"Life is to be Enjoyed...Not Just Endured": September 2012

Friday, September 21, 2012

Katelyn's Baptism Day

Katelyn was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on August 4, 2012

The baptism service started at 10:00 am. We got up in the morning and after girls camp, the wedding, and the reception I was barely keeping it all together. I was exhausted physically and emotionally. I was just finishing up getting some things together for the luncheon that was to follow the baptism and heading to my room to go curl Katie's hair when I hear Katelyn throwing up in the hallway. The main bathroom was in use and the door was locked so she couldn't make it. She was trying so hard to catch it and hold it in as she ran through my room to my bathroom. Poor thing sick on her baptism day. I felt so bad for her. She was pale and just not feeling well. We cleaned up the throw up and got her in the shower. After she was done I told her it would be okay if she needed to postpone her baptism day. She looked at me and said, "No Mom. Satan doesn't want me to get baptized so he made me sick. I'm going to get baptized today." She then asked Mike for a blessing. What amazing faith this little girl has! I was so proud of her. She was given a blessing and she was so blessed because she was able to feel mostly well during the baptismal service.

Daddy and Katelyn all in white

Me and Kate before she was baptized. When we got to the church everyone was so kind and asking me how I was doing. I kept saying I'm okay, I'm good, I'm surviving, etc...then my sweet Aunt Leslie (Mike's Mom's sister) asked me how I was holding up. The way she said it, the way she looked at me, and her sweetness reminded me of my sweet mother in law who was with us there in spirit but not physically, I missed her so much at that moment and I just lost it. I began to sob and hugged Leslie for a good minute. The stress of everything was finally all I could handle and I just couldn't hold it in anymore. It was about time to start and I still hadn't been able to compose myself. So we snapped this quick picture...red eyes and all! And look at Katelyn smiling even though she was feeling yucky.

My beautiful 8 year-old!

Katelyn had been waiting for this day for so long! She was so excited her special day was finally here!

The program went as follows:

Baptism for

Katelyn Wright

Conducting………………………..…………...……………..…..Brother Branson West

Opening Song…..…………………………………………………”When I Am Baptized”

Chorister…………….…………………………...Celeste Knight, Aunt

Accompanist………………………………..…Michael Wright, Father

Opening Prayer………....………………………..…….……………....Carli Karren, Aunt

Child Spotlight……………………….……………………………….Dede Wright, Mother

Baptism Talk…….……………………………………………Leta Clayton, Grandmother

BAPTISM

Katelyn Wright by Michael Wright, Father

DVD Presentation……….…..……………………………………….…………….His Hands

Musical Number…………………………………………..”I Love to See the Temple”

Performed by: Katelyn’s Cousins and Katelyn

Accompanied by: Michael Wright, Father

Holy Ghost Talk…..……….……………..………………..… Kelly Wright, Grandfather

CONFIRMATION

Katelyn Wright by Michael Wright, Father

Remarks from the Primary Presidency

Remarks from the Bishopric

Closing Song……………………...…….……………..………….”The Still Small Voice”

Chorister…………….………………………..Sara Anne Fausett, Aunt

Accompanist………………………………..…Michael Wright, Father

Closing Prayer…………………….…………..…................…Amanda Wilford, Aunt

Katelyn picture overload...it was too hard to pick just a few! She looked beautiful!

I still am so impressed that even though she was so sick she was smiling and so happy.

It was a beautiful service. The spirit was so strong and we had so many wonderful people that came to support her. She was so happy to finally be baptized and to receive the Holy Ghost.

Our beautiful family

Mike, Kate and me

Afterwards we had a luncheon at the pavilion at the church. Katelyn by this time was feeling sick again. She was such a good sport and laid on her towel while everyone ate.

Katie and Papa Kelly

Grandma Leta, Katelyn, and Papa Nuggie.

It was a beautiful day!

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." 3 John 1:4

I'm so happy Katelyn is walking in the truth and on the pathway to eternal life with our Father in Heaven. Love you Katie!

