Charity: Kamber's Kaskets

Kamber's casket...

Ethan and I have been thinking for a long time of something we could do to give back. Kamber's life was beautiful. She helped bring love and happiness to everyone she met during this life. Now almost a year and a half after her death I have heard over and over again how Kamber has continued to bring happiness, love, and meaning to families lives. She is a beautiful angel that continues to give and influence others lives for the better. We have been impressed to start a charity to help those who may have to experience the tragedy of loosing a child.

We have decided to start Kamber's Kaskets.

Kamber died suddenly in a drowning accident in July 08'. It has been very hard to accept that Kamber was with us only minutes before, happy and healthy and next, her life had been taken. Seeing your child lifeless is horrible and then having to pick out a casket and plan the funeral is also horrific. Ethan decided the next morning after she died that he was going to build her casket. He wanted it to be extra special and made with love. When we went to plan the funeral we were sadly disappointed in the options families had to bury their children. On August 1, 2008 we buried Kamber in the casket made by her daddy filled with forever love.

We will be making child caskets for those who have lost a child in a tragic accident. These caskets will be donated through the mortuaries after hearing of special stories. Since this will be a charity the caskets will be made through donations only. Therefore we do not have the resources to make caskets for just any situation. Any death of a child is tragic and we wish we could help everyone.

Our first charity function will be at the Winter Boutique Nov. 14th, 9-3pm.

October 21, Happy Anniversary!

On Wednesday was mine and Ethan's 9th Anniversary! I can't believe it, we have been married for 9 years. If truth be told, I feel like it has flown by. In my mind I still feel like a newly wed. The past 9 years has been filled with its ups and downs, happy and sad. So much has changed within our little family. We have been so blessed and I am continually thankful to my Heavenly Father for that. I am married to the best man for me!

One of the things that drew me to Ethan when we were dating other than his smokin' hot body and awesome eyes was that he always made me laugh. Many times we would laugh so hard that our mouths would hurt. It didn't matter what kind of day I was having, he could always make me happy. Nine years later he still does that for me. I am grateful to have him in my life every single day, and he continues to make me happy. My life, I can say is a happy one and one of the main reasons it is that way is because of Ethan. I love You Honey!

Oh, If Life Were Easy

Well I think I have made it out of my zombie state, at least that is what I call it. It has taken me 15 months to really realize, I mean every cell in my body to realize that Kamber has really died. Before I of course knew it, but there was still a big part of me hoping it was just a dream that I would eventually wake up from. On the outside I could put on a pretty good show of making things look like I was okay. I smiled when I needed to smile, did the things that I needed to do, and continued with life. All the while feeling absolutely dead inside. No emotion, just so lost.

Oh , if life were easy, that is what would bring true joy, at least that is what I thought. Maybe you have thought that also? When the storm is coming down on us we plead for an easier life, at least I do. I am finally realizing that going through hard things makes us really know what pure joy is. If life were easy we wouldn't know the good from bad. If everything went perfect then how would we really know what happiness was? Through our trials we learn what hell is like and search with every being in our bodies to find the happiness and joy in life. I find we spend this life searching for happiness and there are many times that we get to learn and feel it. It just shows that we are truly sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. He is pure love and joy. We are here learning to be more like him and we want to be with him again. We want that pure love and joy. If life were easy then we wouldn't know where to find happiness and it wouldn't be our ultimate goal for eternal life.

Our Body is a Temple

Lots of things have been going on this week. I have had such intense feelings and emotions that I am trying to work through. I have spent a lot of time looking back on the week of Kamber's death and seen the horrible memories and the most spiritual memories that I can never deny.

I have also found out this week that a friend in my wards baby had died. I was hard to get a hold of since we have changed our phone number and the Relief Society President is the only one who has my new number. I guess they didn't think to ask her or maybe people thought it would hit to close to home for us. Which is true... I felt like I had been punched in the gut when I found out. My friends baby had been born with serious complications and there was always a chance of death, but he was doing well jumping over the hurdles. Last I had heard things were looking good, but that all changed in the matter of a day.

I now grieve along with my friend. Each day that she has endured I remember as clear as yesterday those same days and nights for us. NO family should ever have to endure this. It is what I know hell to be. At the same time there are many times you know heaven is so close, you can feel it, it is almost tangible.

