i love these girls.

Being back home in So. Cal means hooking up with people that I love. On my left is my adopted sister Leslie. WE first met in 8th grade, she was baptized into the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints our junior year in high school. We were roomies at BYU, she served a mission in Canada, my sister Kelly set her up with the man she not long after married in the San Diego temple. One of the best days of my life was being there for her marriage. I was her escort in the temple, which is usually what a mom or sister does. I was there to help her get dressed etc. In the sealing room I sat where the mother of the bride would sit, and acted as her family. I felt all the feelings that a mom would feel. I bawled like a baby. I was so proud of her. Of the choices she made in her life to be where she was that day, in the temple and being sealed for all eternity to an awesome righteous dude. smile. My whole family claims her as their own. I love her so much. She now has 4 handsome boys (the one below is her 3rd Seth). They are all equally scrumptious.And to my right is the lovely Ms. Lynnelle Pyper Harmer. She is my cousin, and one of my favorite people to be around. She is so positive, intelligent, but best of all FUN! ha. She also was one of my BYU roomies (hence her knowing Leslie). I feel like in college I really helped her to see the way to go in life, to be strong and faithful. Now, I visit her and I feel that the tables are turned. She is such a powerhouse. She is an incredible mom and truly leads the way for those around her. She has a gift to talk to anyone, and make them feel good about themselves. She is completely devoted to the gospel. Right now she is seriously campaigning for prop 8 in CA, which is similar to our prop 102. She has a sign in her yard and a sticker on her car. She takes pamphlets with her to the park and passes them out to the other moms. She tells her neighbors. IF you aren't familiar with 8, and 102... they concern the definition of marriage being between one woman and one man. Our church never tells us which political party we should join or who we should vote for, but the issue of marriage and on abortion they have come out on and asked us to fight. Lynnelle was asked at stake conference to come up impromptu to bear her testimony. She told me that she talked about this issue because members in so. cal are having problems with it. She said that she talked about how yes, we might offend. It has come to that point, but we have to stand for right. That this is becoming our "title of liberty" which is a phrase that references a prophet from the Book of Mormon who when the majority of the people were choosing wickedness and wanted to kill all the people who believed in Christ, he made a flag, a "title of liberty" that read "in memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children." He than donned his armor and knelt in prayer and asked God that the cause of the Christians would be favored, and there would be freedom in the land. After doing this he took this flag and went among the people saying "whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let them come forth in the strength of the Lord, and enter into a covenant that they will maintain their rights, and their religion, that the Lord God may bless them." I thought this was a great example. It is true. I really feel that the time has come for us to put on our armor, to kneel in prayer to God to seek his help and guidance and than to go to work. If we are ashamed of Christ and his cause, He will be ashamed us and acknowledge that he doesn't know us at the last day (as the scriptures so straightforwardly explain). If we are forced to acknowledge same sex relationships as the definition of marriage and are than forced to perform such marriages (which would be an infringement on the freedom of religion) that would be a serious problem, because the church wouldn't do it. Also, it would be taught in school as what is considered marriage. Now don't get me wrong. People can choose their lifestyle all they want and I am not opposed to their getting benefits etc. I feel no ill will towards any one's personal decisions, but the foundation of the family needs to be preserved. I also felt so sick when Obama was saying last night in the debate that he is for late term abortion. That is so obviously wrong. To me there is no difference in birthing the baby and than killing it. These are children that are developed enough to live outside the womb. That is frightening to me that it is said so casually. Like it is our right to take life! As women we are given this incredible gift to give life in which we are partners with God. It is a sacred gift to procreate. Women who choose to use that gift unwisely, have already made their choice. All this to say, stand up and fight for what is right and don't be afraid to offend. We are so beyond that. I am just so stoked to have friends that are so strong and such examples to me of all that is right and good. How cool to get together to talk and laugh and see our children do the same. Makes me very happy.

So let me explain this next set of pictures. Lynnelle has always been competitive, and loves sports. She has broken her nose three times in fact playing sports. She wanted to take Jacob out on the court and prove that she still had it. I am afraid that is went quite poorly for her. Jacob totally schooled her. She kept saying after each basket he made, "I just need shoes and a bigger court." ha ha.

So, after this humiliation she made Jacob come and arm wrestle her. I must say, she is really hard to beat. This girl is strong.

Lynnelle always keeps us laughing.

Look at these sweet yummy kids.


Dave and I fell so in love with Lynnelle and Johnny's youngest daughter Piper. She was the sweetest little love. We really wanted to bring her home with us. Doesn't she look like one of ours?

Lynnelle said no.

Rachel took these pictures of Lynnelle in her kitchen in the morning. Always the poser. IT runs in my family. ha. We stayed a couple of nights with Lynnelle and she spoiled us rotten. She seriously spent alot of time in her kitchen with all of us at the bar just making us more and more yummy food. Thanks nellie!
The real crazy me comes out around these ladies. I have a little too much fun. My kids are embarassed. Ok, so not really, they are used to it. ha ha.

I can't wait to go back. There are so many other friends I didn't get to see.