My Son is Now a Mexican!

Jensen went to Mexico yesterday. We got to talk to him twice on the phone, once from the Salt Lake airport and once from the Atlanta, Georgia airport. He sounded wonderful! He got to do what no one in this family has ever gotten to do, sit in First Class on an airplane! He has no idea why but all four of the elders going to Cuernavaca got to sit in First Class on the way from Salt Lake to Atlanta. He said it was awesome. Tons of leg room (huge for him) and a great meal. He pretty much thought he was all that and his other missionary brothers wanted to pound him. They were very jealous. He got to talk to the whole family in only 5 different phone calls. We didn't know he would get to call from Salt Lake. I had a feeling though (thank you Holy Ghost) so I took my phone on my morning walk just in case and sure enough, halfway through the walk he called me. I had threatened Brandon with his life to answer the home phone and tell Jens to call my cell. Then, in the afternoon he called the house and talked to Me, Brandon, Sarah and Savannah. I then had Pat call the payphone in Georgia from work so he, Kyle and Hunter could talk. Then Pat texted Tanner to tell him it was his turn to call the payphone and then Tanner texted Logan, who was at work, so he could call and talk. Quite the well oiled machine wouldn't you say? I can't wait to get the first email telling us how the trip went and what he thinks of Cuernavaca. Missions are the greatest!

I love my Schroeder Girls

I know my other daughters read this blog because they have commented a time or two and I just wanted to let them know how much I love them. I don't get to see them very often anymore now that they are all grown up so I just wanted to let them know how much I have loved having them in my life for the past 18 years. I met the Schroeder crew when they moved into my ward 18 years ago. They had 4 girls and I had 5 boys that matched them almost perfectly in age (remember I cheated and had twins). Their mom became my dearest friend almost instantly and our families just kind of meshed into one big messy glob. We did everything together. We spent countless holidays at each other's houses, had game nights, play dates, sleepovers and enjoyed being each other's surrogate brothers and sisters. I have great memories of the Schroeder Sisters. Rae was always the only girl at Tanner and Logan's birthday parties and Jensen was the only boy at Brooke's. I think at least two of them have had to wear some of my boys' underwear because they laughed so hard they peed their pants while over at our house. They have invented games and song lyrics with and about my boys. I have several prom pictures of Calee and Kyle even though they never actually went to the prom with each other. They always went in the same group so I just took pictures of them as if they were each other's dates. I have pictures of Calee and Kyle with their mouths full of marshmallows and Nikki and Kyle with their mouths full of s'mores. Literally full. They were always in competition with each other. The girls have sung at our Eagle courts of honor, our baptisms, our mission farewells and our holiday parties and I cry every time I hear them because I'm as proud of them as if they were my own. I remember helping Calee throw her parents a surprise anniversary party. I was WAY more excited than Rita about Nik making BYU cheerleader. I loved throwing Nik her bridal and baby showers and I can't wait to do all the other girls' showers too. One of my most precious memories is of the girls kneeling down in prayer together after hearing that I had accidently run over Hunter and praying for his safety. It was so fun watching Rae see the twins for the first time after they got off their missions. She couldn't stop hugging them. I loved the Catch Phrase show down a couple of Christmases ago. Moore boys against Schroeder girls. I made sure we had plenty of Jensen's underwear handy. I always keep an extra pair of underwear handy whenever I'm around Louie because she is so dang funny. She has the wittiest sense of humor I've ever heard. She's so intelligent that half the stuff she says goes right over everyone's head but I hear it all and my mouth hurts by the time she goes home. For a very long time these girls were the daughters I never had so Nickle pickle, Calee-Walers, Rae and Lou , thanks for the memories and I hope we make many more. I love you all!

I love being right

I was totally right about the effect Sarah would have on our family. We are soooo glad she came to live with us this summer. She is a blast. She is always happy. She is a great cook and has baked us numerous things already. That is actually a negative as we are all trying to get a little slimmer but they sure taste good, nonetheless. She gives back rubs and drags us on walks. She loves to shop and swim and go to the beach and do her nails. All of our friends love her and she already has a bunch of new phone numbers in her phone. There is absolutely no down side to having her here and we are all dreading the day she goes back to school. This is the first time we've ever had anyone live with us who wasn't in our immediate family and we will never forget this very fun summer.

