Time and All Eternity

On June 23, 2007 David and I were sealed in the Raleigh, North Carolina Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This was a big day for us and we worked really hard to get to the temple. We were so excited that we were finally able to be sealed together as a family for time and all eternity! We were also blessed that so many friends and family were able to join us that day.

Here we are with Brother Norman Heap. Brother Heap not only taught our Temple prep class, but he was also able to come to the Temple and perform the sealing.

Here we are with both of our families. David's parents drove all the way up here from Florida to be here for our special day. My family was there as well, but they didn't have to travel quite as far.


Here we are with our good friends the Sherwoods. They missed out on the group photo, so they got one all to themselves.

Here is the rest of the gang from Greensboro: Bishop Sweat and his wife Andrea, Tom and Kelly Daugherty, and Jeremy and Ericka Holmes. Thanks you guys for being there for us! We really appreciate your love and support!

Here we are with some of our friends from our old ward in Chapel Hill: Brad Krammer, Jill Austin, and Bishop Anderson. There were a few others present from the Chapel Hill ward as well, but they left before we got to take their pictures.

We are so happy to finally be sealed in the temple! Thanks for every one's love and support and we are so happy that so many of you could make it!

Opera and Dance

This past weekend was filled with opera and dance! On Friday night David and I went to our very first opera Strange Fruit starring Nicolle Alexandre (aka Nicolle Sherwood from church) at Memorial Auditorium on UNC's Campus.

It was fantastic! I had never heard Nicolle sing before because we have been absent both times she has sung in church. She was amazing! I really wish I was blessed with such talent. The actual opera itself was very good too. It had a great story line, fantastic characters, and beautiful costumes like the one Nicolle is wearing here. David didn't even fall asleep once! (that's how good you know it was).

After the Opera we were able to meet her sister and brother in law who came to watch as well. Then we attended a reception for all the performers and family. We had such a great first opera experience! Thanks Nicolle and Greg for inviting us! And Nicolle you stole the show!

Onto Dance! This weekend was the North Carolina Rhythm Tap Festival held at my mom's studio, The Ballet School of Chapel Hill. Some amazing tap dancers came down to teach master classes and perform. I wanted to take from everyone, but I had to limit myself due to physical restrictions. In the morning I took a class from Mr. Joseph Wiggans. He is amazing and preformed with my sister in Imagine Tap last year. Such a nice guy too!

My sister's friend Carson also came down to take class and perform. She is really good too. Here are Michelle and Carson being silly in the car on the way to pick up Joseph for class.

Here I am with my tap buddy Aimee! I take class with Aimee on Thursday nights from Gene. I have so much fun hanging out with her. Her daughter also taps and she is amazing! Almost as amazing as Michelle.

I took Michelle's advanced tap class and it totally kicked my butt. She is so unbelievable. She taught us these incredible hard steps. She is probably the best white girl tapper in the world and I am not exaggerating. I mean the things she does with her feet...it is practically impossible! And her rhythm and time...astounding.

And now I will take a few more minutes to brag about my sister...she is a professional tap dancer based out of NYC and has danced with all the great tap dancers from Savior Glover, to Diane Walker, Josh Hilberman, Barbara Duffy, Ayodele Casel, Dereck Grant, and more! The list just goes on and on! She has been in two commercials, danced at The Apollo Theater, the Cannes Film Festival, the winter Olympics, the Jerry Lewis Telethon, she has performed in three running (meaning more that just one performance) shows Derrick Grant's Imagine Tap, Common Ground, and Savior Glover's Improvography. She has also been featured in Dance Magazine and Dance Spirit several times. She teaches at two dance studios in NYC and also travels the world to teach at tap festivals and perform. She has been in too many tap companies to name. I am sure there is more, but this is what I came up with off the top of my head. Anyways can you tell I am a proud sister? I love you Michelle and you are the best female tap dancer in the world!

Topsail Island, NC

This past week David and I traveled to Topsail Island, NC (pronounced topsol) for our annual family beach week! We had such a great time and it was so nice to relax, spend time with family, and play on the beach.

Here is most of the Horrance gang: Donovan (my brother), Kyle (his friend), Mom, Dad, me and David. Not pictured: Nani (my grandma) and Michelle (my sister)
I think Michelle was taking the picture.

Everyday we were at the beach we did some sort of physically activity (we needed to after all the food we were eating). David and I enjoyed taking long walks down to the pier.

We saw lots of crabs while we were walking on the beach!

This one is dead, but pretty cool looking huh?

I also got to play golf with my dad and sister. I have to brag a little bit...I played the best golf of my life! I usually only play golf once a year when we are at the beach so I was amazed at how well I did. We only got to play 9 holes because it was getting dark, but I shot a 52 on nine holes (don't laugh all you real golfers out there). I made a par on one hole, and if my putting didn't suck so bad I would have had par on two more holes. The best part is I beat my dad and sister! (of course my dad gave us a two stroke advantage). We had a great time.



