Called to Serve

Congratulations, Jacob. The Eugene, Oregon mission will welcome you with open arms sometime in September 2011. The Missionary Training Center will catch you as you get kicked out of the car with mom & dad driving away on August 17. I have heard there is no more cry fest departure meeting like there was when I was there. Here is Jacob opening his call. Then Johnny opening his call to Ireland on Halloween day circa 2001. Missions change your life. There's not really a way to explain how you come to love other people for the time you get to wear the black name tag. You truly are out there somewhere in the world trying to love other people the way that Christ loves them. It changes you more than it changes others. Some of my best friends came from serving side by side. Missions rock. Good luck, Jacob.

Memorial Day Weekend

A quick trip down south to St. George for the holiday weekend. Grandma LL and Grandpa Rey hosted us and we went boating in much warmer weather than what we left behind. We saw Kung Fu Panda 2 and lost Johnny's phone in the theater. I also watched a clip of a Lady Gaga interview. Interesting insights into human beings. We are way more alike than we let ourselves think. Also, the secret to a fast trip home is that we switch drivers every hour. It makes the time fly by.

Good luck, Mitt. You've got the support of this 3 year old, that's for sure.

Fever

I had never heard the song until I watched his movie. I would just sing to myself, "And I was like, 'Davie, Davie, Davie Oh-oh. Davie, Davie, Davie Oh-oh.' But then I heard it all the way through when I watched his movie. I didn't realize hearing the chorus meant I had heard most of the song. I cried watching Never Say Never. I was inspired by Justin's story. And we have it on tonight for our cousin sleepover.

Uncle Johnny asked Lulu, "Do you have Bieber fever?"

And Lulu replied, "No. But my dad does..."

And then I was just dragging Evelyn to bed after an afternoon with no naps. We're walking up the stairs and she is doing a little bit more than her usual resistance. She throws her head back in despair and let's me know how she really feels. "I WANT BIEBER!"

Utah Valley University GRADUATE!

Congratulations, Cate! We love you so much. We are so proud of you. We honor you and the determination and dedication it took to graduate with the highest GPA of anyone in our family. I'm not quite sure dad's GPA but I would venture to say for sure, you win out of all the sisters. You are #1. You are #5, but you are #1. UVU's mission statement says that they have prepared you to be a professionally competent person of integrity who, as a life-long learner and leader, serve as a steward of a globally interdependent community. And with all of your life dreams and plans, I KNOW YOU WILL MAKE A GLOBAL IMPACT. You rock. Grandpa's making a global impact by endorsing world peace...