America is great indeed. Imagine a country so free, one can throw glass on the streets!

Last weekend our Home Teacher offered to have our kids over to spend the night and give Chris and I a break.

I would like to repeat that in case you missed it.

He took all five of our children (and I think he would have taken the 6th if I would have let him) and they slept over and we had a break.

All night.

He is a great guy, Christopher's 11 year old Scout Leader, and a RM from Taiwan so Chris is constantly practicing his Chinese on him. His wife and daughter are great too. They were in Utah visiting family so he was lonely for some company. Lucky us.

They had a great time. He cooked for them, took them for a long walk to a park with a lake, let them watch movies and made them smoothies.

Chris and I had a great time too. Chris' parents took us to a restaurant in Mexicantown called el Zocalo. I have been to several other restaurants in Mexicantown including Xoci's which is usually considered the gold standard. I really love Mexican food and have been to alot of Mexican restaurants. el Zocalo is THE BEST! I had the fajitas. Best fajitas ever. Whole breasts of chicken, not just the little strips, marinated and cut up. OH YUMMY. I'm drooling on my keyboard. The owner loved Lizzie and gave her a little bowl of orange slices and marachino cherries. He wanted to give her jalapenos! She loved the oranges. It was a great meal.

The Slums of Detroit

Mexicantown is in a really crappy part of Detroit. Granted, most of Detroit is crappy parts. Driving around down there and looking at what was once abundance and wealth but has deteriorated to slums and abandonment was pretty dismal. We drove up Vernor and Michigan and looked at the abandoned and sad buildings. I don't spend any time in the city of Detroit other than to go to Mexicantown or the occasional trip to Cobo or Comerica Park. I really have no idea what is must be like to actually live in this forsaken place. I don't know how the people there actually have any hope or dreams. It looked so gloomy and also dangerous. I was anxious to head back home. Then we turned on 14th Street and found a peaceful oasis in the middle of what looked like a war zone. The Detroit River Branch surrounded by a tall fence and electronic gate. The building looked like a typical LDS chapel except for brick where windows would normally be and a big metal door instead of the usual glass entry doors. Seeing the chapel there was pretty amazing for me. All I could think of was part of this paragraph from Joseph Smith: "Our missionaries are going forth to different nations, and in Germany, Palestine, New Holland, Australia, the East Indies, and other places, the Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done."

The usual Church sign behind the fence.

The tall fence and gate around the building. Parking lot lit up like a Christmas tree.

Notice the bricks on the windows and the big metal door.

I have always been fascinated by the architecture and the decline of the great city of Detroit. One of my favorite sites is here.

Lucy, you got some 'splainin' to do.

Sunday was Lucy's blessing ceremony. It was such a wonderful day! For our family the day began a bit earlier than usual at 5:30 when we rolled out of bed. Several of the boys didn't open their eyes while I dressed them and then walked to the car and laid down and continued to sleep. We drove the 1 hour 53 minutes to the Coldwater Ward. Lucy looked like a beautiful angel in her handmade-by-Grammi dress, bonnet and blanket. The name and blessing ceremony left all but Lucy wiping away tears.

My favorite girls looking beautiful.

The children enjoyed their visit to a new ward. Every time I visit a different ward or branch, I'm thankful that the Church is the same everywhere you go. After church, we were treated to a nice luncheon at Tony's parent's home. The food was delicious, the children were well behaved and the conversation was enjoyable. It was such a nice day!

Emily helping Marta in the kitchen.

Cameron on no sleep.

I love being an aunt to Lucy. She is a lovely little baby. The thing I love best about her is how she has such bright eyes. She always looks like she is taking everything in. I look forward to watching her grow up and seeing the wonderful little lady that she is certain become.

His moment in the sun

Today, Spencer did the cutest thing at church. He volunteered to be the reverence child before Sacrament. This entailed standing with his arms folded in front of the congregation as a reminder for them to be reverent as they entered the chapel. He did an excellent job. When it was time to start the service, the bishop spoke to him and thanked him and asked him to return and sit with his family. Spencer didn't want to sit down though. The bishop opened the meeting and thanked Spencer and let everyone in the congregation know that Spencer didn't want to leave the stand. Spencer was very serious as he stood there and the bishop jokingly tried to get him to sit down; he even offered him a seat with the Bishopric. Spencer didn't want to budge. He was going to be the reverence child and no one was going to move him! Finally, Chris went up and took his hand and walked him back to our seat. It was cute!

It's just like Santa's workshop! Except it smells like mushrooms... and everyone looks like they wanna hurt me...

Tonight was our ward Christmas Party. We ate food and sang carols and visited with Santa. It was fun. Enjoy the pictures!

Cameron enjoyed being chased around by us all night. Isn't that what church parties are for, chasing children around?

Aileen LaBret and Sharon Black

Spencer with the Primary children

Calvin with Santa. I think maybe Pres. Brebberman needs to grow a beard. He's played Santa for as long as I can remember. It's time for him to look the part!

Spencer with Santa

Happy Birthday DocBishPres Medley!!

Cameron not a fan of Santa.

In Christ shall all be made alive

Today I went to the funeral for Daniel Sorensen. He was brutally murdered in nearby Canton by two teenagers who thought it would be a fun thing to do and did it for the thrill. I didn't know Daniel but I went to the funeral to support my friend, Jodi, who knew him very well. At first, I thought it would be strange to go to a funeral for someone I didn't know. However, I am so glad that I went.

The news surrounding this case has been focusing on the horrible circumstances in which he died and on some of the mistakes that Daniel made in his life. One mistake has been misrepresented as being something much more sinister that it really was. I feel bad for Daniel's family left on this earth to pick up the pieces of their lives without their son, who's reputation is being besmirched by the media.

What I took away from the funeral was that no matter who we are and what we do, we will always be children of our Heavenly Father. And because of our elder brother and savior, Jesus Christ, we will all be resurrected. I am thankful for the suffering that He did in the Garden so that I can repent of the mistakes that I make in this life as I try to follow Him. I was touched by President Dunnigan's talk as he reminded me of this important principle. I know that Daniel, no matter what horrendous acts were committed against him in this life, now knows the peace only found through the Lord Jesus Christ.