{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!

 

 

 

 

 

{Camping}

We love camping {and by we, I mean everyone in the family but me...I simply tolerate it}. We took our annual camping trip to the San Diego {Laguna} Mountains.   The kids have so much fun and get dirtier than I thought was humanly possible.  The afternoons were a little warmer than we had hoped, but the nights were beautiful! The Dads got bored and decided we needed a zip-line and the kids thought that was pretty awesome.  Nothing like being filthy and one with nature!

 

  

{Can you see the dirt in the creases of those tiny little pudgy fingers??}

 

 

  

As much as I really HATE sleeping in a tent, the dirt, the bugs, the sunburns, the lack of flushing toilets, and so much more, we do have a good time.  The kids are in heaven {shoot...Dean's in heaven!} and that's good enough for me. So I smile and count down the minutes until I get a shower and then look forward to doing it again next year!

{Beach Bums}

We love the beach {and by we, I mean everyone in the family but me...I simply tolerate it}.  For Memorial Weekend we headed to San Diego ready for a great day on the beach.  We came prepared with sand toys, boogie boards, sunscreen and umbrellas.  The kids played and played and played.  Lauren absolutely LOVED boogie boarding and could have spent all day our there in the water.  Kylee was in and out of the water and Bailey was having a blast playing in the sand and staying out of the water {too cold for her!}.  I ended up getting a migraine, but after a nap that resulted in sunburned feet, I was back to enjoying the cool weather under an umbrella!

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

After the beach we went out for dinner, walked around the temple and then watched the sun set.  A perfect ending to a beautiful day with the family!

 

 

 

{Easter}

This year, we had a fun egg hunt at D4's house.  Pretty much everyone was out of town, so there was fewer kids.  However, that did not mean fewer eggs!  I tend to get a little carried away with my plastic egg collection.  I forget how many I counted this year {but it requires a large tote to store them all in}, but I have banned myself from buying MORE eggs these past 2 years.  That's saying a lot!  I don't know what my problem is, I just feel an egg hunt is not complete without a gazillion eggs, with overflowing baskets!!

 

 

 

 We finished with dying eggs, which is always fun for the kiddos! Just another fantastic egg hunt!

{Wet Weekend}

At the end of January, we spent another {much needed} weekend in Phoenix with the Farar's.  This time for a baptism and baby blessing of D4's oldest and youngest.  We stayed at D2's house along with D6's family.  While we were there, it rained like crazy.  Something that rarely happens in our Arizona habitat. So, we did what any good parent would do. We sent the kids out to play in it! And they LOVED it!

The extra load of laundry we had to do was so worth it! Look at those happy faces!

 

Then the Dad's figured out the fun that could be had across the street at the park.  By the time they came back in, everyone was drenched and FREEZING!

 

Unfortunately, I don't have pictures from after the baptism and blessing and all the DRY fun that was had with the rest of the cousins!

{Mini Haws Reunion}

In January we had a Mini Haws Reunion in Tucson.  It was the R Family's turn to host and they did a wonderful job!  We stayed at H&J's house {where most of the action was!} and spent the whole weekend playing and visiting with everyone.  The kids had a blast with the millions of cousins, Dean got plenty of game time in, and I enjoyed visiting with the girls.  We had a bonfire with s'mores Saturday, went to church on Sunday followed by games and dinner at Aunt T's house.  Then Monday we finished off the weekend at the park!

I couldn't believe that in our almost 10 years of marriage, this was our FIRST trip to Tucson to be with the family!  We are lucky to have such a huge family and even luckier to have most of them so close!  We just need to do a better job at getting together.  This time, it was good to be together for something happy, after the emotionally trying weeks we had prior and we look forward to the next Mini Reunion!

{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.