We Miss You Guys!

So here are two of our favorite scouts, Ezra and Bryant, (with Lissie gladly sandwiched in between).  They are working at the scout camp down in Garmisch for four weeks this summer.  After just one week, though, we felt the need to make a special trip down to Garmisch to spend some time with them. Four weeks is a LONG time! We thought they would be free from Friday afternoon until Saturday evening, but we were disappointed to find out (once we got there) that they could really only spend Friday afternoon and evening with us.  They had to be back by 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning!  So we took them swimming and enjoyed dinner and an evening walk . . . and then an early breakfast.  Then we said our goodbyes for another three weeks . . . until we learned that they had a couple of hours off on Saturday evening and could have dinner with us at Pizza Hut.  Hooray.  Then we said our goodbyes for another three weeks!

Here is the whole crew (minus parents) in front of Ezra's work station.

(Bryant, Marlowe, Christina, Lissie, Taylor, Jessica, Ezra, Rachel, Christian)

And this is just a collage of some of my favorite pictures from our two days in Garmisch:  1) Lissie's awesome waterfall photography.   2)  The Pizza Hut party with handmade party hats!  3)  Bryant, glad to have a little more time with us.  4)  Me and the twins, Marlowe and Christina.  They came along because they were missing Bryant too!

The Clark family (+Lissie) spent a couple more days in Garmisch and got to have "scout church" with the boys.  I think they held their sacrament service in the library.  Bryant looks a little forlorn or tired in this picture (he must be missing us too!).

We miss you, Bryant!  We can't wait to see you in just two more weeks!

A Seven Year Journey

I finished my FINAL final yesterday and now I feel like I can officially post about my graduation.  I arranged to "walk" in the April  2012 graduation ceremonies since I was going to be in Utah then (and not in August) and because I was very close to completing all my graduation requirements.  All of my girls and Grandma Minnie made time out of their busy lives to come and celebrate with me.  And Steve and Lauren loaned me the BYU cap and gown (thanks, guys!). I am quite sure I wouldn't have bothered to go to the graduation ceremonies without some of my family along (I really do wish Tracy and the boys could have come too).  Thanks for coming, girls!

Way back in 2004 when Marie had about one more year left before her graduation, I got the idea that I really should graduate with my bachelor's degree too.  It was something that had been on my goal list for quite a while, and I thought Marie (and all of her hard work) could be my motivation.  So I applied for the BYU-BGS program and got started.  I soon learned that the one year plan for finishing was unrealistic and needed to be extended, so I kept working at my classes and set my sights on graduating with Lauren (BYU Class of 2010).  But alas, I still wasn't finished by the time she graduated.  Then I thought, Emily and I could graduate together after a couple more years . . . but that plan also did not pan out (EMILY???).  So essentially, Christian and I graduated in the same year:  Christian from Heidelberg High School, and me, finally, from BYU -- a Bachelor's Degree in General Studies with a Family Life emphasis.  It has been an enlightening and rewarding seven year journey, and I am so pleased to have it behind me now.  My followup "dream job" would be to work as a high school counselor, but unfortunately I am not yet qualified; I would need a master's degree in school counseling.  That is a possible future goal -- but for now, I'm going to work on a few things that I have been putting off for seven years . . . like the garden, and cooking with more variety, and more shared activities with the kids and Tracy, and a bit of crocheting (right, Emily?).  It is time to reinvent myself a little bit.  I told my good friend, Jeanette, that I might even be MORE FUN now that I don't have any more homework!  I sure hope so.

A special thanks to all of my children for inspiring me to complete this degree,

 and Tracy for all of his constant and unfailing support. 

I love you guys!

I'm so glad to finally be done!

Black Forest Birthday!

Christian's birthday wish this year was to go to the Black Forest (Kleinenzhof) and camp with some of his favorite people -- his family (of course), the Clarks, and some of his friends from school. It was a fun-filled 24-hours -- playing on the raft, swimming, playing soccer and basketball, singing by the campfire, a torch-lit night hike, and then a couple of runs down the alpine slide before we headed home again.  We even had a bit of rain, but it was still fun - especially since the Clarks brought along a big canopy to keep the rain off.

We had birthday dessert (mint brownies and chocolate cream pie in cups) and then reminisces (during the "birthday breakfast") about what we LOVE about Christian . . . so MANY things!

 

Happy Birthday to a wonderful son, brother and friend! 

You are an AWESOME 19-year-old.