getting away...

sometimes it's just nice to get away. i had a wonderful long weekend in california. daniel wayne and alexandra elyse were sealed in the san diego temple and it was BEAUTIFUL. mr. and mrs. sermon. tee hee. they were both glowing and oh so happy. it was rainy and cold but that didn't even seem to phase them. a joyous day indeed. i love being with my family. we are a crazy bunch but i love them all so much. all of us were able to be there in the temple together for the first time in a long time. and it was a beautiful moment. i've only ever been to the sealing of close friends and so this was a different experience being there with my brother. i love the temple.

we went to the beach and i played in the sand with my nieces and nephews. they make me so happy. it was a pretty emotional weekend. lots of events took place that i was AND wasn't expecting. matters of the heart sure are rough. ugh. BUT, i was away and with my family and that was a tender mercy. i am so so SO grateful for that. everything that's happened hasn't made sense but i don't have to understand everything. i do KNOW that they happen for a reason and that He never leaves. He is always there even when it feels like He's not, He is.

anywho, we also went to the san diego zoo. it was delightful. i always feel bad for those animals. bless their hearts. it would be irritating to be stared at every day, all day. silly human beings we are.

 i saw something very bizarre while being one of those silly human beings. okay, so first of all, i am not too fond of monkeys.

i dunno, they just seem too human like and i don't trust them. so, i'm watching the chimps and one of them starts sticking it's hand down it's throat, gagging itself. WHAT? pretty soon the chimp vomited in its hand. haha. everyone was horrified. it was very bizarre but it gets worse. pretty soon all of the chimps start to do the same thing! and then...they started eating their own vomit. blink blink. um....so bizarre. my dislike for monkeys has increased much.

we also saw a funny creature called an okapi. it's half zebra and half giraffe. LOVE.

thank you san diego zoo. way to be.

we had a great trip all in all. it was great getting away. i have fallen in love with a fantastic group called mumford and sons. they make great tunes that have equaled everything that i've been feeling this weekend. thank you mumford and your sons. :) music speaks to my soul. amen.

sunday, february 19th marked the one year anniversary of jen and dave massey's beautiful baptism day! they are an incredible couple who were baptized in my last area, Cleburne. they are so amazing and so strong. i love them and am so grateful for the shining examples that they are to me. the big white building  awaits. :) i love texas and everyone that i met there. texas is my beautiful place.

Mosiah 18:30 
And now it came to pass that all this was done in Mormon, yea, by the ^awaters of Mormon, in the forest that was near the waters of Mormon; yea, the place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, the forest of Mormon, how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer; yea, and how blessed are they, for they shall ^bsing to his praise forever.

AMEN. :)