January Bundles

I still can't believe that it is February. I am really trying to get used to writing 2016 and seeing it everywhere I go. January has been both good and frustrating to us.. There is always a bit of goodness and happiness if we look for it, but we have had a great deal of doctor visits as well. And those are rarely fun.

Lydia has been battling double ear infections for a couple weeks that don't seem to want to go away. So we have been back a lot. Between fevers and weird rashes that have driven us here as well..

Lydia has trigger thumb on both of her thumbs. This is where she isn't able to straighten her thumbs. Her right thumb is bent at a 90 degree angle and her left is at 45 degrees. It doesn't hurt her, but she does get frustrated when trying to open books or grab things with her thumbs. We have gone to an Pediatric Orthopedic surgeon to see if there are steps we can take to help her.

We'll decide by March if surgery is needed or if we can wait a few years and just watch them and see what happens.

This is truly how we have felt about this room at our doctor's.. every week.. And there have been a few weeks of multiples and up to 4 visits! What?!

Lydia's favorite toy in the world would be a book. She is obsessed and I'm not even kidding. This girl owns her own private library and she will sit for hours and just look at her books and be completely satisfied. She knows how to say book , though she isn't great with her "k's" and she will often speak gibberish as she looks through them as if she is reading them. I love it. I love having a little book lover.

My sister Raquel came to visit.. which easily made this January the best January we have had out of our 4 Januaries here. We did our usual Chicago Show-down.. Took her to Millennium Park and to the Field Museum and to the famous and delicious Wildberry and Portillos.. and of course had to top her visit with a visit to the Silo for the best deep dish pizza! It was amazing. We have been so blessed to have so many family members come out to visit us here. We definitely get lonely and so it always feels nice to see those you love. 

Lydia was in heaven to have her aunt here.. but so was I. I really do hope that we will be within driving distance when we move in a few months.

We also took a big leap of faith this month and said goodbye to our precious and beloved cat Minnie. After the big break of being home in Utah for 7 weeks and having her stay with our friend Lynn, we just felt very strongly that Lynn needed to have the cat.

With our current situation of moving and then being in limbo for a couple months while we looked for somewhere to live and whatnot-it just felt like Minnie needed a secure home and environment. Though I have cried because I have seriously loved and adored this cat.. we gave her to the best home in the world. She will be pampered and given the attention she needs and deserves.

It still is hard when I see a boot lying out in the corner of my eye and think it's the cat-or when Lydia tries to climb under the bed looking for the "hi titty". But I know we did what was right and needed. So long sweet Minnie.

With January being such a cold and frigid month, we have been SO blessed to have good neighbors just in our backyard who can walk over and play. Lydia and Lincoln are more like siblings and it is adorable to watch. They love playing together and it makes cold winter days go by that much faster and better.

So long January. We are ready to welcome a fresh February!

JAMES IS HOME "The kingdom of God or nothing"

Home had multiple meanings this week. First it meant Utah-being home in a place that I love, and second it meant that for the first time in 2 years my family was all together in one home. It was magical.

My brother James returned from a 2 year mission to Seattle Washington on August 24th. The wait at the airport was worse than a 4 year old waiting for Christmas morning. We arrived at the airport at 6:40 but his plane wasn't supposed to land until 7:30. And so.. we waited.. and waited.. and waited some more. We were tracking his flight on some app on my Dad's phone and it seemed like he was never going to make it across Idaho to get here. 7:30 came and went and then 8 came and went. I think my heart had transformed into a giant drum in my chest.

And then.. he came. Down the escalators came a group of young boys and honestly as my eyes quickly searched and found his face, I am not sure what else happened. We all started bouncing up and down and screaming and yelling and crying..



Coming from a house full of women, I am not sure what James was thinking as a welcome for when he arrived home-but I doubt we surprised him with all our tears.

He walked into a cloud of estrogen and tears-with 4 crying sisters+a weepy mom and dad. There was so much love, I wish I could have just gathered it all up in a bottle and held it forever.

It has been amazing to see the change in James in the past 2 years. He left an 18 year old crazy kid and came back a selfless and humble spiritual giant.

                    

I think James's last email home sums up how this kid has changed. It's amazing, he's amazing.

This is it.
My heart is full, but no words are coming to mind. There isn't a letter I could write, or a speech I could give, that would properly convey the feelings I have toward my mission and my Heavenly Father.
That's okay though; I believe the greatest sermon one can give is the way they live their life. I hope that when I come home, you will see the impact that my mission has had on me and who it has helped me to become.
It's hard to see changes in yourself, because change happens incrementally. One change I do see and feel is the presence of the Spirit. I have become well acquainted with Him and know why He is essential in this spiritual battle we are engaged in. I don't believe there is anything more important than keeping the Spirit close and learning to recognize His call.

