Missions, School and Graduation

Okay, last Fall was crazy busy, so I didn't even think about writing anything for the blog.

Of course, after Jeren and Lauren’s wedding, everyone delved into school full-time, except for Katie and me.  Laurie started her last semester, full of regular requirements – plus on top of that – finishing her research interviews, transcribing all the interviews, organizing and analyzing the interview and then actually writing her thesis.  This all had to be completed by the middle of November, in order to be able to apply for graduation in December.  Her topic was how partners help or hinder the recovery and healing of survivors of childhood sexual abuse.  She did an amazing job and her adviser was so impressed with the results that he started using it right away in teaching his classes.

Atkin was back into the thick of things at BYU and Sam was sprinting to the finish for his mission.

Rebecca started her senior year of high school.  At the same time she was called as Laurel Class President and to serve as a member of the Stake Youth Committee.

In the mean time, Katie was home because she’s on the Winter / Spring tract at BYU-I.  She was looking for work and trying to be somewhat productive.  Her world changed dramatically on October 6, 2013, when President Monson announced, at the start of the first session that worthy 19 year old sisters could go on missions!  She couldn't concentrate on the rest of the session and went for a run right after.  When she got home she told us that she was going to go on a mission!  She got right on getting everything submitted.  Her mission call came the day after Thanksgiving – we were in Utah visiting family – so she let all her friends know and that Saturday we drove home so she could open her call that evening. 

“Sister Smedley, you are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  You are called to labor in the New Jersey Morristown Mission.  You will report to the Missionary Training Center in Provo Utah and prepare to teach the gospel in the Spanish language.”  Wow, she was so excited and nervous – she thought she would be on the east coast somewhere, but was also hoping to learn a language.

 The end of November was a sad time for us.  Penny, our golden retriever of nearly 10 years, collapsed when in the backyard – her back legs failed and she was in a lot of pain.  Laurie and the girls took her to the vet and I met them there.  We were all with her and giving her lots of love when she passed through the veil.  It was somber around our home for a while.

With Christmas coming and Samuel scheduled to arrive home on December 19th, we tried to focus on preparing for his arrival.  However, Laurie was in the midst of getting everything completed for her graduation on December 18th.  Laurie’s dad flew in and she “walked” that Tuesday.  Atkin made it in town just in time for the graduation ceremony.  She was with her fellow students, who she has gone through the seven semester of graduate school with and grown to love.

 The next afternoon, Samuel flew in from Minneapolis, Minnesota!  It was the first time in nearly 4 years that we have been together as a family!!!  It was so nice to have time with him.  Ethan and Shelby come from St. George and were with us.  We all went to In-N-Out and had a great time visiting and hearing about Sam’s mission.  That evening, after he was released, we had an open house so people could come and greet him. 

The next day, we had a wonderful evening with Katie going through the temple for the first time!  She was a bit overwhelmed, but has since started going on her own and with friends at least once a week and loves to attend.

The morning of December 24th, we flew to Seattle.  It had been a long time since some of the cousins had been together – Nate Forkey had returned from Argentina a week before Sam returned.  It was fun to have everyone together and become reacquainted and hear some about their missions.

After we returned home, Sam reported in Church on his mission.  Dennis, Cindy, Carolyn, Perry, Becki and Paul were able to attend as they were passing through on their way to see the Rose Parade in Pasadena.

We had just a few days to get everything ready to take Sam to BYU-I for Winter Semester and see Atkin back to BYU.  We all went to Rexburg and stayed with Sherry and Steve’s family.  The Brownings surprised Laurie with a celebration of her graduation, with a Master of Awesomeness party.  It included a "Spa Treatment" with pedicures and a dinner of yummy Chinese food!  We had parts of two days there, helping Sam get moved into his apartment, books for school, etc.  It was hard to see Sam off so soon.

With Laurie out of school and the holidays over, she and Katie focused on getting everything ready for Katie to leave on her mission.  Getting a daughter ready is not at all like getting a son ready.  With a son, you go to one store and get suits, shirts, ties, shoes, socks, etc. – 80% of your shopping is done in one afternoon.  With a daughter, you have to hunt for stores that have the proper length skirts and dresses, then find matching tops that are long enough and have at least somewhat of a sleeve, . . . .  I went on one of the trips to St. George for this purpose, but it soon became apparent that I wasn't much help in finding what she wanted – but I could hold clothes that had been selected to be tried on.  Many more hours were spent all over the Las Vegas Valley and clothes were ordered on-line, sent back and reordered in different sizes, etc., etc., etc..

