till we meet again

i don't particularly like the word goodbye.
i don't like change either.


so the thought of saying goodbye to many good friends and family makes even my crusty heart hurt.  my beehives, oh my sweet little beehives. i thought i had it all together, even when kim almost made me cry in sacrament. and then my sweet little 12-13 year old girls started to give me hugs and i lost it.  i love teaching and getting to know these girls. i wish i could tell them how much i care for them without it sounding totally cheesy. but i do. i so look forward to see where their lives take them.

today was like a little piece of heaven to me. the afternoon was spent leisurely talking with friends and family. watching our children happily play together outside in the beautiful weather. we felt so much love. so much acceptance. doesn't everyone deserve that? how lucky are we that we have felt that here? love. accepted. home.

so tonight, before we leave our internet for a good while. and say hello to real life and the reality of moving. my fingers crossed that we can get there without breaking anything. i would like to share my testimony.

testimony is a funny word, which i think is mainly used in mormon cultures. that, or if you are in court. haha. but what is a testimony anyway? for me, a testimony is what i know to be true. an absolute truth to me and only me.  i feel it's appropriate for me to share it on here for my children:

i know that God lives. 

i know that Jesus Christ is his Son. 

i know that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith. 

i know that the Book of Mormon and the Bible to be the word of God.

i know that the Gospel of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints is true. 

and most importantly, i am happy.

truly, supremely, completely happy.

because,

i know who i am, 

i know why i am here and 

i know that i am loved truly, supremely and completely,

by my Heavenly Father and my Savior, Jesus Christ.

lucy and cousin evelyn who we will miss 

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