Day Twenty-Two

Today is Thanksgiving. That means that today I'm going to talk about the very most important thing in my life. Even more important than my daughter, or my husband. This is the one thing, the one person, who defines my life. Everything I do, everything I believe, everything I am is colored by this one person. Ben and Evie are at the center of my heart, but the absolute center is occupied by my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

It's tough, sometimes, explaining to Evie why I love Jesus more than her and Daddy. She doesn't like thinking that she's only number three in my life, even though I explain to her that I know hundreds of people and number three is very good! And some people might think I'm wrong to put the Savior before my own husband. But the fact of the matter is, my husband does the same thing. Christ is number one for him as well, and that's part of why I love Ben so much. If he didn't have the relationship with the Lord that he does, he wouldn't be the man I love. His life, just like mine, is defined by his relationship with God.

The easiest way to look at it is like this: If my husband wanted me to do something that goes against what God wants me to do, what would I choose? And the answer is that I would side with God, even if it means going against Ben. That's how I know that Jesus is the most important person in my life.

Fortunately for me, of course, Ben would always side with the Savior as well. So it's not a decision I'll ever have to make.

And as much as Ben adores me, loves me, and would do anything for me, the Savior loves me even more. And He already did everything for me. He suffered incomprehensible pain, pain that He never needed to feel of his own volition because he was free of sin. It was my pain, pain that I earned through my own bad choices. Pain that would have destroyed me. He took that pain upon Himself, and suffered it for me, so that I wouldn't have to. And He didn't just do it for me, He did it for every single person who ever has or ever will live on this earth. Can you imagine what incredibly awful suffering that must have been? I can't. I can't begin to understand what He felt in those moments. But I know that it's greater suffering than any mere mortal could possibly endure. And Jesus did it because of His love for me, for you, for all of us. He didn't deserve that pain. He was perfect! He never needed to know what it felt like. But the only way that we could be saved and return to heaven was for Him to make that sacrifice for us. We're not strong enough to do it ourselves. So He did it for us. He did it for love.

There's a musical allegory that I listen to on Sundays called "The Garden." And in that show, there's one song where Christ is suffering in the garden of Gethsemane. That's when He took all of the pain from the sins of the world upon Himself - we call it the Atonement. And there's a gardener (representing the prophets) looking on, wishing he could help somehow. He sings this line, which touches my heart every time I hear it: "Could we be truly worth such grief and pain?"

We're not. That's the thing. We're so unworthy of God's love. But He gives it to us anyway! As awful and sinful and unworthy as we are, God loves us beyond comprehension. We are His children, and He loves us with the perfect love of a perfect parent, a billion times over. And that's why Jesus suffered for us. He paid the price for our sins so that we could repent and have it be as though our sins never happened. Why? So that eventually we could return to our Father in heaven, and be with Him again.

Aside from that personal sacrifice of the Savior's, He has blessed me in countless ways throughout my life. I have a husband and daughter that I know I don't deserve. I have parents and siblings who show me such love and support that I know I can turn to them any time, no matter what. I live in the greatest country in the world, where I enjoy freedoms that people in other places can only dream about. I'm a member of Christ's church here on the earth, one with a living prophet (just like in Biblical times) and the Savior at its very head. I have the priesthood in my home. I'm sealed to my family in heaven as well as on earth, so I know I can be with the people I love most for all eternity. Basically, every good thing in my life is a gift from God. As undeserving as I am, He has blessed me enormously.

All I can do in return is try to live my life the way God wants me to. I'm not perfect, and I have a long way to go, but I'll keep working on that throughout my life. I want to become the woman God wants me to be. I want to be kinder, more charitable, more selfless, more honest, more like the Savior. And He has given me everything. The very least I can do is obey Him in everything that He asks me to do.

Some people think my religion is weird. They don't understand why we don't drink coffee, or play sports on Sundays. They think our chaste relationships before marriage are outdated and unrealistic. They don't understand why so many of our young men and women are willing to give up two years of their lives to serve missions. The list goes on and on.