I'm in love

I can't begin to tell you how much I love Ava Lynn Moore. In just the 4 short weeks that she's been on this earth I have completely fallen in love with her. We had a major bonding day on July 9th while her parents were at Disneyland. I couldn't get enough of her. I kissed her until her head was soggy and just held her all day and night. She really never cries. She squeaks when she wants some food but otherwise she just hangs out and sleeps. There is nothing better than having her sleep on my chest. I can't stop kissing her when she's in my arms. I smell her too. I just inhale long whiffs of pure "Ava". She is back in Utah now and I miss her terribly. I can't wait to see her again. I long for the day when she will actually know me and when she will be old enough to understand how much I love her. Until then, I'll just have to tell the world that Granny Dyanny loves her sweet Ava Moore than anything in the world!

Blessing

My grandbaby is officially blessed! We had a private blessing at the Salisbury's house in Valley Center. It was surreal hearing my son bless his baby. She was an angel, as usual. She looked so beautiful in her white dress. So did Alana. Tanner was no slouch either. I missed having Jensen there but was very glad that the rest of my priesthood holders could be there. Tanner gave a beautiful blessing. He sounded like a pro. You'd think he does this all the time. I love being a Mormon and knowing what all of this means. I love our new little Moore family. Great job, Talana.

Nanny & Nodie

My little twinners are 23 years old today. I can't believe it! They are both married and Tanner is a dad. They couldn't say each other's names when they were little so they called each other "Nanny" and "Nodie". I didn't know that there were two of them in there until 13 days before I had them. They were only 6 days early and had to be induced. They would have stayed in there forever! They weighed 7lb 15oz (Tanner) and 8lb 13oz (Logan). Tanner is older by 10 minutes. They have been the best of friends their whole lives. They both went to Brazil on their missions. They got married within 6 months of each other. They are both living in Provo, UT and will be attending BYU in the fall. Right now they are both at Disneyland. I love you my little twinners. Happy Birthday!

Jensen in the MTC

I got a packet of pictures from my missionary yesterday. He looks so happy! He got a terrible haircut from someone in the MTC and he doesn't even care! By the way, anyone thinking of sending a son on a mission just ignore the part of the mission packet that talks about hair lengths. It says in there that they are supposed to have it long enough to have a part but short enough to be off the neck and ears. Baloney! I sent Jensen in with his normal haircut which is a crewcut and I was a little worried that they would be mad that it wasn't long enough to part. Ha! Three weeks in they give him a flippin' Marine high and tight! Way shorter than I gave him. Part, my eye. Anyway, he sent lots of pictures of all of his buddies in his district. They are a goofy looking bunch but it made my heart sing with pride just seeing so many little boys willing to serve the Lord for 2 years. Jensen is already speaking fluent Spanish and making lifelong friends among the other elders. He isn't homesick at all and is getting to rub shoulders with the apostles and have his testimony go through the roof. The missionary program has blessed the Moore family a hundred times over with our 6 missionaries (Pat included). I am so thankful for this wonderfully inspired program. Look out Mexico, here comes Elder Moore!

God Bless the USA

Last Sunday we sang The Star- Spangled Banner in church and I bawled like a baby, as usual. The really bad part was that I was playing the organ at the time. I use that term really loosely because I don't really know how to play the organ but I have to as part of my church calling. Anyway, playing anything while your eyes are full of tears is really difficult. I thought I would share with you why my eyes were full of tears. Have you ever really listened to the second and third verses of our national anthem? They are amazing and very moving. They are as follows:

On the shore, dimly seen thru the mists of the deep, where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes, what is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep, as it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, in full glory reflected now shines on the stream; 'tis the star-spangled banner! Oh, long may it wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh, thus be it ever, when free men shall stand between their loved homes and the war's desolation! Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, and this be our motto: "In God is our trust!" And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

These words just kill me. I love my country so much and I am so proud to be an American. The things we as a people have sacrificed for this country are immeasurable. The blessings we have are inumerable. Our spirits are unconquerable and our conviction, immovable. I know this is a land blessed above all other lands and I am so thankful that I get to call The United States of America "home".