Sunday, June 29, 2008

Family Reunion





We just got back from a 2 week long vacation, a good portion of which was spent with Quince's family out west. It was such a great time and so good to see everyone...
it had been 3 years+ since we had seen most of them, and the first time any of them had meet Cole. It really sucks that we have to live so far away, though I enjoy living close to my family, I wish there was some way we could live close to BOTH families...but since they are on opposite costs, there really is no way to do it.

The vacation started with a few days at my folks house. My brother JoJo graduated high school, and then Mom took us to the airport on Tuesday. The plane ride there was LONG, particularly with an overtired almost 2 year old on our laps. He finally fell into a fitfull sleep, but woke up crying (more like screaming) several times on the way there and back. We rented a minivan in Portland and hit the road, headed south. We stopped in to see Grandma Altman, then checked out some nearby waterfalls, then meet up with Quince's Mom at Crescent Lake where we stayed at a pretty ritzy motel (NOT!), after enjoying the sites there (it was breathtakingly beautiful!) we headed further South to Quince's Mom's house were we met up with the rest of the Family. That Saturday Suezy (his youngest sister) was married, Sunday was Church...and Monday we all headed to the coast. We stayed at a very nice KOA Kampground for two nights and enjoyed some coastal activities, as well as some Redwood forests. Wednesday we headed back to Grandma Altman's, then Thursday we made our trek back to Portland to fly home. Along the way we stopped a riverside park in Salem, and at the Portland Temple. It was a great trip, and we loved seeing everyone and taking a break from life. But, it sure was nice to be in our own beds again. We still haven't adjusted to the time change back, but will be forced too as Monday is quickly apporaching and it's back to work and 'normal' life here in Maryland.

Friday, June 6, 2008

"Fitting"

So we are going through a bit of a hard time right now, some of you know what I am referring too....regardless of it you know the details or not, I thought I would share this scripture verse. Each night Quince and I read the daily verse and thought from President Hinckley's book Stand a Little Taller. This was the one for last night...June 5th. All either one of us could say afterwards was "Fitting".
It may help someone else as well...

"Lifted up at the last day"

"Whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day."
-Alma 36:3

"We may know much of loneliness. We may now discouragement and frustration. We may know adversity and trouble and pain. I would hope not. But you know, and I know, that suffering comes to many. Sometimes is is mental. Sometimes it is physical. Soemtimes it may even be spiritual. Ours it he duty to walk by faith, rising above the evils and trials of the world. We are sons and daughters of God. Ours is a divine birthright. Ours is a divine destiny."