Families Are Forever

Families are forever. This is something I believe with all of my heart. My cousin Jen's husband, Chris, recently passed away after fighting his battle with brain cancer. As I have watched Jen and Chris's long journey over the past year I have been amazed at the humility and love they have had. Many of us could never comprehend being 24 years old having a 2 month old baby and then losing your husband to cancer. These heart wrenching trials are where we learn and grow the most but why do they happen to the people that least deserve them?

I was talking with a lady that is a franchisee that I work with the other night and she said "God is fair" whether we see it in this life or not...God is fair. That is what I am clinging to right now as my heart feels the deepest sorrow for Jen and her little girl Sadie.

Sometimes we get stuck in the "life is hard because my laundry isn't done, or I am not a perfect wife and mother" phase...but what about life is hard for someone else because they lost their husband to cancer or they are going through a really hard trial? I promise when you search for someone in more need than yourself your problems will seem small.

I know that the next few months will be excruciating for Jen but in return I know how many other people she will bless, she will cry with and sit with because of this new found empathy and understanding of life that she has.

Tonight as I played with Brody and searched for comfort the spirit hit me. He loves to run behind a door and lock me out of the room. Then I will put my hands under the door and he will grab on to my hands and hold them. As he did this earlier the spirit overcame me and I felt this feeling similar to what I felt the night of a horrible wreck back in December where 2 parents were taken from their children. It struck me that this is how thin the veil is. I could feel that he was there I just couldn't see him.

I know that Chris will be right by Jen's side and I know with all my heart that they will be together again as a family.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter! My camera is not working so these are blurry cell phone pictures of Brody. Brody has a cold so he wasn't able to go to church/nursery today. So we stayed home and had candy that the Easter Bunny left and played with toys! Last night we took the rail off his crib and he slept the whole night! As you can tell he is obsessed with his cool man sunglasses.

Nacho Cheese & Apple Beer

Nacho Cheese & Apple Beer is about all the excitement we have had in the Sanders' home.

Yesterday I was feeding Brody lunch and he wanted some chips and Queso. He has really been loving dipping things lately he thinks he is so sophisticated and grown up! I put him in his high chair and ran upstairs and a few minutes later I heard him screaming. I ran back down stairs to find both of his eyes covered in Queso. He kept rubbing more on trying to get it out of his eyes. It was the saddest thing and I am sure the jalapenos were burning his little eyeballs. So I rinsed them out with water and he just laid on my shoulder with his eyes closed forever in fear the burning would come back.

Then last night I ran into Cafe Rio to grab us dinner. There was a college couple behind me that was on their first or second date. So I was casually listening to their conversation because they were geeky cute.There was an ice bucket on the counter that had Apple Beer and other bottled drinks in it. This is how their conversation went:

Girl: Have you ever had Apple Beer before?
Boy: Yes, actually the guy that was supposed to double with us tonight introduced it to me.
Girl: It's really good. Occasionally, I drink bottled root beer too.
Boy: Me too!
Girl: So are you kind of like a wild Mormon? Not like a Jack Mormon but a WILD Mormon? Like sometimes close to the rebellious edge?
Boy: Yea, I guess you could say that. (chuckling trying to impress her)

I thought oh dear, what is this world coming too? But I guess for the sake of being a mother it redeemed my faith in innocence. And I am pretty sure Dustin used some similar lines on me! Too funny! :)