Just an update:

This seems to be the easiest way for me to tell everyone without anyone feeling left out of family news. So...as of yesterday Erix is now the Branch President of the spanish branch here in our stake. I am not sure if I am suppose to react a certain way, but I am excited- calm- but excited. We have attended the branch a few times and have spoken there, and we know a few of the members who are so kind. We are anxious for all the work to do to help the branch progress. I have been in a branch my whole life, so it wont be culture shock for me. And I was aksed to bare my testimont yesterday, and standing at the pulpit I felt flashbacks from my mission in Texas. It was there in Texas that I learned of the spansih language and culture, there where I learned to love these wonderful humble people, and where my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ became even more rooted to the power of missionary work. Ever since I served in south Texas the Lord has blessed me with the ability to open my mouth and declare His gospel. I LOVE and often look for opportunities to talk about religion with anyone. I rely on the spirit often to know what exactly I should say, and how to say it. I thank my Father in Heaven daily for blessing me with a "big mouth" and being bold, and for following the prompting to serve a full-time mission. The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is the source of all the joy and blessings I have in life. All I have is a blessing from God, and I know that being in the spanish branch is where the Lord needs my family to right now.

more pictures

Amulek with his great-grandmother "Pumpkin Pie"
Amulek with GREAT uncle Larry and Aunt Lorna
sweet cute cousin Julia and I were playing around with the camera. :)
This is a picture at the Market in Charleston near the Battery..... ppl have weave the baskets there, they are beautiful, but EXPENSIVE!
Amulek at his first market trip with mami!!

S.C. pictures

So I was going to make a slide show instead of posting a bunch of pictures, but its updating the system right now, so enjoy!

Spring Break 2009

I have been asked a few times the past few days to post some pictures of our recent short trip to Charleston South Carolina. This was a first time for both Erix and Amulek. It was exciting for me to share and show them both things that I grew up doing, and places I went to annually as a child when I would visit my grand-mother. I will admit that it was a trip greatly needed. I am in my final year in school which means the hardest, for me anyway. I needed this break so bad, and it was exactly what I wanted. I had a great time with family relaxing and riding around a beautiful area of the country. Erix even saw the old hospital where I was born, the chapel where I was blessed as a baby, another where my mother was baptized 34 years ago. It was really a great visit. I havent lived in SC since I was a few weeks old, BUT it holds alot of memories and roots of spiritual blessings for me and my family. Amulek was GREAT traveling, and of course he was the center of attention. There was not a single bad moment, it was perfect!!

I just wanted to post of a few of my favorite pictures we have recently taken of Amulek. I love him so much and I try to capture moments everyday of silly things that he does, or things he LOVES to do. He L O V E S bubble baths, and his new kick is walking around in mommy or daddy's shoes makes me think "he will soon have walked a mile literally in my shoes". He also got hold of a green crayon and it looks like he enjoyed the flavor! Amulek also loves dogs, and his aunt Sarah got him the cute winter hat :) which he also likes to wear around the house. And I can not forget the day we went to church and he wet through his pants and we had to stay late, so he walked around in his dress shirt and diaper for a while, it was so funny! And him, he is just an amazing kid! I love him so much , and I am very grateful I have him and each day full of these simple precious memorable moments.

Our Dare Devilish Boy

Ya know.. you would think that after Amulek climbs on something and falls pretty hard, stands up screaming and crying reaching out for mama that he would stop. Right.?... NO! NOT Amulek! Amulek is CONSTANTLY trying to climb on things or ME, trying to strech his abilities of new hieghts and balancing. Amulek received a gift (before he was even born) of this drumlike toy that is not flat on the bottom, its curved, and he has figured out that he can turn it over and it can be a chair to sit on, a "ladder" that allows him to reach things too high for him, OR a new way to scare mommy trying to balance on it not holding on to anything. He surprised me at first and it was a little tricky for him, but dog-on-it, the second time he tries he has it down. Below is a video of his amazing balancing act! Enjoy!

Balancing Act