Family Reunion

What a wonderful few days!!  It was much better than we had even hoped.  So good to see everyone and spend time together.  I was worried we wouldn't get to see everyone enough, but it all worked out well.  My feet and legs will take some time to recover, but my heart is full.


The dinner at Mimi's the day we all arrived.  What a great thing that Kathy and Lisa and Lisa's family could make it from the airport in time to be with everyone there!

                           

 

After dinner we all went back to the hotel and the family presented Jer with his birthday gift that had been months in the making:  a book of memories from all the kids and some grandkids about what they remember about him.  Heidi put it together with applicable pictures from the family "archives" in her possession.  Such a wonderful gift for him!  Unique and irreplaceable.  After everyone left he read every word and looked at every photograph.  A real treasure.

The next day we all hit California Adventure!  Jer and I planned to follow children around and help out babysitting while parents went on rides, but when we got there everyone scattered and we were left standing alone looking around.  And up came the boys!!  What a treat!

We got to hang out with them for several hours, going on some of their favorite rides with them.  Cars was fun.  We did it twice.

 And also Soarin'.  Now that was an awesome adventure!  I almost cried the first time we did it, flying over so many beautiful places on earth.

We eventually hooked up with Evanses and got to sit in the shade with Matthew while everyone else went on the ferris wheel.  Got to sit with Erin for a while too and rest and cool off.  The weather was good, but still warm in the sun.

He was refreshed after a little nap and then we all went to Ariel's adventure.  That was a cool and relaxing ride.  I already can't remember all that we did.  But it was fun to hang out with the fam.

Next day we got a family photo done and will add Adam and Thadeus to it as soon as we can get it.  Then we took off to get fast passes to Star Tours.  That was an exciting ride!  We enjoyed it a lot.  And the space villain happened to be James Bennett!!  That was a fun surprise!  I guess they take a picture of someone in the line as everyone enters.

Dad and I wandered a little and then went on the log ride.  It was fun too, but not as much fun as it used to be.  I guess we are getting too old for Disneyland.

It wasn't long before my feet just gave out and we sat down in New Orleans Square to rest and watch people go by.  As we were sitting a pirate came along and started singing to the different children that walked up.  He would put their name in the song and sing a story about them.  He was very kind and gentle with them and I admired how he interacted with each one.  And he made cute jokes.  I enjoyed him very much.  So after my feet recovered and he had wandered down the sidewalk, we looked for him and found him at the ship and got a picture with him.  I hope he is happy and has a good life.

We went to the Tiki room and had a Dole pineapple whip and watched the show, then we went next door to lunch.  After lunch with the Barneys, Evanses, and Bennetts we went to Autopia with the Evans little boys and Erin and Bennetts.  They couldn't wait to drive the cars!!  We finally got a car each and I got to ride with Matthew.  He loved it all.  Every minute.  He started out driving, but he made the car swerve quickly and banged his head so I took over and he was happy to talk and look at everything.  Then we came back to the hotel and swam.  What a relaxing afternoon!  It was just what I needed.  Evanses came back in a while and they ordered dinner from a Mediterranean place for us and them and Barneys.  It was really delicious, but we had way too much food.  We had it again for lunch the next day, hoping that everyone else would join too.  And some did.

Next day was Friday and we stayed around the hotel all day, watching Mike's family swim and resting.  Heather and Kathy went off to shop at the Disneyland downtown place and had a good day looking at things and talking.  Heather had been worried she wouldn't have anyone to do things with but she had a great time going around with Kathy and Thadam most of the time.  Her feet wore out too, finally.  She hobbled back to the hotel and appreciated a little rest.

In the evening some of us headed to Medieval Times.  Kathy and her group had gone the night before and Mike's family didn't want to go so they went out to dinner together and had a nice evening.  We had a fun evening watching knights and being lords and ladies.

We ate and drank and cheered and booed and watched a great show.  What magnificent horses!!

And then we came home to the hotel tired.  But we needed to finish up with a birthday song to Adam and a final goodby for everyone.  Most were leaving the next day.  What a great time.  It was so wonderful to spend a few days in the presence of those we love the very most in the world.

