HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!
   A day to reflect on friends and family members who are part of the U.S. military - those who died during war and peacetime, and to those who continue on in the legacy of service.  Thank you, Kevin, for your 30+ years of service to our country. 

IT WAS A BUSY, BUSY, BUSY WEEK FOR US 

On Monday, we had dental appointments, then did some extra house cleaning and put the downstairs bedroom back together (after our ceiling leak and repair). Max was able to come for a short visit 😀. Grant had planned to come also, but could not get a flight 😞. We miss you, Grant!

While he was here, Max an Paul climbed the Manitou Incline, and hiked up Mt. Herman.  Max also got to visit with his friend Levi, who is a USAFA cadet. 

          

Tuesday, I managed to get some time in for my school assignments and got to visit with Max

Wednesday, we went to Samantha's graduation in the morning, out to Adam's for pizza, and then everyone came back to our house for a "barn-raising", as Adam called it, to build our gazebo. The boys worked so hard all afternoon - didn't quite finish but hope to get it done this week.

  After-work dinner at Cafe Rio 

 Thanks so much guys for all of your help!

Thursday, Eilis and I went shoe shopping, and later in the afternoon, I went to Lily's continuation program.  It is really hard for me to think about her starting high school in the Fall.

Where did time go????

Friday, we took Max to the airport and then came home and got busy with laundry, and tried to catch up on school work that I had mostly neglected during the week.  

  Also, Kate called Friday morning and happened to mention that she and Jonathan were going to see the new Mission Impossible movie that evening.  Does anyone else keep up with Mission Impossible movies?  We really haven't, but I told her that it sounded like a fun date.  She said we would need to see the 7th movie before going to the latest movie (#8).  So on a whim, Dad and I rented Mission Impossible 7 and really enjoyed it!  Now I am looking forward to seeing the last one.  Thanks Kate!

 Saturday, we went to Eilis' graduation from Fountain-Fort Carson High School.  I didn't realize how large her school was but the campus is spread out and really pretty.  We also didn't realize that there would be a ton of people there, so even though we got there 30 minutes ahead of time, there were no seats left.  A really nice couple must have thought we were old 😄 because they asked if we would like one of their chairs.  The husband was up taking photos a lot, so Dad and I shared a chair - I sat for the first hour, and he sat for the second.  

After we got home, I had to finish a paper for my class, and then we helped Cathy bring her bags upstairs and got her on her way to the airport.  There was little energy left by that time so we just relaxed and watched some Murder Island.

Today, we were so happy to sleep in, go to church, and then Angella, Hollie, Eilis, Jacob (Eilis' boyfriend), and Ben came over for dinner.  Dad grilled a flank steak and it was delicious.  

  Last week, I shared part of an article that was in our newspaper the week before Easter, and tonight I just want to add some concluding thoughts from the author - 

"As you read this, there are patients fighting for their lives in one of the many intensive care units throughout our city.  At Children's Hospital up on Briargate Parkway, there's an infant born with a compromised heart, babies in critical condition, their frail and fragile bodies in an epic battle to live.

At the UCHealth Cancer Center down at Memorial Hospital, patients are arriving for testing and treatment. Their prognosis might be bleak. They need a miracle.  All around us, there are the perpetually single who yearn to be married. There are marriages on the rocks- a devastated wife who just uncovered an infidelity, a broken-hearted husband whose wife says she no longer loves him.

There are couples struggling to conceive and praying desperately for a child. There are prodigals, drug-addicted teens and young adults, children with learning disabilities, physical handicaps, mental and emotional challenges. There are lonely widows and widowers. There are people out of work, those running out of money before running out of month.  

Everybody is fighting a battle, and almost everybody needs a miracle of some size or sort. 

Miracles are extraordinary events that can't be explained by natural or scientific laws. But it was Augustine who observed, "Miracles are not contrary to nature, but only contrary to what we know about nature."

We should expect to be reminded often that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power that enables us to face all of life's troubles and trials.  God is in the miracle business.  Don't be afraid to asked Him for one."

Hope you all have a really wonderful week - And hopefully some of that Summer sun will show up! 

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GRADUATES!  Best wishes to Samantha and Eilis, who will both celebrate their high school graduations - Samantha on Wednesday, and Eilis next Saturday.  They are two amazing young ladies who I know will set the world straight and be great contributors to a more positive society.  

That said, they continue to make life an adventure for me - never sure what we are doing, but whatever it is, it is always fun❤

  I think probably most of you saw the rendering of the Colorado Springs Temple that was released by the Church last week.  Our Stake Conference was held this weekend, and last night our Stake President shared a little more information about it.  He said the inside decor will be reflective of Colorado.  Columbine flowers and mountains in stained glass settings, and the front of the building will face west with a view of Pikes Peak.  The building permits have been submitted, and we were told it could take anywhere from 4 to 8 months for them to be approved - I am hoping for the 4 months.  I think once those are approved, they can set a date for the groundbreaking.  Also, President Harvey said, for the size and type of building we are getting, construction time could run from 36 - 48 months - again, I am hoping for the 36 months 😄.  I can well remember the 2 hour drive to Oakland in Bay Area traffic, and driving to Seattle in 4 hours of snow and ice, a 1 hour by train, or 2 hour drive by car to the Tokyo Temple, a 2 hour drive to the Mesa Temple from Tucson, and a 2 hour flight from Okinawa to Tokyo.  I really can't complain about the 50-minute drive to Denver, but the 15-minute drive to Flying Horse will be wonderful!!!

