Roe Sealing

Here are a few pictures a friend of the Roes took for us after the sealing. Man was it fun to try to get all those babies looking in the general direction of the camera!!

Why Are They There?

My dad always told this joke and it cracked us up at kids...or at least me. I thought my dad was a genius when he told this joke (and the one about the tenni-flat...you had to be there). As we passed this cemetary on the way to the Stake Center, my dad would ask, "Why is there a fence around the cemetary?" The punchline: "Because people are DYING to get in!" WHA-HAHAHAHAH! Okay, so it is funnier when you are only 5 years old, okay?
This is the church building I was blessed in and first attended as an infant and child (until I was 4, I think). The Independence Visitor's Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is located behind/next to the stake center.
This hill may look insignificant to some, but I remember eating quite a few lunches between sessions of General Conferences as a child. It seemed like a very steep hill then.
Behind the stake center was a large, open field. It was here that they held the annual Pagent. One year, I stirred a boiling pot of apple butter over a fire in a "pioneer" type dress and had my picture taken for the newspaper. (I just realized that I must have been cuter as a small child...my picture was taken and published in several places. Then I got glasses and got ugly. No one wanted my picture anymore! =) ) They no longer hold the pagent there. I've heard different reasons why, so I won't publish rumor here.

Lexington-Independence Trip II

Upon further request...here are some more photos from the Lexington-Independence trip. It was interesting to see these places and the changes that have taken place. The street lights in Lexington are really cool. I remember being able to play outside until the light came on. Then we would have to come inside before Mom got a phone call from some lady down the street that would complain about our noise level. =)

My biggest memory about the Independence house was when Dad drove away while I stood on the top of the stairs wailing because he left me as I was not being cooperative when he told me to get in the car. Hmmm...perhaps that is why I'm okay with "leaving" Emily in the store and walking away from her (I can always see her, but she doesn't need to realize that yet). I also remember getting in the red VW bug and going on my first cruise down the street with Steve behind the wheel (I'm not sure how old we were, but he couldn't have been older than 5...making me at most, 3). I also remember pounding on the ice on the stairs with a hammer after an ice storm rolled through. We also had a neighbor who lived behind us (did she have red hair?) that I didn't like very much because she never let me play with the big kids (Rachel and I were referred to as "the little girls"...even by our younger brothers).
Before the Independence house, we lived in the Hawthorne Townhouses. I don't really remember this, but I remember going to the Fuimonos (sp?) who made really delicious food. General Conferences were topped by lunch/dinner at these family friends' home.
I have more pictures to post, but will get to those in another post.

Broken Hearted

Have you ever seen a dog mope? It's quite pathetic and really sad. I think the rest of our family is adjusting well to our so-called boring life down here. However, Hannah seems very quiet and still. At first I thought perhaps she was just recuperating from several weeks of intense dog-dog play. I've notice today that this isn't the case. She is really sad and lonely. Even when she is asleep, she's kind of whined/cried. So sad! Poor Hannah. Now I'm really considering a second dog as a companion for Hannah and a rough-house durable type for Emily. Now for the research. I just hope Drake isn't as pathetic as Hannah has been!

Nauvoo the Beautiful

One of my favorite places in the world is an old town called Nauvoo. It is an historic place and is also the place Eric and I were married. We recently returned to this town to see the historic sites and enjoy time there with my sister Rachel and her family. It was fun, although we probably pushed the kids too hard.
I've grown up with this place. As a young child, my family visited this town and there wasn't a whole lot there. It seems that every time I return now, there is something else they have restored or incorporated to let you experience more fully what the people of Nauvoo did in the 1840's.
We watched a play, took a wagon ride, toured historic buildings, and even got to pet two oxen. I love Nauvoo and I'll be excited the next time we get to visit, too.

Where Are These Landmarks?

Just a little quiz, but do you know where either of these landmarks are located or even what they are? If you do, bonus points for you!!

 


 

These are two historic landmarks that are no longer located in their origination places. The first is the London Bridge currently located in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, USA. The second is the Berlin Wall currently located in Fulton, Missouri, USA. Interesting that these two "monuments" have traveled over the pond to reside in the USA? That's what capitalism can buy!! Lake Havasu City was constructed from the proposal bid on the London Bridge. It really DID go for sale, just not to the highest bidder. You had to have a high bid PLUS a concept surrounding the use of the bridge.

This other is a segment from the Berlin Wall and were acquired by an artist (and granddaughter of Winston Churchill) as a gift to Westminster College which was also the location of Churchill's 1946 "Sinews of Peace" speech. It's now one of those random sites you can find touring the USA via automobile!!