We spoke about how much of a clear understanding you get when your child dies, that we really aren't our bodies. Our selves are our spirits. Our bodies are just the temples that our spirits dwell in for our time here in earth. It is so evident the first time you hold your child after they have passed. You can feel their spirit all around you. You are enveloped in them and their love, but you do not feel them in their body, they are separate. You want to hold them and you cherish that time because that precious body is what you took care of. Their body is what you held close to your body, their body is what you touched and what let you know that they are real, it is what made them yours. They are made of your flesh and blood. Our body is our temple, our temple for our beautiful spirits to dwell while we come to this earth and are loved.

My heart aches today knowing my friend will bury her baby, that sweet little body that she has loved and as I did with my sweet little girl a year ago. This is what is wonderful, their spirits live on forever and we can feel them near and know it is truly them and that one day we really will be together again.

Busy

Well, we all made it through what I think was the flu. It hit every member in our family. Thank goodness it is over because this week was busy. I did hair a couple times this week, had appointments to go to, mutual to teach, and shopping to do. We were going to go to Flagstaff this weekend with some friends, but that didn't work out. Thank goodness or I would have been pulling my hair out!

Hopefully I can relax a little this weekend and take in some encouragement and the spirit from Conference this weekend. That way I can be refreshed and ready for another busy week and months ahead.

Sick Family

Sick kids sick kids every where
Let me tell you "I do care. "

Two of us in our family
and scary to think it might be three.

Brookie and Kylie that is who,
but I'm starting to think it
might be me or Tay Tay too.

Sick kids sick kids every where.
All I can say is I do care.

Up all night and crying too
I wish I could take a snooze.


Okay, I know that was totally cheesy, but it was fun.

Happy Birthday Kylie Bear!

Today is Kylie's Birthday! She turns 7 years old today. I can't believe that she is that old, time is flying by. I remember when she was born and I was wondering how I was going to handle two little girls. Tayler and Kylie are 16 months apart, so it was almost like having twins. Kylie was such an easy baby so it made it easy to have her and Tayler so close together.

Kylie is still a joy to have and fairly easy going too. Kylie is our little comedian. She says some of the funniest things. Sometimes it is her brutal honesty that is so hilarious, only when it is not about you. She is so innocent and at the same time so feisty. We all love our Kylie Bear!

Yesterday we celebrated her Birthday with the family and a few of our close friends that feel like they are a part of our family. The kids had a fun time doing the gigantic slip and slide that Ethan made. Since our yard slopes down it was a little like they were sliding down a small hill. They had fun splish splashing around and of course opening presents and eating birthday cake!

Here are some pictures of the kids doing the slip and slide. Kylie is in the blue and white swim suit.

Here is Kylie opening her presents and blowing our her cake.

Love You Kylie!

F.H.E.

Okay I am going to admit something that I need to work better at... Family Home Evening. Yes, guilty as charged, I do not have regular Monday Family Nights. Actually it depends on what you think defines Family Night. We are always together as a Family on Monday Nights. We usually do something together like, swimming, grocery shopping (yeah!) or just hanging out. If you define Family Night as having a lesson each time well then I fall short. There, I admitted it. Nobodies perfect, right?

Anyways... during Sacrament meeting this Sunday my family wasn't very reverent. My girls were arguing and Kylie's idea of talking quietly is keeping it to a dull roar. I think the whole ward heard that she had to go potty, then she needed a drink and asked how many minutes are left till they can go to primary. I was so frustrated by the end of sacrament meeting that it gave me inspiration for a great family night lesson.

Therefore last night we had our lesson on the importance of Sundays and how we act on that day. Don't get me wrong my girls are really pretty good. They don't get out of control too often and I just wanted to remind them how to be reverent and why we act this way on Sundays.

My girls were actually excited for the lesson and were anxious to answer the questions and listen to the scriptures that daddy read. I think the lesson made them think more of how they act. Even though it was a good lesson I could tell the adversary trys to make doing good so much harder than normal. Brookie was totally out of control during the lesson pulling the girls hair, the evening was a little more hectic than it needed to be, but it all slowly subsided. We were happier together as a family. We even went into Ethan's office and listened to music together as the girls danced.

I love my family and I am so thankful for them. I am going to try harder to have a lesson on Family Nights. It probably won't happen every Monday Night but it is definitely something I am going to try harder on. One Step At a Time.

