The Gonzalez Family

We celebrated my Grandma's birthday on Saturday, but her actual birthday is November 9th (same as mine). I just want to say how much I love my Grandma Ransom. I am named after her and I always thought it was cool growing up that she and I had the same birthday. She is an angel and has touched so many people's lives. She is truly a Christ-like woman and she is a wonderful example to her children and grandchildren of how to live the gospel. I feel so lucky to have such a wonderful grandma. I hope that when I reach my 80th birthday I can look back at my life and accomplishments with as much satisfaction and peace as I know she can. She is an amazing, beautiful woman and I admire her so much. My uncle Dennis put together an amazing video tribute of her life with lots of fun pictures of my grandma and grandpa and all of the grandkids. (I'll try to post it). It was so nice to get to see the family. My Uncle Joel and Aunt Patty drove all the way from North Dakota (our baby i...

My friend Anna got married yesterday and I am so happy for her! She's moving to Alabama with her new husband. It was great to see her and her family. She looked so beautiful and her dad looked so happy and proud! I love weddings. (I'll post pictures soon).

I heard this poem for the first time today on "Music and the Spoken Word." It was written by Rudyard Kipling, the youngest person to ever receive the Nobel Prize for English Literature. He was only 30 years old when he wrote it. Lloyd Newell introduced the poem on the show by saying that it is a beautiful description of what true success is and it contains some of the best advice a parent could give a child. I really loved it so I'm posting it here for all to enjoy. "If" If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you But make allowance for their doubting too, If you can wait and not be tired by waiting , Or being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise: If you can dream--and not make dreams your master , If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim ; If you can meet with Trium...

Today we celebrated Israel's birthday. We went to our traditional conference breakfast at my parents' house in the morning and opened presents and had cake in between sessions. Then we had Israel's whole family over for a Peruvian dinner. We had a great time.