Another day in the life of the Primary President

This is me the day of our mini mission

Today was the 5th Sunday of the month.  The sharing time manual only provides lessons for the usual 4 Sundays in the month.  So we usually have a guest speaker or one of the presidency teaches.  I had decided I would teach. We are planning on focusing on service this next year, and how serving other people helps them to know they are loved and in turn children of our Heavenly Father.  I had prayed long and hard about what to present to the children this Sunday.
A few weeks ago we attended the tabernacle Christmas concert with Alfie Boe.  As much as I enjoyed his performance, what stuck with me was the story of the candy bomber. (Gail Halvorsen) It impressed me to think that what started with 2 sticks of chewing gum, brought hope to a whole country of children and hopefully their parents.
I did some research on Brother Halvorsen and discovered that the "Friend" had published his story, many years ago.  I wanted to impress to our children, that even small acts of service could make a difference in peoples lives.  I created a power point presentation using the story from the "Friend" and pictures off of google of the candy bomber.  I wanted something I could use as a story book, since so many of our children are younger.
I started out by challenging one of the older girls to divide 2 sticks of gum into enough pieces to share with the whole primary.  The most she was able to divide it into, was 10 small pieces.  With teachers and students we had about 20 people there today.
I then proceeded to tell them the story of the candy bomber.
In my experience this has only happened a few times. We often feel the spirit, but to feel it the whole presentation is rare!, The spirit entered, and the children were quiet and paid close attention.  I felt like the words were being placed into my mouth.  My thoughts were clear and I was able to focus on what needed to be said instead of what I thought I needed to say.
 We are going to use a warm fuzzy jar this year, and I place one pom pom in the jar and asked them if it filled the jar?  When they agreed that one "fuzzy" wasn't much. I asked them if Brother Halvorsen knew that when he gave that group of children his last two pieces of gum that it would change their world?  He didn't know that when he made 3 small parachutes with 3 candy bars that first time that 20 tons of candy and parachutes would be donated and dropped for so many children.  He didn't know that by one small act of service he could do big things!! I then challenged the children and teachers to do small acts of service in their homes, schools and neighborhoods to help others to know they are loved.  We will ask who did service the week before on Sunday and ask a small number of children to share. a warm fuzzy will be placed in the jar for each act of service.   At the end of the year we will use the warm fuzzies to make ornaments for our tree and then send them home with each child and teacher after Christmas.
This is the story I used.  I just printed it out and used a comb binder to make it into book form.  All credit for story goes to  Jan Pinborough.  I only added my testimony at the end by challenging the children to be like Jesus.  I don't own the story, the clip art or the photo's used.

  

If you are interested in having a copy of this presentation, leave a comment with your email address and I will be happy to send it to you!!

 

The world of boys!!!!

Declan

Jayden

Dawsyn, Jayden, and Blake

Its funny to me to be surrounded by little boys!!  I love frilly pretty dresses, jewelery, and all things girly!!!
Yet, I spend at least 6 days a week tending 2 to 3 little boys.  I have had Declan since he was 7 weeks old and he is now about 20 months.  Jayden since he was about 10 weeks and he is 8 months old, and his older brother Dawsyn, off and on through out his life and he is 8 years old.  I tend at my place 3 days a week and my sisters 3 days, so I get to spend time with Jayden and Dawsyn's oldest brother who is almost 18.  He was my very first nephew and my first real experience with dealing with boys.
I have discovered that boys have a world filled with cars, blocks, balls and lego's.  They also think burping and passing gas is funny!! They love to jump on each other, roll on the floor and occasionally beat on each other.  I have been welcomed to the world of sponge bob square pants, rap music, and video games,  Ant farms, sea monkey's and beta fish.
I have also discovered that there is nothing in the world like little boy kisses and hugs!! They snuggle and cuddle and love their auntie!!  They smile toothless smiles, tell the best jokes and fill my life with wonder  as they explore the world!! 
When I was young I used to think I wanted a little girl first, but now, I would welcome either!! I love my niece Addi and enjoy playing house with her!!  We have painted finger nails, toes and dressed up as princesses!! But I can also appreciate the world of boys!!  The love of a child is priceless no matter how it comes! I just pray that Berrett and I will be blessed with that kind of love soon!!

