Thursday Jan 22, 2015 we'd just finished with district meeting and interviews in the Murfreesboro building.  We had a few extra minutes before correlation meeting with President Tipp's  so we stopped at our favorite Thai place Pad Thai.  As we walked in to the restaurant, where we've been many times before, we were greeted warmly and seated.  Out waitress introduced herself as Cindy and immediately asked about our name tags and our church.  We started talking to her as she took our order and throughout the evening as she came back and forth with water or food.  As we were finishing up, we gave her a restoration pamphlet and a Book of Mormon.  Elder Zabriskie and Elder Eisert told her about it and we each had an opportunity to share briefly how we felt about the sacred book.  She said that she was so excited to read it, she couldn't wait for her shift to be finished.  She said that when we walked in, we were glowing and she wondered who we were.  I've thought a lot about that.  I hope that I can live so that I have His image in my countenance, so that I glow with the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  That would be a dream come true for me.  I will be praying for Cindy and the other young man who waited on us, Seth, who also wanted his own copy of the Book of Mormon.  He said he wanted to talk to us last time we were there, but they were too busy.  

The gospel is true and it changes lives.  I hope that they will read the Book so they will know that happiness that I feel because of it!!!

It's true... I do believe in Nashville!  We took this picture last year as the kids were all here to celebrate Kyle's birthday.  What an amazing time that was.  They came Jan 9th as I recall, to surprise their totally unsuspecting father.  The assistants picked them all up at the airport in the pallig rig and brought them to the mission home while I was with Kyle at Costco picking out a new pair of glasses. It was so hard to get him in there and equally hard to get him out.  He wanted to sample everything and once I'd found out the kids were finally all home waiting, I wanted to get home.  When we walked in the front door with all of our Costco bootie, Kyle heard a baby.  He thought maybe Jessica the cleaning lady had brought someone with her.  The kids yelled surprise and oh my what a surprise it was!  He laughed and laughed and was so happy to see them.  We had them here for about 5 nights.  We drove around and saw things and played games in the family room and played with our baby Gemma and had the most amazing time together.  

I know that being here in Nashville has changed us in ways I can not even yet know.  I believe that the people of the Tennessee Nashville Mission need what we have.  They need the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives.  It has made such a huge difference in my life.  I am so grateful to have lived here for the past 18 months and to meet the many people that we have met and shared the gospel with.  Many have rejected our message and that is ok. I have grown in the ability to share and teach and I would never trade this experience for the world.  

Being with this man through all of it has been the best part.  He is incredible in every way! He is selfless, loving, patient, funny and fun, easily amused, sensitive and kind.  He is ever striving to be the best he can be and to learn and improve.  He is much more long suffering with these funny missionaries than I ever could be.  When I say "off with their heads"...He says, "they are just learning."  I love that!  Well, this is a corny post, but as I was cleaning out the garage last night and he was off in Clarksville teaching some Nimrod's about the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood, I thought how blessed I was that I have had the blessing of being married to such an incredible person. I know most days I take him for granted...I'm thankful for the days when I can see clearly how blessed I've been by being given the gift of Kyle Andersen as my eternal companion.  I truly believe in him!  

I've almost forgotten that I'm a blogger!  This will be one of my favorite posts of all time.  Camie was  watching Gemma one Fall afternoon when Lindsey was sick with the flu.  They were at the park doing what Gemma loves, sliding down the slippery slide.  She has always been a huge fan.  We love this so much that we have watched it 100's of times and still laugh our heads off at this funny baby.  

When something comes up that I don't want to do...I say, "I'm not going, NOT!" 

Camie gets huge points for capturing this on film.

This beautiful girl, Carrie Smith, formerly known as Sister Smith, came to visit with her parents.  She left the mission six weeks ago, and was returning to attend the temple with two special families she had helped in their conversion.  It made me weep to see her again because I love her so much.  She has wonderful parents, and it was so nice to meet them.  I can see why she is the person she is. President Andersen was not feeling well this morning so he was home in bed.  

Ok, so I haven't been really good at the posting lately and I was reading my last post focused on a miracle of the mission...well here is the latest miracle. Jed cut his hair!! This is a screen shot as we are face timing.  You can see my joy filled face (there is a huge smile that you can't see)!  It is no shave November, but I am overjoyed with the progress.  If I could add a hashtag it would say #theLordanswersprayers

Here is a news flash from Nashville!  Vance Child is getting married!!! This is one of the miracles, we feel, of our mission!  Can you just love the red hair on these darling boys?  I love! Congratulations Vance and Emily!

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Just in case ya'll want to know the best way to warm my heart... say "hey mom, we set a goal to go to the temple once a month. It's the 30th and we haven't been yet. Could you drop us off at the temple?"  That will do it every time.  I love that my kids would have a goal to go to the temple.  It is my very favorite place next to home.