I'm BACK!!!

Wow after being gone for so long and putting all my blogging efforts into my photo blog, I'm happy to say that after almost a year...I'm back. I miss blogging about the more personal things I go through and connecting with people on that level. So I finally decided that I would start my family blog up or my own personal blog again, so here I am. It is my hope that I keep up with it and give you all a glimpse into my life. Not that it's exciting or anything, but more than anything it helps me express what I'm feeling. So I am super duper excited to be back. So to catch you up on things, here is a list of things that are important or happenings in our family since I last posted. Hmmm....

*Devyn turned 4 last October. She loves to be read to ALLLL day! She started preschool this past year and is doing very well. Lately, Devyn has been asking us how to say certain words in Samoan. I love that she wants to speak Samoan. She continues to keep big smiles on our faces.

*Last October also marked the one year of my grandfather's death. I think of him often and miss him dearly.

*Last Fall, a big tsunami hit parts of American Samoa and Samoa. My dads village Malaela in Samoa was completely wiped out. We put together a volleyball tournament and bake sale to help raise money. It was a great success and Malaela is currently being rebuilt.

*Last Christmas was our first Christmas without Elder Purcell (my younger brother). He is serving in San Bernardino, CA. He called that day and is doing very well. It was a different feeling to hear his voice as a missionary. So strong and confident. I am a proud older sister! He hits his year mark in early June.

*Blessings bring healing to wounds left from past heartache. My older sister Lora, who previously lost her babygirl Siíva is now 6 months pregnant. I will be an aunty to a baby boy the end of July. Lora is on strict bed rest and we pray for her health and strength throughout the rest of her pregnancy.

*Uela and I moved to a new ward and we are now serving in the youth program. It's not anything exciting, given that I cried my eyes out and I was a bit upset when I was extended the call, but this is where a chunk of our time goes. After leaving our previous ward and serving in the youth there, I vowed to NEVER accept a calling in the youth again. So the only thing I was excited about when we moved to the new ward was that I would be able to get released and get a little break. Boy was I wrong. I kept telling my husband, I'll work in any auxiliary BUT the youth! I love the youth but that's the only area I ever get called to. I guess this is my punishment, to deal with young girls. LOL! jk

*We got to see Jabbawockeez when they came to SLCC. Yes this is very important!! LOL. They are so much better in person and I agree with JC Chasez when he said about the Jabbawockeez, "You give sound a shape!" They are incredible.

*This past Sunday was a special one for me. After 8 years of being bishop, Dad FINALLY got released. We attended Dads ward to witness his release. I love being there. Dads ward has a spirit of togetherness that you feel everytime you visit. Sacrament meeting was amazing, the spirit was undeniably present and had the whole congregation in tears. The ward choir sang like I never heard before, the testimonies fortified my faith in God and...Dad cried like a baby (lol) as he testified of the truthfulness of the gospel, bore his testimony and delivered his last words of love to the members as their bishop. At times--over the weekend--I felt like I was attending Dads funeral. People cried and spoke of him like he was in a casket lol. I was humbled by the outpouring of love throughout this past weekend.

We are all very happy for Dad and excited to spend more time with him. Between being a counselor, high councilman and then bishop, I think it's been almost 20 years since we've been sharing Dad with the people of the ward. I don't even remember the last time Dad sat down with us in sacrament meeting. So we are very excited to have him back!

*Uela continues to be one of the greatest blessings in my life. He makes my heart smile!!

*Me on the other hand, well...I am still struggling with what I want to do with my life. I've been getting busier with photography but I want to go back to school (I think), I want to venture out and move out of state for a little bit (I think), I want to have more kids (for sure), I want to quit my job (sometimes), I want to take a long vacation and travel the world (all the time). The list goes on and on and on...I'm just a mess! LOL.

Well I'm sure I've missed a bunch of things but I'm glad to just be posting and since posts are so much better with pictures, here is Miss Devyn. She was a bumble bee for Halloween this past year.