. Mixing families can be a challenge, but I am just so blessed to be a Walton! They love me and I love them. 

Here's to many more fabulous family get-togethers!


Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Good bye ATB

I still cannot believe it has really happened.

Last week, I resigned from my position at ATB Financial. I have been working for ATB for the past 9 years and they have been nothing but good to me. I love my job - serving people is a pleasure - however the time has come for me to be at home.

I had felt prompted since January that I should leave work, however I kept pushing the prompting aside. We had a plan - if I worked for 16 more months we could pay off the van loan and then I would quit. It was a great plan with righteous desires, however the spirit kept quietly whispering for me to reconsider. Doug and I decided to make a trip to the temple to hash it out. On the way to the temple, for some reason we decided to change what it was that we would ask for guidance on. Again, it made sense to keep working, so we would stick with that and work on some other things.
The temple was amazing...one of the most powerful spiritual experiences I have ever had. I felt so much peace and love from The Lord. That weekend was also General Conference and again, my spirit was nourished by the goodness of God. 

I felt amazing. We had a plan. Everything was perfect.

Then, Monday morning came.

I woke up and got ready for work. I always pray while driving, so I said a great morning prayer and felt like a million bucks. I got to the bank, parked the car and walked to the doors. As soon as I entered the door I felt like I was hit by a bus. The Spirit literally shouted in my mind 'What are you doing here?!?' My chest restricted, my hands clammed up and my eyes welled with tears. I quickly went and put my coat and purse away, trying to shake this horrible feeling and regroup so I could work. I pushed the tears down, but the clammy hands and tight chest did not let up.  Was it really so bad for me to be here? Was this perfect, righteous plan not what we were to do? What the heck am I supposed to do?

On my lunch break I texted with Simone about how I was feeling and she was able to lend me some great advice. I kept it together for the rest of the day and knew I needed to talk about everything with Doug that night.

After the kids went to bed, Doug and I talked. We talked and talked and talked. Hashing out everything and finally coming to terms with the fact that we now need to turn to The Lord and see what he wants and needs us to do.  We went on to LDS.org and found what President Monson said at conference.

He talked about how Alice in Wonderland  asked the Cheshire Cat which path she should take when she got to the fork in the road. The Cheshire Cat responded by saying 'if you don't know where you are going, it doesn't matter which path you take.' He also then said something along the lines of we must choose the hard right path instead of the easy wrong path.

After reading that, we knew what we needed to do. We said a beautiful prayer and received the confirmation that I was to leave my job. 

Answer recived. 

My last day is May 16th. I am a little sad to leave, however I have so much peace that we have made the right decision. Bring on the summer!!!