Georgia Peaches Roll Home

We're home. Actually, we've been home since Sunday evening. We spent yesterday (Eric's last vacation day) restocking the fridge and getting things together for our normal routine. It was a good vacation, although a bit busy with everything we did and saw. It's too bad we're a full day's drive away from my family, but we have Eric's family here.
Speaking of his family, I have to say that his Daddy is just amazing and kind. He took it upon himself to check on our house while we were gone. I'm glad we had the house alarm so that we knew no one could enter. Turns out that I actually left the back door unlocked completely!! (Stef will find that really funny since I left the dryer door open when we left and I asked her to come over and close it and then retracted it because I locked the house with latches and all...or not, apparently.) The alarm was still set, so no worries there. But, back to Daddy...he even came over last weekend and mowed our entire lawn so it wouldn't be there staring at us when we got back. It's wonderful to have everything taken care of so I don't have to stress out this week.
So, we were gone and now we're back. We missed the greater part of April but it still didn't seem long enough. I guess you can never really get your fill of family when you only see them once a year!

Quality Time

We've been rushing around since we arrived. It's great that we can see so many of my side of the family in one visit, but I think yesterday was one of the best days. It was "boring" because the only outing I made was to Emily's new friend's house. I needed the chance to get back into our routine.
Schedules and routines are great for kids, but I apparently need the routine just as much. I get kinda crazy feeling otherwise and I am not a good mother/spouse...I just kinda go quiet and functional instead of caring/loving.
So, we're going to try to make the remainder of the trip have a little more quality time. That means, we may not be going to the zoo today because we ARE going to Nauvoo this weekend and staying in a hotel (4 adults and 3 kids under the age of 3...it'll be interesting).

Lions and Tigers and Bears!

Oh my! Or, at least a horse and a bear, that is.

A couple of my siblings and I decided to take a quick trip over to Lexington, Missouri, where we spent some fun growing up years in this house.


When we get together, we tend to remember a lot of games and years spent in this home. The people who purchased it when we moved are still living there, 19 years later. It's a lot different, but still the same building. It was really fun to walk through those rooms again and briefly chat about our memories of things as they were "back in the day". I think a favorite memory would probably be our invented game of "Hot Lava Monsters" or restaurant (where the chef was shut in the dark closet) or "Houdini" (we would tie each other to a small wooden chair with a jump rope and topple them over onto the floor with a blanket over them and see how quickly they could escape). Fun, fun times as a family of nine!
Oh, and the bear and the horse have their own story...but that is for another day...

An Experience of Joy

"Men are that they might have joy." What exactly IS joy? Let me tell you how I experienced it last night.
Eric, Rachel, Adam and I went to the St. Louis temple to do some baptisms in behalf of some of our deceased ancestors. I sat outside the font and only observed, but to describe my feelings will be a complete understatement of the experience. Yet, I will attempt to convey at least a portion of what I felt.
As I was the onlooker, I saw my sister overcome with emotion as she watched her husband (Adam) and my husband (Eric) enter the water and perform the necessary ordinance of baptism for several of our male ancestors. I felt such a strong feeling of excitement and joy. It felt like an electricity of chills and warmth simultaneously. As my sister entered the water and was baptized for some of our female family members, I again felt the "whoosh" of the spirit as it swept over me. I had a sure sense of gratitude and happiness during this process.
I have gone on many baptismal trips to do this service for the dead. However, it was THIS time that I felt so overcome and yet, I wasn't even technically a part of it. If anyone ever questions the validity of these ordinances, they only have to experience it to know. This is a true principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He created the path by which each mortal is able to gain eternal salvation. Baptism is but the gate to that path and yet some of these individuals have been waiting hundreds of years to obtain that entrance. No matter the length of time they wait, the joy one can experience by participating in this vicarious work is only a small portion of the joy these people have as well as the joy our Savior experiences as another follower is able to complete these steps.

Easter

Today is the day we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. I enjoyed a talk by an apostle of Jesus Christ that was given during General Conference last weekend. Elder Holland has a very powerful testimony of Jesus Christ and reminded us that the pains and sorrows Jesus felt as he suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane were done completely alone and that we never have to experience that because of his all encompassing atonement.
If you haven't heard this, click on the link above and ponder his words. It will put life and its difficulties into perspective for you. I am so grateful for an eternal atonement that allows me to become a better person every day. It brings comfort in a tumultuous world.

All Our Ducks In A Row

We are ready for our vacation!! All our ducks are in a row. The bags are packed. The van in loaded. Postal service has been stopped and will be held for our return. The house is secure (well, it'll be armed as soon as we walk out the door, that is). We're on our way to celebrate with our family in Missouri for my sister's sealing!!
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe in an eternity where we are able to continue our relationships we have established on earth. However, we do believe that those relationships must be recognized by God through His priesthood. As such, we are married and sealed in the temple for all time and eternity. It is a very sacred vow and more binding than the earthly contract of marriage. It is an eternal covenant and commitment. They will also be sealed to their son and will have those same blessings and promises placed on any future children they choose to have. I am so excited for them and impressed with the dedication they have given to the Lord especially in the past year. I love you guys!

