Greg continues to enjoy himself at Raytheon but actually took a real break when he went on the family vacation. He is truly a physicist at heart--always problem solving and wanting to learn more. Victoria also enjoys learning and even lets Mom (me) work regularly on calculus homework or French online. Hopefully she'll learn quickly about baking too since she's going to help me make two or three cakes in the next two weeks or so for church stuff. Luckily, only one of them has to be fancy schmancy.
MISSIONARY MOMENTS AND SHOUT-OUTS
Our mail is finally being forwarded properly, so thanks for the letters Lizzy and Elder Hubbard! I now have two cousins who have received mission calls but not yet entered the MTC. I currently have 3 more cousins serving full-time in addition to my two sisters and now my parents (and sort of Jonathan.) Whew!
Watching my Dad be bolder than ever in declaring the gospel the last couple days of vacation was inspiring. It was a treat to have a father's blessing too as he and we enter new phases in life. Thanks Dad!
I don't know if any of you remember our friend Mikai from AK. We've been meeting with him and the missionaries for lessons, FHE, and rides to church. This week he attended the singles ward, and I think decided he prefers the family ward. He just called Greg tonight and asked that Greg be the one to baptize him this Saturday night! I'm so excited for him. I'm also excited for Marisale Soto who was baptized while we were out of town; her sons were baptized two weekends ago. I think it's great to have whole families be baptized, because it makes it easier to live the gospel and come unto Christ.
We also have befriended a Christian family (our nearby neighbors a couple buildings over). They are quite generous and have a two year old daughter named Faith. They attended a two-hour weekly church meeting on Sundays and have family Bible study every night. We've had one BBQ potluck together already and hope to have our second Mommy-daughter play date tomorrow. Elder Williamson made a great suggestion at dinner tonight about starting a mother-toddler playgroup with a scripture moment each time. "If you start now you could meet twice before you move and then invite her to give the scriptural moment so you can be like, 'Oh you don't have one?' and give her a Book of Mormon." We're also inviting them to the ward breakfast on Independence Day.
SHE TALKS MORE
Since Friday afternoon (about 24 hours after saying goodbye to her Oma and Opa), Miss Toria has been saying Opa, Oma, & Jonny or something like Jonathan. In asking Victoria to identify the prophet's picture at the beginning of the First Presidency message she proudly declared, "Opa!" At first she wouldn't take a closer look. She misses Dewey (Julia Hart) and Emma Hansen and still talks to us about her recent memories with them. She also tells us what she learns in nursery, like that Jesus and God love her. And she can also tell you about the sacrament and Jesus' broken body. Today her new word is elbow, I think because of the nursery lesson yesterday about bodies.
VACATION HIGHLIGHTS
- going on a date to the Work of Salvation broadcast while the Blacks babysat Victoria; spotting my sister Lizzy in the missionary choir (couldn't find Mom or Dad.)
- yummy food and lots of it
- *seeing family and friends from far and wide
- dinner at the Lion House
- seeing a mother perigrine falcon and her baby
- Victoria's first time on temple square
- finally taking family pictures (thanks Aunt Katrina and Summer Harper)
- **a family sealing session with my grandfather as the sealer and almost all of his endowed descendants including spouses in attendance! (4 had to work and 2 were in the mission field already) We even got to do some sealings I found on my Dad's line! It was just great.
HOW TO CELEBRATE PIONEER DAY
Greg pointed out that within days of Pioneer Day we'll be driving across the country back to Illinois to move to our little village of Savoy. We're hoping to stop at Tucanos in Albuquerque and should easily be back to attend our beloved Urbana ward Sunday afternoon.
Attached are a few photos for those who cannot view the full album via google +