The rest of the week we spent time playing games, watching movies, playing pick up soccer on the beach, and swimming in the ocean. This is a picture of us playing Cranium. Can you tell this is a posed picture of me trying to guess what Michelle is drawing? Ha ha ha.

The Nani taught David and I how to play a new card game called Russian Bank. It is like solitaire, but with two people. I must say that I won most of the games against David...but no one could beat the Nani!

We had so much fun at the beach I just wish we could have stayed longer! We only got to stay for half of the week because David and I both needed to get back to work. Next year we definitely plan on taking the whole week off!

David got really into taking lots of pictures of the beautiful scenery and there are tons, but here is a sample of the best of the rest!

A view of the pier from our house.

Same pier at night.

Under the pier.

More ocean and sand.

The marsh from the high bridge.

Another view of the marsh.

Westward Trek!

So, I think the first thing that I should say is that Natalie and I have not become inactive . . . . We just haven't been around the past couple of weekends due to various trips, the most important of which was two weeks ago when we got to go out to see my sister (Tami), her husband (Greg), and their brand new baby girl (Gabriella or "Gabby") in Salt Lake City, Utah. We had such a great time!!! The best part was getting acquainted with our niece, Gabriella. She is so (so, so, so) adorable!!! I understand that some of you reading this blogpost may not take my word for it, so I have dispersed numerous photos of my incredibly cute niece throughout (proof of my assertion, if you will).

Exhibit 1 . . . here is Gabriella! Isn't she just adorable? I thought that I should start out with a picture of her because she is the reason that we made our "westward trek"!!! In this picture Gabby is playing (and by that I mean "batting" away at four stuffed animals that are suspended above her by some sort of tent-like contraption). I must say that she has quite an arm, which I hope will someday be put to use on the tennis court. The Williams sisters better watch out!!!

All right . . . on to our trip!

Shortly after arriving, Tami and Greg took us to the Hogle Zoo, which is located in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was great to be a part of Gabriella's first trip to the zoo. Pictured here are Tami, Gabriella, and me at the entrance to the zoo.

After the zoo, we headed back to Tami and Greg's apartment to spend some more QT with Gabby. We had to rest up for a big day touring Temple Square. Doesn't Gabby look excited?

Our first stop in Temple Square was the Conference Center (you know, the big building where all the General Conferences are held). Anyway, on our way in, I noticed this little creek running by the side of the building. I think this is the "river" that you always see clips of at the start of the conference broadcasts. It definitely looks much bigger on television (very tricky)!

After taking a quick picture of the "river," we went on a tour of the Conference Center. The tour may have been the funniest part of the day. First, the tour guide told us that the standard tour would take about 45 minutes. So, I'm pretty sure we offended her by asking for an "abbreviated" tour (the "just take us to the roof to get a view of the temple" tour). Then, I'm convinced that the already dismayed tour guide rolled her eyes when my sister and her husband opted out of even the "abbreviated" tour to feed Baby Gabby. Finally, when we got to the roof of the Conference Center, the tour guide decided to make small talk with us and this guy from Uzbekistan who joined our tour a little late (also opting for the "abbreviated" tour, much to the dismay of our tour guide). Our poor guide could not pronounce Uzbekistan to save her life (despite multiple, and I mean multiple, attempts). Despite this slight set-back, our tour guide was not to be discouraged, and proceeded to assure the young Uzbekistanian that "we really do like muslims, it's just the ones on the fringes that we have a problem with." He appeared relieved!

Here is the view of the Salt Lake Temple from atop the Conference Center. Definitely worth the undergoing the "abbreviated" tour, hugh?

And this is a view of the temple from the street below. I wasn't able to get as good of a perspective as from atop the Conference Center, but still impressive.

And so after a long day of touring Temple Square, we took this last picture in front of the temple and went back to Tami and Greg's apartment to rest up. We would need to get up early the next day (Sunday) to go to the Tabernacle in time to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing!

The next morning we got the Tabernacle in plenty of time to hear the Tabernacle Choir sing. It was truly an inspirational performance, including renditions of the Battle Hymn of the Republic and Taps. Natalie and I have been practicing both pieces in our spare time in hopes of catching the ear of whoever selects the singers for the Choir.

After listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, it was time to see the famous Utah mountains up close. On our way to one of Tami and Greg's favorite spots, we saw this amazing rainbow.

Did I mention how incredibly cute my little niece Gabby is?

All right, back to the mountains. Here is Greg, Natalie, and me at one of the most picturesque spots atop the mountains.

And here's another picture of the impressive Utah landscape. Now those are mountains!!!

After touring the mountains and enjoying a scrumptious picnic prepared by Tami and Greg, we returned to Tami and Greg's place to relax (and hold Gabby some more!) before heading back to North Carolina. Does Gabby make me look like some sort of giant-headed monster?

Natalie and I really had a wonderful time in Utah. If Tami, Greg, and Gabby are out there reading this--thank you guys so much for a wonderful visit! We had a great time! Now you have to come to North Cackalacky to see some of our impressive sites . . . . Thank you again!!!