Choosing your Family

When I was a senior in high school, I met my uncle chad. He and his wife had moved from Utah to work on the new hospital, and to be honest, I thought they were both weird as heck. Then uncle chad was called to serve in the young mens, and destiny set in.

Through his calling, we got to know each other just by talking, and in reality he took me under his wing and I felt as if I had someone who cared about my well-being.

He became the person I confided in, and the person who I trusted to cry with. He became my uncle chad when our relationship was questioned by others. People would see us talking and hugging and people thought something inappropriate was going on. He was warned to be careful around me, and in fact, told to stop interacting with me, but he ignored them, and "uncle chad" was born. 

When I talk about him I always say uncle chad, and no one questions. Sometimes I feel as if I have to explain that he's not really my uncle, but other times I don't.  I explain my surrogate father: he gave me my first blessing, has the best hugs, listens without judgement, counsels without malice. He became someone who I could trust and love knowing I would never be hurt.

I inherited an amazing family along with uncle chad: I inherited aunt christy, and cousins: Cody, Zach, and Nathaniel.

When I was leaving for college, he and his family were moving back to Utah, fairly close to where I would be attending. I was able to go and visit as I needed, and it was a good escape from the stressors of my life that were happening at the time.

                                       

He drove all the way to CA from UT to celebrate our wedding, without ever meeting Chris.

When Chris chose to get baptized, Uncle Chad drove all the way to CO to support him in his decision.  I wish we would have gotten a photo with everyone, but there was so much going on, we didn't even think about it.

On this last visit we were able to sit and talk about all the different happenings going on in each of our lives. He said that family is important, and he will always be there for me.

This comment has resonated with me, ever since: family. He is family. They are family.

Happy Day!

I posted this picture on Saturday on Facebook, with the caption "Happy Day!":

One of the comments read:

 "What happened?!?! Is this a big day?"

I stared at this comment for close to 20 minutes and pondered it for the next two days. By societal standards this was NOT a big day. No one looking in from the outside would consider this a significant day. But is this a big day? Yes. This day changes how I view my future. It changes how I view my husband. It changes how I view my faith. It changes how I view myself. This day changes everything.

My wonderful husband made the choice to be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Saturday, my husband was baptized by Elder Empey, a missionary who has been out in the field only 5 short weeks. I remember when they announced in church we were getting a missionary straight out of the MTC and I got the strongest feeling that there was a reason we were getting this new missionary.  Then when I met him, I knew why.  Chris told me after the first time Elder Empey was at our house that you could definitely tell the missionaries who wanted to be out, from the missionaries who felt like they "had" to.  Elder Empey is what I would consider a true to form missionary, who will always hold a special place in my heart.

At Chris's baptism, a member of the bishopric spoke, and he explained how this was a huge step in his life, but the world would not see it that way. That's how I feel right now. I feel as if my world has been turned upside down, but the world around us keeps on moving forward. 

I was thinking about my life I thought Chris and I were going to have, and now I have to rethink our whole future. Now, instead of having my brother bless my babies, my husband will be able to. Instead of having Uncle Chad come baptize my children, my husband will be able to. Instead of prolonging my visit to the temple, my husband now will take me. Instead of going to church alone, my husband will be sitting next to me.  Instead of asking a home teacher for a blessing, my husband will. Instead of holding family prayer alone, my husband will help me. Instead of raising my children alone in the gospel, my husband will help me. 

It's crazy how one small, seemingly insignificant, event can change your life forever. But this event has; my life is forever changed.