525,600 Minutes

About two weeks ago, Jordan and I ventured our way up to the Tri-Cities (Washington) to celebrate with Jenna as she graduated from high school! This was our second year in a row doing this and the third high school graduation in a row for our family. Crazy, right? One of my former high school teachers joked that my family would probably show up to graduation next year because we forgot someone wasn't graduating haha. 

Anyway, we kept up with the tradition of attending Lydia's third grade field day in the morning and watching her play around with her friends.Then later that night, a large group of us (about 20 or so family members) gathered at the Toyota center to cheer on Jenna as her name was called and she officially graduated. It was a blast! Jordan and I even joined Mom and Dad in helping at the Senior Party until 4:30 that morning! It was a crazy weekend with family and it certainly didn't last long enough.We'll just have to make it a yearly tradition even if no one's graduating!

Looking back through the last year it's crazy to think how much everyone has changed and everything that's happened in such a short amount of time. Just like the popular show tune from the musical Rent explains, there are only 525,600 minutes in a year. It might sound like a lot, but it's really not when we consider everything that could happen in such a short amount of time.

So what's happened in the last 525,600 minutes of my life? Quite a bit actually. Since the last high school graduation:

I started the nursing program at BYU-Idaho (and I only have six months left until I graduate)

Jordan and I got engaged and then married six months later

Alex received her mission call to central Salt Lake City and then entered the mission field about five months later

Jordan and I spent our first Thanksgiving in Utah and our first Christmas and New Year's together in Washington

Sammie turned 16

Shonna started her first year at middle school

Ronnie finished her last year at middle school

Lydia was baptized

Mom and Dad celebrated their 21st anniversary

Jenna (as well as three of her cousins) graduated from high school

Jordan and I moved into our first apartment together in Rexburg

I started a job at the Homestead Assisted Living nursing home

Now obviously, a lot more happened within the last year but those were the major events that I could remember. And interestingly enough, they were all about family (in some way or another). So that just means that in the end, family is what really matters. Sure, there may be activities or materialistic things that seem important and significant at the time, but sooner or later they fade away.

My grandparents gave our family a plaque for one of my parents' anniversaries and it's basically become our family motto. The plaque reads:

"What matters most is what lasts the longest and families are forever" (M. Russell Ballard)

In today's world full of distractions, it's even more important to remember our priorities and focus our time on the things that will last the longest and bring us the most happiness. This may present an even harder challenge since many of us are used to the instant gratification of today's modern advances which don't force us to be patient. But through personal experience, I've learned that the best things come to those who wait.

We never know how long each of us has here on earth. Our lives could end at any time. Through Christ's Atonement and His Gospel we can live with our families forever. But now is the time for us to strengthen those relationships and prove to God that we are worthy of that eternal blessing. We only have so many minutes in this life time to tell our family that we love them. So why waste any of them?

Honestly, I am quite pleased with the last 525,600 minutes. And I can't wait to see what happens next.