Tribute to Sarah

Just a fun picture that makes me smile to start of the post. This is Joshua with Emma laughing in the back. I love them.

This was Sarah's week. First she was baptized and then she got to perform in her first musical. It was little vignettes from Annie and Music Man. Her main part was Marian the librarian from Music Man. Ryan and I were both so impressed with how well she sings and the confidence she personifies. I thought she was on f the best up there. Watching her act out so passionately1 was so much fun. Even when she was in the background and just part of the ensemble she was full throttle. It was great. Sarah has made a lot of wonderful friends and her teacher was so great and gave them such wonderful stage experience. The only bad part? After all the practicing and fun.... it's over.

Here she is with on of her good friends from the show

Sarah is the one in the middle with her mouth open.

Sarah is holding the sheet on the right

You can really see Sarah's haircut here. It is so easy to brush and making life simpler is a big deal for me right now. What a beautiful girl she is becoming.

My budding actress.

Sarah was so excited that she got to wear a head mic. They were real professional.
This was one of her big parts. They were the only three on the stage for this."Gary Indiana."I just love her purple hat and gloves.

Her solo line here, "It could be curtains or dishes"

She is in the front just of to the right

Wow, really? Wow! To quote my SIL Erynne. That is really the only way I know how to describe Saturday. We moved some major things Friday night. That was fun because we got to sleep at the new house. We moved first thing in the morning. I think because we have moved so many times my heart was just not into another move. I didn't pack well and it became more noticeable and painful as the day moved on. A week and a half latter and I still have stuff over there. Taking life one day at a time. Sarah was getting baptized at 5 so I felt a little rushed and stressed.

We decided to have the get together before instead of after and I think this worked out nicely. It allowed me to step away from the chaos of the move and start to unwind to prepare myself for the rest of the spiritual evening. We had planned to have it in the park but the Santa Ana winds were really bad so we had it at my SIL Sarah's house and that was so the opposite of stressful. It was nice to visit. Then I was able to get the kids ready there and meet Ryan and Sarah at the church. When we got there Ryan's uncle was there with his kids. I felt so bad. When we changed plans to have it at the park I didn't call them because I thought they were not coming. Turns out they waited for some time at the park for us. I don't know if I can ever make it up to them.

Through no fault of her own, my MIL was running late to the baptism. It was so wonderful that Sarah was the only one in the whole stake getting baptized, we were able to wait. After waiting 15 minutes and kids were getting restless we decided to sing primary songs and that seemed to be a life saver. 30 minutes late we start the program and I though it went really well. My sister spoke and Tyler my 15 year old BIL spoke. Joshua was a little restless but thanks to an amazing visiting teacher I was able to hear her confirmation and it was wonderful. To hear blessings pronounced upon my children I always feel humbled but a confirmation blessing is just so powerful and I felt overwhelmed with gratitude to be able to be this little girls mommy. Why God thought I deserved to have her to love and to love me is something I just may never understand. I felt so full in my heart. Then we sang Sarah's favorite song, I like to look for rainbows. I had a hard time getting through the song because my eyes were filled with tears. Then I look at sweet Sarah and see tears streaming down her face. The joy I could see in her face was all a mother hopes for. These precious moments are what life is about. They carry is through rough days and frustrating moments. I have always wondered how I could bottle them and set them on the counter so that I could see them when life feels hard. That's why we blog right? In hopes that we can remember these moments a little more clearly.

Family pictures crack me up.
To try to get us all looking decent and happy, what fun would that be?

Thank you to all my wonderful family who came to support Sarah in her decision to be baptized. She loves you all so very much.

What a beautiful girl inside and out.