Primary President and Mini Missionaries

About 6 months ago I was called to be the Primary President. I had been serving as first councilor and our Primary President was called to serve in the Stake Primary Presidency. It was a calling I was willing to accept but also was afraid of!! To be responsible for the whole primary and all it entails is huge!! I have two wonderful, supportive councilors and a fabulous secretary, and this makes the calling easier. The Theme this year was Choose The Right. We have been putting gum balls in a jar through out the year for wearing of CTR rings three times a week and then later in the year for sharing their good choices. We wanted to do something fun and yet spiritual for our reward activity for filling the jar. We have just become a part of the new mission in Utah and we have been focusing quite a bit on member missionary work. We also will be teaching about missionaries during the month of November as our monthly theme. So we decided to call all our children on a mission. We sent them each a mission call assigned to the mission we live in. We wanted them to feel some responsibility for this mission and to take ownership of it. We set up the primary room as a MTC and had the YW and YM play district leaders. Our Bishop and his wife were the mission president couple. We opened with prayer, gave each of the children a name tag and sang a opening hymn. I welcomed them to our primary MTC and introduced a sister who taught them a little Spanish. Then we had 2 guest speakers who talked about their missions. One sister spoke who served in the Philippines and then Berrett spoke about his mission to California. We then placed 1 of 3 colored dots on each child and divided them into districts. We moved to the gym and had 3 relays going on. I was assigned the scripture chase tic tac toe. I had 9 pictures of scripture stories, and 9 references on slips of paper. They chose a scripture reference, looked it up, described it to their non reader companions and then chose the picture that matched. then they could place their x or o on the white board and race back to look up the next reference. It worked out well as I didn't want it to be a winner/loser game. I wanted them all to know that when you read the scriptures you are all winners. LUCKILY the X's and the Os's were all able to get 3 across and so I reminded them again that we are all winners when we read the scriptures. Then they moved onto the next relay. My 1st councilor had set up 2 suitcases and 2 poster boards with pictures of items to be packed. All the items were on tables along with a few items you would NOT take on a mission. They had to race to the picture, choose something, race back to the table pick it up and race back to the suitcase to pack it. Then my 2nd councilor had them fold a blanket neatly, dress in missionary attire and then run to set a table with 2 place settings. Then they had to undress again!! Anytime a group finished before the others, they would go to where the bishop was and play "president says"(Simon says). After all 3 districts finished the relays we went back to the primary room and the YW had them write letters to the missionaries who were out from our ward. My 1st councilor had set up a mailbox and decorated it with "missionary mail" the kids got such a kick out of coloring pictures or writing letters to the missionaries and then mailing them. We then had a speaker talk about his mission to France and then the Elders assigned to our ward spoke to the children about how they can be missionaries now. I gave the children a 21 day challenge hand out to share with their families. They were asked to prayerfully select either non members or inactive members to pray for. They write them on the hand out and pray for them night and morning. They read a scripture a day from the 21 day list and they are promised to see mighty changes. All of my children accepted the challenge. the bishop made a few closing remarks and then released them. We gave them their "blessings" which were candy lei's and then sent them to the gym for pizza and dessert!! It was a great activity!!

Day Care Days....

I have been tending children since I was about 10 years old. I was always the neighborhood babysitter!! After I served a mission for the LDS church I was a nanny for a short time. I didn't do it for very long as I was having a hard time adjusting to the "normal" world again. I was so used to being out and among people I felt cooped up at home with the little boy and girl I was tending at the time. I truly missed them though when I left to join the world of Retail in the Floral industry. I was a florist for 20 years!! For the most part I liked that job, and I was seriously lost for a while when I was laid off! A good friend had recently given birth to a baby boy. She was a single mom and needed to go back to work. My sister told me that she was looking for someone to tend her baby. I had been applying for jobs and had no luck, so I thought "what the heck" I can do it for a while. Well I started tending him when he was 7 weeks old and he is now 15 months old.

That period of time has gone by quickly!! I also started tending My niece part time. She started school a few days ago and some one else has taken on the job!! Now I am tending my 5 month old nephew as well as the 15 month old.

