I'm not a bit jealous...really, I'm not

So I have to share the coolest thing. My sister has now done something I've only dreamed of doing for just about my whole life. She sang a solo in the performance of the Messiah by the Orchestra of Southern Utah. So she sings this amazing solo along with full orchestra and choir for thousands of people. And I'm seriously not jealous.......really, I promise I'm not. Not even a little...... Listen to it here and if you want to hear her scroll to about 36:45 or a little bit left of midway. I wish I could tell you to listen for specific words but I'm not sure what they are. She's the amazing soprano that comes after an alto solo and before "He is the King of Glory". I'm listening to it right now and she's amazing. Ethan just piped up and said: "Wow, who is that singing?" I told him Aunt Shelly and he said: "Wow."

My heart is full to bursting

I don't even know where to start. So many things have happened in the last month that I can't even find the words. My heart is full, my eyes are filled with tears that don't ever seem to stop. There have been a million moments that I have been convinced that it just can't get any better.

And then it does.

Today was a wonderful day at church. After a morning of waking up late, rushing, yelling at my kids and dashing out the door to get to church on time while still arriving in a completely packed building during the opening song while carrying a baby and a million bags on one shoulder and hitching up my skirt with the other I didn't have high hopes. But the sweet music and calm spirit sunk in. Eventually.

This has been a month of blessing after blessing after blessing. And of course the ones that matter most are my Savior, Jesus Christ, love, family, being together, seeing my oldest son baptized by his father and knowing it was a moment I would never, ever forget. Those are the gifts that sink in deepest, that mean the most, and that are completely irreplaceable. But I also want to talk about some physical gifts we received that have left me completely humbled.

I have been blessed with winning many giveaways and also some gifts from the person who had me in the stocking swap and I will tell more about these later but I want to talk about what a family in our community did for us. I will never understand how they chose us or why we deserve to be loved so much but our lives are changed by the love and kindness of this family.

The Friday before Christmas we had some family here in preparation for the baptism on Saturday when the doorbell rang. A lady we didn't know asked us if she had the right house and then handed us a cute bag with adorable stuffed gingerbread men inside. We were like, wow, sweet, and put them out as decorations. Then about 10 minutes later we get another doorbell ring and we open the door to an overflowing porch. There were 20 presents, a turkey, tons of food, and a popcorn tin with microwave popcorn and candy and a $20 gift certificate to a local video store. Taped to the popcorn tin was this note:

"Please accept these gifts on behalf of our son Brennan. Brennan has gone back to our Heavenly Father and is no doubt doing great and marvelous work in heaven. Brennan was an angel sent to us as a blessing and is now a very special angel to our family. He is a kind and generous spirit who loves to give to others and share his love.

Our family wants to help Brennan continue spreading joy here on earth. These gifts come from our hearts to yours with love in hopes of a very Merry Christmas. Don't open til Christmas!"

And it had twelve signatures on it that I will not include here for their privacy. I can't even write that without crying.

We had family here from the day that we received it until today and we decided to put those gifts aside to open after everyone had left so that our kids wouldn't have a lot more presents than their cousins. So today after church we sat down and opened our gifts from this wonderful family. All of my boys got some great presents, some really nice clothes, toys and soft snuggly blankets. After they opened their gifts we opened the family gifts together and our jaws dropped down to the ground and then we all jumped up and were yelling and crying. They had given us something we had wanted for Christmas but knew we'd have to save up for for a few years. A Wii!!!! We are still in shock and looking at each other and saying no way. We are so excited to play it together as a family.

So thank you to that sweet family who chose to pass on the love and joy after an experience that must have left them heartbroken.

And we are determined that in some way and at some point in time, we will find a way to pay it forward.

Have you ever?

So I have a ton of things I SHOULD be blogging about. Ethan's birthday, Thanksgiving, life, etc. but I've been sick and I can't think straight so I'm going to do a tag post since it's easy.

Here's how it works: Bold all the things that you have done in your life.

1. Started your own blog 2. Slept under the stars 3. Played in a band 4. Visited Hawaii 5. Watched a meteor shower 6. Given more than you can afford to charity 7. Been to Disneyland 8. Climbed a mountain 9. Held a praying mantis 10. Sang a solo 11. Bungee jumped 12. Visited Paris 13. Watched a lightning storm at sea 14. Taught yourself an art from scratch 15. Adopted a child 16. Had food poisoning 17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty 18. Grown your own vegetables 19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France 20. Slept on an overnight train 21. Had a pillow fight 22. Hitch hiked 23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill 24. Built a snow fort 25. Held a lamb 26. Gone skinny dipping 27. Run a Marathon 28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice 29. Seen a total eclipse 30. Watched a sunrise or sunset 31. Hit a home run 32. Been on a cruise 33. Seen Niagara Falls in person 34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors 35. Seen an Amish community 36. Taught yourself a new language 37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied 38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person 39. Gone rock climbing 40. Seen Michelangelo’s David 41. Sung karaoke 42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt 43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant 44. Visited Africa 45. Walked on a beach by moonlight 46. Been transported in an ambulance 47. Had your portrait painted 48. Gone deep sea fishing- 49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person 50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris 51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling 52. Kissed in the rain 53. Played in the mud 54. Gone to a drive-in theater 55. Been in a movie- 56. Visited the Great Wall of China 57. Started a business 58. Taken a martial arts class 59. Visited Russia 60. Served at a soup kitchen 61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies 62. Gone whale watching 63. Got flowers for no reason 64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma 65. Gone sky diving 66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp 67. Bounced a check 68. Flown in a helicopter 69. Saved a favorite childhood toy 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial 71. Eaten Caviar 72. Pieced a quilt 73. Stood in Times Square 74. Toured the Everglades 75. Been fired from a job 76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London 77. Broken a bone 78. Been on a speeding motorcycle 79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person 80. Published a book 81. Visited the Vatican 82. Bought a brand new car 83. Walked in Jerusalem 84. Had your picture in the newspaper 85. Read the entire Bible 86. Visited the White House 87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating 88. Had chickenpox 89. Saved someone’s life 90. Sat on a jury 91. Met someone famous 92. Joined a book club 93. Lost a loved one 94. Had a baby 95. Seen the Alamo in person 96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake 97. Been involved in a law suit 98. Owned a cell phone 99. Been stung by a bee

Okay, that makes 43 for me! See how you do and post it on your blog.

I tag:
Angela
Shelly
Emily