This past week Dad and I did some missionary work with our amazing missionaries, stayed busy with school work and studying, got a haircut, walked Sendai, went to dinner at a Japanese restaurant, and yesterday we got a lot of work done in our yard.  However, what I loved the best was seeing or talking to everyone, if not in person, then by phone or over FaceTime.  Tuesday, Spencer called and we had a great chat - He is busy working and saving money for school. He likes his job but has been looking around for something new.  Kim Facetimed us one day, so we saw Blythe and just a smidgen of Chris.  Also, talked to Grant for a second - He is hoping to come for a short visit this week.  I FaceTimed with Kate a couple of times this week as she designed Senior Announcements for Eilis.  Thank you, Kate - they turned out so great!  On FaceTime, I also got to see Jonathan and Sayre.  Adam came by one day after school to pick up Jakc's dirt bike, so got to have a short visit with Cory, Adam, and Jake.  Paul came by one day for lunch. Angella came over yesterday to pick up Hollie, Eilis, and Ben, who stopped by after lunch with Joshua. And Samantha and Lily hijacked me for a downtown adventure.  I talked to Max last weekend while he was in Logan with Adam and Cory, and hopefully, we will also see him sometime this week.  I just realized that the only person I didn't see or talk to this week is Emma.  EMMA, WHERE ARE YOU? 😀

 I guess if I don't see or hear from you all week, I get to put funny photos of you on the blog 😇

 Last month, during the week of Easter, there was a fabulous op-ed piece published in our newspaper.  The author is someone I had never heard of before and not LDS, but his views of Christ and the meaning of Easter are so meaningful to me.  I wanted to share this with you on Easter Sunday, but of course, when I sat down to write the blog, I couldn't find it and have been worried that I had accidentally thrown it away.  But yesterday, when I was cleaning out a purse I hadn't used in a while, there it was. I wanted to share just a small portion with you today - 

"Without Easter Sunday, Christmas would only be a fantastical story about a baby boy born to a young virgin. 

    Instead, Easter makes clear Christmas is a staggering moment of God coming to earth in the form of a helpless baby... and three days after being crucified, rises miraculously from the dead.        Christmas and Easter though, aren't just holidays to hold onto for nostalgia and good feelings. At their core, Christmas and Easter are reminders that God can do anything with anyone at any time and for any reason at all. 

    They are reminders that we can and should live with extraordinary expectations.  If God can come to earth as a baby, if He can live and die and then come back to life, there is nothing that He cannot do with you or with me - if that is what He chooses to do.  

    This means that in a broken world that so often seems angry, mean, malevolent, and miserable we can live with an anticipation that good will overcome evil, warmth will outwit and outwork wickedness, and that the darkness will never blot out the light.

    In other words, we need to expect miracles.

    To be continued . . .

Sunday selfies from last week that for some reason would not show up in my photos so I couldn't post them - 

Here they are - 

 

 

Angella got a fire pit!

AND - Couldn't resist this today

Sayre asked Kate to make him some origami "claws" 😂

HAVE A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL WEEK!

LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH ❤

 CELEBRATING PAUL TODAY, MAY 12TH ❤

  

Paul turned 17 today!  He is kind, smart, funny, kind, handsome, ambitious, kind, and kind some more!  He is always so willing to help and we love when he comes to visit, have lunch, or meet us for gelato.  

It has been so fun to watch him grow over the years and become this incredible person that he is -  LOVE YOU PAUL!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL OF THE WONDERFUL LADIES IN OUR FAMILY!

What can I say?  These moms are amazing and I have learned so much from them.  I have seen their joys and tears, and their efforts to bring happiness and peace into their homes.  I love and respect you all so very, very much❤

     

   

I am also so thankful for my Mom (The Original Grammie).  She has been on my mind a lot this week, and even though she has been gone for 10 years, I still miss her tons 😢.  I know I am not alone, as we have also had to say goodbye to Meredith, Suzanne, and Marietta over the last couple of years.  I think we are so blessed to have lived in their light, learned from them, and felt their love.  

LAST WEEK was a cold, rainy, and busy week for us.

I have a Humanities class and a Book of Mormon class.  So far, I love them both.  Wednesday, Sammi and I went to the Outlets in Castle Rock and did some shopping.  She is a super shopper!!! We had such a great time and found some good bargains.  Thanks, Sammi, for the invite 😊
Cory and Adam left for Utah on Thursday, so we got Paul and Lily for the weekend.  We did a lot of driving (soccer practices, a soccer game, and school), and a lot of walking - we also got Milo, and Jake brought his dirt bike so we found a couple of good trails for both dogs and bikes.  

 They were in Logan for Hailey's wedding, and Max was able to come up and spend the weekend with them.  They got a tour of Utah State (Yay!) and Adam Facetimed us from our old house from 48 years ago.  We loved Logan and have such fond memories of our time there.  I can't believe there is a Costco there now 😃.

 Lily received a leadership award at her school assembly last week.  

 She is adorable and we are so proud of her! AND she's moving on to   High School next year

 

Hollie had a sleep study done this week and she looks like she is wired and ready to go.  Angella said by the time they are finished with the wires and tape, it's really hard to fall asleep.   Nothing is worse than not being able to go to sleep, so I sure hope this will help!  

  

 Sayre got his first ride on the "CAMBUS" this week.  It is a bus that takes students around campus. Sayre hadn't been on a bus that he could remember, so Jonathan took him, and from his smile, it looks like it was a successful adventure. 

 THANK YOU SO MUCH for the special Mother's Day thoughts, calls, flowers, hugs, gifts, and selfies.   You are all amazing and I love you with all of my heart ❤

 

  

Angella got a firepit 😁