Visit to Iowa, Part 3

Just a few more pictures, courtesy of Amy and Ben. The grandchildren were a lot happier than they look--they were just done with the photo shoot!




And here's a snapshot from the ride home. They both happened to be looking at a Friend magazine so I'm assuming Spencer handed one to Esther because I didn't. She is definitely out of the baby stage and very much a toddler now, trying to keep up with her big brother. She does a good job making her voice heard.

Visit to Iowa, Part 2

We enjoyed seeing my parents' new house in the spring and spent a lot of time outside. They have a wonderful front porch that we put to good use--we DeVochts are good at sitting around and talking! We also received a big surprise while we were there--my brother Kevin, who has been in Iraq for a year, showed up at the doorstep with his family one night. They had driven overnight from Utah and this was the first we had heard from him since he returned from Iraq. He and his wife Stephanie had been scheming this surprise for a while and boy did they surprise Mom. She screeched so loud I thought something horrible had happened but she was just totally and completely shocked. I'm so glad our trip got delayed so we could overlap their visit. It was great to have all of the grandchildren together--the first time ever. Thank you everyone for the great visit!!

Visit to Iowa, Part 1

We got back from a great visit to Iowa this week and I'm congratulating myself for posting already. I can't believe I haven't posted anything since Mother's Day! The highlight of the trip was going to the Nauvoo temple. We had hoped to go on our 5th anniversary, but going a week and a day late wasn't bad. We haven't been there since our wedding and I could not believe that much time has gone by already. It feels like we just got married last year, but we now have two beautiful children and are grateful for the many other blessings we've received in our five years of marriage.

We drove directly from Indiana to Nauvoo and met my parents and some of my sisters there. I couldn't get over how beautiful the temple looked, even though I've seen it many times before.






Spencer was really excited to see the temple (I love that face!) and really wanted to go in with us. Fortunately Gramma and Aunt Amy volunteered to take him and Esther to Old Nauvoo and they had a good time there while the rest of us went in to do a session.


Esther continues to be our shy one but we brought her favorite bunny puppet along (look familiar, Tamara?) and that helped ease the separation.


I'll be so glad to show Esther these pictures of her at the temple once she is older. They are happy memories.