I will forever be grateful for my mission. I wasn't a foreign speaking missionary, but I did learn the language of the Lord. I'm grateful for that.

The lessons learned, the friendships made, and the experience's the mission has given me mean everything to me and I wouldn't trade them for the world.
I love my Heavenly Father. I love my Savior. I love serving God's children.
I feel I have always known the church was true but serving a mission has helped me become true to the church.
The motto, "The Kingdom of God or nothing." has rooted itself deep in my heart.

I will always be a missionary for the Lord and have handed my life over to Him.
"I'll do what you want me to do and I'll be who you want me to be, dear Lord. If you ever need an errand run, James Kendell will run it for you."

I testify this is the work of Almighty God. He is real. This work is real. There is nothing more real! For real.;)

"You find yourself when you lose yourself" (David W. Hart) That is true.

I hope my offering is acceptable to the Lord.

I love you all! I'll see you real soon.

-Elder Kendell

Kendells Take Chicago

    My parents and little sister Brooke came out to visit us the last weekend in April. It was honestly one of the best weekends we have had in a long time. My mom has only been once before (right when I had Lydia so we didn't get to do a whole lot at that time for obvious reasons) and it was my Dad's and Brooke's first time visiting so we tried to pack a lot in to the 3 days they were here.

      The first day we went to our favorite breakfast joint called Wildberry. Hands down the best breakfast food I have ever have and I am usually not a big breakfast person! Then we went and drove around all the mansions and cool houses in Lake Forest and Lake Bluff. It was a bit too cold to get out and walk it. But we stopped quickly and got out to show them Lake Michigan at one of the beaches.

Lydia decided to share her lunch with Brian. 

    That night, after Brian was done with school and tests, we ordered our favorite deep dish pizzas from The Silo and rented a redbox and just played with Lydia. She loved having her grandparents and auntie visiting. It was Christmas all over again!

      Saturday we got ready to drive into Chicago to first do the architecture tour by boat (which is THE BEST way to see Chicago) and then walk around and see the Bean at Millennium Park and Magnificent Mile and whatnot. We were pooped by the time we got back to the car and ready for naps.

Seahawks in honor of my brother James serving an LDS mission in Seattle Washington.

     Sunday we went to church and came home for a quick walk and lunch before they all took off for the airport. Short and sweet was the visit (a bit too short for me-I wanted them here longer!) but it was so nice to have them come see us! We love having family out!!

Kendell Family Music Video #3

And another one was created! 

Here is our 1st Family Music Video Tonight Tonight
Here is our 2nd Family Music Video Hopin' and Wishin'

Conference Consequences

    Haha, Saturday General Conference sessions taught us all some great lessons.. especially my dad and James. We'll see if they'll fall asleep during the afternoon session next time! ツ

Haha ツ

Christmas with the Kendells

     The Kendell Klan has a tradition for Christmas Eve where we build Gram Cracker houses and see who can be the most creative with their work. Brian and I returned home from our wonderful trip with the Larsons to Disneyland just in time to quickly throw together our little house. This year ours was a barn! Last year it was castle!

    On Friday December 30th my whole family went to the Bountiful temple together. It was a very special experience for us to be there together with the realization that this is forever!

Walking on ICE

    This winter has been very dry. We haven't had much snowfall at all! It has been cold though, and cold enough that the lake behind my house is frozen about 4 inches to 6 inches thick! From my house on the shore, we can hear this deep moan. It sounds like a whale or an Alien ship from movies. It is the sound of the ice expanding and cracking from the lake. Since there is no snow, the ice is clear and smooth. My family has taken a few walks out on the ice. It is a spectacular experience! Especially when the ice cracks and moans right next to us!

Here we all are out laying on the ice!

It looks like pure glass..

The ice is so clear that along the shores you can see the plants, rocks, and fish swimming underneath! It is like looking through a window to the water!

 That plant is UNDERNEATH the ice!

    Our dog Gus, was terrified of walking across the ice. He would hear it crack and wouldn't follow after us but turn around and go farther out on the ice. Eventually we had to carry him back to the shore. Since then he won't step his paw on the ice anymore. Poor Pooch! Ha
    This is just another example of God's incredible creations. What a neat opportunity to encounter in our own backyard. I love when I drive down the free way and I see the billboard signs of a little boy holding a xbox controller and then in the picture on the side holding a turtle. The sign reads one word, "Unplug." I love that! I find it so important to unplug from all the technology around us and find moments like these to enjoy God's wonders and creations.