"Life Is Lemons": Family Pictures

I have to give a shout out to my sister for her AMAZING talent as a photographer. I am always such a wreck on picture day but somehow she manages to make us look very calm, happy, and the kids look so very obedient :)

Thank you Cortney for the fabulous pictures! I highly recommend her to anyone who still needs holiday photos taken. Check out her website at www.cortneynicole.com.

Tender Mercies

Everyone has a story: life experiences that have either strengthened us or made us weaker and have defined who we really are. Our story is no different; George and I were both married previously to very wonderful people who changed our lives and helped us become who we are. We each suffered a tremendous loss when our spouses (Joel and Summer) died of cancer leaving us with an unfinished story of the lives we had imagined. Through the grief, loneliness, suffering, and pain we both realized that our stories were being revised and that Summer and Joel were helping in that process.

George and I met in March of 2007. We dated for a year and it was a wonderful year full of compassion, empathy, healing, and love. My dad often talks about the tender mercies of the Lord and we both know that our lives have been touched by these tender mercies in ways we never dreamed possible.

We were married on March 1, 2008 in the Salt Lake Temple. The new revisions in our story may seem complicated but to us it's rather simple. Our kids know how much we love each other and are so happy to be a complete famiy again. They also know that "daddy Joel" and "mommy Summer" are a big part of our lives and that families are eternal and we will see them again someday. George and I often joke that "we are blessed....we think!," but the truth is we have been blessed beyond measure. We've had our trials and there are still sad days but we have each other to lean on. We now have someone to share things with--it feels so good to love again!