Wow, What a Week!

I had the great privilege of spending most of the week with the Pothiers in AZ!  I hadn't been there in a long time and I wanted to spend some time with Lucy, since we didn't get a chance to really talk at the wedding!  You wouldn't believe how much she has changed in the last month!   She is not only walking but running all over the place and jumping on the trampoline. She has just suddenly (for me at least) started saying some words, babbling and thinking she's really talking!  She dances, leads the singing, knows all the kids, offered each a drink on command and even kissed her mom over and over! 

Josh went with us to take all the kids to the Phoenix Science Museum and although all the kids had a great time, Lucy strutted around there with Elle's purse over her arm and was wild about pushing buttons and doing challenging things.  It was SO fun to watch them all in action!  

   Here are Grace and Elle having a wheelchair race!  Cute kids!!!

I also got a chance to go to Elle's book club.  They had read a book about a little girl who grew up with an autistic brother. They let them decorate their own cookies to illustrate that everyone is different and that different is good.  Great idea!

We went to watch the kids swimming one morning and then the morning I left they had a swim meet.  Josh and Shawni were taking pictures like crazy but I left my camera in the car so they're going to have to send you some of those.  Max, Elle and Grace got 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in every one of their heats. They are fabulous swimmers!

I had a chance to be with Shawni to do her first class at Domestic Bliss.  She was fabulous and I helped just a little.  She had a great group of 15 mom and did a class on Parenting Partnerships.  About a third were her cute sister in laws and a cousin. They are already terrific moms and partners but we sure had a lot of fun!  Shawni and I also had a dinner to talk about the new book we're working on. Finally after talking about it for about five years, I think we've really got a start!  Dave is giving us some good ideas too and we think we're finally off the ground! 

Next it was off to meet Grandma and Dad at the SL airport and catch a flight to San Francisco for Chris and Hedy's farewell.  It was SO fun to see all their kids again and their kids' kids.  They are all adorable and growing like weeds!

Chris and Hedy did a fabulous job on their farewell talks and all their kids sang an arrangement of "Oh My Father" that was just stunning!  Adam and Elisha sang solos dispersed throughout and I just had to drop a few tears seeing all those great grown-up kids singing together!  The Bishop and Stake President sang their praises as well!  They have added so much in their part of the world!  We know they will be terrific mission parents! 

  This is Sam and Lindsay's Lucy with Chris and Grandma

Adam and Kimberly's Nathan (2)

Elisha and Mike's Brennan  (sp?)

Sam and Lindsay's Calvin

Adam and Kimberly's Madeline

Adam and Ashley's Brookline

Cute little sister Livia with proud papa Ben

Darling newest Flannery (Sam and Lindsay)...sorry Falnnery... with older cousin Eliza (Adam and Kimberley's newest)

Joseph with Adam 

Sorry we didn't get everybody.  The parents wouldn't want to see the pics of the kids that you don't see!

The frosting on the cake was seeing little Lucymae at Kevan's on the way home. They had just a had a Father's Day dinner with Tenille who is ready to deliver at any moment but left before we got there. We did get a shot of Kevan and his new friend Karen who has flown here several times from Texas to see him. They were driving Grandma home tonight so that they could get to know each other a bit better. She seems like a great person!  Four kids...two daughters and two sons. The youngest two are exactly Howie and Aubrey's age.

Sorry Dad, you're a little distorted and this beautiful little red-headed baby is wondering if she's safe!

Ah!  Much happier!  Cute parents too! 

Karen sure seems like a nice person!  Grandma did very well to survive that crowd with flying colors!

 

We wish you all you Dad's a Happy Father's Day which is now almost over!  Dad is loving reading all the stuff that's coming in!  Thanks for remembering the greatest DAD on earth!