Katie spoke in our ward on January 20th.  She gave an amazing talk about the atonement and repentance.  She gave an analogy that she had thought of: “In this analogy I imagine life as a web of roads, there are some straight paths, but at times you come to an intersection of multiple roads and you need to decide which road to take next.  Times in our lives, we feel confused on what path to take, the choice is unclear.  I imagine myself holding a compass and looking down at it to tell me a direction to go, but sometimes, the needle is there spinning around in circles, just like my mind is, on what I should do.  That needle is spinning only because I am, because I am not deciding on a course to take out of fear or doubt or whatever.  That’s when I need to prayerfully decide a road to take.  I stop spinning and face the way I have chosen, and as I begin to walk in the path I have chosen, I look at my compass, and the needle stays a sure north.  But sometimes after I have taken a few steps it suddenly flips to the east or completely south.  Wherever the needle leads though, there will I follow, whether my initial decision on a path was right or wrong.  The compass represents Christ and Heavenly Father.  They know the path we should take but they can’t be constantly showing us the right direction we should go or we would not grow for our own.  They can’t tell us which way to go either if we look down and see the needle spinning, and decide it’s broken and throw it out.  They want us to decide, to be still and know that they are God, and allow them time to show us the way, not to freak out and spin in circles.  We must decide as best we can ourselves what path to take and ALWAYS be looking at that compass to see if what we have decided is in line with Their will, of if we got it completely wrong and they intercede and flip that arrow around on us.”  Then she talked about building faith in Christ.  After she spoke, the bishop stood and commented that it was more like a returning missionary reporting.  Several people commented to me that she has a mature spirit.  The boys were in town for the weekend, so we had fun visiting and spending time together – laughed through sushi, Bodies exhibit and just hanging out – the last time for 18 months.

Katie was set apart as a missionary on Sunday, February 3rd!  It was a spiritual time and nice to have some of her friends there for the occasion. 

The next day Katie, Laurie and I headed north.  We had to stop at two different pharmacies to get the last two shots she needed before entering the MTC – a tetanus shot and a flu shot.  On the drive she fell asleep several times and finally said, “Being a missionary is exhausting!”  LOL 

We stayed with Grandma Smedley in Bountiful and were able to go to the Bountiful Temple.  The Spirit was strong and there was another daughter and mother on the session who where in the same situation.  They come up to Laurie and Katie and said, “I recognize those tears . . .”

That night Sam drove down from Rexburg and Atkin drove up from Provo.  Ross, Shirlene, Carolyn, Perry, Kira and Josh came and we had a nice dinner and evening together.  Atkin drove back to Provo for the night.

The next day, we had Sam with us and drove to Provo.  We got Katie a few last minute things and Atkin met us and we went to lunch at Zupas.  There were lots of missionary families doing the same.  We drove to the Provo Temple and took pictures and talked.  Then as we were all piling into the car to drop her off at the MTC curb, Katie said, “Now time for last minute advice.”  The boys thought she meant she wanted it from them, but she stopped them, “No, my advice to you.”  She then proceeded to give them each some sound counsel for their individual lives and also to her mom and me.

We pulled up to the curb and an Elder was waiting to lead her to where she needed to go.  We all gave teary hugs and then had to say goodbye . . .

Laurie and I drove Sam back to Bountiful and had a good visit on the way.  We went shopping with him and realized it was the first time since he was home from his mission that we had had time with just him, not the whole family.  It was good.  When we had left Provo, Atkin had mentioned that we could stop by, if we wanted.  So after we said goodbye to my mom, we stopped in Provo and had frozen yogurt with Atkin and has some one on one time with him.  We realized we need to do more of that with our children, even though they are grown.  We got home much later than we had planned, but it was well worth the time with the boys.

Now to focus on getting Laurie ready to start taking clients. 

In the Good Old Summertime!

I love summer!  The longer days open up so many options of things to do, places to go and people to see.  After we recovered enough from the ache in our hearts of having Line go back to Norway, the demands of activities, travel and family set in. 