At first I felt like tending kids was just something I would do until I found a "real" job. Little did I know how much work it takes to care for a baby. Incredibly I found it satisfying in a way that my retail job never was!! I loved someone and they loved me back. As I changed diapers, sang "wheels on the bus", made bottles, and taught my niece preschool, I LOVED IT!! I am not saying I woke up every morning feeling like a combination Mary Poppins, Nanny Mcphee and Maria from the sound of music... but I did feel good about myself and what I was getting back in this relationship. The best part though was watching Berrett change and grow through it all. He wanted to be a dad, and felt like it was something he could do, but wasn't really sure how to be one. As he spent time with Declan (15 MONTH OLD) he grew to love him deeply. He began to understand wht it feels like to have this little person depending on you. Now he looks forward to times with Jayden (5 month old) as well. I guess what I am trying to say is that we have tasted a small part of what it means to be parents. I can feed a toddler and infant at the same time, no problem!! They are presently both teething and that has its challenges but nothing I can't handle. I am so grateful for this experience. I have yet to do the all night thing, but look forward to that with our own baby. Taking care of these little guys has opened up a new world of wonder!! When you watch a baby go through the different stages, you truly begin to understand what a amazing thing the human mind is. We have watched a little boy go from a infant who sleeps, eats, and fills his diapers.. to a walking, babbling wonder who learns a new word and new skill almost daily!! Who couldn't listen to a baby laugh and not laugh back!! Today I can say that I am grateful, I got laid off!! It helped me find the "mom" inside myself!! I am grateful to the mom's who share their little ones with me and trust me to care for them!!

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven....

I will admit that my first exposure to the scripture above came about because of a oldie but goodie playing on my parents 8-track in the family station wagon.  It was performed by the Byrds and it was called "Turn! Turn! turn!".  It was written based upon the scripture from Ecclesiastes.  I know I am "dating" myself by one- mentioning this song. Two- mentioning a 8- track player, and three- mentioning a station wagon!!  Although ours was super cool, it was patriotic blue, with red, white and blue curtains in the side windows in the very back, and we had stickers on the side of every state we had ever traveled to!!  I miss that old wagon,where we listened to old songs, took road trips and spent countless hours asking dad " are we there yet?'
Any way back to the present.   When we first started attending our ward in Taylorsville, I was called to be a primary teacher.  How I loved teaching Primary.  Your students love you, they forgive you your short comings and you get to hear about all their amazing adventures!!  Not to mention a few family secrets!! LOL!! Kids tell you EVERYTHING!!  Lucky for the parents though, we don't tend to divulge what we know.
Any way, I taught primary for quite a while.  A little over a year ago, I was called to be 1st counselor in the primary.  I was a little sad to leave my classroom, but had received the impression that this was where Heavenly Father needed me, so I gladly accepted the calling.  I felt so lucky to work with our President Tonya, Ofelia the other counselor and Cynthia the secretary.  Ofelia moved away and I had the chance to get to know Alli who took her place.  We have all worked so well together.  Tonya has taught us so much, and my love for all the children has grown.

Well, recently Tonya was called to be in the Stake Primary Presidency.  I am not sure how the others in the presidency felt, but I was so sad that we were losing Tonya and not sure what would happen to the rest of us.   We knew that changes would be made, and we were not sure what they would be.  I found myself praying that what ever the Lord desired for me, that I would be at peace with it. 
Last Sunday, the bishop called me to be the Primary President. I was sustained and set a part today.
I thought I would feel overwhelmed, and I have had those moments.  What I didn't expect to feel was peaceful.   I don't know why He has asked me to serve in this capacity, but I do know that I have many things to learn, and this is the season for that learning.  I have already learned a little more about inspiration as I prayed to know who to pick as counselors, and secretary.  I felt really good about keeping some of them on, and felt really good about the newest member of our presidency, Alecia.  She indicated to me, that she had felt a few weeks ago, that this would be where she was called to.
I am someone who struggles with shyness, and I am always fearful of new situations.  I love my comfort zone.  I love to know what is expected of me, and I love to be the one following the Leader.  I have had management positions in the work place, but they were always hard for me.   I don't like to be the bad guy!!  The nice part about leading in the church, is we lead differently then we do in the world.  We still have tough decisions to make, but we are led by our Savior who taught that the best leaders are those who serve the ones we lead.   I pray I can do that.
I pray I can be a good servant.  The bishop blessed me today with the strength and energy I needed and a great love for those I will be serving, The Children.  I am grateful for the blessing and for the loving guidance of my Heavenly Father.  I am also grateful for the loving support of my husband and my family.  Its my season to serve, Its my turn to learn, and my turn to grow.  Its a very humbling experience.  

A very great day!!

