Baby Noah Dalton Bernotski

And indeed, while we were at Brianhead, Jessica called to say the baby would be born by c-section on the following Tuesday. We checked out of our condo and came right home to prepare to leave on Sunday. Dear Tyson gave me a "buddy pass" on Frontier Airlines to fly to St Louis. Jared picked me up at the airport. It was so great to see Jessica and Luke when we got home to Waynesville. Jessica and I enjoyed the day on Monday riding down to a neighboring town to antique shop and have lunch. Tuesday she and Jared left for the hospital in St. Roberts around 9:00 AM. She called me back to say that the doctor put someone ahead of her who was an emergency so she finally delivered around 2:00 PM. That evening Luke and I went to the hospital to see the brand new little baby boy and Jessica. He weighed a few ounces over 10 pounds. He was perfect in every way. Jessica had some issues with blood pressure and bleeding, but she got to feeling better in a couple of days. He was born on September 30. I stayed with them until October 15th and then Karen Bernotski came and stayed with them until the end of the month. Luke is only 17 months so she needed the help. Kimberly flew out and spent a week so we really had a good time. Kim and I flew home the same day. It was a wonderful and special time for me.

We made three trips to Salt Lake in November. On Nov. 1, Kimberly was in a wonderful chorus who sang at the Tabernacle; on Nov. 14, Miranda was in "Sussical", and we went up for Thanksgiving with Troy and Candace. It was our family's "off" year for Thanksgiving. We had a nice time.

We took Jessica and the baby boys to Salt Lake to spend some time with sisters on December 20th. We were able to see Tayler in a cute play produced by the Draper Community Theater group. Bruce and I came home the next day on Sunday, had Monday to get everything ready to leave for Christmas holiday, went to serve in the Temple on Tuesday, and then we went on down to Keri's where we spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day. It was such a beautiful time. We rode downtown with them to feed the homeless which they along with the neighbors do every year. It was very touching. The highlight of Christmas was talking to our missionary, Elder Adam Lords. It was so sweet to hear his voice and hear his testimony and what his mission is like. He was transferred to a new area with a new companion just a few days before Christmas, but he was still positive, excited, and focused on the work. We had a most wonderful Christmas Eve dinner. On Friday we all left to go to Salt Lake. We enjoyed our time in Salt Lake--the best Holiday every! We came home on Friday, Jan 2. Bruce and I both had eye appointments. I will need to go back to Salt Lake for cataract surgery. Bruce had an appointment with Dr. Wagner and had a lumbar puncture on December 31.

We are so grateful for this past 2008. We had many wonderful experiences and opportunities. We are so grateful and blessed with a wonderful family, and we are so grateful for our testimonie of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are so thankful for His atonement which provides for al of us the opportunity to live again with him. I pray that we will all be worthy.

The Attempt at Blogging

September 15, 2008

Jessica started me on a blog a long time ago.  Today I was on hers (such a cute Blog) and I clicked on some of her "Favorite People."  Got to "Dad and Mom" and all we have is the picture that she put on.

We have a lot going on in our lives and we need to record some of it.  

This week we are at Keri's home in Las Vegas while she and Nick are at Outer Banks in North Carolina with friends.  They needed to get away, and Papa and I needed some one-on-one time with Brock, Chad, and Abby.  They are so darn cute (and good).

Last month, August 6, we went to Manchester, England, for a Luke Family reunion.  It was very wonderful.  We saw where the Luke family came from (houses, schools, burial places, etc.).  We toured Preston and Leeds with a marvelous guide.  We saw where the first missionaries lived, where the first baptisms were in the river, the house where President Hinckley was living when he got the letter from his father to "forget yourself and get to work."  We toured Liverpool and saw were the Saints sailed away for the new world, saw the monument that the Church has placed there at the wharf commorating all the Saints who left from there.  There were about 60 of us who were from the States, and we met a large group of cousins who live over there.  Great Grandfather Luke came to Nauvoo alone and left his family in England.  After the Prophet was killed he returned to his family, but later decided he had to come to Salt Lake.  He was sent by Brigham Young to Manti to help settle that area.  He did much of the plaster of paris art work in the Manti Temple.  He was going to Salt Lake on horseback along with some other riders to meet his three sons who were coming from England.  Grandpa and the men camped the first night at Uinta Springs which is just outside Foutain Green.  It was during the Blackhawk War and they were killed by the indians.  Brigham Young met his sons and told them what had happened and took them home with him telling them that they could return to England, or go down to Manti and continue what their father was doing.  They chose to go to Manti.  It was only two years ago that the Lukes in England discovered the relatives in America.  A few came to the 2006 Reunion in Manti, and many of them came to this reunion in England.  None of them are members of the Church.

After the reunion from August 14 to 23, Bruce and I took a bus tour from London to Amsterdam, down through Germany with a boat trip on the Rhine River, to Lake Lucerne, and on to Paris.  We few home from Paris.  It was good.  There were about 8 Americans on the bus. There were people from all over he world.  The weather wasn't great, it rained quite a bit and was chilly.  It was raining when we got to Paris, and it was raining when we left.

When we got home the full-time Missionaries moved into our lower floor.  It works out great for them as we have a separate entrance, full kitchen down there, a family room and bedroom for them.  They are sweet and we are glad to have them.   

We serve in the St. George Temple on Tuesdays.  We will drive up tomorrow from LV.  It is so great to serve there and to feel the spirit that is there.  So many sweet workers.

Next week from September 21-28, we have a time share at Brianhead (Cedar Breaks).  We will take our ATVs and hope that some of our friends can go with us.  It will be a beautiful season to be on Cedar Mountain.

Soon after that, Jessica will have the baby and we are looking forwarding to going to Missouri and helping her.  It will be great to welcome a few baby, and to shower little Luke with lots of love.