Our Relief Society lesson on Sunday was on Charity - the pure love of Christ. We were given this quote from Marvin J. Ashton on charity and I think it pretty well sums up what Charity is.

Charity
Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other,
When we don't judge or categorize someone else,
When we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet.

Charity is accepting someone's differences, weaknesses, or shortcomings,
Having patience with someone who has let us down;
or resisting the impulse to become offended
when someone doesn't handle something the way we might have hoped.

Charity is refusing to take advantage of another's weakness
and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us.
Charity is expecting the best of each other.

- Marvin J. Ashton-

We did the 12 days of Christmas last year for the family and the last gift was a family picture that we would give to each of the kids - I told them we would have them taken sometime in the spring. Dann ended up leaving in the spring and we didn't get it done. He came home in July and Kanien kept telling me we need to get together for a family picture. I really liked the pictures that I saw from Ashlee's blog, simplyashphotography.blogspot.com so I asked her to take our pictures. It was spur of the moment, last minute and she came through for us. We took them the night before Dann left again. I really like the pictures and I am glad we had them done. Nathan and Amy chose not to have individual pictures since they just got married and have fairly recent pictures of them.

It sure was nice having Dann home again. I don't think I realized how much I missed him until he came home and now that he is gone again it sure is lonely. I have not done too much since he and the kids left yesterday afternoon. I have just been lazy and blah. I realized that I didn't take any pictures while he was here. It was good to see him again and spend some time together. We enjoyed being with the kids and grandkids too. I also didn't realize how much I missed Chester until last night when I was home alone. I hope he is enjoying his new home and family. I don't miss taking care of him and finding someone to watch him while I was gone but I do miss him and his companionship. He followed me everywhere for a year!

I have been picking green beans, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli and squash from the garden. The cherries are gone from the tree and now the apricots are ready to be picked. Cathy and I will be making cherry, strawberry, raspberry and apricot jam/jelly on Tuesday. It is amazing how much better homegrown food tastes compared to store bought.

Dann bought us a new car while he was here - a 2008 Hyundai Sonata. It is a nice car and I am enjoying driving it.

I can't believe how fast the summer is flying by. School will be starting again soon and Jason only has one year left. I hope it is a good one for him.