Sweet Temple Blessings

Summer time shot with the addition

Winter pic before they enclosed the stairs.

So since General Conference I have been trying to attend the temple weekly. Thursday night have been the night that we- me and a few friends- go. Thursdays in June are our month to help clean as well.

I couldn't find my recommend..I had it out to order something ..imagine me loosing something. I know hard to do. Ha ha ha I did eventually find it but I missed the six pm session. So I took a spin down the Turnagain Arm sooo gorgeous. Nothing like being out in God's creation to prep you for the temple. I went and sat in the Celestial room waiting for my friends to come through while I was in there. I saw two sisters talking they were I'd say in there late 50 early 60's and then their Mother came through for her first time as they embraced and talked I could tell they were her daughters. Then a pregnant grand-daughter came into the mix. I was so touched by the spirit of this family. All these women who were there in the temple together there they were with a baby in the pre-earth life and several generations there. Their Joy was palpable; I was not the only misty eye in that celestial room. With the Great grandma with the wrinkly hand putting her hand on the granddaughters belly and embracing her daughters it was JOYOUS!!!!!

Then my friend came through and it was good to see her and embrace someone and explain why I missed the session... I would have been a nutso to go hug this cute family..I love hugs..so good to feel so secure and safe..I know I am such a girl sometimes.

Laney, my friend, went to do initatories and I went and did sealings. This family came in and the Mother of the bunch the 80 year old was sealed to her parents and then they did some other family ordinances. It was sooo moving!!! I am glad that I was able to be present. I know how I long for my family both the ones in Arkansas and my eternal family. It really made me want to get into some McKinney family history. As I was seeing this 80 year old woman with her sweet daughters and granddaughters pondering if I would ever be blessed enough to have that kind of posterity I was reassured that I have already been promised those blessings. I just need to believe Him that He WILL provide when I am ready and when the time is ready.

Cleaning the temple was really neat esp. after hearing from Doug Green -who is the architect for the mini temples -about some of the symbolism in our specific temple; as Bro. Green is an Alaskan. It was neat to look for them and to see them. Me and our Elders Quorum president were on trash detail. After we finished I was given the assignment of brushing the carpet in the celestial room so that there would be no footprints or markings from the vacuum so that the only footprints that could be found there are those of whose House the Temple is. It was a really neat opportunity. I am getting to know lots of the temple workers who work on Thursday nights they are so cute!

Needless to say I LOVE the temple and being in the temple it makes me want to honor my covenants and be better than who I currently am. I have made serious promises to be who I promised to be at baptism. I am so thankful that Heavenly Father is so willing to help me on my journey back to His presence. He moves to grant me his grace at my first intimations of repentance (paraphrase from Joseph Smith manual lesson 34ish on forgiveness). I love the Spirit and am going to do better at inviting Him into my life and recognizing Him. Driving home I realized all this happened on Jared's and Jack's birthday. Awe.

New McKinney Baby! Jack Benson McKinney

Looks like Jared to me...8lbs 10oz 19.5 inches...chubby little guy with dark hair.

Emily Rae looks so happy in this picture..Jack was born on Jared's 30th Birthday!! =0)

The Jared and Ann Marie children. Emily, Cole, Luke, and Jack

Just want to wish Jared a happy birthday. He has always been a great big brother he would play barbies with me and I would play Heman with him. I remember going to the pool with him when we were little tykes in Marysville and him trying to help me learn to swim. Good memories! We did tons of stuff in High School with our good friend Johnny Leach and my cousin Mandy..every weekend we were off doing something fun liking listening to him and THE RAVENS play some tunes. The night before he left on his mission to Utah slc mission. Mandy, Me and my mom stayed up all night to sew all his patches on his army duffle bag. Skittles taste the rainbow..'member that one?

As I have gotten older he has always been there to make me smile when I really felt like crying. And when I did need to cry he was always there to hold me and tell me it would all be alright and that I am amazing..cause I am! wait this is supposed to be about Jared's amazingness :D) Jared has been a great example to me to never quit studying and learning especially in the gospel. He has always been there with added insights and additional references when I ask him about gospel matters. He is more gentle than Quincy. (..who is also an amazing brother just not as gentle as Jared. Love you too Q = ) He is one who is firm in the gospel and his testimony. I love him for listening and reading my blog even when it is long and boring. I love him for taking the time to keep in touch with me and what is going on in my life. I love him for having the only niece and the sweetest nephews for me to love on while I wait....and wait...and wait...for my own. =0)

He welcomes all to his home and makes you feel loved and needed while you are there. His house has an amazing spirit and atmosphere of love for one another and for the Lord. I hope that my future home will be as warm and welcoming. Happy 30th Birthday Jared....I love you..love your little sister...Katie

Motivational Day in Anchorage

The top pic is Mr. Zig Zigglar and the bottum is Mr. Mayor Rudy G.

