More visitors!!

Last weekend, we had even more visitors come crash at our house! Chris's younger brother, Curtis, was getting hitched and all of the siblings and their families, Chris's parents and grandparents came in town for the occasion. We had a great time with everyone here! Everyone was super helpful and the kids had a blast! If I am counting right, we had about 18 extra people staying with us - then add us 5 into the number - so 23 people. We would have had 11 more, but they decided to stay other places.

The only picture I got of some of the family that was here with us. This is Chris's brother, Clinton and family.

Curtis and Shannon's wedding was beautiful and they were floating in the clouds. They looked so happy and excited! They got married in the Mesa, AZ Temple. I am so grateful that we have beautiful temples that make it possible to be united through the eternities - not just while we are here on earth! What a blessing!

Mesa, AZ Temple

(taken on the day of the wedding)

Just Married!! Congratulations!!!!

Beautiful Shannon

Well, it's summertime in Arizona....that means - HOT!!! The cousins all tried to find a little corner of shade to keep cool in while waiting for Curtis and Shannon. We ended up taking family pictures before the reception later that night. It was just way to hot to keep the kids and little babies outside for very long.

Hot little Parker. He was super sleepy and had a rough time while we were in the sealing. But, in Parker fashion - he quickly turned his frown around and was his happy self.

Stephanie (Chris's older sister) with Chloe and Parker.

Cousin Ian trying to find a little sliver of shade to keep cool.

Handsome Zach!

I sure do love this boy! Man, he is growing up so fast!

Grandpa Stimpson (Chris's dad) with Chloe.

Sisters

Stephanie, Melanie, Kimberly & Brittany

Curtis and Shannon at their reception. Beautiful couple!

Yes, I know these next two pictures are kind of scary! Chris decided to crash the party and dress up in....ummm....I don't know what! Something nasty - that's all I know! He loves to embarrass his siblings when he can!

Family pictures

Stimpson Family

(except for Chris's youngest brother, Brian, who is on a mission in Germany)

Siblings pictures (minus Brian)

Stephanie, Brittany, Kimberly, Melanie, Curtis, Chris, Clinton

Our family

My hottness husband!! I love you!!! If you look close, I am wearing a butterfly on my sweater, plus the butterfly earrings and necklace TJ made for me. Karleigh was near all day! I am so grateful that I am married to my wonderful Chris in the temple! I couldn't imagine not being with him forever!

Can you blame me?

I just want to eat him up all day long!!! Oh...I just can't get enough of this darling little fella! He is just SO dang adorable and always so happy!! Looking at this picture makes me want to just go scoop him up out of bed (even though he's sound asleep) and rock him, kiss him and snuggle him! Man he's cute!!!He is 6 months old now and rolling over and doing very well sitting. He still needs pillows behind him, but can sit and play with toys by himself for about 5 minutes. He babbles all the time and is eating baby food really well....well, except for he is figuring out that fruits are much tastier than veggies!

Parker is so much fun and still loves to cuddle. I hope that he never quits wanting to cuddle with his mommy! He is starting to squeeze back when you hug him and still loves to slobber all over my face when giving kisses - and I totally love every last bit of his slobber!!

I love you, my sweet baby boy!!!

Yeah for visitors!

Visitors are wonderful! Especially when it is your wonderful parents and siblings! The occasion....just because! Just for fun! Actually, it wasn't to see me at all! It was to see my darling kids! I am just the side attraction these days!

We had a great time with some of my family a couple weekends ago. My Dad, Mom, David (brother...who just got home from his mission to CA in June!), and Joy (hottie sister!) dropped off my other brother Brian at the MTC (Missionary Training Center) (serving in the Omaha, NE mission) on August 12th (Joy turned 15 that day too!!). The next day, they drove from Utah to Arizona to see us! So fun! Thanks Grandpa Clay for loaning them your car! So nice of you! They were here for just a few short days, but we thouroughly enjoyed our time with them! I wish they could have stayed longer. Baxter (our dog) did too!! Here are some pictures from our hangout time...

Parker chillin' on the couch early one morning with Grandpa Clay (yes, my son is playing with a doll...and it doesn't bother me one bit! =) Can I just tell you...I have the best dad!

