Grandma Honey

Yesterday Drew's grandma, Betty Pearson... everyone called her grandma honey... passed away. She had had some problems a week earlier that put her in the hospital. She was getting better and then suddenly everything took a 180. Three days ago things weren't looking good and the Dr. said there wasn't much time left. They allowed each person some time alone with her to say good-bye. I never in my life have had to say good-bye to someone. But as Drew and I stood by her bed and Drew kissed her cheek and told her how much he loved her she got the biggest smile on her face. She was unconscious... but I know she heard every word he said. It was so sweet.

She was such a great woman. She is a woman with kindness and whit... she has such a great sense of humor and always has everyone laughing. This has been really hard for Drew and his family to lose such a important person in their lives. It was so hard to see Drew's grandpa cry, I can't even imagine after 60 years of marriage losing your spouse. She will be loved for many more generations and always remembered.

Eight Years Ago...

It was eight years ago my friends and roomates dropped me off at the MTC. I can't believe it's been that long! I've been wanting to finish my mission scrapbook... and I WILL but it's been so fun going through old photos. Of my hundreds of pictures here are just a handful.

My MTC district. They were all going to Salt Lake South Mission. My first day in the MTC was interesting. It turned out my companion didn't know English so they sent her somewhere else... I never even got to meet her. So for the entire first day I was walking around by myself... I can't even tell you how many people stopped to lecture me about "Staying with my companion!!!" I wanted to cry. Finally that night they put me with these two Sister and things were greaet from then on. Except that first night when we three knelt to say our first companionship prayer. One of them was praying and then the other one suddenly jumped up and ran to the garbage can throwing up.... the other companion kept praying while I ran over to help the other one... it was funny.

Me at the map!

This is the only picture that Drew and I are in together. And we are standing right next to each other. Had I known we would be showing this picture to people for the rest of our lives I would have done something with my hair that day!! :)

My first companion and first district in the mission field. Jackson, MO. My companion was amazing... best trainer I could ask for. She actually ended up marring the Elder standing next to her.

Ryan.

JW, Pam and Maria. I always felt like a huge reason I went on a mission was for them. ... and we started teaching them on the second day I was out! JW was already a member but inactive most of his life. Pam and Maria took the discussions with us. Pam was waiting for JW to get active again so that he could baptize her. I told myself throughout my mission that my mission wouldn't be completely successful until I knew they had been baptized. 2 dyas before I was supposed to go home Pam called me and told me they were going to be baptized that following week. ... and I just cried I was so happy.

Me and Mur. My companion and my best friend. We had so many great laughs... we still do!

Columbia, MO. My companion... Sister Muir... on my back... ended up marring Elder Tuft... in the gray shorts a khaki shorts to our right.

In Columbia we had such a tight district. We all became each others family out there and helped each other through trials and in the work. I had never felt such comradity before. We all felt happier and stronger because we had each other.

My two favorite Elders and good friends throughout the mission.

Courtney.

Suzie-Q.

Our Mission mom would have Sister luncheons every once in a while on P-days. She was such a cute mom. She would call us all "babe" and while we were all sitting down to lunch says... "let's all go around the table and say which Elder we have a crush on!" She was so funny.

Me and Sister Laulu... we had so much fun in North St. Louis. She actually gave one of her companions a black eye... literally punched her. ...but this Sister seriously deserved it. Anyways at transfers I was gonna put make-up on my eye to make it look black and tell her new companion to have a good time with her. ... I always felt safe with her as a companion in the ghetto. :)

These little girls we met while trackting... they wanted to sing to us and then to go trackting with us... so we gave them some pamphlets and away we all went. They helped us get into several of their neighbors doors... they were so cute.

One morning while we were getting ready we heard a knock at the door and it was this little girl Lulu. Apparently she had moved to America several months prior and had been taking the missionary discussions. The Missionaries told her that if she ever saw a picture of Jesus in the window of an apartment... most likely she would find the missionaries there. Well... that morning while waiting for the bus she saw our picture of Jesus in our window. From then on every morning she would come over 20 minutes before she was supposed to catch the bus and we would read the Book of Mormon together.

Cynthia.

This woman saw the mother of seven children all under the age of 8. She had just recently lost her husband to an azma attack... so sad. We started teaching her a few weeks before I went home.

President let Mur come and stay with me in North St. Louis for a week before we went home. We had way to much fun. Here we are dressing ghetto... I stuffed my butt to have a ghetto butty... nice eh!

I had such a great mission. Often times I get so down on myself because I haven't felt as spiritually strong since that time in my life. It just felt like I was always learning something new and more in depth about the gospel. I always wanted to serve a mission since I was very young... it was always included in my life plans. I know it helped shape me into a better person a stronger person... a better mother. I never questioned if the church was true or if God even existed until I was on my mission. I went through a short period on my mission where I didn't know what was true. After many momments on my knees in prayer and through some amazing experiences my testimony became unshakeable and still is.

There's no wrong way to eat your fruit snacks... or is there?

This is an entire packet of fruit snacks and this is how he seriously eats fruit snacks every time. I don't think he even tastes them... he just swallows. ...if they had a fruit snack eating contest for toddlers he would totally take first place :)

... We do monitor him when he eats like this... just so you all know... we have to hand him one at a time. I discovered he could do this by handing him the packet so he could feed himself.

Home for the Holidays

Me and Ty outside my parents house.

Christmas festivities are now sadly over. I haven't even begun to go through all our pictures opening presents. We did however enjoy all the family parties and although Ty wouldn't get any where near sitting on Santa's lap... he did put on a cute Angel costume and participate in the nativity at the Pearson Family Christmas Party.
We just got back from spending a few great days with my family in No. California in a place that I love and miss. There's nothing like being with your family in the house where you grew up and taking your son to the beach that you spent countless hours running through the waves as a child. ...which we couldn't keep Ty out of... he LOVED the ocean... just like his mama!

Headed straight for the waves.

Drew and Ty.

My sister Alina. ...isn't she a Betty!