Utah: FSY

It was our stake's off year for FSY but the boys really wanted to go again and Megan wanted to go for the first time.  You have to sign up for FSY back in January so it was just about 6 weeks after we had been to Utah for Thanksgiving where we spent a lot of time with Aaron.  Matt and Janina mentioned how grateful they were for Brock and Noah's friendship with Aaron and they wished they could hang out more.  Sometime in January Janina and I hatched a plan.  What if Aaron went to FSY with Brock and Noah?  We started talking to our kids and would Aaron go to Colorado, would our kids go to Florida.  Suddenly I had an idea!  BYU!!  I had heard that some of the FSY teachers at BYU were the old school EFY teachers, like John Bytheway, Brad Wilcox, or church leaders.  Surely that would be awesome!  I pitched it to my kids and they agreed.  Unfortunately we weren't the only ones with the idea and it was harder to get 4 kids into BYU on our preferred weeks.  We got in the week Brock had soccer camp so he went down to Colorado Springs.  Dropping them off at BYU was so fun and I am so glad they got to go - glad and JEALOUS!!!  

Cousins!!

We definitely ended up taking the LONG way to their dorms... oops.

Megan's room.

Roommies!

And they did have awesome teachers!!  Thank heavens for daughters.  Brock and Noah went to FSY last year and I never heard from them.  When I asked questions I got deep insights like "good".  From the first day I got regular updates from Megan about her classes, friends, activites, and what she was learning.  She recorded parts of classes she thought I would love.  The best part?  She went to a class taught by Sister Alberto!  What a tender mercy.  Megan has always LOVED sister Alberto.  She sent me this text and we both got to celebrate together!  It was truly wonderful!

Below are pictures that Noah and Megan text me.  I don't know who these kids are or the stories.

I do know these 2

One story I do know: Megan met a group of girls in the back of the BYU bookstore.  They became fast friends and started a group chat called "BYU Bookstore group" or something like that and they still talk to this day.

A few other things I know:

They loved that talent show and came home with several recordings of their favorite talents to play for their siblings. 

Megan had great experiences letting God pick her classes with the help of her pencil.

Noah and Aaron got along.  Aaron was Mr. Popular.  Noah was Mr Yes.  Everything he was invited to or asked to do he said "yes" and went and did it. 
 

Utah: Hanna's

Then on Sunday morning we headed up to my parents house.  We went to church with them, well, actually I think this was the time we went to church ay my grandma's ward.  My mom's ward was having stake conference.  I hadn't been with my grandma much since my grandpa died and she hadn't gone to her own ward much (just her daughters wards).  So the kids and I went and picked her up and took her to church.  It was the most wonderful Sunday.  Her ward felt like Zion.  They have taken such good care of my grandparents, but my teens didn't know that.  But when we left they all mentioned what a wonderful ward it was.

My dad got a lot of new toys since last summer and Dane thoroughly enjoyed them.  He spent almost every minute on this boat.  Seriously.  This is where he was all day.  If we couldn't find him, or it was time to go somewhere, we knew to go look in the boat.  

He also got this cool car.  Dane and Eve loved driving around in it and Maddie enjoyed driving it around the neighborhood.

For dinner on Sunday  night we went down to Pat Thomas'.  I spent a good portion of my teenage years at Pat's house.  She was my second mom.  Her house was a second house.  Over the years everyone got busy with their own families, and despite just being down the street and having grandchildren the same ages our families haven't gotten together (especially when I am in town).  Pat decided she wanted to change that and have my mom's whole family and her whole family over.  It was so fun.  My teens were skeptical at first, but Pat had out jewelry making stuff and it was such a hit and a great way to bond without being bored and awkward.  

The men doing the grill!  I love it!

The little kids!!  So cute!  They had so much fun together.  

Maddie got really good at tether ball.

It was another perfect summer evening down at the Thomas'.  The stuff my childhood was made of.  My heart feels whole being outside, with friends and family, just sitting around talking for hours, coming and going, with kids running around and playing.  

After a while some of the teenagers went in to watch a movie.

Earlier in the day Maddie and I were driving grandpa's car around and we ran into Hailey Bell so we picked her up.  

Then we found Payton.  I was overjoyed!  I thought he had already left on his mission, but he was still at "at home" MTC.  We got to talk with him for over an hour.  He was a true missionary.  He was so different.  There was a light and a power about him.  It was a cool transformation.

He showed off all of his cool missionary hacks that he insisted we send to Brock.

Later he and Brooke came down to see Megan and Noah.  It was a fantastic visit.

Then on Monday morning I took Megan and Noah to FSY down at BYU (see the next post).  When I got back my mom's front yard had been transformed into a bounce house park!  

All the women in my family were there with their kids and grandkids. We talked while the kids played.  It was one of the more meaningful conversations we have had, as we talked about temples, covenants, and garments.  It was so great because we spanned so many generations from my grandma in her 80's down to endowed cousins in their 20s and then teenagers - and every where in between.  I felt like we were able to be honest and candid and we all came at it with different perspectives, opinions and experiences - but we all had the same goal - trying our hardest to be disciples of Jesus Christ.  

It was mine and Jason's love anniversary while I was in Utah and he had my mom surprise me with my favorite meal - Wingers wings!!  He is so sweet!