We took a trip up to see the Mesa Temple and go through the Visitor Center there. It is a really neat place. This is David being a good uncle and keeping Parker happy.

Having fun!

Playing with Grandma! Can I just tell you...I have the best mom!!!

Uncle Douglas (Davey's middle name) helping Chloe with the movie. He is headed out to BYU-I in a week or so! (Yes, he's single!!)

Hottness Joy! Joy really is simply fabulous! She is super classy, intellegent and beautiful....oh, and super sweet! We did some shopping one of the days she was here. It was so nice to have my well-dressed, classy sister giving her older, frumpy sister pointers on how to dress! I need to take her with me every time I shop!!! She was a huge help!

Chloe had planned before they even came to play hair bows with Davey! Look at the sheer excitement on her face! She had so much fun putting her bows in his hair!! Thanks for being a good sport, David! It was great to see you again! We missed you while you were away on your mission!

Chloe's turn!

Did I mention Joy is fabulous! She got Parker to sleep twice in one day. Once was at church (and she held him the whole time too!!) and once was after church. She will make a great mommy some day! (Notice Parker is almost as big as Joy!! haha)

Chloe's first photo shoot! This is just one of the many random pictures she took while playing with my camera.

The other thing Chloe was totally looking forward to was playing dress-up with Joy-Joy! She was super excited when I said she could also put on make-up! She wanted to wear it all - especially Joy's "lip-GLASS!"

Zach decided to get in on the action. (ssshhhh, don't tell him you know!)

He didn't want his picture taken proving that he was wearing makeup!

Yes, Joy is wearing Chloe's tutu!

Joy turned 15 while they were in Utah, but didn't get a birthday cake on her birthday! So, we made her a belated cake! Happy Birthday, Wiggy!!

Our first house..

While in Colorado this summer, we drove by our old house in Johnstown. This was it! Our very first house (minus the cars)!!! There are many memories in this house! We bought it when Zach was about 4 and Karleigh was about a year and a half old. This little house served us well for the time we were there (almost 2 years). We did many things to fix it up and make it feel more like our own. We were grateful to have had this house. It is bittersweet because this is the last place Karleigh was before the paramedics arrived and whisked her away in the life flight. But is is also the place where we have many fun family memories together with our darling Karleigh. She learned and developed SO much while we lived here. We are grateful for the time we had in this little home!

Another Chloe comment...

Today on the way home from preschool, Chloe told me this story...with much emphasis! She couldn't believe this happened to this poor boy at school today....

(Chloe) "Mom! Today, Abby hurt Gage's feelings!"

(Me) "Oh really, what did she do?"

(Chloe) "She hit him like this (demonstrated), and that hurt his feelings! Now he doesn't have any feelings anymore!!!"

Humble pie....

Chloe is an extremely SLOW eater! She always has been! It can take her over 45 mintues to get half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich into her little belly. Why? Who knows! Well, I do know part of it. She is talking - always talking! Or singing, or laughing, or thinking or staring into space. It is common to hear me say "chomp, chomp, chomp" or "put a bite in" or "eat, Chloe!!" many, many times throughout a meal.

Well, tonight my patience was not as high as it should have been and I got a bit snippy with her when asking her to eat. "Chloe! Put a bite in and eat....right now! I am getting angry that I have to keep asking you to eat - over and over!"

She then said happily, "But you are my nice mom and I love you and you are so nice to me!"

I got my frustrations in check, then we finished dinner and went off to read stories. I love my girl so much! She is such a dolly - even if it does take her forever to eat!!

"When the summer is over...."

All summer long, Chloe has been anxiously awaiting for the start of preschool! She would tell everyone that "when the summer is over, I get to go to preschool!!" So much excitement! We found her a new backpack and lunch bag (she gets to bring a sacklunch to school), which she adores and is SO proud of! As we were driving to school this morning, she saw a bus going down a different road and told me that I was going the wrong way and I needed to follow the bus. For a minute she was pretty bummed that school is not at a "real" school, but quickly got over it. A wonderful lady in our ward is doing a preschool from her home for about 8 kids. I am so excited for Chloe, but it was sure weird having her gone for so long (2 days/week - 4 hours).

