{Back to the Beach}

After camping we headed back to the beach for Round 2 before heading home.  Lauren headed out on the boogie board again, but this time on her very own board.  She-was-so-excited!! So-excited!! This time we only lasted a few hours. The beach was busy and just a little too chaotic for us.  We lasted long enough for the filthy kids to get rinsed off in the ocean and then covered in sand! When we had had enough, we headed home exhausted from a great weekend!

 

 

 

 

 

{4th Grade Dean}

Lauren's teacher this year just happened to student teach Dean's fourth grade class.  We thought that was pretty awesome! Then one day she brought Lauren a copy of this letter. A letter she has saved for 22+ years! I love how you get a glimpse into "4th grade Dean's" mind! His penmanship has definitely gone downhill since then!!

{To Indiana}

The week after Damond's funeral, Dean and four of his brothers (D1, D2, D4, & D7) drove to Indianapolis, Indiana to pack up Damond and Adriana's things and move it back to Arizona.  Unfortunately, it was not until after Damond's passing that the brothers were able to make it out to Indiana.  During their travels, they were able to stop at a few Church History Sites, including the Nauvoo Temple and Liberty Jail; something Damond wanted to do, but never had the chance.  After nearly an entire week of traveling together, they made it home safely and still speaking to each other!  The experiences they had together that week, as brothers, will certainly be cherished. 

 

 

{Damond}

On the morning of December 28th Dean's younger brother, Damond, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly.  They were in Yuma for Christmas break, visiting from Indianapolis, Indiana where Damond was in his 4th year of medical school. It is still hard to believe that what has happened in the last month, really did happen.  We have been amazed by the love and support we have felt from so many family members, friends and even complete strangers.  We continue to mourn the loss of an amazing man, and our hearts ache for the devastating loss that Adriana and the boys are experiencing.  A loss that we will never fully understand.

Through this experience we have been the witness of more miracles than we can count.  We know that Damond needed to go Home.  Heavenly Father needed him for a purpose we don't know and may not understand in this life.  But the Lord has been mindful of Adriana, the boys and the rest of the family.  He knows our hearts are broken, that this would be a devastating loss for the whole family {and countless others} and He has and continues to bless us with His tender mercies, with His peace and with His love.

I know that we will see Damond again.  Death is not the end.   I am devastated for Dean, who has lost his brother.  My heart aches for the boys and Adriana who have lost their dad, their other half.  But I know that through the sealing ordinances of the temple Families Are Forever.  Dean will see Damond again.  Damond and Adriana will be together forever.  When they married, their ceremony did not include the words"until death do us part."  They are sealed for Time and All Eternity. Forever.
 
I have come to understand that the atoning sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ was not only to provide a remission of our sins, but also to heal our broken hearts and help us overcome our greatest sorrows in this life.  Jesus Christ understands our hurt and anguish. He's been there. Jesus mourned with Mary and Martha when Lazarus died.  He even wept.  And while He was there for Mary and Martha, He is there for us as we mourn and endure the sorrows of this life.  I have found that, as I have been a witness to such a great loss, I am beginning to understand what it means to "mourn with those that mourn" and "comfort those that stand in need of comfort" {Mosiah 18:9}  I have been blessed with the companionship of the Holy Ghost and the love of our Heavenly Father as I have tried more fully to be the Lord's hands and to be a better follower of Jesus Christ through service to others.  As we turn to our Savior, for the comfort and relief we so desperately seek, He will heal our wounds. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." {Matthew 11:28}

Families are Forever.

{Gettin' Old}

Dean celebrated his 33rd Birthday this year.  With his birthday just a week before Christmas, he tends to be forgotten or jipped! This year, I decided that was not going to happen.  So I planned out the 12 Days of Christmas for him, in hopes he would feel extra love from us this year.  Each day he got a number-coordinated gift.  For the day of his birthday {day 5} we took  5 birthday balloons to him at work, just what he wanted I'm sure.  Then of course we gave him a few other fun gifts, I hope he liked.  For birthday cake, he chose Holy Cow Cake {we use toffee bits instead of butterfinger-it's delicious} and we invited all the family over to celebrate, eat cake and open presents.

We sure love Dean.  We are lucky to have him.  He works hard to take care of our little family.  He's the motivation behind all the good things we do and he's always trying to do better, be better.  The girls already think he is the greatest thing ever.   I still crack up how all 3 of them run for the door when they hear the garage open at the end of the day {no one does that when I come home!}.  When Bailey gets upset, it's Daddy she screams for, whether he's home or not.  It's daddy they want to sit by, be with, spend time with, laugh with and play with.  I don't blame them.  I feel the same way, it just so happens I'm 4th in line!

Happy Birthday Dean! We Love You!

{Fall Break}

For fall break we went to a place that actually has FALL! {Still running the air conditioner here!}  We spent a few days at Grandma and Grandpa's helping them get their house ready for winter.  I pretty much chased kids while everyone else worked themselves to the bone outside.  When we weren't working, we spent time visiting and enjoying the cool weather.  We also went to a REAL pumpkin patch. I think it was pretty much the greatest thing ever! I told Dean we needed to just plant our entire backyard with pumpkins and gourds! The kids had so much fun playing with their cousins {my cousins' kids}.  It makes me happy to know that they have as much fun there as I did every summer.  I love the time we get to spend with family, especially if they have cooler weather!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

  

Our vacation ended with a visit at the Chadwick's.  We had a great time visiting and hanging out there.  Poor grandma got suckered into helping me make the girl's Halloween skirts.  We both survived and the skirts were perfect.  Sewing with her reminded me of the time spent in her sewing room when I was younger, making Barbie pillows and blankets out of her scraps!  I came home with a bag of her scraps to make a quilt! {I am super excited!} She even showed me a notebook of her earlier sewing projects. Now if I could only manage to be 1/100th as good at sewing as her!  She amazes me.

{Haws Family Reunion}

The last stop on our summer vacation was the Haws Family Reunion in Idaho and it was quite the reunion!  With over 100 people it was non-stop fun and chaos!  So many people worked so hard to get everything planned and put together.  Most of the families slept in tents right there on the farm.  {That's what Dean, Lauren and Kylee did}  I took Bailey and we slept at the local small and quaint Motel, that had beds and air conditioning and showers!  Although it was hot and there were a lot of mosquitoes, we had a blast.  The kids ran and ran and ran until they crashed!  There were games, a train ride, a carnival, food, family pictures, and tons of fun!  Eventually it all came to an end, families started parting ways and we headed home, planning the next reunion!

The best part of the whole thing? Every member of the Farar family was there and we got a picture to prove it!  It has been 5 years since the last time everyone was together.