This Weekend!

Story #1:

Audrey had a baby shower at Jane's & I decided to give her the world!  Esp. since my love for animals has grown thru knowing my sis-in-law (& taking visits to the zoo w/ my bro's fam on numerous occasions in various states & countries), I loved this as soon as I saw it.  Inside I put our lullaby CD, MusicBabies, as well as a b-lated wedding gift (from accidentally missing her wedding shower).  Audrey's having a little girl & it was fun to see all of the cute little outfits members of the Orchestra at Temple Square (including our Concert Master, Meredith) brought her.  I was the only one who brought her a toy (& music), & I'm glad I did since she was also given numerous baby blankets to wrap her little bundle in.  I love this soft planet earth I bought b/c you can stuff all kinds of things inside.  (I'm into handy, clever things)!

Jackie & Audrey

 Story #2:

Lucky me!  I got to finally meet the wonderful metropolitan opera singer my best friend helped bring into the LDS Church.  We had dinner at their house last nite on Ro's last nite before her return back to Va.  (She's been out here doing BYU Education Wk & Deseret Book signings for her artwork).  Jenny & her hus have 5 beautiful children:  2 boys, 2 girls, & a baby daughter.  The girls, in particular, loved showing me the balconies w/ an incredible view of the Mt. Timp LDS Temple.  You should have seen how the baby smiled whenever I rubbed her cheeks & talked to her sweetly.  One of my fav memories of those children was getting to bear testimony w/ them & watch them slide down the stairs together for a video moment.  Bump bump bump down the crickety stairs in their sleeping bag!  Jenny loved hearing the story of Ro's & my childhood & how Ro found the LDS Church.  I got to see pic's of Jenny's baptism & the wonderful people (missionaries, friends, Ro) involved in her finding it.  We all bore our testimonies to each other for a special family home evening together.  Jenny wanted her children to know what I believed after telling her the story of how I shared the gospel w/ Ro.  She wanted her children to know they, too, can be missionaries at a young age.  It made my life feel so worthwhile when she then said how I was the reason all of them were together.  I told the children they probably were in Heaven (before their birth) orchestrating it.  Well, of course, I know it was the Lord's doing & I was just His instrument, but it sure made me feel important at that moment . . . & special!  Thank you, Jenny (& Ro)!!

Jack(ie), Jen(ny), & Ro(se)

P.S. ~ I also loved seeing Ro's paintings & drawings everywhere in their house, esp. the one of Jenny's hus's dream about her kissing him on the cheek (before they were married).  Ro painted that moment of inspiration for their wedding gift.  So beautiful!  I'll have to take a pic of it & post it sometime.  Loved hearing the story, too, of how they got engaged on V-Day on top of the Empire State Bldg.  ;-) (Esp. since this is one of my fav movies).