Our conversation last night before bed went like this...

Me: "What if I miss you so much while you are at preschool?"

Chloe: (while hugging me) "Don't be sad Mom! I promise I will come back! Parker and Baxter will be here and take care of you so you won't be your only!"

On the way home today, she told me that I was sad while she was gone, but now I could be happy because she came back! My little girl-girl is growing up too fast for my liking!

Taking care of Squirt...

So, one of the most important things we do when we visit Colorado is to take care of our little Squirt. This is not the way I ever invisioned taking care of one of my children. I always invisioned changing diapers, cleaning messes, playing games, taking pride in their accomplishments, watching them grow into adulthood and seeing who they become.

For one of my children, my little Squirt, I take pride in her biggest accomplishment of all. She did it! She accomplished the purpose she was sent to this earth for. She accomplished all that our Heavenly Father asked her to do.

Although my life certainly doesn't always go as I planned, it goes the way He planned - and that plan is a perfect plan. It is perfect, even if my earthly human eyes can't see the entire big picture. I know that there is a plan. I know that He knows all the reasons Karleigh only needed to be here physically with our family for a short time.

And although I know that He knows that I know this truth, I also know that He knows that my heart hurts. That my heart will always have hurt and a longing for seeing my sweet daughter again. I know that this longing will help to keep me always striving to be humble enough to get on my knees and ask for His help to make it back to be with my darling daughter forever. I know that my Father in Heaven helps ease the pain and hurt from this longing when sometimes it feels too much to bare. He lightens my load over and over again - even when I am not particularly deserving of the help.

This 1st visit back to the cemetary was easier than all the others have been in years past. We were there to take care of her in the only way that we physically can. We were there to, in some small way, let her know that we loved her and that we think of her ALL the time. We were there to pay respects to a perfect, beautiful little girl who brought so much joy, laughter and peace into our lives. But, it was easier this year. We did what we went there to do, took some pictures, and left. We got through it. We got through it without tears. Amazing to me. The quote that says "time heals all wounds" really rang true that day. It hurt, yes, but we made it through.

We went to the cemetary a few times while out in Colorado. The last time was the night before we left to drive home. It was just the kids and I as we were leaving Johnstown to head back over to Chris's parents. It had been a rough day and I was not feeling particularly strong emotionally that day. As I walked back to the car, the feelings came over me that I was so close to having all my children right there....tangibly. We were at the place where my daughter's body lay. I was so close, yet - so far. As the tears welled up in my eyes, I longed to hold them all together in a big family group hug. I longed to drive away in my car with all 4 of my kids. I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to drive away, yet again, from my daughters physical body.

But, as I have so many times before, I wiped the tears before I was a huge mess, picked my head up, put my shoulders back and drove away. Away until the time when we again will be able to care for our little Squirt. I am so grateful to those dear friends and family that go to visit and take care of Karleigh. We feel so blessed to have left her in a place where so many people have been touched by her life and are still willing, after all these years, to keep her headstone clean and bring her little gifts. Our load has been lightened by many of these wonderful people. A special thanks to Del and Kathy Slaugh, who were in our ward in Johnstown. They visit her every holiday and bring special gifts to brighten her gravesite. As I thanked Del at church on Sunday, the tears flowed freely.

(Newest little gift from the Slaugh's)

I wish so badly that I could be there to take care of it. I am her mother. I am supposed to do that. It is the only physical way I have these days of caring for her. But, since there has obvioulsy been a different plan for my life, I am truly grateful and deeply touched by the kind acts of others as they care for my daughters resting place. I am sure there are others that I have not gotten to thank personally. If you are one of them, and happen to read this blog - Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you for what you do for my daughter - and for my family. Thank you.

I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for my life. It is a good plan. It is not always easy, but I am confident that it is a good plan and that my life will be graetly blessed as I do my best to accept what comes my way. I am grateful that I have my Squirt up in heaven caring for me now and cheering me along. I know that I will see her again some day and I will be able to have that big family group hug that I long for. Someday....just not now. And that is ok. I am ok. We are ok.

2 Nephi 2:24
But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of Him who knoweth all things.