The fact of the matter is, we owe God everything. And whatever He asks us to do, no matter how strange it may seem, we're going to do it. We can't see the big picture. Our perspective is so limited. So we have faith that what God asks us to do is right, and we put our trust in Him. He has a reason for everything he asks of us. Just because we don't know what it is, doesn't mean there isn't a reason. Back when we received the revelation in the 1800s that we shouldn't drink alcohol or use tobacco products, there was no information on how those things negatively affect the human body. No one understood why God was asking it of us. But they had faith that God knew what He was doing, and they abstained from alcohol and tobacco. Now, more than a hundred years later, we know about lung cancer and alcoholism and the damage that tobacco and alcohol do to the human body.

God knew those things all along.

So whatever He asks of me, I'm going to obey. I don't always understand, but often when I decide to have faith and obey, I receive some understanding. And when I don't, I just continue forward in the faith that God has a plan. He knows what He's doing. And when I obey, I can see the blessings pour down on me. I have so much joy in my life, and I know that joy comes from obedience to the Lord. So, people can look at me and think I'm weird. They can insult my religion, call me names, or roll their eyes. I have seen God's hand in my life. I have seen the results of faith. I have developed a personal relationship with my Savior, and I recognize the sacrifices He has made for me. I cannot, and I will not turn my back on Him. That would make me ungrateful indeed.

I love my Savior, and my Heavenly Father. They're one in purpose, so when I talk about my Savior being the center of my heart I'm also talking about my Heavenly Father. They work in perfect unity to bless us, help us, and uplift us. I have a testimony of their reality. I'm grateful that they have given us a living prophet on the earth, who receives revelation and teaches us what God wants us to do. I'm grateful for personal revelation as well, and for the scriptures and for prayer, which often bring that personal revelation about. I'm grateful that I can talk to my Heavenly Father on a daily basis, and receive answers in return. And more than anything, I'm grateful for the Atonement that Christ suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane, which makes it possible for me to return to my Heavenly Father if only I'm willing to repent and forsake my sins, and which allows me to be with my family forever.

If you have any questions about the LDS faith, you can go here and anonymously browse and receive answers to common questions. There's a lot of misinformation out there in the world, but everything on this website comes from faithful members of the church, and is factual as to what we really believe. If you want the real info on Mormonism, I encourage you to check out this website. And if you'd like to start with my page, you can click here.

Have a wonderful thanksgiving, and remember that all of your blessings come from the Lord!

Day Twenty-One

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, which means today and tomorrow I get to talk about the top two things I'm the most grateful for. So today is all about Ben.

Ben is more than the love of my life. He's the love of my forever. I don't understand people who like the idea that their marriage will end with death. Some people think eternity is too much of a commitment or something. But if you really love someone, wouldn't you want to be with them forever? I know I do.

I admit, when I first met Ben, I never considered that there was any romantic potential there. He was cute, but he was a year younger than me. And when we met, I was only 19 myself, and he was fresh out of high school, so that year seemed like a very big age difference.

Then there was the fact that I was dating his brother. It wasn't serious, and it was extremely on-again-off-again with a whole lot more off than on. Ultimately, his brother and I were mostly just friends. But there was a romantic link there. So it would have been totally weird to date Ben.

And Ben was a geek. A cute geek, for sure, but still very geeky. I'm talking knee socks, cargo shorts and Hawaiian-print shirts geeky. I could see how handsome he was under the terrible wardrobe, but the clothes did make it hard to take him seriously.

Lastly, though, Ben had a girlfriend that he was dead set on marrying. They'd been together for a big chunk of high school, and she had been a friend, a sweetheart, and in many ways she was his spiritual support. She helped him through the typical teenage struggles with right and wrong, and helped him stay on a good path. She was his angel.

So no, when we first met, I never dreamed that we would end up together. But things have a funny way of working out completely differently than you may have planned.

