The LAST Cottle Reunion

With much discussion, and realization the Cottle Reunion has come to a close. Our family has not been able to make it to these reunions for the past 5 years by various reasons and was able to make it to this one, this year. It was held in a gorgeous location and we felt very spoiled. The place is called Clear Creek Ranch, with 85 members out of 245 members of the family were able to attend. I highly recommend this place for a reunion. Lots to do, canoeing, fishing, swimming, slip and slide, ATV driving, basketball, and a playground. Oh and lots of areas to go and explore.

Here are a few shots that I got of our family and his cousins.

 Brock and Drake checking out there skills to jump over  Daniel.

 Madie cooling off on the slip and slide.

 Jared getting air to jump over 4 guys!

 The biggest frog I've ever seen! This kid caught it by the pond.

 Canoeing. Jay not liking it at all!

 Cottle choir, they sounded good.

The boys, Jay and his cousins... before we left

 The girl cousins looking good.

Jay's parents, aunts and uncles that have continued to run the Cottle reunion for 35 years.

Weighing heavy on my mind...

Some very upsetting news approached my sister's family on May 13, 2011. After a long day at work and chaperoning a middle school dance I get on facebook and my family is all sad in Idaho. I quickly called my sister and texted another sister to see if my nephew who is serving over in Iraq is all right. Found out that his fiance, her sister, and her two children had been murdered by the sister's ex-boyfriend. The ex-boyfriend went in the middle of the night and shot all four sleeping and then he turned on himself and committed suicide on top of trying to burn the house.  I didn't know my nephew's fiance very well. We had met but the story about the insanity of the ex-boyfriend applying his actions to hurt others was crazy!

So many thoughts keep running in my mind. One: Is my nephew going to be bitter towards god or will he lean on him and become active again in the church? Two: perfect time to start doing Malinda's (my nephew's fiance) temple work... hoping she will accept it. Three: I feel for her parents and for the loss of losing there only daughters and grand children. Four: Wishing the ex-boyfriend lived to be tormented.  Five: Why did this have to happen? Six: I'm so grateful to have the gospel in my life and know the plan of salvation, the atonement, and the gift of life. I'm saddened about the whole story and I didn't even know her or the family very well.

As I turn for comfort and answers I go towards the scriptures, prayer, and the Ensign. I feel at peace because I have a testimony of the plan of salvation, and most of all the atonement. My family has been a great strength, as I've read my niece's blogs about the events and their testimonies. I'm so grateful to have a strong family spiritually. Malinda, you will be missed and you have made a huge impact on my nephew's life and amongst the rest of the family members.