New babies deserve the best of everything

happy day!!!!

Meet Kyle Stephen Kirk
so glad that you could join the family
we welcome you with open arms
"New babies deserve the best of everything....
and a family like the kirks is a great start!!!"

misionary update--still positive--still giving her all--?ignore that date on this post I just edited this post and updated her thoughts..

april 6th she wrote

Dear family, this pic. enclosed was taken back in the MTC but I don't really have any of her since she reached coinbra, portugal and I think a pic adds to the blog --so I used this cute one.

she writes:

i am so grateful to be here in Portugal i absolutely love everything
about it. i love the people, the food, the culture - i love the kisses on
the checks from everyone it makes you feel close to people. i love that i
get to teach people about the gospel and even though i sometimes get
frustrated because i am not as effective as i want to be or that time is
wasted a lot more than i would prefer i had a feeling during conference
that i just need to do what i can do and i what i can control and then be
happy no matter what else happens. i just get so stressed because i want
to make all my time effective because it is really the lords time but i
just do what i can do.
i know the lord is blessing me with patience and with the language. i
still have a long time to go but i know that they lord is blessing me a
lot.
love you all thank you so much for all the letters and love! you are the
best family ever!

love Irma Call"

Stake Conference went well-then we faded out like the sunset and rested...

Dear Family


beginning with the Temple session on Fri all the way to the last session on Sunday --there was a great spirit about the meetings of stake conference--
the picture posted really only represents that as the sun set--on Sunday we were happy to fade into the sunset as they say--and rest--sometimes a spiritual feast can make you tired, and when dad speaks--it can make him exhausted. so back to remarks about the stake conference sessions-


everyone was so well prepared with their talks and thoughts and it motivated me to change, and be better. The Sunday of conference also ended on a great note--with the dedication of the draper temple--what a great time to live in when so much temple work is being done and to be a part of the last dispensation with all the gospel truths is such a joy to dad and I and to you I'm sure. Well just wanted to let you know that dad came through as he always does and spoke to the youth and in the main session of stake conference and I was so very happy of the spirit that attended him and his talk. I know you can all be so happy to have a dad like him- Love mom

happy birthday mayley

Dear mayley

happy birthday we so easily remember the day you joined your cute family here on earth--we loved you from the start--since then we have come to know and love you even more

we love that you love us

we love that you play barbies with us and watch back yardigans with us

we love that you let us help paint your fingers nails

we love your spirit of adventure--last thurs you were riding on "top" of the little red car

we love that you like to swim and play in the water--hope you got to swim "after" your party

we love that you chase and play tag with hunter and take him on your adventures too

we love that you enjoy cake and candle and blowing out the candles

we love that you let us read books to you and then you read them back to us

we love when you play us songs on the piano and let us help you build blocks

we love that you paint the window so pretty and draw us pretty pictures

you are as pretty as a picture yourself and we love your sweetness happy birthday

hope it is wonderful

happy St. Patricks day

dear family

I love all holiday and today is no exception --

HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY --

hayley reports that she is well

this pic was taken from of her before arriving in Porugal--I thought if fit--could have the caption--hooray

I'm off the long flight and in the mission field.....read on...

first letter home from Portugal from Irma Call says she is well and happy:

here is a quote from her letter: then you can feel of her enthusiasm

..it goes:

hello family

i am here in portugal and i am having the time of my life. I love the mission. it is seriously the coolest thing ever i don´t know why everyone come on a mission. Today is p day obviously and we had to come to porto for some unknown reason.-anyways let me tell you about my amazing life!~okay so i arrived in portugal and was so tired from traveling all day and all night and then we had to declare that we were living in the country or something do with our passports and visas - i really have no idea because i don´t really understand what the people are saying to me. anyways it took like almost 4 hours and i totally fell asleep then we ate dinner. my first meal that i ate when there wasn´t a tray underneath my plate so that was realy nice. the dessert was the best part we had ice cream and these really good cookies. the we got to go to sleep and i feel asleep at 7 :30 at night. that was awesome until i woke up at 2 and couldn´t fall back asleep for 2 hours - but it was a great time to read my scriptures and study the language The the next day we went to the church and had some instruction and then we got our assignments for our areas and for our comps. i am in a tripla if you hadn´t already figured that out. their names are iram svedin from utah and irma evans from arizona. they are real nice. we are serving in the area of coimbra. it is awesome and i really love everything about it. we live in this tiny studio apartment tva has got nothing on this place lol. okay so maybe they are about the same size with a smaller kitchen. it is awesome and we have great windows. we were live there is a big university i think one of oldest in europe if i am correct about this. they have really pretty architecture its all pretty beat up and dumpy but for some reason i still find it so beautiful. they have these really great botanical gardens here that we go running in in the morning and i just can´t stop smiling it makes me so happy that a- i am running out side b- i get to run in magical gardens. here is my address: Avenida sá da bandeira
115 10ºF
Golden shopping center
3004-515 coimbra
Portugal