Ben, like most faithful young Latter-Day Saint men, served a mission from the ages of 19-21. He did his missionary work in the Philippines. While on his mission, he was fully dedicated to the Lord. He didn't watch TV, he didn't go to the movies, he almost always wore a suit and tie, and he definitely didn't date. Those two years were all about the gospel.

When he came home, Ben had changed. He was more serious, more spiritual, and was more than ready to get married. He met up with his high school sweetheart, but as they were visiting, he realized that something was missing. He didn't feel the same connection with her that he once had. And he decided that he needed to look elsewhere for a wife.


Imagine my surprise when Ben got on AOL instant messenger one day and started chatting with me. I remembered him, of course. We'd hung out a few times during his freshman year of college. But I still thought of him as "Jonny's little brother." But he was persistent, and asked me out. I hadn't seen him in a couple of years, but I've never been one to turn down a date. I had the philosophy that any guy brave enough to ask a girl out should be given a chance.

When I saw Ben for the first time after his mission, I was blown away. He was very tan from being in a tropical country for two years. His hair had been bleached to a light blonde from his time in the sun. And he was dressed surprisingly well, in a fitted black v-neck and jean shorts.

Wow.

I was so glad I agreed to a date.

It was still weird at first, dating my ex's little brother. But Ben was charming and sweet. And though he seemed a little quiet and shy, he pulled some very daring moves on me pretty quickly. The first time he held my hand, and the first time we kissed I was caught off-guard. He was just going for it, without waiting for any kind of signal. It was brave, and I found myself admiring him for it.

And the bravery didn't stop. After about ten days of dating, he dropped this bomb on me: "We're either going to get married or break up. So let's figure out which one it is."

I had no idea that he had already decided that we were going to get married. This was his way of giving me the chance to learn that information for myself. So we started fasting and praying about it the next morning.

We spent that next day talking. We talked about how we grew up, our families, our favorite things about childhood, the places we lived over the years, and everything in between. When the conversation rolled around to family traditions, we started talking about which traditions from each of our families we would want to incorporate into our own little family. I found myself picturing doing those traditions with our children - mine and Ben's - and that's when I knew.

I knew that I was going to marry him. It was God's way of giving me my answer.

We were engaged for eight months, which is a really long engagement for Mormons, who practice abstinence. But it gave us a chance to get to know each other better. And we got to take a marriage prep class, which taught us all sorts of valuable lessons about having a successful marriage. Those eight months sucked, but they definitely had value for us.

And while there were occasions during our engagement when I wondered if I was making the right choice, part of me never doubted. I knew that Ben and I were meant to spend eternity together.

Ever since then, we've grown as a couple. "We" is far more common in our language than "I." We're a team, a unit, a partnership. And our love just gets stronger with every passing day.

Ben is gentle, generous, kind, thoughtful, sweet, and incredibly handsome. He never says anything remotely hurtful to me, even when I'm being a brat and probably deserve it. He always treats me like a queen, and looks at me like I'm a goddess. I never feel less than absolutely beautiful in his eyes.

He's always willing to help me out with whatever I ask, even when he's in the middle of something far more interesting. He's an amazing father, too. He treats Evie like a princess, but he's not afraid to lay down the law with her when necessary. He makes it clear to her that he and I are a team, and that he supports whatever decision I might make as a parent.

Ben isn't loud, rambunctious, or constantly hilarious. Most of the guys I was attracted to in my youth were more that type. They were always making me laugh, shocking me with the wild things they did, competing with me for the spotlight. They were fun. I always thought that was what I wanted in a husband.

But Ben is so much better. He's funny, but he's not a clown. He's more introspective. He's not a big talker, but when he does talk, you can bet he's thought through exactly what he wants to say. He doesn't crave attention, but if you give it to him, you're never disappointed. He's handsome, talented, smart, kind, spiritual, and incredibly sexy. Maybe that's a little too PG for this blog, but it's true.

