I'm back!

I'm going to try to keep up with my blog again. Things that have happened since my last post.

Thanksgiving! We traveled to California and had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration with Grandma and Grandpa Parkin et al. We went to the beach - rented one of those dorky 4 person bicycles (two of them), saw "Wicked" at the Pantages Theatre and ate way too much because Grandma is such a good cook!

December came and we had a fantastic Christmas celebration at home! Uncle Scott and his girlfriend Cherie spent Christmas week with us and we had so much fun with them. The kids got everything the hoped for (I think) and Mark and I gave each other a CRUISE to the Caribbean in February! December also brought another houseguest.....Richard from Haiti. He arrived the day Scott and Cherie left. Richard was accepted into BYU's English Language program. He stayed with us until January 26th. He is now living in his own place close to BYU.

January came and we celebrated Katiana's "14th" birthday! We had a party at the bowling alley complete with "cookies and cream" ice cream cake! She even had a fellow bowler ask if he could BUY a piece of her cake for $5 buck! I think it was a successful birhtday party!

February came and went in a blink! Katiana was baptized on February 1! This was a wonderful day for all of us. She was absolutely radiant! Grandma and Grandpa came to tend our children while we (Mark and I) ran away to the Caribbean for a little sunshine! We had a fabulous time. We were able to visit: Aruba, Curacao, Grenada, Barbados, St. Lucia, Dominica, St. Kitts/Nevis, Tortola/Virgin Gorda and San Juan. I love the Caribbean. I love its beauty and its beautiful people. I might live there someday! We came home to more snow then we left. The day after we came home we took Katiana to the temple to be sealed to us forever! It was a beautiful day. Dad was able to perform his first temple sealing and our family was beautiful all dressed in white. We waited a long time for this day. Dad pointed out as he talked with all of us that we had waited 30 months. It was so rewarding to accomplish this important event for all of us. It brought a sense of relief and a sense of excitement to see our family change with the addition of beautiful Katiana. I didn't cry as much as I thought I would.....perhaps because I just felt so happy after all the struggle to get her home -- GOOD DID WIN over evil! She is a member of our family now eternally!

I will post some pictures from the past few months. I love you all!
tash