Jared's and Jo's Wedding and the Collinses Farewell

Wedding

I can't believe I haven't posted these events yet!  I guess it's all just overwhelming to try to put into words how great it is to visit with everyone and have such a valuable experience with family.  Mike and Raylyn and the children hosted us and we are very grateful.  We got to stay in the girls' beautiful room.  Raylyn is such an artist and the girls were so generous to share their space and their comfortable beds with us.  It was fun getting to spend time with them and hear about what they are doing now.  Growing too fast for sure!  Aubrey is 14 now and is getting her braces off!  Ella is soon 12, going to girls' camp and getting braces soon, and Henry continues to grow into a wonderful, healthy young man.  Here they are at the wedding reception.

The wedding was beautiful in every way.  It was in the Draper temple and everyone was so happy for them.  I was at first sad that my camera lens was foggy, and then I decided it was kinder to us old folks to blend out the wrinkles a little.

All the relative and friend attendants:  ten each bridesmaids and groom's men.

Collinses grandparents included in this family picture.

This was our first opportunity to meet Sean Rowan Collins, Brian and Kinsie's baby.  What a precious little boy!  This is a four generation picture.

You can see his face better here.  I think he looks like his mom, and time will continue to tell who he actually is.  What a joy to watch personality unfold!

The reception was in a beautiful place and there were hundreds of guests.  This is their cake.  It's fun that their initials are both J.  They can have fun with that.

And then they went off on a trip to San Diego for a few days.  They returned quickly so she could continue school.

We made it a very quick trip for the wedding.  We got to see most everyone quickly and then took off to return a couple weeks later for the Collinses farewell.

Collinses Farewell

Heidi and James were kind hosts to us and it was great to hang out with them.  Heidi took us to the MTC and showed us some of the things she had been working on for months and months.  What a beautiful new MTC they have created; there are huge murals of Book of Mormon incidents and big bright windows looking out on the mountains and the campus.  The missionaries now are so blessed to be immersed in that environment.  There is even a picture of Heidi and her companion teaching an investigator among the other missionary pictures all along the walls with pertinent quotes and scriptures.



This is an artist's image of what it was going to be like, but it is truly this open and bright.  What Heidi got to do was suggest and implement what quotations and what pictures were going to be where.  I wish they had images of those fantastic wall size murals!  One was of the sons of Mosiah looking down into the valley of the Lamanites before they were caught by the king's guards.  It was a composite of actual South American mountains, actors, and an artist's painting.  It was totally realistic  and so were the other ones.

We had time to visit with family members which is always wonderful.  Got to visit with Rileys senior for a little.  And then at the farewell we got to see a few old friends:  Todd Pennington was there with his family; he lives in the same ward as Collinses. Wendy Owens Sherman was there, Kelly Riley Packer too.  Of course Jackie was there.  It was good to see her.

Their talks were as one would expect.  They were humble and grateful and full of love for their ward and family and friends who have supported them over their lives.  They are overwhelmed with the task in front of them and at the same time confident that the Lord will guide and bless as required.  Whom the Lord calls He qualifies.

Setting Apart

What an honor and a privilege it is to serve in the responsibility to which they are called.  And at Sean's setting apart as Mission President Kristin was also set apart as a full time missionary.  She was concerned that they would only have a few days in the MTC, but as one of the general authorities who interviewed them told her, they have been preparing for this their whole lives.  They bring with them who they have become over their lifetime of experience.

For the setting apart Kinsie was concerned about having the baby there who may need something as things were going on so Heidi came to the church office building and babysat him while we were all together in the setting apart.  She loved doing it and it was greatly appreciated.

This is the family allowed to attend their setting apart with Elder Cook and the President of Seventy over their mission.  They were given many words of advice and counsel before the setting apart, helping them understand the needs of the missionaries who will serve under them.  It was an honor to be present and hear what was said.  It all made me want to be better in every way.

After that spiritual feast Sean took us all to Chinese and we had a wonderful meal.  I will never think of egg foo yung the same again.  It was all superb!  It's a restaurant that they go to frequently.  They didn't even have to order; the owner knew already what they wanted.

Then, the next morning we got to see Gracie before we started out for home again.  She looks wonderful and is still working toward becoming a pilot.  She will get there.  She is determined.  We are so proud of her!!

It is always such a joy to be together with you all.  We love you all so much and are always so grateful for the good people you all are; for your lives of dignity and honesty and being true to your values.