He's more amazing than I'll ever be. He strengthens me where I'm weak, and helps me be a better person. I've learned more about patience and kindness from Ben than I learned in the rest of my life put together. He makes me want to always tell the truth, to apologize quickly when I'm in the wrong, to put others - especially him and Evie - before myself. Cliche as it may sound, he truly does complete me. And he doesn't just complete me, he improves me.

Ben truly is my perfect man. He's not what I expected, but he's so much better. He's exactly what I need.

I love you, Ben. Forever.

Day Twenty

Today I'm writing about one of the most important people in my life. She may not realize it, but she's pretty much at the center of my universe. And though we may get into arguments sometimes, and there are times when she's not happy with me, I always have her best interests at heart because I love her more than just about anything.

I'm talking, of course, about my daughter, Evie.

When we got pregnant with her almost seven years ago, we had been trying to conceive for nine months. It seemed like a really long time back then. But even after nine months, I had no real reason to think I was infertile. So, when Evie came along, I was thrilled. But I didn't realize that she was a miracle.

Now, after more than five years of trying to conceive another baby, I realize what a blessing Evie was. The fact that we conceived her with so little difficulty is amazing. And my pregnancy was perfect. I was only mildly sick, I didn't have any overwhelming hunger or cravings, and all the weight I gained was baby and baby-related material that pretty much disappeared as soon as she was born. And I loved being pregnant. Feeling her growing and moving inside of me was magical. I'm sure there were times when I complained about my swollen ankles and the difficulties that come with being shaped like a baby killer whale, but for the most part, I truly enjoyed being pregnant.

And it's really no wonder that I want to do it again, because aside from having a gold-star pregnancy, I have an amazing kid. From day one she was beautiful, and she's only gotten prettier as time has passed. She was always a sweet baby, too. She was very calm, very happy, very well-behaved. She's not perfect, but she's closer to perfect than I've ever been.

Add to her sweet personality the fact that she quotes movies. From the time she was just learning to talk, she would quote movies and TV shows. She has an ear for memorization, and she always nailed the tone so we could tell exactly what she was quoting. When she was three, she performed the "Pudge the Fish" monologue from Lilo and Stitch at a family reunion talent show. Three years old! And when she was a toddler and she got angry at me, she would yell at me in quotes from Shrek II: "Mama!!! For five minutes, not be self? FOR FIVE MINUTES!!!"

She just fits our family perfectly.

And she's so talented. I knew when she was growing inside me that she was going to be a dancer, because she was constantly in motion. And as a baby, before she could even walk, she would bounce to music with near-perfect rhythm. Now, of course, she's six years old. She's been taking dance classes since she was about two, and it shows. She's very graceful, and points her toes like a pro. Sometimes she doesn't want to go to dance class because she's busy playing, or because she's tired, but I've already told her that she's not allowed to quit dance. She can quit karate if she wants to, but dance is here to stay. She's got too much talent to give it up, and I want her to develop that talent throughout her life. Evie has it in her to be an incredible dancer.

Evie is good at more than just dance, though. I started teaching her piano this school year, and she is flying through the books. I'm not even sure she's learning to read the music, though, because I play it for her once and she knows it. It's a little problematic! And reading books is the same way - she's got such a great memory, if she's ever heard the book before, she can read it using her memory and educated guesses more than actually sounding out words. So I think she's picking up piano and reading really quickly, but she might just be tricking me. Either way, she's got a gift.

Evie is a natural model. From the time she was a baby, she would look right at the camera. It wasn't hard to get her to smile, and as she got older, she just warmed up to the camera even more. She rarely does that forced picture smile that so many kids get - her smile is usually very warm and natural looking. And she poses herself like a pro, and takes direction extremely well. She's just very photogenic! And I think a lot of that comes from her natural acting ability. That, and because she's pretty. But she really is a natural actress. She hasn't really done a lot of acting before, but if you tell her to pretend something, she does it almost flawlessly. That's why her smiles are so natural, because she's drawing her emotion from things that actually make her happy! And you should hear her do a country accent, or a werewolf voice. That amazing ear of hers and her ability to mimic what she hears is ridiculous.

