Our Summer Blurrrrrrrr.....

August 15th, the first day of school is this coming Monday. Wow! 
Where did my summer go? 

I think THIS is where it went.....

• 3 education conferences
• 1 day helping at the stake "Trek"
• 1 week tending my mom while my dad had surgery
• 1 four day Park City/Heber City/Oakley vaca with the kids
• 1 weekend trip to support Lerin at the Bryce Canyon 1/2 marathon
• 1 weekend cleaning out my parents condo (we moved them into an assisted living center-"yes, it was a good thing!")
• 8 day Alaskan cruise with Lynn
• 3 days of excursions/hikes -- Grand Canyon, Zion and Red Cliffs
• 2 days of making jam and salsa
• Plus tending "grandma's girl", Kambria

  

   

Happy Birthday Mom~

I discovered this past week that my mom is not really "my mom" anymore.  Hard to swallow, hard to come to terms with this fact.  Unfortunately Alzheimer's has taken over her life and watching her struggle for every thought and memory was so amazingly sad, frustrating and taxing on us both. I was "the help" not really her daughter during our time together. 

My mom turned 88 on the 21st and as I took her into the rehab center to see my dad that morning (he had knee surgery), a small miracle occurred.  

My Dad started singing "Happy Birthday" to her and for a solid minute, she was back.  A huge smile came over her face and almost a giggle came out of my mom as they shared a tender moment together.  That moment of love between my parents is one I will never forget.

Birthday Girl & 20 Days

Our little Kambria turned ONE YEAR old on March 27th!  She brightens our life and we can't imagine life without her now.  She is a happy, content, smart and funny one year old who has the entire family wrapped around her little finger!  Amber and her have moved into a little condo only about 1/2 mile away so we get to see her pretty much everyday which is perfect!  She loves her grandma, but is really a grandpa's girl....sigh! The darling photos were taken by our talented friend Heather Stott (Taken Photography)~  

We are also gratefully counting another milestone --Sunday will be TWENTY DAYS.  He is finally safe, working hard and getting the help that he desperately needs.  There IS HOPE and prayers have been answered.  We are blessed and so thankful.

She is HOME!



Mission Home - Ellicott City, Maryland



Saying one last goodbye to amazing people - Jane in West Virginia

Alexa and "The Chippendales" welcoming her home!





Saturday Morning Hike

Beautiful Morning for exploring Snow Canyon slot canyon~with a few fellow Millcreek teachers, family and friends!

Are you kidding me TREK?!!!!.....Ok then -- NOT Trek!

In December Lynn and I got a call from the Stake Presidency to be the co-chairs of the Stake YW/YM Trek this coming June -- whew....we were a bit overwhelmed at such an undertaking, since the last time we did a trek we were a "Ma/Pa" and it rained almost the entire trek.  NOT FUN and we were NOT very good parents to our assigned youth children!  But, with any calling in our church - you just go and do with faith.  So, we picked out some very capable and wonderful committee chairs for the various assignments, got them called - set apart and were ready for our big meeting.  We were ready to hit the dirt trail!  Then  it happened -- literally three hours before our first big trek meeting that we were in charge of, we were called to meet with the young single adult 1st stake, stake president.  What????!!!!  could he want with us?  Plenty......

Lynn is now the second counselor in a YSA Bishopric~~NO MORE TREK for us.  We went on with the meeting as planned, then passed over our binders, flash drives and ideas and walked out into our newest adventure. 

Soakin' up the sun....

January + Sunshine + Day Off + Hike = Perfect Day!

 We even saw a Mtn. Goat today!

The Countdown....

“A testimony is something we know and feel but a conversion is something we do and become."
Elder Steven E. Snow


As I read this quote from Elder Snow today I couldn’t help but think about our very own Sister B…THIRTY TWO DAYS, FIVE WEEKS and 768 HOURS (we aren’t really counting!) until our cute little “Sister Daughter” will be released from her missionary service in Maryland. I know that she has moved from having a strong testimony to having a true conversion as Elder Snow so eloquently states because….. she doesn’t want to even talk about coming home – she truly “gets it” and understands doing and becoming. Thank you Lerin for teaching me today about what it means to be truly converted.