They were 14...

...when they got married.

Really...no, not really, but they do look SO young in this picture. Shay was such a gorgeous bride. It was a wonderful day and I will always cherish the memory of watching them kneel at the alter together. I also loved the quiet time Shay and I had in the dressing room when I helped her get ready for the ceremony. We both cried, because no one cries alone in our family.






When I think about what has happened since that day, 3 babies, 1 more on the way, moving to Maine, New York, Utah and Ohio, getting into medical school, graduating from medical school, starting residency, buying their first house, and on and on and on...I am amazed at how lucky I am to have Shay for a daughter-in-law. She is one of my best friends. We cry when we see each other, because we are so happy and we cry when I have to leave, because it breaks our hearts that we won't see each other for months and no one cries alone in our family.

Following Andy's graduation ceremony from medical school, we spent 2 wonderful days in the beach house in Maine. We ate lobster, built sand castles and flew kites as the waves crashed on the sandy beach. The day they packed the van, loaded the kids into car seats and pulled out of the driveway headed for OH, Matthew and I cried, because no one cries alone in our family.

I remember when Carlee was born and the day before I was to come back to UT we didn't hardly talk to each other, because we were already homesick for each other. There was a moment when I was sitting on the couch holding this cute little baby, all fresh from heaven, I looked up at Shay and we both started crying at the same time. It confirmed what I already knew, we were family and we loved each other.

I really don't like the phrase, "daughter-in-law", because it makes Shay and Erin sound different than my daughters, apart in some way. Yet, in my mind, they are just as much my daughters as Aubrey, D. and Lala.

I know I didn't watch them grow up, but I prayed for them when they were growing up and I know Heavenly Father was watching over them, protecting them and preparing them. They are both amazing. When they laugh, I laugh, when they cry, so do I, because no one cries alone in our family.

Shay's birthday was last week. It was one busy week for her. She had her first-ever booth at a craft fair and she is getting ready to deliver baby #4. She was on the phone with me everyday as we tried to figure out the best time for me to fly to OH. She was so patient with me as I mulled over the different dates.

In a few days, Carlee will get up and realize that this is the day I am coming. The count down is over, no more fingers to hold up. I will fly for hours and hours, get off the plane and hug everyone...

I am honored that she asked me to come for one of the biggest events to happen this year in our family, grandbaby #13. I know we will cry then too, jut like we did in the temple, because of the joy in our hearts.

...and Shay and I will cry, because that's what mothers and daughters do and because no one cries alone in our family.

Something special...

...about the firstborn. I know that I didn't really comprehend love until I held Aubrey in my arms minutes after she came into my life over 30 years ago. I thought I knew about love. I had been told by my family they loved me and I definitely loved Matthew, but it was when I held that tiny angel, smelling like heaven, her little fingers grasping my finger, counted her toes, held her so close I could feel her heart beat, touched her gossimer hair and then smelled her again, then I knew, really knew, about love. Love at first sight...

Thomas A. Kempis wrote, "Love alone lightens every burden, and makes rough places smooth. It bears every hardship as though it were nothing, and renders all bitterness sweet and acceptable."




It sums up my Aubrey. She got me through some really tough times. She taught me more than anything else in life could about forgiveness, understanding, compassion, selflessness, devotion and true charity.




When she was little she gave me a reason to be better than I was and forgave me when I wasn't. She taught me what it meant to be willing to lay down your life for someone else. She showed me how to listen to others and to the Spirit. She was an example of devotion to family.










...and she still is. Always putting family before herself.









She is brave and committed. Brave in facing life without Chris and committed to taking care of everyone's needs and even their wants.









She is definitely a team player and very often is the coach, organizing family get togethers, reminding us of what is important.




She is always willing. Willing to be there at a moments notice, willing to drive all the way home, just because I want to see her, willing to give of her time, talents and energy to all of us and to the Lord.



I cherish her.

Palisades Falls...

...and the River of No Regrets.





It would have been easier to not go. It would have been easier to find an excuse and she would have understood, after all, we are old and tired. Aubrey knows, she was there the first time and the following 499 times that we traveled with lots of little bodies in the car.





We, Matthew and I, have done our share, taken our turn, made those trips, you know the ones, in the car for hours, sometimes days. And the smells, you know that too, the smells from the back seat and the whiny voices, "I'm hungry", "I need to pee" again, and the never ending "are we there yet?". And of course, there are the Pringle chips ground into a fine powder under foot, the bubble gum thrown from the window still clinging to the side of the car, trails of soda dripping down the console and apple cores that roll around the floor every time we stop.

However, if there's one thing I learned about life after the death of my dad, it is to live a life with no regrets. The river of regret that becomes so deep for some that it swallows them up and they drown in the sadness of the past with opportunities missed or time not spent wisely. I don't want to be there, in that river, having missed out on time with my husband, children or grandchildren.

Matthew suggested we create a diversion for the Tyler's, what with Chris heading back to Afghanistan. Create a little sunshine in the black cloud over their family. At first I wasn't sure I should go. Car trips aggravate kidney pain.

I knew that if I didn't go with Matthew and Aubrey I would be in that river of regret. I knew I would hear about their fun adventure and wish I had been there to remember the fun with them.

In the end it was a wise decision.

We hiked to Palisades waterfall, marvelled in the granduer of God's creations and then cooled our toes in the stream on the way back to civilization.

Thanks, Matthew, for making life beautiful.

Wood splitting, bike riding and bear stories...

...just a few of the fun things at Great Grandma and Grandpa's...


Preston riding the trike
Aubrey enjoyed sitting on the porch watching the children ride the trike

Splitting wood was the show and tell for the day
wolf boy on the swings

drinking from the well, the hills in the back ground are the national forest North of Yellowstone park




wolf boy and Madison went with grampa-great to the wood shed notice the tail on wolf boy
Mother was very interested in the wolf boy hat, he is getting ready to show her the tail
The girls had to play a game of checkers with the board Matthew made, notice the wooden bowl that holds the checkers

Headwaters of the Missouri River...

better known as the Madison River.






The four Tyler children have never floated on the Madison river, and since Madison thinks the river is named after her, we felt the time had arrived



We took the kayaks, float tubes and the john boat, the kids waded, swam, and just floated looking for fish




I felt like I was conducting the symphony, this funny little flotilla of three generations

sometimes we stayed together, Luke liked riding with me




Kaylee heard a coyote howling and yipping on the far shore, she thought she heard pups too.





and then Abbi wanted to tag along with Luke and grampa







Aubrey and Preston were racing a lot, maybe more splashing than racing and then Luke and Madison on the tubes, just playing. It was a grand adventure, one they will want to repeat for many summers. My plan worked.

The way I see it...

...there are really 3 parts to a vacation. It's kind of like a 3 part play, Act 1...

Driving there...

...the three "E's" excitement, expectation and energy...








Act 2...


the end of the eternal question...


...Are we there yet?????


...and the answer...


...we have arrived...


...ever faithful, Old Faithful, right on time.

















...and you thought the car smells were bad...






Act 3...

...I'm hungry!


...I gotta go!!!


...She's breathing my air!!!!???




...one tired puppy...



...and then the Grand Finale....


...safe and sound...


...HOME. (no pictures for the final scene, we were all too tired)