Sophia Ione Blue Jones

She's beautiful, her dad says! She'd have to be if she's anything like her mother. I personally think she must look like Beth because she is so beautiful. I don't know how my kids all turned out to be so good looking because when they were born they resembled lizards and then grew into a rather plump version of a naked mole rat. This little girl right here is a vast improvement over naked mole rats or lizards so, we're excited to see her true (or should I say Ione)personality bloom.

Sophia was born this morning at 2:57AM. She weighs 7 pounds 4 ounces, same as her dad at birth. She has long nails and eyelashes, (lucky!) and a fair amount of red hair. She showed her determination for acting dramatically by holding her breath and having the cord double wrapped around her neck when she first came on center stage, but she is here safe and sound. Yay! Parenting begins for Chris and Beth.

A Time of Remembering

So, I stopped to see a couple of my friends on my way home from Pima the other weekend. It was so beautiful, quiet and peaceful out there in the morning light. The road right before the gate was a desert wash that felt like quicksand as I went through. I thought I was hot and I wondered how hot Dan and Sandra are. Then I realized that I am grateful to know that they really aren't in that hot place, they have moved on to a beautiful and peaceful place.

I am so grateful for all the lessons I learned from these two valiant souls. They both were so good and it is hard not to miss them when the flood of memories come. May I remember each day to live so that I can see them again.

I thought again of them as I watched President Faust's funeral. President Hinckley called that occasion a day of sorrow. He said, "The Lord Himself has said, 'Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die... [But] those that die in me shall not taste of death, for it shall be sweet unto them (Doctrine and Covenants 42:45).' Peace be to [their] memory. We are all the richer for our association with [them]. May [their] memory remain with us to comfort and guide us, to bless and sustain us." I'm grateful for that day of reflection.

Moving forward: Beth and Chris are eagerly awaiting (with swollen legs and ankles) the birth of their little girl. Beth is now two days overdue! Talk about hot and uncomfortable! Todd and Willa can hardly wait for their new sister as well. I don't think they understand the change she'll bring to their lives. Maybe it's better that they can't comprehend that right now. Have a great day.

Live Without Regret

"Don't make the kinds of mistakes that will bring regret. You can be wise and happy, or stupid and miserable. The choice is yours." ~President Gordon B. Hinckley

This post is for me. I need to remember it. The end!

In The Good 'Ol Summertime!

Will it ever be cool enough to go outside? I heart AZ heat. At 9 PM it is still 110! Why can't we all be as cool as Brynn and just chill making music while looking cute at the same time?

Who is the real Glenda?

Girls camp is done for another year! Hooray x 2 kzillion! It rained every blessed day and night but we still had fun. We taught all the girls to make pie crust. Each made and ate an individual pie. It seemed to be the favorite afternoon rotation activity, better than archery, relays, nature, life games and such in the downpour. I'm really bad at taking pictures at camp so this is pretty much it. The temple did turn out and true to Pueblo stake form, we prayed the rain away during the last night program so it rained all the way around LoMIA but not on us until we got the temple back down and folded up. We feel blessed! Truly, there's no place like home.

Thanks to Jones girls, I had a great Glenda costume, to introduce "the real" Glenda on lip sync night.