A Week in the Life (or maybe two weeks in the life, or three...you get the idea)

The most common question we get from family and friends right now: "Are you guys alive?" The answer is YES! And we're busy as ever which leaves very little time for blogging. There's no particular order here but we are starting with the most recent going back a few weeks. On to the highlights...

Westy Boy at two months-ish:

Today our Primary met for a morning devotional type meeting on the lawn of the temple. It was a very cool and special thing. Thanks Primary! The Mesa Temple:

Our family at the temple today:

And yesterday we had my cousin AnneMichelle in town and her family. My girls know her as Aunt AnneMichelle. It was fun to visit at the pool at the hotel and then take the girls miniture golfing for their first time. Very interesting...Neeley was perplexed by the holes where you had to get your ball in before the castle door shut. It was too much for her so she would walk up and toss her ball in and then state, "that's kinda scary."

And this sums up the miniture golfing experience below:

I believe that was a hole in 21. Whoa.

"Aunt" AnneMichelle dishing out the treats and little gifts she brought. Look at their faces...

We took the girls to a preserve in Gilbert and let them hike and ride their coveted scooters. Scooters are great to have around as they are loved so much that the thought of loosing them incents to clean one's room, feed Millie, clean the play room, etc... It's always nice when something is that loved.

The infamous scooter and the more infamous owner of the scooter:

Here are fresh IDAHO potatoes shipped to us by our dear relative Becky Neeley. My family has farmed potatoes in Idaho for generations and when Hattie's class sent post cards across the country one was sent to my family in Idaho. They sent gold wrapped potatoes back to Hattie's class and there were about five extra and we enjoyed them for dinner. And now our kids actually like potatoes (they didn't before to my amazement as I can't get enough).

And Hattie in her school Patriotic Performance!

The Secrists Unplugged

What a wild two weeks of traveling, sickness and the last week of hospital. FINALLY West is home and our family is under one roof. We were thrilled to get him home yesterday and so thankful for all of the amazing nurses and doctors at Phoenix Children's Hospital. The care we received was amazing and the compassion and friendship so many of these professionals displayed was appreciated.

Additionally, we witnessed a week of angels who came into our lives without being asked, and made life easier with simple to unbelievable acts that make us profoundly grateful. You know who you are! From kid shuttling/managing, little drop-offs at the hospital, visits and refrigerators stocked with food! We love our awesome family & friends and feel "thank you" does not suffice for all of the blessings we received.

We are thankful for our Keller Williams Family too, locally and across the country, that issued hundreds of prayers on our behalf from all faiths and beliefs. I was so touched by the outpouring of so many different faiths united for a little boy in PHX. Faith is faith and we felt the power of all prayers to enable us to make decisions, think clearly without sleep, and to feel peace on hard days. We knew that God's will would be done and that all would be well.

We are thankful for priesthood blessings and know God hears and answers prayers. What an honor it is as a father to issue a blessing to our son in a time of need through the priesthood. It was a moment I will never forget. From that moment forward we felt taken care of and knew all would be well. We just knew it.

And that leads us to today! It is Secrist Unplugged Saturday - it is noon and we are still in PJs, just finished breakfast and plan to just chill. And then of course, West is quite literally UNPLUGGED and back in our home.

Thanks Mrs. Willis' Kindergarten Class for the awesome banner that hangs in West's bedroom.

This is West PLUGGED (no pun intended on all levels).

And here is West UNPLUGGED at home, the day he came home.

And here are the gals - still in PJs, building forts, riding scooters and just chillin'

THANK YOU FAMILY AND FRIENDS!