Naturally, Evie is also very smart. I say naturally because Ben and I are both pretty smart ourselves. And Evie is definitely our child. She knew pretty much the whole curriculum of kindergarten before she even started. She tests quite a bit higher than most kids her age. This can lead to a little trouble sometimes, because she acts out every once in a while at school - possibly because she's bored - but for the most part she's a very good, very attentive, generally well-behaved student. At least, that's what I've heard!

One of my favorite things about Evie, though, is her faith. She loves the Lord. She's only six, but she already has a personal relationship with her Savior. She knows she can call on Him anytime she needs something. This morning, for example, she was feeling a little queasy. But she didn't have a fever, so I couldn't justify keeping her home. So she asked Ben to give her a blessing before school so that she could feel healthy. She had faith that the Lord could make her feel better.

And she does her part for the Lord, as well. She doesn't just ask Him to do everything for her, she does what she can to reciprocate. She's trying to be like Jesus. Evie tries to befriend lonely kids. She stands up for what's right, even when it's hard. She gladly goes through her toys and clothes whenever another kid is in need, and donates what she has. She says her prayers every night. She's always looking for ways to help other people. She's an amazing example to those around her. And when we were told that we needed a special medical procedure to get pregnant again, and that we would have to pay out of pocket, Evie offered me her allowance and chore money. I didn't take it, but I was incredibly moved that she offered it to me.

I'm honored and humbled to be Evie's mother. I feel inadequate at times, because she is so amazing. I try my hardest to show her my love every single day. And whenever we argue, I always try to follow it  up with a flood of love and kindness, so that she never doubts my love for her. I never lie to her, either, because she deserves all the truth and understanding I can help her achieve. I'm certainly not a perfect mother. But somehow, God chose me to raise this incredible little girl, my little miracle. I hope that I can do a good job, and give Evie her best chance. She has amazing potential, and she deserves to reach that potential. It's my job to help her, and I would do anything for her. So I'll try to be the mom she deserves.

I love you, Evie. You're my angel.

Pottymouth Lew

I wrote this epic folk ballad when my sister told me about her husband's experience with general anesthesia. It made me laugh. You can read her account of it here, on her blog.

And now - the tale of Pottymouth Lew.

Clean-Cut Lew was a nice young man,

Never made no trouble for anyone.

He paid his taxes and said his prayers,

And never said a rude word anywhere.

Clean-Cut Lew.

(Clean-Cut Lew)

Well poor old Lew, he had a pain

Whenever he ate too much salt and grain.

So his wife took him in for the doc to see

If he could fix him up – preferably for free.

Clean-Cut Lew.

(Clean-Cut Lew)

Now, this nice young man with the clean-cut face

Had to be put under in a medical place

So the doc could see what was making him sick.

They put him to sleep with a needle prick.

Clean-Cut Lew.

(Clean-Cut Lew)

But when he came around, to his wife’s surprise

He was cussin’ and swearin’ like those sailor guys.

All the stuff he’d been keepin’ pent up in his head,

All those things he never once had said.

Clean-Cut Lew.

(Clean-Cut Lew)

Those words came a-bubblin’ and racing right out

At a volume not unlike a Viking shout.

And Clean-Cut Lew was no more.

Pottymouth Lew took the floor.

Pottymouth Lew.

(Pottymouth Lew)

Lest your minds be troubled, I’ll tell you the rest.

The doc solved the problem and made Lew his best.

His heartburn ain’t gonna bug him no more,

But now that it’s open, he can’t shut the door

On Pottymouth Lew.

(Pottymouth Lew)

From now on, no matter what he do,

His family will call him Old Pottymouth Lew.

That image just can’t be shook from their heads.

Clean-Cut Lew, cussing loud from his bed.

Pottymouth Lew.

(Pottymouth Lew)

And that’s the tale of…

Pottymouth Lew

Day Nineteen

Evie and her Gaffer

Today is all about my parents. Like my siblings, they are the best in the world and you should be jealous.

