Home of the Free Because of the Brave

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So Miranda came home from her mission a couple weeks early to have some surgery, but I have this great excuse to still write our family history down, since her novio is still on his mission in Paris, France for the next year.  So until May 9, 2019, I'll still write a missionary letter for our blog posts.  =)

So here are a couple Homecoming pictures that needed to be shared.  =)  She's just so pretty.  =)

That night, since it was a holiday the next day, we switched cousins around and had sleepovers.  The girls came to our house, built forts out of patio furniture boxes,

And slept in the basement:

The little boys went to Aaron & Kiri's house in Layton, where they played with Hulk hands THAT AARON GOT FOR HIS BIRTHDAY.

The big boys went to Todd & Kimmy's house in Heber, where they slept outside in the yard, then moved in the house under construction on the hard wood floor.  This is the only picture I got of them.  =)

In the morning, the Young Men posted flags for Memorial Day.  It was the most overcast, beautiful day, peppered with rain throughout the day.  My favorite.

The boys ate breaky together,

The girls played games... their conversations during Would You Rather? about flatulence were super.

Then we switched cousins back, and we had a barbecue that night.  It was so beautiful outside we had to eat out there... but someone who has been in South America for awhile was cold...

The girls got every minute of fun out of their forts.  Cheeseburgers in cardboard.  =)

On Tuesday, my sisters & SILS met at Red Robin to celebrate a couple of our birthdays, and here is the only picture that came of it. =)  Little Elizabeth Grace - My brother Allen's newest.  =)

Also, the death of a member of the family.  While we were eating at above girls' lunch, Jeff sent me this:

Everyone hates him without his beard except me. =)

That night, we went to Hale Center Theater to see Tuck Everlasting with my parents.  Of course, we had to stop by Market Street Grill for some seafood first:

Afterward, Miranda gave my parents her souvenirs from Bolivia, 

And we gave my dad his Father's Day present because Jeff couldn't wait.  Levie Precision is the name of my dad's gunsmithing shop, so this is going to look perfect on his office wall.  A printing on canvas in gun parts letters.

Wednesday, Morgan went to Lagoon with the 9th grade, Carlie & Derek went to get some year book signatures, and Jeff & I left for an anniversary getaway to Park City, so Miranda went to the kids' classes to take pics of them with their teachers.  Missed Connor's teacher, but got H&K with Mrs. Snow:

We got to our room at Stein Erikson Lodge, ate dinner in their restaurant, and took dessert to our room.  The view from our balcony next to our own hot tub.  Sorry, but this is the history that has to be recorded.  =)

Thursday was the official Last Day of School.  Miranda took the kids on a picnic to the park... Thank you so much for watching them, Kiddo!!!

Our view from our window when we finally woke up for the day:

We went shopping in town for some clothes for the kids, while Miranda took the kids to G&G's house for a hotdog BBQ for the last day of school.  =)

Still at the lodge, but from the deck by the restaurant on our way back to our room.  How fun to sit out there in the winter and see all the skiers.  

The kids huddled together that night and watched Stranger Things.  Hahahaha!  They were so freaked out.  Derek came and cuddled in with Miranda halfway through the night (in our bed - they would never have fit in hers).

So Friday we came home to this.  The beauty en sweepe.  

Before I left, I gathered & sorted all the laundry, and one of the times I came up the stairs, I had to take this picture just because of the sheer volume we had accumulated.  I had put it off because I was so busy with Miranda's fun & not fun stuff, plus the Homecoming, etc.  It's hard to capture the depth and vastness of the laundry, especially because it spilled into the laundry room in giant piles on the floor, not pictured.  !!!  But what I have to say is that when we came home from our getaway, I walked upstairs and there was hardly any left.  Miranda had worked a miracle (or thrown it all away, I really didn't care), and it had disappeared, put away in the kids' bedrooms.  I felt a physical weight lifted from my chest when I saw it.  Had to document.

Then Carlie, Miranda & I went shopping at Deseret Book for Miranda temple clothes, the BYU bookstore for sweatshirts, and went to see my cousin Jeff's art showing again, this time at the Covey art center in Provo.  It was just his art in this gallery on the night of the Provo Miss pageant; so lots of people walking through in their finery on their way to the pageant.  So cool.  His daughter Adrianne, too.

Then we met Jeff at Tsunami, where we commemorated Carlie's good grades, and Miranda's... lack of seafood, and obviously sushi, for 15 months. Notice the sweatshirts!  $15... we know how to shop!

Connor had his friends, James & Nathan over, H&K had their friend Ivy over, 

And then we had a game night. The silliness was epic.  =)

Soon after, Carlie's profile pic changed to reflect it.

Saturday, everyone lazed around while I worked out, bought groceries, finished the laundry, and started your letter.  Proper first Saturday of the summer. =)  H&K went to 2 swim parties, and between the parties, I found them like this... everyone fully relaxing and hanging out.

Then Miranda went to her first shift as a temple worker to the Timp temple, Carlie & Morgan went to see Ready Player One at the theater, and everyone else played with friends & played video games.  Ah... summer has begun.

Today, our ward fasted for Miranda.  Also, my side of the family, Jeff's side of the family, MY MOM'S side of the family, MY DAD'S side of the family, our friend Alejandra who cleans our house for us... probably you =)... this was a massive fast.  Even Connor, the 7 year old.  We were walking into church, and he said he was hungry, so I paused and turned to him: "Are you fasting?" And he gave me a Duh look.  Yeah, everyone is!  It was a pretty meaningful day, like I heard from so many people.  They were so happy for this chance to teach their kids about fasting by having someone relatable to fast for, not just the normal.

Tonight, we met early for dinner at the Madsens, and my parents came.  Then we watched Pres. Nelson's broadcast to the youth together.  Pretty epic.  =)

Enlist in the Lord's Youth Battalion to Gather Israel, by doing 5 things:

1. 7-day social media fast.

2. Weekly sacrifice of time to the Lord.

3. Keep on the covenant path. (repent) 

4. Pray daily for all to receive blessings of the gospel.

5. Stand out.  Be different.  Be a light.  (Be proud of it)

AND THE MEMES!

Since today is T-shirts, there are more of them.  Jeff:

Me:

Hey, on Tuesday, if you have any prayers you say, go ahead and add Miranda.  =)  After our family meeting tonight where we decided to really enlist and follow the prophet, Jeff gave her a blessing, and it really is going to be ok because Heavenly Father is in charge... but our prayers are really important.  =)

Have a great week!!!  ~Us