A book launch, some newborns, a celebration of birth and of life in Utah

I talked about Murphy’s first birthday party in the last post, but we kept ourselves busy with some other things too during our quick trip to Utah.

My brother Tal picked us up at the airport and we got to hang out with him.

What’s that you say? Isn’t Tal the one who lives in Switzerland?? Well, yes, he does. But he was in the states to celebrate his big book launch. Yep, he wrote a book!

I have a lot more to say about that in the book launch post coming up, but for today we’ll just say that boy! I love that brother and his ideas and heart. We met up with our big kids and Murph at Bowls, Grace working and the rest of us talk, talk, talking with Tal.

I got to go to Costco, just me and Tal to prepare for his Dad Mode launch event, and then that night unfolded so magically. That boy is so wise. Can’t wait to share more soon.

Dave’s sister is a proud brand new grandma of not one but two babies (two of her oldest kids both just had babies a month apart). It was so fun to visit with Grace, Abby and Murphy and to love on those newborns aside Murphy’s one-year-old antics.

LOVED these two siblings sitting together holding newborns.

Life is pretty grand.

Although Murphy wasn’t too overly sure it was so grand at this point.

Ha!

This was at the book launch. Sorry I keep getting ahead of myself.

LOVE this girl of mine:

…and ALL these girls of mine too:

Elle and Carson were still back at home in the desert with Lucy for the couple days we were gone, and I loved FaceTiming one night to find them learning a new song together on the piano.

I also sure love this other girl of mine on the other side of the world on a mission who we all miss so much every day!

Max and Grace went to a brother/sister concert together…

Then joined us along with Dave’s cousin and Abby’s sister for a little sleepover.

YOU COULD SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS IN UTAH!!! At 1:00am in the morning. How crazy is that??

So gorgeous.

Then it was a day packed with a celebration of Birth at Murphy’s first birthday party:

And a celebration of a life so well lived at a funeral of our friend. He was taken way too soon, leaving behind his wife and six kids. Devastating. But oh what a life he lived. We felt so grateful we could be at the funeral to learn even more of his goodness.

And I have so much more to say about that in another post. Sending so much love to this family.

As we flew through the Utah sunset back to home, my heart was filled up with the beauty of life, and the awe of the things we can learn from each other.