D + A: Renewal

Hello blog. I don't know if you remember me, but we're the Petersons, and we used to stop by here every now and then. I'm sorry to say our lack of appearance may have something to do with a newer friend called Instagram (my username is annabelle_peterson if you care for more frequent photo updates) but things just aren't the same there. Insta and I have a lighter, quicker kind of relationship, whereas you, dear fiend, are quite the listener.

Well enough with that little side story. I've returned here to write down some words to go along with the pictures.

Soft, light snow is falling outside as it has for the past two weeks (oh yeah, it snows here in Utah), reflecting the cool morning light, and the lingering smells of cinnamon, pine and dried citrus create a happy warmth. It is a comforting scene that seems to wrap its familiar arms around me, like that hug that only a mother or father can give. You know, the one that they save for after a fall, or a heartbreak or a beautiful accomplishment. All senses ring true with scent and sight and sound. It has been a nice stay here in our white Utah home with family ever-present. There's something unmeasurably consoling about being somewhere where every sound is a sound you know as well as your home phone number, such as my father's recurring cough that comes in the mornings or my brother's sniffles from his allergies. These are the sounds that helped create my world.

It has been a good thing to move away. It has been good to find new scenes and feelings and experiences to add to my definition of life. We have met so many wonderful people with interesting and new lives and unique visions of their world. We are expanding. We are embracing. At the same time, we are learning to hold on for dear life to each other, for we must be each other's base at the end of the day. We are our connection to the recognizable and the known. It is a beautiful and difficult thing to create your own, new life. We decide if we will eat right, if we will pursue our goals, if we will continue traditions or create our own. We decide if we will pray each morning and each night. We decide our faith and our future and our friendships. Again, it has been a good thing to move away. But with every growth comes the growing pains.

As children in such large families, Dave and I became used to following the herd. We had trusted, capable, wonderful parents and family leading us in good paths. Now we become the shepherds, creating our own paths and finding our own places of water and nourishment. It is tiring paving your own roads. It is dangerous testing new waters. Some may be poisonous or sullied, while others are pure and wholesome. We became weary from our daily labors and oh how comforting to come back and remember the paths of our past and to remember the paths that we want to create for our future. The spirit and light and happiness of our home has filled our hearts and we are ready to begin anew our journey. We love you family! We are grateful for your open arms and your laughter and your strength. Thank you for always supporting us and helping us to become the future leaders of our someday family.

For those of you who aren't on Instagram, here are some of our recent pictures.

Dave snowshoeing with his mother and brother, Nancy and Michael

Lunch with Amanda and Mack (Don't you love that bink?)

Amy's hot cocoa party with my other gorgeous sister Kim (my sisters are models...)

Making mugs at the family cabin near Kamas, Utah

Also at the cabin

Friend white elephant party. Yes, that is a full size cardboard of Fabio.

Festive Dave

My little nephew Calvin cut open the back of his head. My dad, who is a doctor, anesthetized him and did most of the work, but let Dave do one stitch with lots of coaching. Dave did a great job though! Calvin made it through just fine.

Handmade hats as gifts from Peru from Sharon, a Peterson family friend (more like family than friend!)

My dad always puts together a special Christmas program. This year we learned about shepherds, and he gave the little ones their own little sheep, representing them. He gave us one. He knows how to make a girl cry (in a good way). It was a beautiful program.