Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Too Much Light To Deny

Sometimes it seems like my blog is all about Elder Holland and the Innocence Mission, huh? That may be true, but here I go again. Another IM song is smooshing my heart with bittersweetness tonight.

This post is really a reply to THIS POST. Georgia, you have been an Instrument tonight by sharing your witness with the blogosphere. I'll add my witness, too--in Karen Peris' words--I choose to believe because there is too much light to deny. How else do you explain a tender mercy like your words touching hurt hearts at just the right moment on just the right day?

He loves us, He is aware of our heart aches, and He waits for us to choose to invite Him in. He waits for us to allow ourselves to feel His love. He waits for us to let go of the "developmental harm" and embrace the fullness and healing He offers. Neal A. Maxwell said our will is the only thing that is ours to give and every day I am striving to loosen my grip and hand it over.

This barren July
We both wake up so dry
That no more tears can leave us.
And all we've found
Are roads we can't go down,
Eyes on a day we can't see.
I hope it comes, I hope that water comes
And drenches us in our clothes.
The world at night
Has seen the greatest light.
Too much light to deny.
You never know,
you never really know.
And you can't have people figured out.
One friend came in out of nowhere,
with lit sparklers in both her hands for me,
And saved the day
When I had run away
To envy and black feelings.
And the world at night
Could see the greatest light.
Too much light to deny.
July, July,
The man I love and I
Will lift our heads together.
July, July,
I've seen the greatest light.
To much light to deny.

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Melin Reunion & Independence Day 2010

Our house decked out for Independence Day
A cozy place to watch the sunset
Festive Buntings
***
On Friday morning (7/2), we gathered on the banks of the Yellowstone to take family portraits.
Melins 2010
There are five more grandchildren since our 2006 picture - 14 grandchildren in 7 years!
[L-R; Danny, Davy, Angie, Hannah, and Rosalie Gray; Richard, Addie, Jamie, Heidi, and James Melin; Uncle Mike behind Heidi; Grandma Rosalie and Grandpa Tom; Summer, Matthew, TJay, Kelli, Lexi, and Jess; Liana, Elena, Samantha, Mark holding Jared, and Sariah]
SILLY MELINS!
GRANDKIDS!
[Jared, James, Rosalie, Danny, Hannah and Samantha on Grandma's lap, Addie, Heidi, Matthew, TJay, Grandpa holding Lexi, Liana, Sariah, and Summer]
JELLI MELINS (visiting from Florida)

MARLENA MELINS (visiting from Texas)
MIKE & CHRISTINA

This is a photo we stole from Mark & Elena's files--Jared, Liana, Sariah, and Samantha in their van just before arriving at Grandma's house from Texas on 6/29. So cute!
Cousins went to Sacajawea Park on Wednesday, 6/30. Here are Lexi and Heidi on the slide.
A summer fave--Norwegian Golf in Grandma's backyard
(Sariah, Liana, and Rosalie)
Cousins playing ring-around-the-roses during family photo time on 7/02.

James and Jared in the sandbox at the ranch on 7/1.

Check out the boathouse all done
(fire pit and ramada under construction)
Jared pillaging the pirate treasure chest in the treehouse
On Thursday afternoon, we all went to the slack rodeo.
[that's me with Ally, TJay, and Matthew behind me, Sariah,
Heidi, Belle, James, Addie, Liana, Summer]
Cutie Cousins!

We moved to the shade when it rained a little...
The gorgeous view from the rodeo grandstand.

Two Pretty Girls: Addie & Liana are good cousin pals!
Team Roping action (my first rodeo!)

The little kids were cheering, "Go, baby cow! Go baby cow!"
Belle, TJay, and Summer
***
After about an hour of rodeo, we went home for tacos---YUM!
Mike, Jess, Elena, and Mark enjoying the Casa Melin Mexicateria

All the kids ate their tacos outside
After dinner, we had a Girl Cousin Pajama Dance Party

Belle strikes a pose
Liana, Sariah, Summer & Addie busting a move
The girls just kept dancing--soundtrack:
Guns-n-Roses, Bangles, Spice Girls, Rhianna, Dan Zane
Our two tiniest nieces are so cute! Here is Samantha having something mushy and green for lunch...

...and here's Little Miss Fourth-of-July, Lexi Melin
***

Gathering for the Roundup Parade on Friday, July 2nd
(This after family photos in the morning and a lovely-albeit-rained-out picnic lunch catered by Matt's Meat Shop)

Cousins catching candy


Watching the parade, waiting for candy

Samantha making friends with a dog at the parade
Uncle Mike on the Big Brothers/Big Sisters float
***
After the parade, we headed out to the ranch for a big family BBQ and campout
Sand box fun with Jared, Summer, Addie, and Liana
The wind kicked up big time, so the BBQ moved into the boat house
Poor little Hannah was sick, so Angie snuggled her for a while
(we all took turns)
Addie & Liana
James, Jared, and Matthew--all the three-year-olds

Grandma planned all kids of fun activities, but all the kids wanted to do was dig in the dirt hill! They were filthy by bedtime--yikes!
Uncle Mike was giving fishing lessons after dinner and the kids were catching huge rainbow trout like crazy! Liana was the first to catch a fish...

Check it out!
(I love Rosalie's face there on the left)

James, Jared, Liana, Heidi, Rosalie, and Sariah snuggled up in our tent trailer and watched "Cinderella"...

While the big kids gathered around the fire for grown-up s'mores and talking (Mike & Rich)
Our tent trailer in the morning, 7/3
(I'd gone home at midnight with a raging back/headache)

Jess at the grill on Saturday morning
Cousin Uno Game in the boathouse
***
Rich called me at home on Saturday morning to say that the kids were cold and dirty, so the best solution seemed to be a trip to Chico Hot Springs (I agreed and went back to sleep cuz I was coughing up a lung). Good thinkin'!
Here's the whole gang at Chico!
After swimming, they all had pizza at the Poolside Grille right next to Dennis Quaid
(his ranch is nearby)
The valley on the way home from Chico

Grandma cooked the trout for dinner Saturday night

Jared and James wore matching shirts

The kids ate dinner outside again--YUM! (Some of them even liked the fish)
***
Sunday, we all went to church, then enjoyed a Turkey dinner, games, stories, naps, and Grandpa's slide show at Grandma's house. The Texas Melins ("Marlena") left early Monday morning and the party was over. The Florida Melins are staying on til next week for Danny's baptism (I have a niece and THREE nephews getting baptized within the next month!). We are currently passing around Hannah's virus--James and I are starting to feel better after 3 days of YUCK. It was wonderful to see our adorable cousins again. Grandma and Grandpa Melin planned a memorable week for us and we're so grateful for them!

FAMILY LETTER 07.28.19

Dear Loved Ones,                                                                                                        We have just ...