I still picture my dad as the young, geeky, dark-haired guy I knew growing up. He looks different now, of course. His hair is a very distinguished white and grey, and he's lost some weight. And for a while he was rocking a goatee, which is something I never saw on him when I was a kid. But my mental image of him hasn't changed as much as he has. Maybe it's because even though he looks different, he's still the same amazing guy he's always been.

This is how he kept my dates on their best behavior.

My dad worked for the Air Force when I was little, then switched to working for the State Department around the same time I got to middle school. This is why we moved so much when I was growing up! But it wasn't until my senior year of high school that I really found out what my dad's job was. Turns out that he did a lot of counter-terrorism stuff in the Air Force. I was incredibly impressed. My dad is like Jack Bauer on 24!

So obviously, my dad is very smart. But he's also got a great sense of humor. I remember one time when my mom and I were trying to write a melodrama parodying "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" and we were having trouble finishing our song lyrics. We had the dwarfs singing, "Ho hi, ho hi, the queen's really a guy!" But we didn't know where to take it from there.

Suddenly, from behind us, my dad busts out, "She's not a hag, just a guy in drag! Ho hi! Ho hi, ho hi, ho hi!"

Dad wants to be a gymnast when he grows up

It was brilliant and hilarious. No wonder I still remember it so clearly, 15 years later.

Underwater geek chic

My dad is a lot of fun. Last year we had a family reunion in Park City, UT, and he brought an underwater camera. Who has an underwater camera??? So random! But my dad has one. And we had a blast, taking underwater pictures. It was incredibly fun, and we have lots of pictures to help us remember it for years to come.

Most importantly, my dad is a spiritual guy. He loves the Savior, and set a great example for me and my siblings. He lead our family with love. Any time I needed a blessing, I knew I could ask him and he would give me one. He made sure we went to church, and he showed us how to live a righteous life.

Ziplining!

My dad is sweet, thoughtful, generous, and genuinely one of the best people I've ever met in my life. I feel incredibly blessed to be his daughter, and so grateful that my children have him for a grandfather.

My mom is my hero. As a mother, I'm trying very hard to emulate her parenting style, because it was fantastic. It still is, for that matter!

Getting ready to go ziplining

My mom almost never lost her temper with us. She never yelled. She got angry sometimes, yeah, because we were often doing stupid things, but she always seemed very calm about it, even in her frustration. That's one thing I really struggle with, because I'm more of a yelling type. But her calmness was so effective that it got to the point where I dreaded getting into trouble, just because I knew I would see the disappointment on her face. I never want my mom to have to look at me like that.

Hop in, kids, we're going to the store!

As I got older and started noticing boys, my mother took a very smart approach. She would never tell me I was too young to notice boys, or that I was making a mistake being interested in any particular one. She never lectured me or fought with me about it. She just showed interest in my life, and asked questions, and kept her concerns inside. If she did feel the need to say something, she was very thoughtful and gentle about it. As a result, I felt like I could talk to her about things. Now that I'm an adult, I can look back and see how much restraint she had! Some of the things I did must have made her panic with worry, but she didn't let it show. She just trusted me that I would make good choices. And as a result, we had - and still have - a very close relationship. I just hope I can do the same thing when my daughter starts dating. I'm not as good at keeping my thoughts to myself as my mom is.

Mom is the queen! ...er, pharaoh!

I think this picture says it all. 

Like my dad, my mom is also a lot of fun. I remember her dancing in the kitchen with Alyssa and me over Christmas several years ago. She also would tell us "your mama" jokes, which still makes me laugh. She introduced me to musical theater, and directed a lot of the plays I was in during my high school years. I'll always be grateful for that!

My dad was the spiritual head of the family, but my mom was the heart. She was every bit as faithful as my dad, and set just as great an example for me. She taught me about Jesus; about being an example; about serving others; about charity and kindness. Faith begins at home, and that's where I learned it - at my mother's feet. She set an amazing example, and I want to emulate her in every way. If I can get to the point where I'm as good a mother and a person as she is, I know I'll be doing well.