Laney called and had tickets so I went it was fun. I will blog more abou this later.

Summer Fun

Some friends hitting some balls and having fun!

Me pitching to Troy...Idaho farm boys are just good!!

Me and my friend Kay and our mentor teacher Lou Ann. Love these ladies. PS steamed soy beans taste like boiled peanuts..and I love suchi!

So I bought a baseball bat and some softballs at Salvation Army for 3 bucks!! I have made use of them several times this summer. I really enjoy hitting some balls with friends.

We had a YSA summer kickoff activity out in Eagle River this weekend it was fun. We did some dancin' and eating some yummy food.

Thursday I went to the temple and did some sealings. It has been awhile since I did them. It was really neat. I love being in the temple and so blessed to live with on "in my backyard." I have been trying to go weekly since General Conference...several talks on temples and covenants..Bednar, Scott, Christofferson to name a few.

Sunday night we did Doctrine and Dessert at my friend Katie Hill's (we served in the same mission) she has a piano so we sang some hymns and then discussed Elder Christoffersons talk from General Conference about the Power of Covenants. Had a great time with good kids. Our YSA ward is amazing.

Flat top and other adventures

Me at Lake Eklutna with some friends..memorial day weekend

Me on top of flat top mountain..next time I hike a mountain I will check and make sure my eyes are OPEN in the picture. =0)

So I am loving the summer here!!! Tons of fun with friends...in a most spectacular place.

Highlights from the last week

FHE Memorial Day bbq went great..my last act as FHE coordinator

Softball with friends

Karaoke Bowling

Temple endowments and initaitories

Hiking Flat top (the most summitted mountain in AK) and getting snowed on, on the way down

Making breakfast for a date..he enjoyed the grits..and I LOVE them

Making Sunday dinner for friends...they loved grits and some even loved the chocolate gravy

Keeping Laney's nieces going to see "UP" and to Chuck E Cheese

Rewatching Elder Bednar's CES fireside Sunday during RS time

Eating Suchi with my mentor teacher and my BFF teacher Kay..I never would have made it through my first year of teaching without those two!

about perfect

bon fire down on the beach

a fox on the beach eating some left over graham crackers

a moose on Tudor road may 16th

Me and my date on Friday the 22nd went to the Alaska Botanical Gardens and found that note on the gate..yeah we didn't go for a walk there but hit up the coastal trail...it is becoming one of my favorite places on earth!!

Memorial Day weekend

~ a date that included dinner, a long walk on the beach ** for reals** , a movie and joining a girls night

~chocolate girls night til 1:30 am

~hitting every value village (thrift stores) looking for a baseball glove and Laney made me buy some smaller shirts so I can show off my smaller figure. =)

~ buying my bike

~baseball for hours --thanks Katie Hill for setting that up I LOVED being permacatcher and only getting out once! YAY for me.

~first icecream cone of the summer

~church tomorrow

~camping sunday night at Eklutna lake --taking the bike out there nice riding around the lake

~bbq monday for Family Home Evening

~ Perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

new job--kids leave--kris allen

All signed up for another year at my undisclosed school location--if I told you I would have to quit. =0) I am wicked excited about next year and having a hard time focusing on finishing up IEP reports...that I should be doing right now by the way. I am excited because it will be 6, 7, and 8th grade Social Studies. YAY!!!

There is an uneasy emptiness to my room. Y'all all know I do not do ALONE well. 1. My TA is gone some days it felt like these were our kids. I could look at Mandi and she would know what to do or say with one of the kiddos. She is at her sisters graduation in TX and I am way jealous. 2. My room is bare...my classroom library is so comforting. I love to read and having them all in boxes makes me sad. I can hear them screaming let us out! The book shelves look so lonely. 3. Kids are gone. I don't know weather to laugh or cry about that one. They each have their moments but I love them anyway...can't help it.

Kris Allen won American Idol. WOW. I can not believe that some one from little ole Conway, Arkansas. That is exciting. I know my family was all excited to call and tell me hours before anything aired here. Way to go Kris.

I have another date tomorrow with Mr. Valley. He is just good...a good dad...good hard worker...good to me...just good. I like it~ Later oh p.s. I am loving my new apartment!!!!