The week Line left for Norway, Rebecca was at Young Women’s Camp or more commonly called by most Mormon “Girls’ Camp” (there’s a humorous story in there for the making).  It was her last year, unless she decides to go again after graduating from high school. 

Katie came in town to see Line off, so afterward diverted herself by cliff jumping with friends at Lake Mohave before heading back to Rexburg.

Laurie and I got in an evening trip to St. George to see my mom, who was visiting my sister.  We were able to go to dinner with mom, Becki, Paul, Tami and her children, Caleb and Cambri.

One evening we took our friends, Gill and Julie to Spring Mountain Ranch in Red Rock Canyon National Recreation Area to see the musical “Crazy For You” – lots of fun Gershwin songs.  It was a cute play and always so nice in Red Rock Canyon during the summer evenings when the sun sets behind the beautiful red cliffs and the temps drop to the point of needing a jacket!

 

Gill, Julie, Laurie and Kevin in Red Rock Canyon

During part of this time, Atkin came home after spring term to prepare for his summer of camping trips!  He bought his first vehicle (a 2002? Subaru Forester) and put lots of miles on it driving home then to back to Utah and on to Rexburg, where he celebrated Katie’s birthday with her and then back to northern Utah to hike and camp at Mt. Nebo with friends.

For Rebecca’s birthday, on July 1st – a Sunday, she told us during church that she would like to invite some friends and their families over for dinner that evening.  So we had an impromptu BBQ with the Tadds, Sanders and Shelby and Jennifer Taber – sixteen of us in all!  It was fun times and was cool enough to sit on the patio to eat and visit.

Rebecca's birthday BBQ

We had Troy Larsgaard stay the night with us.  He lives in the area Sam was serving (Lakeville, MN) and was in town for a work conference, so it was fun to visit with him about Sam.

Before we knew it, Independence Day approached.  Rebecca had to sell fireworks as part of being in the Senior class student government.  That also meant that I had to be there with the students some of the time to meet the “over 18 years old age” requirement for the permit to sell.  Luckily, on the afternoon of the 4^th, the temperature dropped to about 80 degrees because it had rained earlier that day and was still overcast, so we had a pleasant afternoon one of the days we sold.

On July 4^th, Samuel transferred back to St. Paul to resume working with the Karen speaking people.  He was relieved to go back as a senior companion after having been a zone leader for about 6 months.

Each year our stake performs a Patriotic Concert on (or near) July 3^rd.  It is a great celebration of our country and the freedoms we have.  Laurie sang in the choir. Choir and orchestra were very good and lots of people from the community attend.  I always get emotional in these concerts.

The following week, Rebecca and Laurie drove to Rigby, Idaho to drop Rebecca off at the Browning, visit Katie and attend Brooks Browning’s home coming talk (he was Sam first companion in the mission field and they share the Browning cousins).  On the way to Rigby, they camped overnight with Atkin along the Alpine Loop in Utah and spent some time with Grandma Smedley and a few other friends.

Laurie got in an overnight solo camping trip near Rigby before leaving Rebecca there and coming home.  Katie wrapped up her first school year, packed up the van and drove home, bringing Rebecca and her roommate, Emily, with her.  They arrived the evening that Pioneer Days started.

Each year our stake hosts a Pioneer Days celebration at the 10 acre ball field park that is next to one of the meeting houses.  Friday evening there is a big BBQ, with lots and lots of beef that has been cooked overnight in a pit – Laurie and I were on the last shift to help serve dinner, so had a pretty easy go of it (most people are lined up right at the start.  Saturday late afternoon and evening there are all kinds of games, jumpy toys and food booths.  It is a fun time and the evening culminates with a very cool fireworks show.  We had a fun time.

