A new year

While in Utah, our family took an afternoon to head up to Bridal Veil Falls to walk, take in the beauty, enjoy the outdoors and family, AND take pictures!  Here is one of me with my babies, smiling (sort of :) ) and looking forward to a positive 2012!  More to follow when Kris sends me the rest of the photos!

PLUS, I added a BUNCH of photos to the previous post. 

We flew home yesterday, and couldn't have had a better experience.  Our flight out to Utah was pretty rough.  Jamie wouldn't sleep but needed to, Evi wasn't interested in her movies for more than 20 minutes, and although I had a bunch of things for them to do, they were kinda restless (I can't blame them though).  They weren't poorly behaved, but it was a loooong flight.  Coming back was fabulous.  I purchased a used double stroller on the way to the airport that I had scoped out the day before.  Although Evi can get around on her cast I knew it would be easier for all involved to have them both sitting in a stroller.  It was!  We were still a sight to see though.  Mom is pushing with one arm: two kids in double stroller, one with leg in cast; pulling with the other arm: two rolling carry-ons hooked together; carrying over pulling shoulder; "personal item" of a bag/diaper bag/carry all.  The security people were so nice and even gave me an extra person to help with the stroller while I did the bags and kids.  Gate people were awesome and even told me I had the row to myself on the plane, then followed me down the jet way to fold my stroller for me.  Flight attendants were all super nice and helpful.  We even ran into good friends of my parents who were on our flight, and they offered to help.  Kids were well behaved, entertained, and pleasant.  Thank goodness. 

Was it that people saw a little girl in a cast?  Was it they saw a mom travelling alone with two kids (one of which was in a cast)?  Did I have a look of desperation in my eyes that made people want to reach out and help?  Was it just everyone I ran into was in a good mood??  I really don't know, but I was grateful to be reminded of how well things can go sometimes, since it hasn't always gone that way for me.  I am grateful to be reminded of the goodness in the world, especially when things seem dark and gloomy.  I am grateful to have little things remind me that I have a Father in Heaven who loves me, and knows my challenges and will support me through them.