Reality vs Perceived Reality

Have you ever had those dreams that just seem too much like reality that you can't tell the difference and actually physically act out what is going on in your dream? Last night I startled Eric with this. I popped up out of bed and yanked up my pillow. At that point, I was awake and realized it was a dream. I explained to my poor husband that I apparently was dreaming that Gianna peed on my pillow and was trying to save it from her. I also recognized that I've had a lot of these caliber dreams lately and it is very tiresome. Your body just doesn't get the rest it needs when you keep on moving and processing "real life" situations.
I had a similar problem while a missionary. I woke one companion with my arms outstretched reciting scripture about the prophesy of the Bible and the Book of Mormon (two sticks). Even after going to bed after a long day, I was still trying to proselyte in my dreams. It got so bad that I needed a blessing. Although it is probably fairly humorous for the onlooker, it is incredibly tiresome for the individual.

Ties That Bind...or at Least Link

I'm too excited that I am not sure I can get all of my thoughts and feelings out on this one!!
Genealogy, also known as Family History, is an important aspect of my faith. We believe that ordinances must be performed for individuals to return to our Heavenly Father's (God's) presence. Some died without the opportunity. Believing in a perfectly just AND merciful God, we believe He has a way prepared for those individuals. Such is the work for the dead which we perform in the temples of the Lord. We are commanded by God to search out our ancestors and provide, vicariously, the saving ordinances mandatory for these individuals to return to His presence. We would be unable to do this had the Gospel of Jesus Christ not been restored in it's fullness. We believe that Elijah, as foretold in the Bible, has returned to the earth and provided the necessary keys for these ordinances to be performed.
Malachi 4:5-6 states:
"5 ¶ Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
"6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."
I testify that this has happened. I have recently experienced the fulfillment of this prophesy in doing genealogy work of my own. As I searched our own genealogy for names to take to the temple when the Roes receive their own endowments, I came across a family surname that looked familiar. I immediately searched the documents I had for Mr. Jarrett. We DO have a linking ancestor and I only had to go back to the 1630's to find him!
Of course, there is more to this story, but not enough room to relate all the steps that occurred to my knowing and experiencing this Spirit of Elijah myself.

Gianna Sleeping Habits

This is how we find Gianna in the mornings or after naps....




The funny thing is that Emily did the same things. The question remains..is this is a Boyd trait or a Lasley trait?

Bath Time

We've recently gone through some difficulties with getting Emily to take baths on a regular basis. It was odd because she used to LOVE bath time. However, she has decided that she will take a bath ONLY if Gianna takes one with her. Combine bath time...sounds like a good idea. Not only that, but Gianna was hating baths in the tub. Since we started bathing the two of them together, Gianna is actually enjoying tub time! I'm so glad my oldest is so intuitive and has simplified a part of our daily routine!

Impromptu Reunion

The Lasley family keeps on growing. My parents have nine children. Five of us are married. There are a total of 11 grandchildren. And one significant other who might as well be considered part of the family (we're all just waiting for the announcement and date). That gives a grand total of 23 people...as long as no one is withholding information on pregnancy. It becomes quite the party when we all get together, so I am really looking forward to our trip to Missouri. All but one sibling will be able to make it (we'll miss you Arnold family!!).
As Rachel and I discussed the event of her and her husband's endowments and sealing, we realized what that really means for babysitters. Our two youngest siblings are willing to help out with babysitting, but when you really look at it...it is quite a lot of small children...three of whom are infants. I'm so thankful that Rachel has good friends who will help out as well and offered to take on some of the crew. It'll break up the insanity between 4 adults (Jake, you're nearly old enough to be considered as such). 6, 3, 2, 1, 1, 9 months, 6 months, 3 months. Sounds like a brood?

Specter, Specter In The Night

Specter, specter in the night, touch my hand and cause me fright!
Do you believe in ghosts or spirits? I do. I won't go into detailing my experiences with such, and you can think I'm a weirdo and that's okay. =)
We live in a new house. It's not even 2 years old yet. However, there has been an apparition that has visited me several times over the course of the past few weeks. Sometimes I see it as it enters the room. Sometimes I feel its cool hand brush my shoulder. Sometimes I wake up to it resting beside me. It's a bit alarming, but at least I eventually realize that it is only Emily.
With her disheveled curly hair glowing in the reflected like from the neighbor's house, she has quite an eerie appearance as she creeps into our room at night. It freaks me out every time and has caused a lack of sleep. I can't believe a 2 year old can walk on hardwood and tile floors so quietly!