Liesl

On February 14, 2015 our beloved baby girl, Liesl Snow, passed away in our arms.  Liesl was an adventurous, feisty, brave, loving, beautiful daughter.  She is named for her grandfather who lovingly greeted her on the other side.  She's the guardian angel of her three big brothers: Jacob, 9; Nicholas, 7; and Benjamin, 4.  They love her so much and will miss her every day.  Our darling baby was the "light and joy" of our hearts; she was a miracle in every way.  Liesl was taken back home so soon, but we thank God for every day we had with her.  We long to be with her again and live in faith that we will one day rejoice in the best reunion imaginable.  After a private memorial her body was laid to rest on February 17 in the Provo Cemetery only a few steps from her grandpa, Leland.  Her brief, beautiful life taught us so much about love and brought us immeasurable joy.  Forever and always she is our angel girl. In addition to her brothers, Liesl will be lovingly missed by her parents, Matt & Robyn; her grandma, Hilda; her grandparents, LeGrand & Jan; her aunts and uncles, and her eleven cousins. 

I will share more about Liesl in the coming weeks and months, but on this the one month anniversary of her passing I wanted to share her obituary.  Her death is an unbelievable tragedy and decidedly our greatest sorrow. I long for everything about her. We will miss and love her forever.  

Little Changes

Sometimes I try to do sweeping reforms in my life, but I am learning the art of the small change.  Just doing something rather than waiting for a "perfect moment" to do something pretty grand that never comes.  Here's to chipping away piece by piece and being happy that you simply did something.

Today's "something" is posting a few pictures of the kids.  Taken a month ago, but we won't dwell on that.  These four beautiful, healthy, strong, good kids.  They are trouble and crazy, too, but I feel so fortunate to have them.  All three boys started sports in January and so it's felt like life is one big race against the clock.  We're getting better at rolling out on time and filling the "inbetweens" wisely.  It's also been very very warm.  Climate change warm.  The lemonade of those lemons is that we have been outside riding bikes and eating sidewalk chalk (if you're Liesl).  The kids have so many friends on our street and I love it that they can spend time riding down our street singing "we are the champions" with Eli or playing a quick football game with Noah and Van.  I think anyone who knows the boys knows that the little ones are riding the bikes and that Jacob is playing the football. And Liesl is still just eating the chalk.  Life isn't perfect, in fact, it feels still very figuratively and literally messy, but bit by bit we seem to make forward motion each day.  I love these kiddos. 

Feelin' pretty

Sometimes you look down the pew at church...

...and everyone is matching.  

Don't I look tired?  Oh so wiped out tired?  I am.  It's this little crinkle-face and Matt's work schedule's fault.

The phrase "Daddy's Girl" has always struck me as cliche, but it's oh so tender when you see it in action.

Benny and Lambers

Everlasting love.  (Thank you Aunt LuAnn for such a loyal friend.)

Let's go fly a kite

This past Easter was very tender for us all.  Just a year ago we had come to my mom and dad's house to celebrate Easter with them.  Just nine months before we had moved to Utah expecting to spend most holidays with my parents.  Life is messy and that was not meant to be.  We enjoyed a quiet, happy Easter together with my mom and then decided to try out the kites the Easter Bunny brought us.

One of my first memories is of my dad running through the house fishing out a kite because it was perfect kite weather.  It was an exhilarating feeling to hunt through the basement for the kites.  I honestly don't think I even knew what a kite was during that search.  Then we were off for the school behind my house to fly.  My dad loved big moments.  He loved making things special.  

A few months ago I was looking for something in my mom's house.  I honestly don't even remember what, but I do remember looking next to a wardrobe cabinet and finding the biggest, blingiest, most exciting looking kite in existence stashed there.  It warmed and broke my heart.  That happens to my heart a lot since my dad died.  Of course my dad had a ginormous, awesome kite.  Of course he did!  And of course he would have taken my boys out to the park to fly it.  I love that about my dad.  And I deeply miss that about my dad.  He was a wonderful dad and a totally kick-butt grandpa.  

I felt so close to him as the boys flew their kids in the most ideal kite weather ever recorded.  It felt like the best way to remember my dad on a holiday such as Easter.  To remember that he is not really gone.  That we will see him again.  And that life is about moments such as that.  I am so looking forward to him telling me that he was out there running next to my giggling boys.  I'm pretty sure that he was.  

Lovely

These were taken in January and I can't believe the change I see in the kids in such a short time.  This was a perfect afternoon.  In some part due to the all expense paid trip to McDonald's that hung in the balance for those smiles.  

I couldn't be more grateful for these photos and especially for the people in them.  Love.

Thank you Xan for such an amazing experience and such beautiful photos.

Everything

I love everything about this picture.  Liesl's a dedicated finger sucker who apparently likes big bears.  I can work with that.  

I love it when I find moments like this one

So much better than potty training moments.