Mom takes air hockey very seriously

Most importantly, though, is that my mom always made me feel loved. No matter how much I screwed up, I never doubted her love for me. And now that I'm grown up and have a family of my own, I can see that love even more clearly. I miss her a lot, and I look forward to the day when we can live near each other again so I can see her all the time.

My parents are wonderful. They're truly amazing. And I'm so grateful to be their daughter, and to be sealed to them forever. It's such a blessing to know that, when this life is over, they will still be my parents. We can be a family forever. Heaven wouldn't be the same without my own little family of Ben and Evie, but it also wouldn't be the same without my parents and siblings. I'm so grateful for my forever family, and for my incredible parents. I love them forever.

Mom, Joseph, Lyssa, Dad, and Evie. Hang ten.

Day Eighteen

My siblings are better than yours.

No offense, I'm sure your siblings are awesome. But mine are better. How do I know? Because they're the best, and nothing is better than the best.

Playtime!

I know I brag about them every year at Thanksgiving, but hey! That's what Thanksgiving is for! We look at the people in our life who bring us joy, and thank God for them. Often in the form of public bragging.

For those who don't know, I'm the oldest of five kids. Being in a military family growing up, my family was the one constant in my social circle. Friends came and went, but my siblings were always there.

When I was younger, I didn't fully appreciate my sibs. Who does, really? But even in our youths, we played a lot, pulled weird stunts, had private jokes, and generally enjoyed each other's company. We fought sometimes, yes, but all in all I think we had a pretty good relationship.

When we all grew up, though, we discovered that our friendships only strengthened. We look at each other as peers and equals now, in spite of the years between us. Age doesn't really matter anymore. We're very tight.

This is also how they play with each other.

The one exception to this is my youngest brother, Joseph. This isn't because we don't love him, because we do! But age is still a factor in our relationships with him, because he's twelve. I have no doubt, though, that when he reaches adulthood, we'll have that same kind of friendship with him. And in the meantime, he's a really fun kid to have around!

Toothpicks are for wimps

So we'll start at the top. Well, okay, I'M technically the at the top, being the oldest, but I'm not going to write about myself. So we'll start with the next in line, my dear brother Andrew.

Andrew is sometimes mistaken for a monkey in disguise by small children at Olive Garden, where he works. But it's okay, because he probably IS part gorilla. He's a big, cuddly guy who gives wonderful hugs. More importantly, he's hilarious. I'm pretty sure the whole "monkey in disguise" thing was his idea anyway. If the mom of those little boys was smart, she tipped Andrew well, because she practically got dinner AND a show.

He's a pink smurf.

My brother has made me laugh so hard that I spit water all over the room. He may or may not have also made me pee myself from laughing in the past, but I can neither confirm nor deny that rumor.

Most importantly, though, he's just an awesome guy. He's amazingly good with kids. He speaks fluent Russian. He's generous. He's hard working. And he wants to teach teenagers about religion as a career. I think it takes a special person to do that. And he's great at connecting with, teaching, and uplifting kids. He did it every summer for several years as an EFY counselor, getting paid hardly anything. But he kept going back to it because he loved it, and he was good at it. So this career choice to teach teens about the gospel sounds like a perfect fit for him.

My brothers. Aren't they pretty?

Andrew is one of my favorite people in the entire world. I'm very thankful for him, and I love him tons.

My sis and nephew

Next in age is my fabulous sister, Alyssa. She's seriously one of the sweetest people on the planet. She has a heart of gold, and it's overflowing with kindness and love. She has a strong gift for empathy, and is constantly considering other people's feelings and needs.

Lyssa and Jack

Lyssa taught elementary school for a year before she started her own family with her husband, Lewis. She says she had a great class. They didn't bully each other, and they were constantly watching each other's backs. My guess is that they were such a great class because they had such a great teacher. They were probably happy to go to school every day, having my sister there to teach them.

Pinata!

