Cullen Clan: Happy Mother's Day PLUS FAMILY HISTORY FUN

Our Carthage Adventure has begun. I consider driving this mower as a Mother's Day gift. It's a very fun job. It takes about 3.5 hours to mow the lawns and it's very satisfying. Speaking of Mother's. I feel that any woman who loves, protects, teaches, comforts, and nurtures another human being is a mother. I have been mothered by women who have never given birth. I am grateful for the women in my life who have made me feel loved and needed. I love the example of my little cousins and nieces who nurture each other and are there for each other.

Recently while down at the Mississippi, My friend Elder Rassmasun had a really good camera. We were both taking pictures of an Eagle family. I had been observing them through my binoculars. He took some great photos and shared. It exemplifies the family structure.

I'm grateful to my mother for all she has done over the past 59 years. As a Mother of four, I can't say enough about Fathers too. That fishing Eagle reminds me of my dad. I could not be the mother I am if my husband wasn't such a protective and nurturing Father. As we nurture each other we are able to focus our best efforts at nurturing and protecting our children.

I love this picture. I took it while cleaning out a house on the Mississippi. It was such a lovely calm Spring day, and the Mama and Daddy Geese were taking the babies out for an adventure. I loved the protective positioning of an adult in front and an adult in back. No one gets lost. Sometimes we lead, sometimes we bring up the rear, both are needful as we protect each other and all in our stewardship.

This cute man is my cousin, Matt. I used to babysit him back in the day. The tatoo is of our grandmother and grandfather PERONA! One of our other cousins made these tatoos at our last family reunion. It was hilarious and since grandma Perona was very against tatoos...it's even more hilarious that now she IS one. What I love about Matt is how much he loves our family, living and dead. He has spent oodles of time, resources, and energy to take family members to Italy to help gather family names from churches, graveyards, and family bibles. He has stirred up a glorious spirit of connection. His father, my uncle Cliff, and our Uncle Anthony and Aunt Marcia went on missions to Italy so they could help the non Italian speakers communicate with each other and get work done. They have brought back thousands of Italian names and are uploading them into familysearch.org so that anyone can access them, see their graves, old photos, etc. He just sent us a picture of himself with this tatoo to remind us to HELP with the indexing and uploading of family names into family search AND to take our own family names to the temple to seal them to each other for time AND all eternity. Families can be together forever, for some that may sound like a nightmare! I think most DO want to be together forever and for those who don't God will sort that out and everyone is going to be very happy. Get on familysearch.org it's FREE! It's EASY. If you text me I will help you get started. Find out who you are and honor the people who have gone before you; the criminals, the creatives, the workers, the shirkers, the saints, all the types of people. You will find your life blessed because they will help you when you remember them.