Hello from Samoa!

We are in Samoa! After a whirlwind training session, I am taking a very quick break to post a couple of pictures. I am having a hard time finding the pictures I want to use...they are in the computer somewhere, I am just not sure where! These few will have to do for now.

This was taken right after we cleared customs and were greeted by the Mission President, his wife and the Bells. On the left is Sister Bell, who is training me to be her replacement. On the right is Sister Haleck, the mission president's wife. I have been told (since then) that she does not like having her picture taken. So much for making a good first impression!

Our first look at Samoa, through the window of the airplane. Pretty exciting for us!

This is the front room of the apartment we are living in until the Bells move out. Very nice...except...

...these are our room mates! Each morning when we get up and each evening when we return home there are several to greet us. Yes. I have nightmares...and say my prayers while kneeling on the bed...and take very short showers...and sometimes wonder if I will survive 18 months with them.

We are standing in front of the Apia Samoa temple, with President Haleck. The temple is in the same complex as our apartment. It takes about 30 seconds to walk to the grounds, 2 minutes to get to the front steps where this picture was taken. Paradise.

President Haleck with Elder Lokeni, the first missionary I officially welcomed to Samoa. He is from Utah...Salt Lake area I believe.

That's all for now. I know it is hard to believe, but it took me about an hour to get this much. Time to do get back to mission duties! Love you all! Sister Merrell

Baptism, Sealing, Water park fun, and more...better late than never!

Recently, Annie was working on her blog while visiting us in St. George. During that time, she commented that our computer did not let her cut and paste pictures on her blog like she was used to being able to do. YES! It is not just me! It really is hard to make posts on my blog! I have to load everything backwards and if I accidentally delete something, it is gone forever...also there is no moving pictures around or text. Where it starts is where it stays. And there is always large amounts of white space inbetween pictures to be deleted. So I sometimes procrastinate making posts. It is too complicated! I am glad that it is not just me. But I also need to do some catching up. Earlier, I started making posts for single events, but that is taking too long, so I am going to combine a few of the events that I really don't want to forget. Here goes...

Kylie's Baptism

Kylie was baptised on July 30th. She had grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins there, as well as both of her parents.
This was taken right after we arrived at the chapel.

Four beautiful ladies!

Kylie's Grandma South and Jennifer stayed at our house. Here is Joyce, trying out the slide!

With Sadie and Maddie...I love this picture!

Kylie's Uncle, Jacob baptized her

This was taken after the confirmation.

And, later on that night, at our house, Brynlie in one of her favorite dress-up outfits.

For her eighth birthday, Aspen let Kylie get some "purple" streaks in her hair. Sasha is working on her as quickly as she can because Kylie is not the best at sitting still for long periods of time.

Almost done!

Best Mother's Day, ever!

This was my Mother's DAy present from Annie and Russ...a baby announcement!

Spring and Summer Happenings

Will and Mickala moved in the end of April. They will be staying in our house while we are on our mission.

Some summer fun time at the city splash park

Sadie is determined to get Sasha wet!

Jason and Sasha's temple sealing!

A forever family! TJ got to go, too!

Carrs, Parks, Merrells, Merrells, and Squires. The picture with DAniel and Charbell got deleted, accidentally...I am so mad about this!

I am wearing Grandma Shurtliff's dress!

With Dale and Elaine

Love this one!

What a precious little one!

We stopped in Annabella on the way home, to put flowers on Kris's grave. The end of a wonderful trip.

"The Dress"

Mike's Grandmother Hunting hand-sewed a beautiful dress that his sister Shara Dawn wore when she was about two years old. Since then, the dress has been loaned to each Merrell girl around the time of her second birthday, for a traditional picture.


A few years ago Shara Dawn had a duplicate dress made because the original just wasn't going to last much longer. After Sadie had her picture taken in the new "dress" it was given to me for safe keeping. And I kept it safe! So safe that we couldn't find it when it was time for Brynlie's picture!

I knew I had seen it since we moved to St. Goerge, but I simply could not remember where I had so carefully put it away! Mike and I had searched everywhere! We were beginning to fear that it had been accidentally tossed out with the packing boxes.

But it finally showed up! Mike thought to look in the cedar chest! What better, safer place than that?!

So, even though she is closer to 3 than 2 in these pictures, Brynlie finally got her picture taken in "the dress".


We decided to make a day of it...complete with a trip to the beauty salon for the works...hair and nails - fingers and toes!

She was pretty cute, inspecting herself in the mirror and smiling for the camera.

However, there is only so much sitting still that a 2-year-old can take!

On to the toes!

Almost done!

By the time we got her home for the "real" pictures, she was pretty much done. Mike got a couple great dress pictures, but no way was she going to smile! She is an expert at the poker-face!

I think I like the ones we took at the salon about as well!

This is my favorite!

Mother's Day

I had a great Mother's Day this year.

Kristi spear-headed a book full of the most wonderful tributes from my family and friends.

Vince and Meagan sent beautiful flowers!

Mike got me an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.

And the girls surprised Aspen...

...with some tee-shirt messages!