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!

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!!!

Easter week - Sunday

He is risen!!!!

Easter Sunday...is there any better day?! We started off the day be greeting each other with excitement, shouting 'Hosanna! He is Risen!' The kids loved it and honestly, I loved it too! I felt so good to shout in joy that our Savior has risen. Oh, how I love my Savior :)

The Easter bunny also left treats for the kids Sunday morning, so once they were all up, we gathered to start the hunt. After the hunt, we made breakfast. I found this recipe online for 'Resurection Rolls'. They are brilliant and also delicious. You start with a marshmallow, which represents Jesus. You dip the marshmallow in melted butter and the cinnamon sugar representing the anointing of Jesus' body, then wrap it in Pillsburry cresent rolls, representing the cloths which were wrapped around Jesus body. You put the wraps in the 'seplechure' (the oven) and bake for 15 minutes. The pastry bakes around the marshmallow, making a cave while the marshmallow melts. When finished, you open the pastries and see that Jesus body is gone. The kids LOVED this!! Nola literally screamed 'He is Risen!!!!' when she opened hers. It was the perfect. Then off to church for a beautiful Easter service.

When we gathered before the egg hunt, Nola raised her hand and said 'I love that the Easter bunny came, but Easter isn't really about the Easter bunny. It's about Jesus. Jesus died but He is resurected! And we will be resurected too!'

Mission accomplished.

My testimony burns so strong within me. These accounts, these stories are true! Jesus Christ truly is the Son of God. He lived on this earth and taught us the truth of who we are and what we are to do. I am SO grateful to know Him! To have guidance and direction in my life because of my Lord and Savior. I know that by suffering in the Garedn of Gethsemane, Jesus took on the sins of the world. 

My sins. Your sins. Everyones. 

Oh, how that strengthens me. How it blesses me with respect and humility to my Savior, with courage and conviction to face the sins that do so easily beset me. I can do it, because He did.

This has been the best Easter in my life by far, and I know it's because we were focused on the right thing. May The Lord bless all of us as we turn to Him and search for truth.

Hosanna!!! He is Risen!!!

Easter week - Friday and Saturday

Friday is the day of the Saviors crucifixion.

We kept it brief with the kids, as Nola really struggles with the thought of death. She has had nightmares and moments of intense anxiety, just like her Mama, about Jesus' crucifixion. We have been keeping our focus on the resurection and teaching of the emence joy it will produce. I cannot wait for tomorrow morning!

Saturday has been a day of deep reflection, so I'd like to share my thoughts.

The crucifixion. 

I struggle with this day. I often don't allow myself to go there...to go that place where the emotions are so raw, so real and oh, so intense. I protect myself by keeping my distance, by closing my eyes, sticking my fingers in my ears and whistling a sweet toon to remain ignorant. 

Ignorance is bliss, isn't it? Well actually, no. Truth is bliss, and the truth is that Jesus was tortured by man until He gave up the ghost and left His mortal life. Jesus was innocent before Pontius Pilate, yet He was charged. He was whipped, mocked and spit upon. He carried His own cross to Golgatha, where with He was hung upon. Not only were nails driven through His palms, but also through His wrists. With slashes to His sides and a crown of thorns upon His head, He hung.

Waiting. 

Waiting to fulfill His calling and finish His Fathers work. He certainly was the Son of God, but man, how hard must that have been. We can certainly see that His eternal perspective gave Him the strength He needed to endure, especially when the Father withdrew himself. Even while hanging, all alone, He forgave His accusers, for they knew not what they were doing.

Oh Jesus, I love you. I love you so much. I am so sorry that you had to endure the crucifixion...that you had to suffer. How I wish I could have been there, to help console you in any way. To have held your mother while she watched, to have gazed into your eyes and born unto you the testimony of my soul, to have anointed and wrapped your body and to have helped carried you to the sepulchre. To have waited, patiently and with faith that you would indeed rise again.

Oh Lord, I would have. And Lord, I will now. I will hold my brothers and sisters on earth as they face adversity. I will let my light so shine and share my testimony with the world. I will partake of the holy sacrament worthily and with conviction. I will use my eternal perspective to ensure the 'Golgathas' of my life.

And I will wait, with patient and faith, for when you come again, because I know you will.

I love you. Oh, I love you. Thank you, Dear Lord. Thank you.

Easter week - Thursday

Tonight was special. 

The Thursday before the resurection was the night of the last supper and Jesus going to the garden of Gethsemane.  We started off by watching a bible video of the last supper. We asked the kids why they thought Jesus would wash his disciples feet. Nola was so cute - she  said that the disciples feet were so dirty they couldn't walk anymore, so Jesus served them by cleaning them :) We talked a lot about service and how we are all equal. Then, we took turns washing each others feet. The kids were remarkably reverent while doing it.

After that we had a discussion about the sacrament and then prepared to enter 'Gethsemane'. We had originally planned to go out to the back yard as Gethsemane, however it was rainy so we just pretended the kitchen was the garden. We started downstairs and slowly walked up stairs to the kitchen while singing 'Gethsemane'. Once in the garden, we all knelt in prayer. John said the prayer and said 'Heavenly Father, thankful for this day. Thankful for chicken and pickles. Thankful for Easter week. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.'

After we all hugged and took a deep breath to prepare for tomorrow...the crucifixion.