Jordan and McKenna's Wedding

My sister McKenna got married on August 2, 2012. This was right in the middle of Girls Camp so I left for a night to be able to attend the wedding. August 1st I left camp and headed down to meet my mom and sisters for girls night out. I love these ladies! They make me so happy! We always have so much fun together. Lots of laughter and good times. Here are some fun pictures from the night.

Got home and quickly made McKenna's bouquet for the wedding.

The next morning we got up bright and early to head to the temple for Jordan and McKenna's sealing. They got married in the Draper Temple and it was a gorgeous day! It was so lovely to be in the temple with all of my brothers and sisters and parents for the first time. All 8 of us kids were there along with my parents. It was heavenly and so lovely! Here are some more pictures of the day.

Sam, Kenna, and Caleb...our signature open mouth! We all got Daddy's mouth!

So funny! Sam is the only one still not married! Doesn't he look so sad? :) He was just pretending and posing for the picture. He was such a good sport!

Three of my beautiful girls!

All the grandkids

My lovely family

The girls with McKenna

McKenna and Jordan

Such a beautiful couple!

Me and my wonderful sisters! I love them all so much!

A professional picture of the bouquet

Caleb, Matt, Mike, and Sam! I love this picture!

Jordan and Kenna with all the nieces and nephew.

All 8 of us! Love my brothers and sisters

McKenna and her bridesmaids

Have to get a kissing picture

Brothers and sisters with spouses and Jordan's sister and her husband

After the luncheon which was delicious! I headed back up to girls camp. I was so tired! But so happy I was able to be close enough to be able to go back and forth for this. Friday afternoon I got home from camp and headed over to the church to help decorate for the reception that night.

I loved the table decorations

The dance was so fun!!! Everyone was having a blast!

The cute couple!

Love these 2! They have a bright future together and I know that they have so much in store to accomplish together! They are awesome! It was an amazing couple of days!

Monday, September 17, 2012

Girls Camp 2012

July 31st through August 3rd was Girls Camp.

The theme was Survivor: Choose to Shine

We had a great time! I always loved going to girls camp every summer as a young woman. So it was so fun to go back and have fun!

Here we are the night before loading everything up.

Here are all my girls! I love them all so much! I love the opportunity I have to serve at this time in Young Womens. Included in this picture are my amazing counselors, our awesome camp director and assistant camp director, and 2 of our wonderful bishopric members that were with us the whole time. I love our ward! This is everyone right before we left to head out.

Silly picture!

Our YCL's getting everyone to sing while we were waiting for everyone to show up.

Here we are at camp orientation with the camp site we were staying at.

One of our girls up front during orientation.

We literally had to hike a mile to our camp site and we had to bring everything in from the cars. The hill was so steep and it was crazy hard to bring everything up. The girls were so great and were such great helpers lugging everything to our campsite.

We had tribes that the girls were put in and each tribe had a tent and a flag. Here everyone is getting camp all set up.

Tribe Golden Girls decorating their tent.

Tribe Radiant's Flag

Tribe Golden Girls Flag

Tribe Eayst Noa's flag

Here were the mailboxes

Tribe Glowing Hearts with their flag

Tribe Shinning Stars Flag

I didn't get a picture of Tribe Glitter's or Tribe Shimmer's flags.

Relaxing for a minute after we had set everything up.

Me and Laurel getting ready for our orientation

Laurel giving our awesome orientation

The girls had Immunity Challenges that they got to work together and compete against each other to try to win the immunity trophy. Each day we had 2 Immunity Challenges for the girls to do. It was great and helped build unity.

Tug o' War Immunity Challenge

Tribe Eayst Noa

Tribe Golden Girls

Tribe Glitter

Tribe Glowing Hearts

Tribe Shinning Stars

The girls did awesome and seemed to have a lot of fun!

