Hoops for Hope 5 - August 2012

This was the first year for Allie to run Hoops for Hope.  She was definitely up for the task.  She is natural at speaking in front of groups and was so natural with everything the whole day.  She did a great job gathering a lot of items to be auctioned off to help raise money as well.  She said that this was her favorite year so far because she could just focus on the kids and was not running around as much.  We feel so blessed to continue to be a part of this event.

Oak Island- July 2012

After we dropped Trey off at the Knoxville airport we drove straight to Oak Island to join the Langford's for a few days of fun in the sun.  It was a great distraction for us and they were sympathetic with continual continual talk of Trey.

This picture of Jared and Sydney cracks me up because, before I snapped the picture I said "give each other a hug"....neither one moved an inch closer to each other!

Trey heads to the MTC - July 4, 2012

David and I felt such a mix of emotions and felt like we were constantly trying to have "one more memory" with Trey, that it was somewhat of a release/relief when he actually finally boarded the plane.    I am a worrier by nature and was always thinking of something new that we should maybe buy for him to take on his mission, or one more thing to tell him about cooking, etc.  Have we done all we can do to prepare him for this huge step in his life?!?!  David, the even-tempered one in our relationship would always calm me down and say "Trey has been preparing his whole life for his mission, he's ready.  Stop worrying".  And he was right.  Whatever temporal thing we forgot to tell him or figure out before he left, Trey would figure it out, but spiritually he was ready and that's what matters.

Doing a little height comparison for when he comes back in two years. :)

We were so grateful to have family and friends pick him up from the airport and drop him off at the MTC.  I don't think I would have handled that goodbye very well.

Missionary preparation - June 2012

Sending a missionary off is a lot of work!  Besides all the paperwork, i.e., FBI clearance, police clearance, vaccines, wisdom teeth removal, deferring college, there's the what to buy list, the studying and memorizing of lessons and scriptures, and trying to get Trey's room is somewhat of an order for while he's gone.  Then there are all the last things you want to do as a family, things that Trey wants to do or see before he leaves, preparing and going to the temple, preparing for the farewell and all the while trying to come to terms with feelings of pure happiness/love and sadness/inevitableness.  It was a roller coaster for us that's for sure.

Going to the temple was so special, especially having mom and dad being able to officiate and being able to have all the Knoxville family there with us.  I will never forget that weekend.

This was the night Trey was set apart as a missionary.  The last song he listening to in the car:  Enchanted by Taylor Swift.  The last person he texted:  Moe

We felt so blessed to have so many friends and family come out to Trey's farewell to say goodbye.  It was very special for David and me to look around the room and see so many people that had been a positive influence in his life.

We are again so blessed to have so many friends and family come to Trey's farewell talk at church.  Trey did a wonderful job, even with the microphone going out for his entire talk.

San Francisco Family Reunion - May 2012

We thoroughly enjoyed our first "city" family reunion in San Francisco.  Thirty-three people in 2 houses this time.  We had beautiful weather and enjoyed just being together.  My favorite activities were the day at the Golden Gate Park and the Land's end hike.

 As is the case many years, we celebrated Allie's birthday while on our vacation.  The beautiful cake was ordered by Troy and Dan and delivered to the park, surprising Allie.

Afton, knowing it was Allie's special day, gave her some special treatment.

The kids enjoyed seeing my old house on Wicklow St. and seeing my grade school and church.

Land's End Hike

 Notice a theme here?