Daddy's Little Girl

Pardon me while I get sentimental... but one year ago today, I gave birth to my first child. She was a such a tiny person wrapped in a hospital blanket, and I still remember how surreal it felt to be a new mother.

We lucked out. She was such a good baby. Slept through the night, almost from the time we brought her home from the hospital. Rarely cried. Ate like a champ. Always seemed to have a peaceful smile on her face. She was perfect in every way.

When I thought about what to get Katie for her birthday, I realized that the most precious gift I could offer her, was already given---the day I married her father for time and all eternity in the temple.

Jonathan is the best father I could ever ask for. He brings the power of the priesthood into our home and is always attentive to his family. Katie's face lights up whenever he walks into the room, and he is always able to make her laugh.

Looking back on his years in dental school (pretty much our entire married lives) I've watched him work and sacrifice and sweat and slave to earn his dental degree. Those years were intense for both of us, but I've never been more proud of him than on his graduation day. He has paid the price to be who he is today, and it will bless our family for generations to come.




So, when we sang "Happy Birthday" to Katie, I gave Jonathan a big hug. He is the best birthday present a little girl could ever ask for!

Arachnophobia

For Labor day, we went on a 3 mile hike through a state park called Paynes Prarie which is 10 miles outside of Gainesville. It was hot and muggy outside, but we were up for a little adventure, or so I thought...

We came across one of these. It was the biggest spider we'd ever seen.
It spanned Jonathan's hand. It made my skin crawl

Sidenote: The reason I'm looking off in the distance is that I heard sudden rustling in a swamp 25 feet away. We had just passed a sign that said:

"Don't feed the alligators. $500 fine"

If the previous photo was a little too disturbing.

Here is something to calm your fears.



Awwww. Butterflies in Love.



Eeeek!

In high school biology I was assigned to collect insects and mount them.

This little guy would have been the envy of the class.
Guaranteed "A+"



Halfway through the hike we looked up, and to my horror, spiders were hanging from the canopy of trees right over our heads. They were in all directions. We had no choice but to walk under them.

I began shrieking. Jonathan rolled his eyes.


"You're overreacting," he said.




He counted them. 35, 36, 37....gigantic spiders.
"Awesome!" He exclaimed.

I thought I was going to faint.


Now, to be fair, I was expecting Florida to be buggy, and it isn't.
To my surprise, there are many lizards and bats, but until now, I haven't seen anything unusal or an overpopulation of creepy crawlies or mosquitoes.


We finally made it out alive and survived to blog about it.
We had the summer of a lifetime. Hope yours was great too!

Orlando Temple

We are grateful to live near a temple.

The Orlando temple is about 1 1/2 hours from Gainesville.

Even though the most "magical place on earth" is in town,

I think this place is pretty cool too!

The temple district covers all of Florida, Southern Georgia, Barbados, and Guadeloupe.
I'm sure that those who take a boat to get here are excited for the new temple announced in Fort. Lauderdale.