On a Lighter Note

You have to endure the bitter to enjoy the sweet, right? It is so true. Here is my sweet... Eager Arizona during Labor Day! Eager is one of our favorite places to go especially when we need a quick get away. Ethan's grandparents have a cabin there and they are so kind to let us use it. We love taking the quads up and enjoy the nice weather! We went with so friends, but I now realize I don't have any pictures of them. So here is our family.

It's been A While

My mother in law pointed out that it has been a while since I have posted on my blog. Yeah I guess it has been about a week. She asked me why I haven't and I found myself saying "I have nothing to say." True, I am more distant than I have been in the past. I have a lot on my mind and same with my husband. We have been keeping to ourselves mostly spending time with just our family. It is still a constant reminder that Kamber is no longer with us. Brookie is growing up so fast and is starting to do things just like Kamber did. Sometimes it makes me happy and other times it makes me sad. Tayler and Kylie are getting so big also. I miss when they were younger but happy for the kind of girls they are turning out to be. I always find myself yearning to know what Kamber would be like now. How would it be with our whole family here now.

I guess I am jealous of everyone who still have all their children. Daily tasks are done, decisions are made and at the end of the day families are gathered together. My decisions are now done with a little fear and a ping in my heart knowing decisions can change lives no matter how little they are.

I am still learning how to trust and be patient because at the end of this life my family will be gathered together a solid family unit reuniting with the one we have longed to be with our entire lives!

Easier but Harder

Since Kamber has past away life has been so much harder in a lot of ways but sad to say some things are easier. I remember after she had past someone said to me your life now is going to be a little bit easier, in some ways. At that time I could not even comprehend that. Life to me was harder than it had ever been and I felt for sure that it would be that way forever.

A little over a year has past and yes that statement made to me in those first days has rung true in some ways. For instance going to do things away from home is always easier with one child as apposed to two children. Hummm, other than that I don't think life is any easier.

So as I go today to get some things done away from home I think of Kamber and what it would be like with her here. I see moms with a couple of kids out doing their shopping and I smile at how sweet and what would have been for myself. Life, I am sure would be crazy but I know now that crazy is worth every minute.

Brave Little Soul-Kamber

A sweet reader/friend sent me this story. It touched her heart as it did mine. Thanks so much Brooke!

The Brave Little Soul

Not too long ago in Heaven there was a little soul who took wonder in observing the world. She especially enjoyed the love she saw there and often expressed this joy with God. One day however the little soul was sad, for on this day she saw suffering in the world. She approached God and sadly asked, "Why do bad things happen; why is there suffering in the world?"

God paused for a moment and replied, "Little Soul, do not be sad, for the suffering unlocks the love in peoples hearts." The Little Soul was confused. "What do you mean?" she asked. God replied, " Have you not noticed the goodness and love that is the offspring of that suffering? Look at how people come together, drop their differences and show their love and compassion for those who suffer. All their other motivations disappear and they become motivated by love alone.

"The Little Soul began to understand and listen attentively as God continued, " The suffering soul unlocks the love in people's hearts much like the sun and rain unlock the flower within the seed. I created everyone with endless love in their heart, but unfortunately most people keep it locked up and hardly share it with anyone. They are afraid to let their love shine freely, because they are afraid of being hurt. But a suffering soul unlocks that love. I tell you this-it is the greatest miracle of all. Many souls have bravely chosen to go into the world and suffer-to unlock this love-to create this miracle-for the good of all humanity."Just then the Little Soul got a wonderful idea and could hardly contain herself. With her wings fluttering, bouncing up and down, the Little Soul excitedly replied, " I am brave; let me go ! I would like to go into the world and suffer so that I can unlock the goodness and love in people's hearts! I want to create that miracle!

"God smiled and said, "You are a brave Soul I know, and thus I will grant your request. But even though you are very brave you will not be able to do this alone. I have known since the beginning of time that you would ask for this and so I have carefully selected many souls to care for you on your journey. Those souls will help you create your miracle; however they will also share in your suffering. Two of these souls are most special and will care for you, help you and suffer along with you, far beyond the others. They have already chosen a name for you."

God and the Brave Little Soul shared a smile and then embraced. In parting, God said,"Do not forget Little Soul that I will be with you always. Although you have agreed to bear the pain, you will so through My strength, And if the time should come when you feel that you have suffered enough, just say the word, think the thought, and you will be healed."

