Family Portrait

The day after Christmas we all gathered together for a family portrait.  The last one taken was two years ago when Milo was just a couple of weeks old.  We took two - one inside our house and one on the front porch. Nicole's brother, James, was our photographer. I think he did a great job.

Only 5 grandchildren so far...hoping for more in the future.

I love my family. It has been great to be surrounded by my family as 2014 came to an end. I like this quote by Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf about love in families:

 "Love is the healing balm that repairs rifts in personal and family relationships. It is the bond that unites families, communities, and nations." 

Families are a gift to us from the Lord and love of family truly is a bond that unifies. My hope is that my family's relationships can remain close in spite of any trials that may come our way. This quote by Pres. Henry B. Eyring kind of sums it up:

"The greatest joys and the greatest sorrows we experience are in family relationships. The joys come from putting the welfare of others above our own. That is what love is. And the sorrow comes primarily from selfishness, which is the absence of love. The ideal God holds for us is to form families in the way most likely to lead to happiness and away from sorrow.”

Now that 2014 has come to an end, I would just like to add that for the most part, this year has been a great year. I have grown in many ways and have struggled in others, but all in all, I can say that I have a good life. Life is full of struggles for everyone, including me.  Health issues seem to be my biggest trial right now...mostly with regard to my back and hips. All trials are meant to help us grow, which is good, but sometimes I feel like I need a break from all that growth.  It is good to remember, however, that life really isn't meant to be easy. If struggling means growth, I should be happy for any trial that comes my way. I want to have a better outlook on trials and how helpful they can be.

As 2015 approaches, my wish is for good health, a better outlook on life, more peace, greater prosperity, and much happiness.