Mom and Dad's Bday Party

It's party time! We celebrated Mom and Dad's (aka Grandma and Grandpa, Gr-Grandma and Gr-Grandpa) 71st birthdays this afternoon at the Stevens Homestead. The party included Robbie and I and Sue and Kent and boyz. The temperature was in the 80s and we barbequed out on the deck. The first hummingbird of the season made a much anticipated visit while we were chowing down! What luck!

You'll see pictures of the big boys eyeballing Robbie's recent purchase...a Toyota truck...lifted! What fun! And you'll see a picture of Conor doing a stunt on the much-loved swing. What a monkey! There's Sue and Kent taking it easy. And Mom showing the leaf art I made for her.

Enjoy!!

Cat Makeover

It's that time of year again, when the cats go to the Groom Room and come home looking like little lions. Simba thinks he looks sleek in his new skin, except the blue bow has got to go. Patches was such a matted fluff ball before, that she must feel like million bucks now, all naked and smooth.

Simba: Before and After





Patches: Before and After

Life is good! Bring on the heat.

The Call Came!

On April 18th, Robbie and I made our "Mission Call Wednesday" pilgrimage out to the mailbox at about 4:30 pm, with Holly joining us on my cell phone. And after 25 days of waiting and watching the mailbox, the elusive big, white envelope had finally arrived! Of course, Holly was in Logan and the envelope was in Bountiful, so there was no opening the envelope until the two could unite!





After about two hours, we finally had everyone assembled at Grandma and Grandpa's home in Farmington for the big event. Holly sat down with the cameras and videos pointed at her to open the envelope.

With the skill of a surgeon, she sliced that envelope open and searched for the letter. It was underneath on the bottom of the papers. When she finally had it in front of her, she drew out the suspense by silently reading for a second and then looked up at us with a huge smile. When she finally shared the news, we learned that she had been called to serve in the . . .




That's right! The Spain Barcelona Mission! Screams and shouts and happy sounds abounded! What a wonderful spot on the globe! This was a call so worth waiting for! And she gets to speak Spanish! The one wish of her heart for her mission!

But wait, she doesn't report to the MTC until August 22nd. That's four months and four days away! Patience . . . we are learning patience in all of this!

Immediately, she begins the calling and texting and spreading the word! It doesn't even end during dinner! And she's so talented, she can talk on the phone and text simultaneously! Danielle actually takes a quick break from her texting duties to sample Grandma's wonderful meal!



After dinner, the texting continues, and Holly and Danielle do some research on Spain and Barcelona. While, yes, the texting continues! Miraculously, Holly's phone, which has been in continual use since she got The Call, doesn't die on her until almost 10pm. Yes, that is a miracle. It usually dies within the first few minutes of the first call after being charged!

Finally, we decided to take the party to our home and let G&G relax. They are so wonderful! From the first, Holly wanted her Mission Call moment to be with them at their home. Maybe that's why The Call waited so long to come! G&G had been at the Diamond Fields of Arkansas for the past two weeks prospecting for diamonds (and YES! getting one!) and had just returned home the day before The Call arrived.

What an amazing and memorable day! Oh! I forgot to mention that Mother Nature was out to make it memorable as well by providing a beautiful white cover of spring snow everywhere!

"Will earth be white with drifted snow? Or will the world know spring?" Why not BOTH for Holly's Mission Call?!

I am so proud of her and so excited for what's to come! Ahhhh!!!!!!!!!

Dashing Asher

My little grandbaby Asher is so cute!! I seriously could eat him up! Here he is in mid-March, when I went to Georgia to visit! Look at that smile! I miss him so much!!!!!

And look how cute his mom is, too! Becky, you are the most adorable mom!

Here's Asher with Aunt Holly. I love this picture! Look at his cute chubby little fingers!!! And his expression is priceless! I think he loves Holly!

Friday, the 13th of April

It's Dad's birthday today! He's 71! He's in Arkansas at the diamond field. He found a diamond! And today, on his birthday, he officially registered it! .33k! White! Very shiny! What a great birthday present! I can't wait to see it!

What a lucky day for Dad, Friday the 13th!

The Call

Will Holly's call ever come? It's been 19 nerve-racking days since she submitted her papers. Three "mission call Wednesday's" have come and gone with no large envelope from President Gordon B. Hinckley in the mailbox.

We were so sure it would be here two days ago. In fact, I could hardly think that day as I drove home from work to check the mail. I got Holly on the phone as I walked (ran!) out to the mailbox. So confident that the big envelope would be there. It was incredulous that the only mail in the box was the usual junk. How could that be? How could the envelope not be there? It was our third Wednesday!

Yes, I am going through this, too, with Holly! How can I not be? I'm her mom! I feel like this is our call. Only I get to stay home and she get's to go. How will I stand 18 months a part from her? I'll miss my buddy so much.