During this same time, Atkin was on his first solo backpacking trip.  He decided to take do someplace really quiet and easy – NOT.  He went to Glacier National Park, on the border of Canada and did a 4 day, 3 night trip – and at least part of it bare foot.  Did I mention that this is Grizzly bear country and he had to sit through a 20 minute film about how to behave and where to put food overnight, etc. in order to get a permit?  Did I mention that most people go with at least one other person?  The second night of his trip he was at a camp area that had two camp sites and a common food prep/eating area.  As he arrived in camp, the people at the other site asked him if he had seen the Grizzly about ¼ mile back?  NO.  So he was careful to get his food hung up right after eating.  Then he decided to go to his tent to change his clothes and put the smelly ones with the food.  Being Atkin, he got lost in thought and when he finally stepped out of his tent to go put the clothes with the food, he was zipping his tent and heard a very loud, CRACK of something heavy breaking a limb that was on the ground.  He shoved his clothes into his backpack, which was outside his tent, grabbed his pepper spray and climbed right back in the tent.  Needless to say, he was very unnerved and was praying and praying.  He could hear the bear moving around, but is sounded like it was at some distance.  At one point, he could hear sniffing, but again it sounded somewhat distant.  After an hour of praying and worry, he finally felt okay about falling asleep.  In the morning as he emerged from his tent, there was a matted path through the chest high grass leading to his tent, bear paw prints by his backpack and tent and a matted path leading away from his tent.  Yikes! 

The week after surviving that close encounter, Atkin backpacked with a group of friends into the western portion of Yellowstone National Park and had a great time.

Towards the end of July, Laurie, Katie and I drove Rebecca and Haylee Turner to Murrieta, California to spend a week with Aubrey and Rachel Waite!  After we dropped them off, we headed to the beach.  We spent that afternoon and evening on the sand near Laguna Beach and the next day we spent 3 or 4 hours at Huntington Beach.  On the way to Huntington, we stopped by the Newport Beach Temple and walked the grounds – gorgeous temple and a nice serendipity.



At the beach!

Newport Beach Temple

On August 6th, my brother and his wife, Dennis and Cindy, came by on their way to Utah and a few days later we followed them there.  Atkin joined us, so we had all our little family (except for Sam in St. Paul) to celebrate my mom’s 92^nd birthday.  All her children and their spouses were in town and we had dinner the Sunday before her birthday and many of the grandchildren came by for dessert.  It was a lot of fun.

That Monday we flew from Salt Lake to Portland to attend the Snow family reunion in Lincoln City, Oregon.  On the way there, we missed a turn but ended up seeing and stopping by the Portland Temple!!!  It is gorgeous – more serendipity!  We had a great week at a beach house with about 23 of the Snow family.  We made a big sand castle complex one day and went out after sunset to watch the tide come in and destroy it (there was singing and hanging out, while we waited).  A bunch of us also rented wetsuits and boogie boards and had a great afternoon playing in the waves.  Our last day there, we walked about a mile up the beach to a rock outcropping at low tide and found lots of sea stars, a few tiny crabs and even a jelly fish trapped in a pool of water until the tide came in.  It was fun to be in very cool temperatures along the coast and enjoy each other.

 

Portland Temple

Just arrived - Lincoln City, Oregon

Sunset



Sand castles!

Arriving at sunset to watch the tide destroy the sand castles

Katie, Rebecca, Lauren, Megan, Katherine, Noelle, Aubrey

Rebecca and jelly fish!

On our way home with Grandma

 

Laurie flew straight home to attend some training.  The rest of us flew back to Salt Lake, and then drove home the next day. 

After three days at home we drove back to northern Utah.  We met up with Karen and Andrew in Park City.  They came in town a few days early for Jeren and Lauren’s wedding.  We rode the Alpine Slide, Alpine Coaster and took the chair lift to its highest point to look around and hike back down.  It was a fun day, in the beautiful Wasatch Mountains.

Top of the lift - Park City Ski Resort

We drove to Rigby and the day after we arrived, August 25th, Jeren Browning and Lauren Hobbs were sealed for time and eternity in the Idaho Falls Temple!  It was a wonderful day.  The next day we attended church with Grandma Smedley as we passed through on our way home.  We dropped Atkin off in Provo – it was hard to leave him, we had lots of fun together when he was home and traveling with us.  We got home in time to get a good night sleep before Rebecca and Laurie started a new school year. 

 

Lauren and Jeren - just married!

Megan, Blake, Elder Browning, Rebecca - Nelson serving in the CA Riverside Mission



Fun times!

Dropping off Atkin in Provo!

Double rainbow on our way home - south of Nephi, Utah

Rainbow!

In between it all we had work, school, a hail storm with 3/4 inch hail, time at home and more.  It is never fun to have summer end, but we had a wonderful summer.