Today I had the special privilege of seeing my nephew Jayden born.  My younger sister had a c section and asked me to be "dad" or "coach"  lol!!  I don't know how much coaching I did, but it was a amazing experience!! We had to get her to the hospital by 4:30 am and that was not much fun!! Going to bed at 12 and getting up at 2:45 am, is NOT recommended!! But.... Seeing a beautiful spirit born into this world. ... Holding a baby just a few minutes old.. and bonding with him forever.. IS HIGHLY  recommended!!!
I honestly don't know if I will ever see my own child born, It depends on the expectant mom who chooses us, but I will forever be grateful to my little sis who shared this spiritual experience with me!!
I love you Tammy, Blake, Dawsyn and Little Baby Jayden.

Also wanted to share a blog that a dear friend of ours shared today on us and adoption!! Thank you Brooke, it means so much to us that people care about us finding our forever family.  Please feel free to link and share with others!!
http://www.latter-dayhomeschooling.com/2012/04/adoption-and-great-couple.html

I am so grateful for all the choice children in my life!! Nieces and Nephews, Primary children, the Young women of our ward and the ones I worked with at Girls Camp.  For the children I love and tend, and for all the children who have brought so much to both Berrett and My life, we will forever be grateful!!
We both live by this Eternal Message!!

One hundred years from now,
It won't matter what car I drove,
What kind of house I lived in,
How much I had in my bank account,
Nor what my clothes looked like,
But, the world may be a little better
Because I was important in the life of a child

Getting to know Kay

Donny and Kym dancing the tango.. He said this was "the sleeping on the couch" dance... He was right, it was hot!!

As long as I can remember I have been a fan of Donny Osmond!!  When I was young I remember my dad waking us kids up on Saturday mornings.  He would make us breakfast and then turn on the music and organize us into cleaning up the house in preparation for Sunday.  He would let my mom sleep in and he would let each of us children take turns in choosing the music we cleaned to.  I always chose the Osmonds, Donny or Abba.   So my affection for Donny is some how tied into the affection I feel for my dad and my memories of times with my family.
We listened to music on road trips and on short trips anywhere, even just down the road.  Music was a big part of my life.  To this day I dislike driving anywhere in silence and I always clean better with music playing in the back ground.
My Best friend Linda introduced me to ball room dancing.  She used to teach it and when Dancing with the stars started, we would meet up and watch together.  Although I LOVE music, I can't dance worth beans!! Berrett on the other hand, can, and he is good enough to make me look better.
Any way, back to DWTS... Imagine my excitement when Marie Osmond was one of the stars.  Then my excitement was even greater when Donny joined the lineup a few seasons later.  Poor Linda had to listen to me ooh and awww over Donny!! I voted as much as humanly possible and even enlisted friends to let me borrow their email accounts to vote!!  Berrett claims that reason Donny won is because of me!
I am also lucky enough to have a sweet husband who indulges me with Donny concerts and even designed tshirts with "#1 fan of Donny Osmond"  then he wore a shirt that said "Hubby of #1 fan of Donny Osmond"
I once got told at a concert that my husband was the sweetest guy on earth because he willingly wore that tshirt.  I was also challenged by another fan in Vegas when she saw my tshirt.  She said "She was Donny's # 1 fan".  I asked her if she was wearing a tshirt that proclaimed it?  Then she saw Berrett's tshirt and laughed and told me I had to be his number one fan.

So that is just one of the "weird-dom's" of my personality.  But I will always be a fan.  Of course I Love and adore my husband more than Donny!! Who wouldn't?  He adores me, and to Donny I am just another one of those crazy 40 something women in the audience.   But you have to admit for a man in his fifty's who is also a grandpa, Donny is pretty cute!! And can he sing!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS9E1zr0t10&feature=related

Another Step in our journey..

I had a friend ask if she could post about us on her blog recently.  She wanted to "share" our story with others and hoped it may be a way to reach out to "our" expectant mom.  It got me thinking.  What would I want to share?
Well, I decided to do this in a "interview type format" and hope it may be read with some interest.

How did you meet?
I worked at a flower shop as a designer.  A very artistic young woman started working at the same shop.  We hit it off right away and became good friends.  She was dating Berrett at the time.  We hung out a lot in a group and that is how I got to know Berrett.
Later when things didn't work out between them, he and I continued to hang out.  We became very good friends with similar interests.  Later the sparks began to fly and we began dating.
We were married in May 1999.  The happiest day of our lives... So far!

