Love notes from mom/dad and flowers from Dave to both me and his mother are simple, yet meaningful traditions we enjoy each year. I am eternally grateful for the love our family shares with each other.
Alyssa's birthday fell on 02/02/2020 this year....and Super Bowl Sunday! She was looking forward to the weekend to celebrate with family, cousins, and grandparents! Due to sickness, not everyone was able to come but we had the best time anyway!
Our family had our "Come Follow Me" lesson, ate Ebelskivers, went to church, and then had a feast of beef carnitas, dips, drinks, and cupcakes for Alyssa's birthday. She was spoiled by her grandma and mom and had the biggest grin on her face! The Chiefs won which was their first victory in 50 years with Andy Reid, a member of our Church. What a wonderful day!
After we had Austin in 2006, I knew we had another child who was supposed to be in our family. In the next 2 years, I found myself pregnant twice, losing both pregnancies. It was emotionally difficult, far more difficult than I imagined it may feel. I felt a huge loss, a loss of expectation and dreams of what joy I knew that child would bring us. Dave felt it too and told me he couldn't go through that experience again. For 6-7 months, I gently worked on him to open up to the idea of trying one final time. The Lord chose to bless us with another pregnancy, and the result was our Alyssa.
We celebrated her 11th birthday tonight with her friends! Alyssa is smart, fiercely competitive, and loves to serve others in kind ways. She is hilarious and sincere. Since her arrival, she has had her dad wrapped around her tiniest finger. We love our Lyssa Lou!!!!!
It was so wonderful to support the DuJardins, dear friends who took us in years ago when we were feeling alone and needed to feel loved and included. Now, as they are going through a painful divorce, we were able to go and support them as their children celebrated wonderful choices: baptism and the priesthood. Tilly and Bryclynn were baptized and Landon received the priesthood. Dave was able to participate in the ordinations so that was special. Dana hadn't see our family for a while and was shocked at how much the kids had grown.