Thus at that moment the Brave Little Soul was born into the world, and through her suffering and Gods strength, she unlocked the goodness and love in peoples hearts. For so many people dropped their differences and came together to show their love. Priorities became properly aligned. People gave from their hearts. Those that were always too busy found time. Many began new spiritual journeys-some regained lost faith-many came back to God. Parents hugged their children tighter. Friends and family grew closer. Old friends got together and new friendships were made. Distant family reunited, and every family spent more time together. Everyone prayed. Peace and Love reigned. Lives changed forever. It was good. The world was a better place. The Miracle happened. God was pleased.

I will...Kamber

I will... Miss you for now.

I will...Remember you always.

I will... Love you Forever.

I will... Be with you for Eternity!

Brunch with some of Earth's Angels

Yesterday I went to brunch with some of my friends. These are women I may have never met or got to know any better had Kamber not passed away. All of these friends have lost a child. Every one has a different story and different experiences with their loss, but yet so many feelings are sooo similar. I enjoy talking, laughing, and sometimes crying with these women. When tears come to our eyes it is nice to be with those that truly understand. We don't even have to say anything, but we can feel the love for each other. I feel a special bond to each of these women and their sweet families, especially their angel children; all of who I have never personally met. Sad to say that our Arizona group of women that belong to the angel blog is growing way to fast. Since about 10 months ago our angel blog has grown from 3 to 95 children. 95 in 10 months. Can you believe that? That number includes people from mostly Utah and Arizona, but many do come from around the states. And that is just the people we are told of and that want to be a part of the blog. This number doesn't include miscarriages or stillborns. I know families are losing children every day, I know it happens more often than we realize.

I am just grateful that I have these friends in my life. I wish I could have known these women through another means, but feel thankful that I have them to travel this road with.

Thank you girls for a nice brunch yesterday, love ya!

I also would be unappreciative if I didn't mention my readers. Thank you so much for remembering my Kamber and helping to lift me up when I am down. :) Heavenly Father truly knows that I need you. Thanks to all my blogging friends!!!

One Of Those Days, Searching For That Rainbow

I woke up this morning feeling the need to run, escape, an adrenaline rush. I was confused, where is this feeling coming from? Now that a couple of hours have passed I recognize the feeling. It's a sad low feeling. Dang it I was doing so good. It has been quite a while since I have felt this. I miss my angel girl...

I have been trying to figure out what has brought it on. Maybe it is the fact that another sweet angel has passed away last week. I know the feeling that the mother is going through and it makes me terribly sad. Maybe the feeling is brought on because a sweet friend of mine is approaching the one year mark of her child's passing and I know the sad feeling of that also. Or maybe the reason is because I have since realized that to many of my friends have lost a child and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone and that makes me sad. Maybe it is the fact that I just miss my Kamber and it has been a while since I have just let myself just feel the pain.

I should be at church right now but I sit here disappointed with myself that once again I didn't get my family ready in time. We will go to the rest of church but what is my deal? Why did I need that little bit of extra sleep, or so I thought I did. I wish I could push myself harder to dig in deep, deeper than I have.

Today I am searching extra hard for that Rainbow. I know it is there but sometimes it doesn't show up till there is a little bit of rain. Maybe I will allow the rain to pour so the sun can shine again and the rainbow can lighten my day!

Look for the Rainbows

Here lately I have been doing a lot of thinking. Now after our one year mark of Kamber's passing I have been thinking a lot of what I have learned over the past year. Somethings I feel I have blossomed in more than I ever would have not given this trial and other things are taking me some time to figure out.



I do not feel whole yet nor can I say that I truly know who I am. My world is still shattered but there are a few pieces that have found a way to mold together. I still struggle and get depressed, angry, alone, and left in despair but I also have times that I am happy, joyful, grateful, compassionate, sympathetic, and feel totally blessed. Did you notice my positives out weighed my negatives, yes there comes a time that it can happen.



Our life as we have known it has changed dramatically over the the past year. There was a time in my life that I could honestly say that things were pretty dang close to perfect. We had four beautiful daughters, a beautiful home, lots of friends, and business was pretty dang good and we were able to enjoy what it had to offer. It is amazing that in one years time that it can change so dramatically. We have lost one of our beautiful daughters for our time here on earth, we still have a home but doesn't seem a beautiful to me anymore, friends don't know what to say to me anymore, and business is not as good as it was before.