What led you to adoption?
We had decided early in our marriage that we would let the children come on the Lords Schedule.  Little did we know that His Schedule would be totally different from ours.  We decided after many years of Infertility that we would look into adoption.  About 6 years into our marriage, a friend told us that she had a friend who lived down south, who had a foster son.  This son and his girl friend had discovered that she was pregnant and didn't feel ready to raise the child themselves.  Berrett was hesitant to proceed with this, but let me take the lead, and we began to email them.  They did not want to go through a traditional adoption agency.  After several months of correspondence, we met them for lunch.  We shared family photo's and stories. We talked for two hours, and Berrett grew quieter and quieter. I wanted a child so badly, that it took me a little longer to hear the warning bells that Berrett was hearing all along.  We left the lunch and I suddenly felt so despondent.  We didn't say much to each other but went to a nearby Temple and walked around the grounds and I silently prayed. 
We were in our car headed back to the hotel, when Berrett took my hand and said "honey, you know this isn't right, this is not our baby."   I didn't say anything, just nodded and let the tears fall.  I knew he was right.  It can be hard to hear the answer "no" from Heavenly Father and your husband when you want something so badly.
We went home the next day and emailed the couple and told them we were sorry, but no longer interested.  We heard later that they married and kept their baby.  I put the idea of adoption on the back burner again.
Last year we both started to feel ready again.  We felt a great urgency to look into LDS Family services.  We went to the orientation and began the process.
https://itsaboutlove.org/ial/ct/eng/site/pregnant/
What is the process like? It consists of interviews of the couple together and separately.  Classes about adoption, back ground checks, letters of reference from friends and family, as well as a lengthy one from your bishop.  There are fee's, but it is based on your yearly income and you pay 10% of the last years income.  No less then 4,000.00 and no more then I believe 10,000.00     Plus fee's called "pass through" fee's for the mom.  These are fee's that may help her pay rent, or for groceries, utilities, etc. as she goes through the pregnancy and for a short recovery period after.  The pass through fee's are no more then 3,000.00.  You also have to have a home study and copies of birth certificates, marriage certificates and a current temple recommend. You also answer a lot of questions about yourself.  Things that help the expectant parents to get to know you.

How can we help?
Well, we still need to raise about a 1000.00 for travel expenses and other expenses that are not covered by our adoption loan.  You can help us out by buying our book, http://www.lulu.com/shop/kay-maynard/my-abcs-of-adoption/paperback/product-18881327.html

It is $10.00 and all profits go toward our adoption fund.  It is a simple ABC book that teaches children and their families about the words used in adoption.  Such as Birth parents, or Home study, Etc.
We have also had people just donate directly to us, or through our pay pal account.
hhttps://apps.facebook.com/fundrazr/activity/d49a94fa64564a059841af6f54dfabed?psid=49be26ce4eb1459ab84efb8e5e468b8d
We also need help finding our child.  You can spread the word by telling others that you know of a couple looking to adopt.  We also will have pass along cards and ink pens that have our info on them.   The cards and pens can be left anywhere. Like with Doctors, nurses, hairstylists.  With tips in restaurants.  At your bank, grocery store.  You can give them to Ministers and youth group leaders and teachers.  We are able to adopt anywhere in the USA and the more people who know the better our chances.  This is the link to our profile that you can link on social websites, Face book, emails and Pinterest.
Or anywhere else you think a expectant mom might see it.  Please if you know us personally don't list our last name, phone number or address.  A lot of couples have been victims of adoption scam, and we are trying to protect our privacy.
https://itsaboutlove.org/ial/profiles/26261556/ourMessage.jsf

How long does it take to adopt?
As long as it takes!!!  People have found their child within hours of having their profile up, or years later.  The families who have had the most success, have found their child through some one else.  We have also been advised to be proactive.  To "do" as much as we can to get the word out.  We joined Families Supporting Adoption.
http://familiessupportingadoption.blogspot.com/
Families Supporting Adoption is an organization sponsored by LDS Family Services which advocates a positive view of adoption and provides support to birth parents, adoptive couples, children and all friends of adoption.

I hope that helps others who may be looking at adoption, or wanting to help in some way.
We can't wait to find that little some one who will become a part of our forever family.

Our Letter to Birthparents

Welcome friends:

We know you are making a very difficult decision and we hope that what we have to share may match what you are looking for as possible parents to your child.  With so many couples to choose from it must be overwhelming and we hope learning about us might help.