Cooking dinner

Second Immunity Challenge

We timed each tribe as they climbed the wall. This was an amazing part of camp. This was a very difficult task for the girls to accomplish. Almost every girl climbed over the wall. I was overcome with emotion as I watched them struggle to get over the wall. I wanted to yell stop and not make them do this. I didn't want them to get hurt. They were trying so hard and struggling so much. I knew they needed to do this though and as I was in the back holding the ladder for them as they came down, I began to just cry. I thought of these girls in their lives and how they go through so many struggles and they have to do things that are so hard. They struggle and sometimes think they aren't going to make it. They have so much coming at them. Satan tries so hard to make them feel as though they can't make it. At the wall each girl had the support of their tribe right underneath them to help them get over this obstacle. The bishopric was right there to help too and as they got to the top we had 2 young women leaders there to assist them as they got to the top and had to make that final attempt to get over. I likened it unto their peers being there for them, the bishopric being there for them and us as leaders being there for them as they go through struggles in their daily lives. We cheer them on, are there to help them as they struggle, and be there to congratulate when they accomplish their goal. It was an amazing experience and I was so proud of each of the girls!

This quote goes perfectly along with this:

"The evil influence of Satan would destroy any hope we have in overcoming our mistakes. He would have us feel that we are lost and that there is no hope. In contrast, Jesus reaches down to us to lift us up. Through our repentance and the gift of the Atonement, we can prepare to be worthy to stand in His presence." James E. Faust

I was so proud of each of these girls! What amazing youth we have!

This was another part of the obstacle course! The girls were so great at figuring things out and working together!

Ashley got hurt during the climbing wall. She had previously hurt her knee prior to camp and just over did it at the wall. We wrapped up her knee and put some ice on it and she was much better.

Suzanne and Margene! These ladies were awesome!

Aubrey and Jami

Kira and Sam

Cute Jami

Trinity being crazy!

Clara and Laurel with her Captain America pillow case her secret sister gave her!

Teana in her feetie pj's

Every day we had Tribal Counsel where we had a spiritual lesson for the girls. They said they loved this part of camp! :)

Desiray teaching

Me teaching

Laurel teaching

The 1st immunity challenge for the 2nd day

Tribe Glowing Hearts with the Immunity Trophy

After a quick lunch we were on our way over to the Zipline!

Sara and Ashleigh waiting for their turn

Me and Laurel

The zipline was so much fun! The girls had a blast!

Everyone after the Zipline

Crazy picture! :)

Immunity Challenge number 2 for the day

The girls trying to figure out the puzzle

After figuring out the puzzle one tribe member had to feed another tribe member applesauce while being blindfolded.

Then one team member had to go and blow a bubble.

Tribe Eayst Noa with the Immunity Trophy

Craft Time!

Me and some of the girls!

Clairice and Teana

We had skits that night! The bishopric's was the best! After the skits I had to leave so I could attend my baby sister's wedding. So I went home for the night to go to the wedding.

While I was gone this was the Immunity Challenge the next day

Canoes

Each Tribe had to pick 2 girls to be blindfolded as they rowed the boat and they had 1 tribe member who wasn't blindfolded guide them as they raced.

They had lots of fun!!!

Little water fight! :)

Mikayla and Teana

Kira, Clara, and Paige

This night the Relief Society came up and brought pizza for dinner! Yum!!! I got back this day about 4pm.

Suzanne and Triahna...Watermelon! :)

Brother Gentile loves to sing with the girls! He even wrote a song for the girls to sing! He is awesome and the girls love him! The bishopric wives came up for testimony meeting too.

Silly girls!

For dessert we had peach cobbler and the bishopric provided ice cream!

Sara

Desiray and Rebecca

Kristi and Margene

Ciera loving her ice cream!

Ashley enjoying her ice cream!

After dessert it was time for a fireside and testimony meeting

Bishop talking to the girls

We blew up these balloons and everyone wrote something they wanted to change in their life on the balloon.

Something they wanted to change that was making their light not shine as brightly as it could be. Then we got ready to let them go.

As they let the balloon go they were to let go of that thing on the balloon too and make a commitment to change that.

Everyday the girls were able to nominate each other for shinys. They would recognize one another for things they were doing to get their shiny on and serve others and let their light shine to all those around them. They were so awesome and it was so fun to get them!