Kade's Officially 4

Kade's Pre-4th Birthday Bash With The Family

Kontrary To Belief I Made It!!!: My Temple Day

Today's the BIG day!

A day I honestly thought would never take place.

It's not just me that believed this day would never happen.

Ask around...

Anyone who knows me would have told you the same thing.

Actually, they probably did!

March 26, 2011 The best Saturday of my life!

At the beginning of the year I was still attending the Cooley Station Ward. I finished my Temple prep. classes with Brother and Sister Strader in their home, where I instantly fell in love with them. I loved the intimate setting in their home and the wonderful spirit that I felt while there. After I finished up my classes with them, I met with Bishop Porter (that same night January 11, 2011) and received the first part of my recommend. Then on February 2, 2011 I met with my Stake President, President Anderson and went through the second portion of the interviewing process and received my completed recommend. 

Most people go through the Temple immediately following the completion of their recommend. However, I waited 2 months so my entire family could be their with me. Tiffany, Roger, and the kids all came down from Colorado and stayed at Merri and Richard's house to share this amazing day with me.

My Dad, Kade and I came up Friday after work and met Merri and Tiffany at the Church Distribution Center where they helped me prepare and pick out everything I needed to enter the Temple for my first time. It was so nice to do this together. I will never forget it.

Merri and Richard graciously opened up there home to all of us, so that we could all be together. We celebrated Roger's Birthday, and just enjoyed each others company. When it was time to part ways, Natalie and Justin offered to take Kade and Michael to their house for a slumber party. I have to admit it was very nice of them.

Saturday morning we all met back over at Merri and Richard's. 

Tiffany plucked my dreadful eyebrows, and then Natalie did my makeup, and trimmed my eyebrows with a little help from Miss Maggie of course. Together they all made me look and feel beautiful on my special day. It is always nice to be pampered. Thanks guys!!!

Maggie doesn't even need to look apparently while she does makeup!

Since my Mom did not make it to the Valley for me to go through the Temple, all of my sisters got together and nominated Natalie to be my escort. They knew I could never pick between them, so I am so grateful they chose for me. I could not have asked for a better escort. I love you Natalie, and I am so glad we got to share this amazing experience together. We went from sharing a bed growing up to this. 

I love these pictures of Natalie and I together. 

Natalie and I arrived to the Temple before everyone else needed to be there. I honestly felt like I was in Heaven while I was in the Temple. Everyone dressed in white standing throughout the Temple wearing angelic smiles upon their soft faces. They were at every entrance to every room to help me along the way. I got all of my crying out at the very beginning before Natalie and I met up with each other again. Everything that the wonderful Temple workers said to me at the very beginning filled every part of my being that felt hollow or weak. Their words reinforced me and made me feel whole and worthy of every good thing that I have now and am yet to still receive. Word's can't describe how beautiful it was. Almost like the words were perfectly tailored for me and me alone.

When Natalie and I met up again, I was blessed with another wonderful experience. Natalie and I were sitting next to each other, and she grabbed my hand and just held it. She later removed her wedding ring and placed it on my finger. My eyes were still filled with tears. As I looked at my hand through tear filled eyes at the wedding ring on my finger I felt like my spirit was hovering inches over my body, and a warm reassuring feeling that I can't describe in any other way comforted me and let me know that my day to enter the Temple with an amazing man who would be a wonderful Father to Kade and loving companion and friend to me is not too far off, and will one day join me to be sealed as a family for time and all eternity. Heavenly Father must really know how badly I needed that reassurance. 

It was beautiful being in the Temple with the people I love. I am so glad that my Dad, Natalie, Justin, Tiffany, Roger, Merri, Richard, Tammy, Tawna, Brother and Sister Strader, and even a fellow Birthmother Jill (who just happened to be in the same session), all got to be there with me. No empty chairs!!!

I MADE IT!!!

Thanks everyone for supporting me on this eternal life changing day. 

My Dad and his 4 Girls

Natalie, Katie, Dad, Tiffany, Merri

The Clan

I sure love the bond that my sisters and I share. I think we are all pretty neat.

Their unconditional love and good examples played a large role in me making the life changes that were needed to get me into the Temple.

Youngest to Oldest

Katie, Natalie, Tiffany, and Merri

...on the steps of the Mesa, Arizona Temple

The cutest Escort in the Temple that day (Natalie), and I.

One of my biggest Cheerleaders Tamy Scheurn. Thanks for being my shining star through my difficult journey.

Tawna and I.

Tawna seems to be present at all of my most important days/milestones. She was in on Kade's birth and is now here with me in the Temple. Love you Tawna, thanks for being there for me through thick and thin. 

I think I am glowing.

After the Temple Natalie and I hit up Bahama Bucks and had a delightful treat.

We got back to Merri's, and I guess I wore Natalie out because she literally passed out on the couch. You are too cute Nat.

I love you Roger. You have seen me at my worst, and I am proud that you were here to see me at my best. I have always looked up to you so much, and you calling me and you telling me in person how proud you are of me will never stop playing over and over again in my head, because those words coming out of your mouth changed me forever.

I will never forget the time in High School when my Dad picked me up and told me he was disappointed in me! It hurt more than any physical pain I had ever experienced, and for nearly a decade after that experience I lived up to nothing more than those 4 words. 

Having my Dad by my side in the Temple smiling, and telling me that he was so proud of where I am at, and how far I have come, healed the pain I carried with me in my heart all of that time. I am Happy again! I am Me again!

I had to get a picture with the 4 best big Brothers in the World. With these guys as my role models their is no way I can pick me a Dud next time around, especially because they will be doing the picking for me!