Memorial Weekend in Spanish Fork

Gathered in Spanish Fork, UT, for the first time in many years with the Fred and Connie Money family to hear and tell stories, honor our dead, teach the younger ones about life and family and make new memories together. This time, as an adult, I found myself valuing these stories more than ever, meeting new people, and hearing sides of the stories that had never been told before. It was also a time of healing a renewal, humble realization, and reaching outward to make amends. 

AND OF COURSE, WE, the Alan and Sandy Money Family, had one excellent time together in a beautiful rental house my mom found!!!!!

 

 

Ella so totally blessed

Beautiful happy special day!!! The blessing day!! We had beloved friends and family with us for the blessing and at the after party. Delicious spread of food and drinks. Collin. I love planning parties with you. Thanks for being the best dad to my kids ever. I love you and I'm so grateful you hold the priesthood and that we all have the power of the priesthood. It blesses our family so much. 

Ella was a little angel. Cried a tiny bit during the blessing and then fell asleep and there she stayed, in Aunt Mia's arms for the next hour. 

Left to right: Jayden Derek Kaelir Kedson, Kamree Cone, Jayna Matt Shaylin Emmalin Bronson Coleton Hedges, Mia and David Money, Ete (Sarah was in the car) and Jonah Ahping, Kelly Hazard, us (kids were in primary already), Morgan Tom Oliver Paisley Skeen!!! 

Tradition for my babe to be an angel and then cry in the photos.

I have the best friends in the world. ☝🏻️👇🏻

 Cute girls. Love them so much. 

Gah! Love them!!!! They leave for North Carolina and Wake Forest Medical School in less than 2 weeks!!!!!

💗💗💗

Fooooood. Best ever. 

Ella and her buddy, Donny, just 3 weeks apart!

My family!!!!!

Family nap turned wrestling contest in the grass. 

It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.

This family is a family of four. This is what we know. We are reaching out to a new world, new life, new one, ready for him or her to change us forever. I love these ones. These ones who try me and challenge me and stretch me and encourage, lead, love, forgive, teach me, listen to me, are fascinated by me. And I am truly captivated by them. God gave them to me. I look at them laughing, crying, running, watching, even defying, and I can't help but pray to God and thank him, in a most sincere way. I don't know what the future holds or what heartache we might someday know, but I know I have them for forever. That's very real. And this was his plan! To give us families. "If it's even better than this in the next life, than it's going to be good," I was thinking today. "Because this is really really good." And many times I'm like, "This is WAY TOO HARD!!!" but I know I need those times too. 

We're ready for you, babe. Take as long as you need. I'll wait weeks if you need. But we're ready when you are, to welcome and love you and bring you into our tiny world. Please forgive us for the times we fight or overreact or are selfish or loud or messy or crazy. All those things happen at times, but we knew you were meant for us and we will do our best and say sorry when it's not good enough. We love you already. We've loved being a family of four. Mama, Dada, Freddie, and Hattie and DOT! And now we're ready for more!

Photos taken on the UT State Captiol lawn by my brilliant sister in law, Amelia Wallace Money. Thank you so much!!