Miracles DO happen.

**Family pictures. WHAT an adventure. Actually, to be quite honest, we did a pretty good job this year: no crying, no name calling, no pouty faces, no fits, no nasty sun-in-the-eye photos, etc. The whole event was probably the most successful and pleasant photo shoot we've had since Mom & Dad took their first family picture (with just the two of them). Mom wanted pictures of the family before Tanner took off for his mission and I left again for school. So...this is what we came up with:

Dad will never cease to be THE [ultimate] court jester.

The Girls. Yes, my little sisters are so [freaking] gorgeous.

Tanner + the girls.

The gentlemen. LOVE my brothers. They are bound to do incredible things.

Due to current circumstances, certain sentiments must be shared.

I love my family.

A LOT.

Being away at BYU for the past 2 years has given me a new supply of love and appreciation for the diverse talents, personalities, and quirks of my siblings and parents.

In high school I often sought solitude from the mass numbers that populated my house. Now, I constantly seek to develop relationships with the very people who have tolerated my idiosyncrasies. These same people have loved me enough to help a dramatic, passionate person

become the girl she is today. Granted, there is still a long road of learning ahead.

But

I'm grateful I don't have to hike the 'straight and narrow' alone.

In my family, we often pride ourselves in the fact that we are Nelson's. To be a Nelson means you are funny, outgoing, straightforward, witty, smart, hard working, ambitious, and spiritual. You're also kind of judgmental (we're working on that), tactless, inconsiderate, loud, and sarcastic (also working on those last four). In the Nelson home, family vacations consist of failed road trips, miserable Christmas Vacations in Hawaii, rodeos, and Utah. A typical meal is successful when mom gets it cooked before 8 p.m., or the children have fended for themselves--and by fending I'm referring to cereal, cookies, or protein shakes. When you speak, you use your hands. FHE really stands for Freak-outs Happen Easily. The family pet can be anything, ranging from dog to chicken to lion fish to goat to horse to cow to turtle. Chores around the house mean emptying the dishwasher, cleaning your room before the cleaning ladies arrive, feeding the animals morning and night, and hanging up the towel when you're done using it.

We're not perfect, but we believe that we can be someday, as a family, and with some special help.

I love you Dad, Mom, Glen (22), Tanner (19), Jake (16), Hanna (14), Paige (12), & Sophie (11).

Yes, we are all GREAT posers ;-)

My mom once said that our family is a miracle.

I second that motion.

My family truly is a miracle. The fact that we're all living, healthy, smart, and striving to be the best we can be is proof of God's hand in my life.

My family is proof that miracles DO happen.

**all photos were taken and edited by Rachel B. Reidhead.