Everyone has trials that are hard for them. Sometimes I wonder if it is ever going to let up. It always does at sometime. Trials change who we are. I am not the same person I was a year ago, but feel that in some way I have change more for the better. One thing that I have noticed the most is Family Is Everything. I use to enjoy having really nice things. The value of things have dramatically changed for me. I am more grateful for the things that I do have. I cherish them and feel blessed to have what I have and this pertains to everything in my life. I am more grateful to my Heavenly Father than I think I have ever been. He has taken one of the most special people in my life yet somehow I find myself thankful for blessings in my life. There were times last year that I never thought I would ever feel this way. My husband and I find ourselves saying that we would give up everything to have Kamber back. We would live in a cardboard box if we had to. Our perspectives have changed.



I use to worry about everything that wasn't going right in my life. It would really stress me out but, now I know it is not worth worrying about as long as I have my family. Things are going to happen in life that we don't like or want to happen but I have learned as long as we hold on to what we believe and cling to our families we can make it through the storms. We have every right to be upset during the hard times but as long as we don't let those feelings linger and always strive to look to the positive we will endure the storm and soon it will pass making us better.

The storm hasn't yet passed for us and there may always be a cloud over our heads but we are trying to always look for rainbows!

Seriously thinking of going PRIVATE!!

I got an email from one of my friends about another one of my friends that was very disturbing.
She has sitemeter on her website and had discovered her children's pictures on a pornographic website.

This is what she wrote:

I have SITE METER attached to my blog spot but unfortunately I have been really bad about checking it for unusual visiting sites this past year. To be honest, I have always been very trusting and thought that I could never be the one whom wackos actually target and stalk so I rarely have made efforts to check. Tonight I chose to click into it and directly on the first page I noticed an unusual website that had viewed my blog. Curiously, I clicked onto it to see what it was. The site contained dozens and dozens of images. I began looking closer at them and come to find out there were some VERY inappropriate pictures. I clicked out of the site immediately and sat there talking to Brett about my concerns. We both became VERY worried. The more I sat there, THE MORE SICK TO MY STOMACH I WAS. IF THIS PAGE HAD DIRECT AFFILIATION TO MY BLOG, THEN THAT MEANS THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT THEY HAVE A PICTURE OF MY KIDS OR FAMILY ON THAT PAGE.

With out hesitation, I went right back to that page. I was so scared of what I was going to find. There were hundreds of pictures on that page and I looked through each one very quickly but efficiently when all of a sudden I FOUND A PICTURE OF MY SWEET TAYLIN. Yes, a picture of my sweet Taylin on the same page as pornographic AND child perverted pictures. I then returned BACK to my site meter to look for other sites in direct affiliation with my blog. I found a different website that had come to my page 5 TIMES THAT INCLUDED A PICTURE OF RIDGE WITH HIS LITTLE BUNS SHOWING AS HE WAS SITTING ON THE TABLE DOING DISHES. I'm just sick right now. My sweet innocent children so exposed. I FEEL SO VIOLATED AND SCARED.

I immediately googled the website BING to find out more about what it is. I then went to WWW.VOICEFORTHECHILDREN.BLOGSPOT.COM to see if I could find anything. Here is an explanation of what this website is. BING:BING is a recent search engine launched by Microsoft. The major problem with Bing is that it has brought pornography directly into your home or office. Porn is no longer a few clicks away.When you search on Bing, you no longer have to click to go to a different website to view porn. All you have to do is roll over the thumbnail image of the video on the video will begin to play snippets of the pornographic video.Imagine the harmful effects if a child is searching on Bing and merely rolls over the image and instantly the child is watching a porn video.This is completely unacceptable and irresponsible of Microsoft to launch a program such as this without a solution to block pornographic videos.

DO NOT USE BING AND ESPECIALLY DO NOT LET YOUR CHILDREN SEARCH ON BING!!*Do yourselves a favor and add VOICEFORTHECHILDREN to your blog. My uncle, Jeremy Geigle, is President of Arizona Family Council and between him and a few other family members, they are SO diligent about keeping this blog up to date. They want nothing more than to educate all of us on how we can keep our families safe and protected from the pornographic world. As ruthless as it is, I hope I DID scare a lot of you.

We stay so sheltered and ignorant thinking it will never happen to us...but let me tell you people, CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IS EVERYWHERE.

