BigBuddy is now a college student. It was a great opportunity for all of us to spend the day at BYU-Idaho. It is a beautiful campus and we really felt that this was the best place for our son to be at this time. He calls me everyday to tell me something or to ask how to do something so I'm finding the adjustment quite easy. He's growing up, he's learning great things, he's figuring out what everyone has to when they branch out on their own, he's reading a LOT and staying up too late . Oh, the memories of college days - good ones they were for me!
Mr. Bison who suddenly appeared when a truck took a right turn on the main road in front of us in Yellowstone National Park. He surprised us being just on the other side where the truck was. He was literally as big as our car. Later in the week I had buffalo with mushrooms and onions for dinner at Maddox - leaner than regular beef, but quite tasty.
Old Faithful, of course . . . wouldn't be a trip here without the requisite visit!
What a surprise to actually see Sheri Dew at the store she's CEO of in downtown Salt Lake.
And, who is that talking to Renee?
(Taking a picture of him when he's listening and not looking directly at me!) Yes, it was President Monson, who happened to visit Deseret Book at the same time we did. Touring the display to promote his new autobiography, we shook his hand, got to speak with him and heard him comment on the DVD of his life. We ended up spending more than hour with him, just feet away from him most of the time - WHAT AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE!!!
Why are my girls so happy? He turned back to them, after shaking their hands, and moving to the family next to us, and said, "You girls will get married in the temple someday." Not as a question, but as a statement of fact. Guess who's mother had tears streaming down her face as the group that had gathered suddenly broke into "We Thank Thee Oh God For A Prophet." Really, this was the highlight of the trip!!!
Grandparents who loved and hosted us and made us wish we lived a lot closer.We played Rook, Farkle, Rummikub and Uno, made homemade Reese's and zucchini bread, watched some tennis, shopped, ate out, rode the train, visited the aviary, went to the water park, played miniature golf, were part of the audience of Music and the Spoken Word, where we met Elder Richard G. Scott also, went to a cook out, and heard my dad bear his testimony in church. . . all memories to treasure.
Cowgirl loving spending time with her family. We loved our time with her too. We got to see her apartment she's decorated so darling and spent almost nine days with her. She is generous and loving and surpassed her mother at Scrabble. She makes us laugh and think and be on time. It always makes me sad when we have to say good-bye again. I want her to live next door and pop on over every day!
Guess who's having a hard time now that we're back?It's hard to be far away. We're grateful for the opportunities we get to be together with our family out West, though it never lasts long enough. MyMike spent his spare time checking for local jobs on my dad's computer. Maybe someday we can live close by them again. For now, we're back East, smaller in number than we used to be, but already keeping the phone lines burning. Thank goodness for cell phones!