Our names are Berrett and Kay and we have been married for over 12 years.  We started out as best friends and in time our relationship became romantic. We knew and dated each other for seven years before we were married.  Infertility has led us to adoption but because Berrett was adopted it has always felt like one of the ways we might build our forever family.

Berrett:  From a very young age I knew that I was adopted.  In those days (1970) adoptions were closed.  I never felt unloved or unwanted so not knowing my birth parents was never a issue for me, but I am grateful my children will have the chance to know their birth parents.  I hope my experience will benefit our child or children.

My mom was a teacher and just before I started Kindergarten I asked her about the solar system, we moved the conversation outside with a box of all the athletic balls we owned and she spent at least an hour setting up the solar system.  She made learning fun!  As I grew up I developed several hobbies, including theater.  At age 6 or 7 I was cast in the "Music Man". I continue to pursue acting when time permits. Also from the time I was about 10, I have loved computers and I am lucky enough to earn a living doing what I love in the world of computer technology.  I served a mission in California and continue to consider it a second home.                                                                                                 

 I have many fond memories of trips to Disneyland with my family, and as I grew up continued to love all things Disney. In 1999 I invited Kay to come along with our family on vacation to Disneyland. I knew that her parents had been engaged there and I had my own dreams of getting engaged there.  I knew she was suspicious so I waited a few days into the trip to pop the question. That morning I couldn't eat so I rushed her through breakfast and we left the company of my family. We walked through the park and over to the wishing well next to the castle. I knelt down on one knee and proposed! Luckily she said yes.  Something funny that happened that day was that we did not run into any family, so Kay had to tell some one!! While standing in line at Splash Mountain she told a complete stranger that we were engaged! It was so cute! We spent our honeymoon there and have been back several times with friends and family.  Every time we go we dream of bringing our children to Disneyland and can't wait for the day we can.  There is nothing like the magic of sharing life experiences with a child. I long for those days. I am excited to be a dad and hope to share many moments together as a family.

From the minute I met Kay, I knew that she would be a great mom to our children; she had raised her brother and sister as their “second mom” and was very motherly.  Then as we courted, and she got to know my nieces and nephews, I got to see that motherly instinct even more.  She truly loves them all.  She’s very conscientious of the children she tends and their needs,  and makes sure they are fulfilled.  I have watched her desire to be a mother grow and grow!  She is a special lady who will love unconditionally, and makes our home a warm and inviting place.

Kay:

I am the Oldest living child in my family with 1 brother and 1 sister.  We moved a lot as children because my dad was in the military. We lived in several different states in the US and also for a time in the Netherlands.   My dad left the military when I was 10 to pursue a career as a commercial artist.  Art and Music were always a part of my childhood.  When I was 16 years old my dad was diagnosed with Leukemia and died 6 months later.  This loss effected me greatly and forced me to grow up quickly as my mom and siblings needed my support.  My Brother and Sister still call me their "other mom" and remember me often on Mothers day.

I used to work in the floral industry, but now I stay home and tend a niece and a "unofficial" nephew. He is the son of a dear friend and affectionately calls us aunt Kay and Uncle B.

I love to cook and bake and enjoy entertaining family and friends. I hope to write a cook book some day. I  am a avid reader and have been since I  was 3 years old.  My  earliest memories are of my mom reading "This is the house that Jack built".  I look forward to reading to our children and plan to do so from the day they are born. 

I also served a mission for the LDS church  In New Zealand and continue to serve, In Primary  as first counselor.

We met when Berrett was dating a friend of mine. She worked  with me in the floral shop and I admit that I found Berrett interesting long before we began dating.  We used to hang out in a group and got to know each other well.  After Berrett and his girlfriend broke up, We advanced our friendship into a romance.  He still thinks that our dating was his idea!  Our first official date was to his mission reunion and we spent the entire time talking to each other.  Berrett didn't mean to ignore his former companions but we were feeling the sparks fly between us from that moment on.

Berrett is my best friend and my forever sweetheart.  I know he will be a great dad because he has the greatest capacity to love.  He loves kids, and is not afraid to let go and play!!  That was one of the things I loved about him was his sense of fun and how easily he can let the child in him play.  He is wonderful with his nieces and nephews and enjoys popping into Primary to support me.  If you choose us to be the parents of your child you would be choosing a dad who would always be there for his wife and his kids.  He is a honest, honorable man and I am so lucky to have him as my husband and the father of our children.

Thank you once again for considering our profile.  We hope to form a respectful and loving relationship with you now and in the future.

Berrett and Kay