....Irma Call

things have a way of working out

Hi family--you might laugh at this post--but I have to share it--even if you've all already heard my story---here goes--well,

these are my brown shoes--but hayley has some black missionary ones like them. I know Heavenly father answers prayers --even little things like being able to find the right missionary shoes--by the time hayley requested her black ones--the shoes had gone on "clearance" through some odd turn of events--we found a pair that were sent in from the nevada REI (who knew to look at REI for shoes) but anyhow--they got here before hayley flew out and we got them to her before her big departure day--it was a blessing. When she called to say goodbye--she admitted that she secretly deep down hope we could get them to her before she left--but figured there was not chance--when we did she was happily surprised. now she can walk all over the cobble stones in Portugal and have nice tough shoes to carry her on the Lord's errand--may seem silly--and a bit sketchy in the story details--but I had to post it --as it truly

Tchau--as they say Goodbye in Portugal --so Hayley is on her way

this is sister fuller with snomanman I think?

I think the one with the signs pic is Sister fuller

not sure of the names of the all these elders but they were in her district

throughout the time in the MTC

all five elders and she flew to portugal on Mar 10-

Dear family
well its mar 10 09 and just like we've planned for a long time--hayley is off and on her way...


Its been an emotional day-In a happy way--tears of joy---its like a holiday really
I love that we -got to talk a bit with hayley on the phone --when she left salt lake she had time to talk and we had a good visit..It really was a treat--and yet I have a bit of a longing to see her now that I talked with her--so now I feel satisfied though cause she called for just a few more min from chicargo too..since she had a layover there
so DOUBLE TREAT!


but yet I know this is so great for her and I am so happy that she is going to serve now the people in portugal.. I was so touched as she bore her testimony-

-both the testimony and the spirit that came as she spoke it in portuguese. it is nothing short of the Lord's blessings for missionaries to be able to do that --and the spirit came so strong we are going along fine-and it is a day of celebrating--that she is excited to go--that she is worthy to go

and that she is prepared to go she'll do a terrific job as a missionary--it was so good to hear her voice and in our last little bit of the last of the conversation when she was about to leave for the plane--she wanted to end with her love for not only us (dad and I but for each of you and the support and love that she has felt from ya

-its just to share these feelings with you

love mom

snow in mar

Dear Family

seemed kind of funny to wake up to snow in Mar. and we only got a skiff- can you see my little daffodil flower buds trying to pop up in the flower bed?

-Bryan and Brianne got a few feet of snow Sat. --crazy weather--spring is just around the corner. and I love all seasons and think each bring a different beauty and feeling. mom

update from Hayley

Portugal Flag..............................................................................

here's a pic of dad and hayley a week and three days before she left to the MTC

Dear family
sounds as though Hayley is doing well--we are all excited for her time in Portugal to begin after Tues Mar 10, 09 --I just wanted to tell all you that I think you've been wonderful brothers and sisters to write and support her --I think once uncle Laren said that he could really sense..from certain elders and sisters --that they came from really supportive families and it had such an impact on the missionary that he could see it in the missionary. I hope that we've all made a difference and continue to do so--as we know--the fun is just beginning. and she'll still need us.
I know you have her letter--but for those who peek in on our blog from time to time (our family news letter and I like to think of it) here is an except:

oh it has been a great experience to be the coordinating sister i have really learned the importance of being obedient i was planning on doing it before but this experience has made me sure of that fact. . I am really so thankful for my experience here in the mtc i have learned and grown so much and learned so much about the gospel. I am excited to go to portugal even though i know that i will be even more humbled than i have been here. i have really learned that there is no way i can do this work without the help of God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost. I am so grateful for the atonement of jesus christ. One of my favorite parts of the atonement that i think we sometimes forget is that everything that is wrong or hard in this life will be right in the next life. I love my savior jesus christ and i am thankful for the gospel in our life. i know that we are so blessed because of it! I love you all so much and am so excited to talk to you all on tuesday! loves! love irma

PS new address for Hayley:

Sister Hayley Call
Portugal Porto Mission
Rua De Amalia Luazes, n, salsa 1
4200-052 Porto
PORTUGAL
(94Cent stamp)

MT Timpanogus

Doesn't Mt Timp look so pretty this time of year--(when you are down here looking up)
I still reflect on my hike from last summer when I drive past this magestic mountain. I still am thankful the hike ended with the minium injuries and that all is well that ended well--just to report--I haven't been skiing yet this year--but my ankle is healed and now its just a memory.