September 1st - Happy Birthday, Melanie

Melanie has always thanked me for giving birth to her near or at the Labor Day weekend so she can celebrate longer!

The years fly by, and before you know it, your baby is 37 years old. That means 37 years of love and appreciation for a wonderful daughter and friend.

Melanie will be entering a new phase of life as a mother herself, and I know that she will be a loving and caring mother. No child could possibly be as welcome or as loved as Melanie and Wally's new baby will be.

How lucky I have been to share my life with Melanie. She is a tender-hearted, kind woman. She shines as a daughter, sister, wife, and aunt. Melanie holds a special place in the lives of Natalie's three children Jake, Derek, and Megan. She is a cherished part of our family tree.

A Celebration for Josh

My brother Allen and his wife Wendy have five sons. The youngest son, Joshua, returned from his LDS mission in England last week. All five sons have been on missions and all five are Eagle Scouts--quite impressive accomplishments for both the sons and their parents.

Paul and I accompanied my dad to Califonia (Newhall) to see my nephew Josh speak in church; we also attended an open house at the McKell home following the meeting on Sunday. We had a great time, and my 92-year-old dad kept up with the best of us! It was so good to spend time with Allen and his family. We don't see them very often, and so the trip gave us some good visiting time.

Josh looks older. He gave an excellent talk in church. He has really grown up a lot. He still has his sense of humor and zest for life, however. He told us a joke about a new missionary walking on the sidewalk on his first day of missionary work. His older and more seasoned senior companion pointed out a plane flying in the sky. He asked the 'greenie', "How far away do you think that plane is?" The greenie made a wild guess, and of course he was wrong. The senior companion then replied, "That plane is 24months away!"

We love Josh and are proud of his accomplishments in England on his mission. He will be attending LDS Business College here in the Salt Lake Valley this fall, so we hope to see him more often.

Megan is eight years old!

It is difficult to believe that eight years have passed since our Megan came into the family. She has been such a delight and joy!

I can't imagine what our lives would be like without Megan. She brings sunshine everywhere she goes, and she makes our days happier.

Today Megan started back to school. She is in third grade this year. Megan is an excellent student and really likes to read. She also likes to write stories and sweet notes to her family and friends. Megan's pictures fill her house with her creative art work.

I hope you had a good first day of school, Megan, and that you enjoyed a wonderful birthday.

A New Baby in the Family

We are going to have a new baby in our family. Melanie and Wally are expecting a baby at the end of February. There isn't a word in the English language that sufficiently conveys our joy in this future event!

Ever since Melanie was a child, she has wanted more than anything to be a mom. As a little girl she carried her baby dolls around on her shoulder, patting them, talking to them and pretending to be their mom. As an adult, she has been the best aunt in the world to Natalie's three children. She is just so good with children.

The path has not been easy. At times we thought it would never happen. Everywhere we turned, it seemed that the odds were against us. So, now, to actually be waiting for this sweet little child to be born--it seems quite unbelievable.

One really good thing I have noticed throughout all the IVF (invitro fertilization)process is the resulting unity we have all felt as a family. Melanie and Wally's experience has brought us closer together and caused us to appreciate each other more. An example of this is Melanie's mother-in-law Sammy, who gave Melanie injections every day for several months (at the same time each day). She was so willing to help and adjust her schedule; her expertise as an RN was also much appreciated. That is just one of many ways that we as a family gave and received support to make this miracle happen.

I will keep you posted on the progress of Baby Powell. (When we find out the sex of the baby, I can stop buying yellow baby clothes!!)

Happy Birthday, Natalie

Tomorrow my baby girl turns 40 years old! I can hardly believe it. 40 years ago I was anticipating being a parent and wondering what my new baby would look like. Well, she has far surpassed my expectations in every possible way.

She was a pretty baby and is a very pretty 40-year old. She is a good mom, a hard worker, a compassionate friend, and a very intelligent person.

When Natalie was eight years old, she started learning to play the piano, and she progressed rapidly and plays very well to this day.

Natalie has never had to go out to find a job. Since she graduated from BYU in Finance, she has had employers come to her to ask if she would work for them. The employers adapt to her schedules so she can work around taking care of her family. She is a valued employee wherever she goes because of her strong work ethic and efficiency.

What a lucky mom I am to have Natalie and her family to share with in my life. She is my sweetheart and I love her very much.

P.S. Natalie wanted to turn 40 on the beach, so that is where she is! I hope she is having a good time in Florida.