First, I want to explain why it has been a while since I posted. We have had a crazy summer with car issues and basement finishing as well as pregnancy. With all this crazy stress we have continued to move forward in faith. Mackenzie is now in preschool and after a rough first day is loving it. Hyrum is growing like a weed and is strong. We call him our little Captain Moroni.
So now for the big news, Monday we had our official ultrasound to find out if we were having another boy or girl and we found out that we are having TWIN girls early next year. While we were shocked at first we are also so thankful for this amazing miracle. The girls are due February 8th but will probably come in January. I will post a pregnancy picture of my twin belly soon but first I need to finish healing. You see last Thursday I noticed a small rash on the nap of my neck. At first I thought it was a cluster of bug bites but when they began to hurt I thought maybe they were hives. I went into the doctor on Tuesday and found out that I have shingles. It is caused by the chicken pox virus that is still in your body after you have had chicken pox. It can be reactivated not only when you are older but also when your body is put under extra stress. It is painful but thankfully Eric and Mackenzie are great at helping me manage the pain. While Hyrum is my wonderful cuddle bug.
All of the recent events in my life have made me stop and think about adversity in our lives. While it may be painful and we may wonder why we are asked to go through these painful times I know that the Lord is there with us. Last night, I woke up in pain as some of my shingles began to pop. Has I was crying from the pain, because shingles are connected to nerve endings, I decided to listen to Hiliary Week's song Beautiful Heartbreak and it help me to remember that while the pain is substantial right now this too will be beautiful in the long run. I truly believe in what Elder Richard G Scott has said:
"This life is an experience in profound trust-trust in Jesus Christ, trust in his teachings for happiness now and for a purposeful, supremely happy eternal existence. To trust means to obey willingly without knowing the end from the beginning."
I may not understand now why my family and I have been asked to go through all of these challenges such as car troubles, ill health or unexpected additions but I know that the Lord knows. As I trust in him and try to make it through trials as positively as possible that the beauty of these experiences will come through.
