In it Together

October 09, 2023

In it Together

This week reminded me of how family is everything and we're all in this together. The first reminder of this was actually kind of cruel. I somehow picked up the most ruthless stomach bug at family dinner with the Richins. Suffice it to say I spent all of Monday laying on my makeshift bed in the bathroom. Thankfully I'm back in the land of mom taking care of you while you are sick and she came through with Gatorade, 7-Up, and applesauce, the must-haves when you are sick. I later told Jaden I guess "the family that sticks together gets sick together" because the same bug swept through the rest of the family. Horrible.

Then at the end of the week after Jaden and I had both fully recovered from our illness we went up to the "quack shack" for the duck season opener. There is always a welcome dinner and then the first "draw" of the season where people sign up and then are randomly assigned a number (using a bingo spinner that always makes me laugh) and then based on your number you get to pick your spot to hunt on the expansive property at Chesapeake. Unfortunately the boys had a really high number so they didn't get their first pick and unfortunately didn't see too many birds within shooting distance the next morning.

It was a lot of fun hanging out with my boys and there really is something cleansing about being far away from the busyness of life. Places where you barely have service so you have to connect with each other. It's good for the soul. At some point I do need to go and actually hunt with the boys. I kind of have just let Jaden take my place in recent years and he's loved every second of it and I have too it's fun to watch him make memories and learn the ropes of hunting with my dad and Bridge.

Saturday afternoon I left the boys early and drove back down to my parents house to help my mom with last minute preparations for my grandparents 50th anniversary celebration. She has been planning it for months and the decorations all looked so cute. My grandma wanted the party to be at the Prairie Schooner up in Ogden which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. You even sit in covered wagons while you're eating. We reserved the larger event room so unfortunately we didn't have wagons to decorate. It was a fun evening filled with extended family we don't see often. Each of the kids shared took a minute to speak and thank Grandma & Grandpa and I wrote a summary for each:

Dixie: Was recently asked who has been the biggest influence in my life and I can honestly say it's you two. I was a wild child and you changed the trajectory of my life. You taught me to cook, clean and make gravy and loved me no matter what. Thank you I don't know where I would be without your love.

Travis: I also was a little bit of a rebel and really appreciate how very very patient you both were with me. You always set a good example to me. Nancy has a sign up in our house that says "the best things parents can do for their children is love each other." I always knew you loved each other and still do.

Steph: I recently asked you what your proposal story was and was suprised that I didn't remember you didn't really have one. You said "well we just talked about it and decided to do it and go get rings together." And that's how you are, you talk things through, decide and do it together. Thank you for being a great support and example to us.

Chris: I think that what stands out the most to me is your amazing examples of service. Whether it's time, money or their shirt of their backs they give it to people in need. Both friends and family, you are examples of unselfishness and charity.

As sweet as those commemorations were my favorite part of the night was when my grandpa stood up and tearfully looked at my grandma and said "look around at what we have created."

It was such a sweet moment. Family is everything and I am proud to be apart of theirs and am so grateful for their examples in my life. Our family isn't perfect but it is filled with love and I look forward to the day when I can sit with Jaden at our own 50th anniversary party and say "look at what we have created."

Peaches

Making a slideshow for Grandma and Grandpa's anniversary party

DIYing a hat for Witchapalooza

Restyling my Halloween shelves

New phone and phone case

Baking soda pottery hack on bottles

This post from my mission president's wife

Hanging out at the quack shack with the boys

Meeting a cute girl our age from the DWR and hanging out with her at dinner. She convinced me and Jaden we need to go to Comicon for the people watching
This card