Grandma Great

Yesterday, we attended the Apple Tree Branch with Grandma Great to hear her speak.  She recently moved there and the Branch Presidency asked her to introduce herself and speak.  The girls and I joined my mom and Uncle Charles.  Then the surprise for Grandma Great was my cousin, Angela and her family, from Seattle area who were in town for Scott's family reunion.  It worked out for them to come to church with Grandma Great and hear her speak as well!  She did a great job!  Afterwards, we took the time to snap a few pictures.  We have been trying to be sure that we get pictures every time family is in town, just so that we can have some good pictures with Grandma Great.  Here's a picture that we go of everyone who came to listen to her.  I noticed that my PHEBE is doing the "PEACE" sign!  Ugh...I don't know why she does things like that to "RUIN" a picture, but then if you know her well, she can't "RUIN" a picture, but add to it!  She's definitely a SPUNKY girl!

It was fun to have a few minutes with the Walker family.  My girls and Angela's girls just picked up from where they left off last time we saw them (for Bryce's wedding last summer!).  I wish we lived closer so that they could do things more often with them, but it's amazing how fast they "RECONNECT" with family when they do see them!

I'm grateful for my Grandma Great!  She's an outstanding lady for being almost 93 years of age!  She has a strong testimony of the gospel and talks about her family very often and loves to be able to see family and talk with them on the phone or even get mail and emails (HINT to those out of town!).  We look forward to the time we have with Grandma Great!

An accomplishment!!

I wanted to get some of these feelings down so I wouldn't forget them.  Yesterday we hiked together, as a family, to Mount Timpanogos Cave.  This is about a 3.5 hour hike that is STEEP!!!  We did not take any backpacking gear for Phebe since I have given it away to someone who can use it.  Which meant that Phebe had to walk the entire way or be carried uncomfortably by someone.  I told her that if she walked the whole way we would have ice cream afterwards.  It worked! She did the entire hike which is about 3.5 miles total, including inside the cave!  I only picked her up inside the cave so she could see something over the shoulders of the group.  Jamy and I carried Phebe for short minutes coming back down from the cave to give Phebe's toes a rest! They were getting pushed to the top of her shoes due to going down hill.  She was a trooper! The last 1/4 of the hike, Phebe was crying, and feeling likeshe couldn't   do it! Daddy and Mommy were each holding her hands and walking with her when we crossed the finish line with the sisters watching and cheering Phebe on!  She DID IT!!  It is amazing to see the miracle of Phebe's life....she wasn't able to stand alone or walk when she was a very young age of 15 months when we started her journeyof challenges....now she can run, hike and kick and is learning how to ride a bike with training wheels!  I wanted to cry, and I did, inside! My miracle taught our family that we CAN DO HARD THINGS!!!!  We did it!  Sometimes we don't want to take on challenges, but in the end, it is all worth it!!!! I love my husband and girls and I know WE CAN DO  HARD THINGS!!  Of course, as promised, we went out for ice cream.....at LEATHERBY's!!! Love it!