Lyssa is a mom of one and a half. She has a ridiculously cute little boy, Jack, who's one. And she's pregnant with #2, a little girl who's name is still undetermined. I'm still crossing my fingers for "Jill," so I can send her and Jack to fetch water for me whenever I'm in town. They probably won't get it, but it would crack me up. Because I'm very amused by very silly things. That one would delight me for years.

My sweet little nephew!

My sister's husband is a great guy, too. He's a perfect match for her, and he makes a killer homemade pizza. Did I mention that he's also an elementary school teacher? Their kids are going to be well-educated, whether they like it or not!

Lyssa and Lewis taking a Sunday nap

Speaking of their kids, Jack is the cutest little nephew in the world, hands down! He's got these huge baby blues. You can't help but want to give him hugs and kisses when you see him. And I'm sure the next baby is going to be just as beautiful. Lyssa and Lewis make some ridiculously cute kids.

I love my sister, and I'm grateful to have her in my life.

Daniel and Lewis play hockey together

My little brother Daniel is the next in line. I talked about him briefly on his birthday last week, but not in a ton of detail. So I'll say a little more here.

Daniel and Andrew

Daniel is ridiculously generous. He is willing to go above and beyond to help people out, which I find amazing. Selflessness is a rare thing these days, and he's a natural at it. He babysat for me quite a bit when Evie was a baby, often without any kind of payment for his services. And he does the same thing now for my sister and her little one. He has also flown half way across the country just so he can help me drive right back to where he came from, so I don't have to drive alone. And even when he was little, any time I needed something and was too lazy to get up and do it myself, he was willing to help me out. He's seriously one of the most generous people I know.

Pinata again

Like all of my siblings, Daniel is also crazy handsome. He takes it to a greater level than the rest of us, though. Because he's handsome AND cool. Andrew, Lyssa and I were all nerds growing up. Still are, if I'm being completely honest. But Daniel was never as geeky as us. He was the kid who, instead of getting embarrassed, would embrace a situation and laugh. He was the kid who, when he was in kindergarten, walked up to high school girls and honked them on the rear end. And he got away with it, because he was so adorable! He was the kid who played sports and was in a band and taught himself to play guitar. He's just cooler than the rest of us. I don't know how the nerd gene skipped him, but it did.

And like Andrew, Daniel has often made me laugh so hard that I couldn't breathe. He's all-around amazing, and I love and admire him so much. And as always, I'm so thankful to be his big sister. Even if he is bigger than me now.

Shark!!!

Getting ready for ziplining

Lastly, but not leastly, there's Joseph. Joseph was born when I was a month away from turning eighteen, and a couple of months away from going to college. So I missed most of his growing up years. Getting to know him has taken longer than it did with my other siblings. I wasn't blessed to have Joseph in my life when I was growing up. But I definitely feel blessed to know him now.

First off, Joseph is only six years older than Evie, so he's her favorite. He's so great about playing with her and entertaining her. I know that whenever Joseph is visiting, Evie is going to have a great time (and stay out of my hair!). :)

At Nauvoo

Since Joseph turned twelve this last summer, he got to start babysitting Evie, too. I love that he's big enough to help out, and it's great that I can trust him with my child. I know that he'll watch out for her and take care of her, and I don't have to worry.

Playing at Winter Quarters

Joseph is so cute, too. He's a good-looking kid, and heaven help Mom and Dad when he grows up. The girls will be chasing him for sure! He's also got quite a bit of musical talent. And he's smart! He actually ENJOYS science. Crazy, right?

He's a funny, smart, talented, sweet kid. I still feel sad that I wasn't able to be there when he was growing up, because I know I missed a ton. But I'm still his sister, and I love him like crazy. And I'm thankful he came along and joined our family.

So cute! 

 My siblings are seriously some of the greatest people on Earth. I wish everyone in the world had siblings as amazing as mine. If they did, families would be a lot happier and there would be a lot more peace, love, and laughter in the world. I'm so grateful for them, and I love them forever!

This is how my brothers play with Evie