Together Forever:)

Besides the normal stuff of school and work for Shad and I, we had an exciting weekend. Shad took Friday off. His family was coming in town from Kansas and he wanted to see them; he also just needed a little break to recharge from feeling burned out. Shad's dad and mom, Vern and Pris, and his younger sister and brother, Ruth and Levi, stayed with us at our apartment. We enjoyed spending time with them and watching a movie. They enjoyed visiting and playing with Tommy. Shad's sister Cherean and her husband David came from Idaho with their 4 month son, John. They stopped in Salt Lake on their way here to pick up Shad's cousin Stacey and her husband Cole as a surprise. They stayed with Dan.

Saturday morning we got to go to the Denver Temple and be sealed as a family with Tommy for time and eternity. It was such a wonderful experience. We had my mom and grandpa; my brother Jake and his wife Amber; Shad's parents; Cherean and David; Stacey and Cole; Grandma Judy; our friends Paul and Wendy; our adopted parents, Brett and Shannon Mickelsen; and Robin Clark. Dan came with Ryan and met us outside the temple, and Ruth and Levi were there too. Robin, Paul and Wendy joined us for lunch at Applebees with Shad's family after we took pictures. Then all the Kendells gathered at Dan's to visit before Vern, Pris, Ruth and Levi went back to Kansas.

Stacey and Cole came over to our apartment with us to watch a movie while we waited for Dan, Ryan, Cherean, David and John to come over for dinner. We had a late dinner and then played "What If?" Stacey, Cole, David and Cherean went to church with us for stake conference on Sunday. Shad went with them in their car to help them find the church and Stacey stayed back at the apartment with me while I gave Tommy a bath because he sprayed during his diaper change right before we had to go. Stacey, Tommy and I were half an hour late.

Shad and I had lunch and played games with our friends Aaron and Ginny at their apartment on Sunday. Then we went to my parents' house to give my sister Lori her birthday presents. Her birthday was on Saturday, but we didn't get over to see her because we were with Shad's family. Then we went to see our friend Chris.

Yesterday was Mom's birthday. Tommy and I walked to King Soopers after Shad left for work. We bought supplies to make cheesecake at Mom's house. Lori and I got Mom a puzzle. It was nice to have one last dinner with both grandpas while my mom's dad was still here. He left this morning.

Mom and I worked on canning pickles today after my class. We're canning 3 dozen quarts for each of us and probably only got half done. Lots more work to do tomorrow.

I'll post pictures later. We got some good ones of everyone at the temple.