Let me remind everyone too that Phoenix now is the #1 kidnapping capital in America.*

If you have kids old enough to play games on the computer, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend that you download this web protection site to your computer. We have had it all year long, until our computer broke. We recently got our computer back and I forgot to re-download this protection, WHICH IS WHY I COULD EVEN ACCESS THAT BING WEBSITE WITH THOSE IMAGES.

I PROMISE you, having this K9 WEB PROTECTION is the BEST way as of right now, to protect your kids from seeing anything pornographic or inappropriate on the computer. Pornography is so available that even if your baby started slamming down on keys, a porn website could pop it. Any porn sites, sites with questionable images, swim suit sites, facebook, youtube, and other social networking sites are ALL BLOCKED. It is VERY FILTERED. HOWEVER, you will have an ACCESS password that will allow you (as the adult) to type in a password that will allow you to enter into a site you want available to you. You will have to type in the password every time you want to enter the site. (it's one extra step that is worth the 2 seconds).

I love knowing that I can walk out of the room now with my kids playing on the computer and I have NO concerns that something will pop up.

More pics from Powell!

Tayler absolutely loved the water! This is a shallow swimming area right next to our house boat. In this pic. you can really see how clear the water is at Powell.

Brookie loved to splash in the water. This a a big rock in the water that extended out a few feet to make the perfect baby pool.

We had lots of fun toys to play with. Brookie loved to fill this bucket up with water and dump it out.

Here is the girls swimming again. All Day Lonnnngggg!

Kylie always took time to play with Brookie, but she would get frustrated when Brookie would ruin her work of art.

Glimmer of Hope and Joy Through the Darkness

Gunnar's 1st Birthday! August 1,2009

This cute little boy is one of my nephews. He holds a special place in the hearts of each person in the Larsen Family. This little boy was born on a very special day... a day that the families heart was broken, but he brought a glimmer of hope and joy.

Here is his story...

July 25 th 2008 Kamber had drown in our pool. Hearts were broken, testimonies were tested, and tons and tons of tears were shed for our sweet Kamber girl. My brother-in-law Spencer was in Colorado for his first day of training camp for the Denver Broncos when the devastating news of Kamber was relayed by his wife Annie who was still in Arizona waiting for the birth of her baby. Annie had about a month before Gunnar was to be born. Spencer was able to come down for a day to be with the family during this trying time. All the family rallied together and helped me out a ton. Annie came over every day with her little boy Tyton to help make sure things were getting done at my home. I know this was not easy for her being the last month of her pregnancy, but there she was day after day supporting us. Spencer had to head back to Colorado to finish training camp, but little did we know we would be seeing him sooner than we all expected.

The whole week of the 25th were spent planning Kamber's funeral and of course extremely emotionally, spiritually, and physically exhausting. The night of Kambers viewing Annie had said that she was having some contractions but I had no clue how strong they really were. Annie did a good job hiding it from me, which she says she wanted this time to be all about Kamber. The next day, Friday August 1st was Kamber's funeral. I have to say that I was so busy worrying about this day and being so emotional that I hardly even remember the people that spoke to me or even attended the funeral, it was such a blur. But I do remember that the chapel to our church was packed. All in support of our family and sweet Kamber. Little to my knowledge Annie was in the lobby listening to the funeral while having intense contractions. As we all went to the cemetery Annie was headed to the hospital. Later I found out that Annie was admitted to the hospital and that little Gunnar was going to be born soon. Ethan and I went home exhausted and fell asleep. That day I had a sweet experience and knew when Gunnar was born before we even got the phone call minutes after his birth. We were again heading to a hospital sooner than I had ever hoped that I would have to, but there was peace. Through our darkest moment, joy was found in this new baby boy. It turned into a beautiful day, a day of peace and a glimmer of hope and joy. Spencer came down to be with his family and he and Annie decided to name their new little boy after Kamber. They named him Gunnar Kamb Larsen. One sweet innocent child had left this earth and another had entered. Just one of the tender mercies given to our family during the hardest time in our lives.

Enjoying the water

This is what we did most every day. I love getting to watch Ethan play with the girls. He is such a good daddy!


Two peas in a pod. Brookie adores her daddy.

Before we went on the trip Brookie was scared to death of this dog. After the first night she loved him. Brookie actually learned the word soft because she wanted to pet him, which was practically beating him. "Soft Brookie...Soft."

Tayler and Kylie were little fish. They swam all day long. Even if they were wanting a snack they couldn't enjoy it unless they were in the water. Suckers and lake water...Yummmy!