Our Angelita

Phoenix: a mythical bird of great beauty fabled to live 500 or 600 years in the Arabian wilderness, to burn itself on a funeral pyre, and to rise from its ashes in the freshness of youth and live through another cycle of years: often an emblem of immortality or of reborn idealism or hope.

I can't pretend that finding out Audrey was coming into the world wasn't one of the most painful and difficult things that has happened to my family. I can say that during that time we definitely went through hell and back; and a WHOLE lot of humiliation (as in, the process of being humbled). There was not a member of our family that was spared some heartache. It felt like a mourning process--a kind of funeral service for hopes and dreams. There were some deep wounds that I wondered if would ever be healed.

But a miracle has truly transpired. Who would have known that after all that, we would be sent a beautiful angel? I am seriously weeping as I write this, because she is the most perfect angel I have ever seen. A touch of her tiny finger has healed rifts that were, to all appearances, beyond repair. The thread of love has begun to mend the tattered edges of our hope. In her was born a new life... not just her own, but for our family. And I can already tell she will be an integral part of it.

Thank you, Audrey.

Proud Tia

Presenting my beautiful new niece, Audrey Ann!

Defining Me.

This is somewhat of a continuation of my "Acceptance" post.

So, for the 3 weeks that I've worked in the Referral Center... it seems like each week has had its own "theme"... people that get on with the same kinds of questions.

The first week, I had a lot of people come on with questions about the Church's stance on homosexuality. Since I was sending the article to everyone, I decided it might be a good idea for me to go ahead and read it. REALLY good article for those of you who have not read it, by the way...

Anyway, there was a statement by Elder Oaks that really stood out to me... and has been on my mind for a while.

"We have the agency to choose which characteristics will define us; those choices are not thrust upon us."

Seriously, what a profound statement. We live in a world that is so quick to define people... The dumb kid, the smart kid, the athletic kid, the fat kid, the weird kid... But ultimately, it is ME who gets to choose who I AM.

It's definitely important to take a step back and see what it is that we are letting define us... And also how we are defining others. Who am I to put someone else in a box? Or myself? It reminds me of an invitation from Sister Thurston (my mission president's wife) to live life without limits.

My goal: LIVE LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS. Also, be FEARLESS!!!