Blessing #6

Raychel Ann, born October 14, 1984. She was the baby of the ward. Everyone passed her around and wanted to hold her. She had a dimple in her cheek, and dark beautiful hair. But her eyes were the most brilliant. We moved when she was just 6 months old, coming to Panguitch while we built the house in Riverton. She was a year before we finished the house, so she started walking here in Panguitch, just after she turned 1. She was at my side, doing as I did, in everything I tried. Her little face was always turned to me and learning -- soaking it all in. She used grown up words and sentences. She was determined too. She would buckle down and begin, a most important step to getting where you want to go. I read a quote that reminds me of her. The people who say it can't be done are ran over by those who are doing it, or something like that. Not that Raychel steps on anyone. She would be entirely opposite of that going gently around. But she is out there, making it happen. In elementary school, the teacher acused her of plagerizing her book for her book report -- 2nd graders can't talk like that. But then she got to know Raychel and realized that she could talk so intelligently, in her own words. She won the DARE essay award and many awards since. Raychel wanted to run like the older kids, so she ran and ran, no one ran with her, she ran early mornings in the dark and late at night. She pounded the road until she got a painful hairline fracture and had to wear a boot. She got academic all state, and could not run at state because she was in her boot. But she was fast and had the grades too. She continued to run in college at BYUI and was the intramural coach for the girls. She plays the violin since 4th grade and minored in music in college. She had excellence scholarships and did not pay for her tuition ever. She graduated with a degree in Chemistry and was offered $20,000 to continue working in Master's Program at BYU. But declined because by then she was a MOMMY. She by then had married Albert Paul Mantz IV. He and Raychel now have Shayden Ray, born May 24, 2007 and Gavon Cuyler, born Dec 3, 2008. They married in Jordan River Temple 6 months after Paul returned from a mission in Dominican Republic. Now they are working on getting Paul's education at Utah State in Logan. Paul is working at Home Depot and does the Utah National Guard as well. They are busy, happy and continuing to keep the faith as Paul would say. Their newest addition is only one week old, their life is full. And what a blessing they are in my life. Here are a few pictures, video says it all.