Blessings like rain...

This past weekend has been... there are so many different ways I could describe it, but I don't know what would really give justice to the feelings of my heart. I have been filled with gratitude for the blessings which have been poured down like rain. Already I had been pondering on how amazing it is, in this vast world of so much tumult and sorrow, to have been blessed to have the gospel of Jesus Christ, to share that with a wonderful family, have the love of a most incredible husband and baby, to live close by our families, to live in the land of the free (and pray that it stays that way... actually goes back to that way... I could go off on a major tangent here...), and then to have my awesomeness of a brother, Hunter, return from an honorable mission in Russia, to see how much more of a great man he has become, and then to meet my amazing Grandpa Kimball for the first time in my life, I am overwhelmed with gratitude, and full of amazement and more gratitude for a loving Father in Heaven which has so beautifully orchestrated it all. Words cannot fully describe the feelings of my heart.

We were SO excited to meet Hunter at the airport, and for Edyn to meet him for the first time! We got all ready to meet him at 6:30pm (his first arrival time), and then learned of a missed flight and delays that pushed him back to 9:30pm. Earlier I thought I would cry but I was so full of excitement I must have forgotten when the moment came and he strode around the bend! The air irrupted into cheering shouts and applause at seeing our long awaited Russian Bear! He was quite the sight to see, tired and glowing, our Russian Bear of a Brother had returned. (Somewhere along the way his luggage decided to take an adventure all its own.)

Introductions and the Joyous Reunion

What a crowd! How lucky we are to know these fine peoples and fabuloso personas! Que suerte!

(That is how you spell Kimball in Russian.... and the USSR... that's my Mom's touch. Something about a song....)

Instant buddies! EedyBelle and Uncle Hunter!

Quite the pair. HAha!

FATHER AND SON

After the passing of my beloved Gramma Jo (a year and a half ago), my Dad decided to try to contact his dad. My Grandpa Kimball and Gramma Jo separated when my Dad was about two years old. (To this day many of us believe she never stopped loving him.) They lost contact until my Aunt Sonya miraculously located him in Idaho earlier this year. Two days after Hunter's return he and my Dad were reunited in person (as they had spoken on the phone since my aunt's contact) for the first time since my dad was a toddler, and it was a day none of us will ever forget. We all felt so overwhelmed, for us to receive such an incredible man for a grandpa (and dad), and on his end to receive a whole family, and his first great-grandbaby. It truly was beyond words.

Aunt Kathy, Grandpa Kimball, Dad

THE THREE STOOGES

It was a weekend full of family fun and parties! We had an awesome Mexican Luau Saturday night! Haha, Luau turned Mexican... Gotta love these guys. Garrett, Tom and Craig, who are probably mortified that they are published...

Grandpa couldn't get over the fact that he had such a beautiful and fun little great grand-daughter. We had such a wonderful time getting to know each other. Grandpa brought us our family history! We found out our ancestors came from England in the 1600's and lots of other fascinating things. Grandpa was a Green Barret in the US Special Forces, served in Vietnam, Korea, and other places during those wars, was a nuclear weapons and linguistics specialist, worked with the CIA (according to his wonderful cousin that we got to meet) still goes on a yearly elk hunt, is a geological engineer and is currently using that specialty for companies, could teach us all kinds of crazy survival skills, and emanates a warmth and love for us like he's known us all our lives.

We were also so very grateful to have Grandma and Grandpa Dykstra come visit from Cedar City! We love them so much and were SO happy to see them! It was their first time meeting Edyn too! (Sorry Brayde, you were gone during this picture... and FYI Bridger is wearing a Muslim hat Hunter brought back from Kazakhstan... so cool.)

THE WHOLE KIMBALL CLAN (Perkins included :)

Reunited at last.

For those that want to see the WHOLE PARTY of a weekend (plus) go HERE.