Its a whole new world

So a funny thing happened while I was laughing at the other people on the church singles sites . . . Tom Turner!

We have been dating now since April with him coming to South Carolina so far and talking on the phone nightly (at least when he is in the country . . . ). I am planning on going to Virginia at the end of July to meet his ward and his family and then we will rotate our visits based on my new calling and the fun and scheduling it is requiring in my life!

Am loving serving as the Relief Society President in my ward primarily because I have an awesome ward, an amazing Bishop (Bishopbric), wonderful counselors and a secretary who has already earned the Celestial Kingdom!

Katelyn and I praying for her Mom's parole next month and are asking all we know to participate in that both by fasting and praying so that we don't have to do this again next year.

How blessed I am for all that my Heavenly Father gives me every minute of every day and for each and every one of his tender mercies, including those I don't know about ... yet.

Just in time for Easter ~

So in preparation of Easter next weekend, my thoughts have turned to all my many blessings.

Since Katelyn came home I am back to reading her a book every night before bed. One of her favorite ones is "the potty book", known to others as the "I Love you always and forever book".

So, of course, I am reading the potty book to her the other night and I make it through about 5 pages and then the bawling starts!

I think of Jeremy sitting on my lap when he came from his mission. I think of the ache in my heart when Jennifer announced her divorce. I think of watching Karen in child birth for the first time. I think of Nathan leaving President Dorny's office just before the gates of hell opened.

I think of the children that were not born to me because of choices I made and those who can be mine if I make enough good choices from here on out.

Then I remember being in the celestial room with all of my babies and thinking my Mom was smiling down from Heaven, having never had that blessing in her life. I think of walking her down the stairs at the Manti temple when Mark was sealed even as my marriage was crumbling around me and what a blessing and privilege it is to have her as my Mom for all eternity. I think of how proud I was to have my Dad and Mary serving a mission.

Then my thoughts turn to my grand children who are the reason I work so I can take vacations and spend time with them, bear hug them to pieces, tickle them to pieces and love them forever and always, just like their parents before them and just like the potty book!

My Heavenly Father must love me always and forever for blessing me to be a Mom and a Gramma/Grammasita!

My Savior's atonement makes it possible for me to have all of them with me forever. Thank goodness no one is disowned from Heavenly Father's family!
:-D

2010

What an amazing year I have had! I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father and my Savior for this awesome life I have been given.

I am so grateful for my children, for their obedience, their strength, their love, their laughter, their spirits!

I am thankful for where I have been and that I am not there any more! I am thankful for the Atonement which makes my past just that, my past. I am thankful for being forgiven for those I have harmed/hurt and for being able to forgive those who hurt/harmed me or mine.

I am glad to wake up every morning and to lie down every night having been blessed with another day.

I owe much of who/what I am to those who have gone on before me. They know that and I know and we are the only ones that matter. I am Darla, Mom, Gramma, Sister Perry, Miss Perry (its a southern thing) and I am happy.