Life Lessons

What a week this has been! But before I begin, I am not having a pity party, and I am not trying to get anyone to feel sorry for me. Rather, I have learned so much this week, that I simply HAVE to record all the tender feelings and life lessons I have learned, so that I never, ever forget to be kind and treat all God's children as the miracles they are.

Monday, I woke up to find that I was miscarrying.

*sigh*

This is the second miscarriage I have had since Eryn was born, the previous one happening on April Fool's day of this year. That makes six total for me.

I was only a few weeks along, but I was looking forward to having another sweet baby. I know my time of bearing children is nearly over, but I don't feel ready yet! I want to invite all the children God wants us to care for, and one more boy would be such a beautiful end to the wonderful family we have been blessed with.

But there are MY plans, and then there are GOD's plans. And I hope I finally know from personal experience that His always work out better than my own.

Monday was the day before my birthday. I thought that was hard enough.

The next day, I got word that a hastily written and posted article I had authored was not only being hotly debated, but that I had become the subject of ridicule and scorn.

My first reaction was to feel defensive about it, and justify my strongly-worded article. But as the day wore on, I decided to let go of any hurt and shock I was feeling, and just take in the criticism with a peaceful heart.

I now realize how the Lord had humbled me in preparation for a hurtful situation. I could have cried and sworn off of writing forever, or I could have waded into the discussion with indignation and anger. Instead, I found myself being changed and refined.

A few days later, I read this for the second time this year, and cried as I thought about the people I may have hurt with my opinionated article. And then, yesterday, my sweet Russell took me to see "The Help" and I sobbed all over again.

We are all fragile. Each person on this earth has magnificent hopes, crippling fears, and astounding dreams. And all of us sometime rush in with passion, unknowingly bumping and bruising souls all along the way.

I am sorry.

I am so sorry.

It was not-- it IS not-- my duty to rush in and "set people straight."

My words cannot be taken back. But I CAN learn a lesson from this experience. I CAN love people more fully, more tenderly, more sincerely, and more kindly.

I am so grateful for the chance to begin again.

"Remember that whatsoever measure you mete out to others, it shall be measured to you again." ~Joseph Smith

Reunion Delights

Windmill Colony just east of L.A.

Last Wednesday, we woke up early, ate breakfast, loaded all eleven kids, one dog, and two parents in the 15-seater van, (it was prepacked the day before, thank goodness!) and drove over and up to Sacramento, CA. (I have a million and one pictures, but I'll try to be good and not post every single one. Just ALMOST every, single one...)

My AMAZING sister, Gina, welcomed us to her home with open arms. We got to see her sweet husband, Sean, and FINALLY meet her adorable little guy, Will.

Beautiful 8-months-pregnant Gina, with her William and our Miss Eryn

 We laughed, we cried, we took a million pictures, ribbed my dad about anything and everything, laughed some more, and all the cousins played with each other and created mayhem all around. Isn't that what reunions are for?

My Dierdre and Wade's Libby eating breakfast on the first morning.

The Boys!

A couple little girls

Pa cooking scrambled eggs

Granna, his lovely assistant

Everybody eating good ole' grits, hashbrowns, eggs, and bacon. Yum!

Eryn and Will were highchair buddies

We outsmarted Mr. Sun and moved to the front yard for lunch. Ha!

Gina's cute little family!

Beany Wade hamming it up. (Rico... suave...)

It was so fun to see the cousins playing, playing, playing together. Grayse and Isaac had a great time with one another!

Young Keppners

Posin' cousins

Pa's typical after-meal pose... ;-) (Hee! Love you Daddy!)

I have to admit that I was very worried about this reunion. My siblings and I rarely see each other, and have all gone down very different life paths, including spiritually. We are a family made up of very stubborn people with strong opinions, and honestly, I was expecting World War 3 to happen. Instead, we had a beautiful, loving, enjoyable time. *whew!*

Keppners and Libby ready to hit the beach!

Ronan got to ride with Wade and his boys, Isaac and Ethan.

"Here we come, Santa Cruz!"

The beach down in Santa Cruz was AWESOME!!! Below are a TON of pictures, but it's a memory I never want to forget. It was the first time my kids had EVER seen the ocean, and it was the first time Russell ever remembers playing on an actual beach in the rolling waves. (Putting his feet in the ocean in San Fran and getting in the water as a one-year-old just don't count!)

It was cold and misty, but we charged in anyway!

That water is COLD!

Eryn is just delighted to be outside.

Morganne lived up to her name's meaning, "where the foam meets the shore", and rode almost every wave while we were there. She was a vision of joy!

Attempting to build a sea-proof fortress. (It didn't work!)

Gina and Granna helped the little girls be BRAVE!

Liberty, Bonny, and Ethan are happy the sun came out.

The tiny girls tried to help Lliam and Brennan build a water trench.

Brrr!

Morganne the Mermaid

Cutie 'Kenna

Pa was cold and a bit nervous about the powerful waves, but he helped keep little kids dry and blankets and towels clear of sand. (He also was holding almost everyone's cameras at one time or another!)

Morganne and Russell riding wave after wave

Will was not thrilled about the noisy, pushy waves.

After our long day traveling to Santa Cruz, playing on the beach, and eating a picnic lunch, we decided to head back up to Sacramento along the coast, and then across the Golden Gate Bridge. The trip along the coast, seeing the farms of organic crops planted right up to the seashore was breathtaking! I so wished we had been able to take the time to stop and get some produce at the fruit stands!

Seeing the mist envelope the green hills like a blanket made me feel like I was in the UK. We nearly froze to death when we stopped for a BBQ dinner further up along the coast, but it was a beautiful, magical day!

Freezing on a short cliff above a misty, windy beach.

BBQ! Food hot, people chilled...

Some of us who liked the warmth of the van. (Ethan, Eryn, and Morganne)

Sweet Ethan reading Eryn a story. I told him I'd be willing to adopt him!

 On the last day together, we headed over to a park to get family pictures taken. Gina's friend, Sara, was a great photographer and so kind to photograph our large group.

Almost everybody in the Williams clan! (Except Abby-- we sure missed having her with us!)

Granna and Pa with all the grandkids

Gina, Will, and Sean

Granna and Pa

Those cuh-razy Williams!

Sisters with their favorite brother

I have a TON more pictures of my kids playing in the park, but I'll save those for another day. (I think I almost made Blogspot cry with the picture overload...)

FAMILIES CAN BE TOGETHER FOREVER!!! And I want to be with mine that long!