Our Oldest Grandson's High School Graduation

Tuesday, I took the day off,and we attended our oldest grandson's high school graduation.  It was held at the UCCU Events Center on the campus of Utah Valley University.   This venue holds about 8,500 people and it was very nearly full of friends and family of the high school graduates. 

Here is the graduating class all seated and ready to begin the ceremony. 

Here is our grandson on the Jumbotron as his name was announced. 

Here he is after just receiving his diploma cover being congratulated by the principal of his high school. 

Meanwhile, his little sister, our youngest granddaughter who is five, was cheering on her big brother with all her heart and soul.  

After the ceremony, it was time for pictures.  Here are Charly and I with our grandson Miles.  

Miles with one of his graduation gifts.  

Miles with his mom and dad.

Here's the whole family with their newly graduated son and brother.  

We are so glad that we were able to be part of this happy family celebration for our grandson Miles.  I remember the day he was born and also staying overnight to help his mom his first night home.  The years pass so quickly.  Miles is a good guy and we are proud of him and grateful that he is our grandson.   God bless the class of 2024!

Until next time,

😊Deb💖

"A journey of a thousand miles

begins with a single step."
~Sun Tzu

 

Catching up on Favorites

Time to share the things I am most grateful for in the past little while as part of Friday Fave Five.

This smiling, happy boy is my grandson Thomas who has been fighting cancer since last spring.  He has completed round six of chemo and is doing quite well.  He is participating with his first grade class via Skype and recently lost his first tooth, but my favorite thing is that Thomas latest scan showed that he is, at this time, cancer free!  His chemo rounds will continue until he gets to ten, then he will have maintenance chemo to continue fighting the cancer.

I sure do love this sweet family that I spent last summer with, and I miss them.  Just last week, baby Maddie, only nine months old, learned to walk and there is no stopping her now!

I have a new calling at church that I am loving!  I had spent years working with and teaching the women of our congregation (ward) in Relief Society, but I was recently called to work with the 8-and-9-year-olds in Primary.

I teach their class on Sunday (which includes the boys), then twice a month, we hold an Activity Day just for the girls.  We some kind of Gospel related theme, a short lesson or reflection and usually do some kind of craft.     This new calling is really different for me, but I am loving it - especially the Activity Day part.  I am being forced to find my inner "creative Pinterester" and I am finding that it is a lot of fun!

This handsome returned missionary just got a job offer yesterday and he started this morning.  It's a "starter job" but he got it completely on his own, and I am so proud of him, his ambition and perseverance.

The month of October is birthday month in our family.  Charly and our oldest son Alex were both born October 6 and my birthday is October 9.

One of the things I got Charly for his birthday was this little metal hand-painted Revolutionary War Soldiers. He has always loved toy soldiers and when I saw these in Philadelphia last summer, I just knew that I had to get them for Charly.

I am enjoying having this guy home. He has been home just over three weeks now.  Almost every night since he has been home, we have walked together here at this park by the Gilbert Temple. While we walk, Josh tells me about his mission and his plans and goals for the future.  It is a special mom and son time we have together.

I finished Josh's mission scrap book.  I had to get a bigger binder for all of his important papers, special letters and all of the emails he sent home over his two years in Mexico.  As you can see even this bigger binder is completely full of mission memories (and there is even another binder full of his mission pictures). 

The week after Josh got home, we took a quick trip to Utah so Josh could see family he hadn't seen for two years.  The Saturday morning we left, we stopped in Flagstaff and had breakfast at one of our favorite "on the road" eating spots - the Dog Haus.  

We enjoyed a few days in Utah. The cooler fall temperatures were great. We took some time to relax and smell the beautiful roses that are out in bloom right now.

While we were in Utah, Josh got reacquainted with his nephews...

...and neices.

My daughter and grandchildren baked a birthday cake for Charly and I...

...and we enjoyed a delicious birthday dinner together as a family.

It was fun to be together...

...and celebrate the family birthdays.  Here my grandchildren are signing to Charly and I and the number 1 on the cake, signifies that we are #1 Grandparents!

We all enjoyed the time together.

There were some birthday surprises...

...and sweet cards and notes.

After dinner we took a family walk together. 

Josh and mom selfie on the walk.

The fall leaves were colorful and beautiful. 

Grandpa and Paige walked together. This little two-year-old loves her Grandpa and wants to be right near him whenever he is around.

Birthday selfie.

The next day, we visited downtown Salt Lake and walked around Temple Square.

I love this beautiful temple, and the fact that I am still with the guy I married there over 37 years ago.

We also took Josh on some college tours, while we were in Utah, so he can decide where he wants to continue his education.  It was fun and interesting to go to all the colleges. Josh has a couple of favorites and is now completing the application process, so we are praying that he gets accepted to his first choice, and maybe even ends up with a scholarship.

Finally, I took the day off from work yesterday to attend the funeral of this lovely friend.  Ann fought a valiant battle with lung cancer for over a year and Heavenly Father finally took her home last week.   Ann was an amazing kind and loving person.  Even at the end, when she was frail and weak, we always laughed together when a visited and I would leave feeling lighter and happier than when I came.  Josh was good friends with "her boys" who were her grandsons that she and her husband raised.  Her funeral was uplifting and inspirational, but her presence on this earth will truly be missed. 

I will close this post with this thought about the love of God. Worth thinking about. God loves us all, but what we do with that love is entirely up to us.

 Ending today by thanking God for the for the many blessings He has put in my life, of which these are just a few. 

 Joining once again today with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story for Friday's Fave 5.

Homecoming

Josh has been home from Mexico for two weeks now, and those two weeks have been a whirlwind of activity for our family.  Because of that, I am just now getting around to posting some of the last pictures from Josh's mission, as well as his happy homecoming!

This is Elder Reyes and Elder Jones at the Monterrey Temple. Elder Reyes was my son's last mission companion.

The last Sunday before he came home, Elder Jones and Elder Reyes had a baptism.  This is Israel and his mom, Gloria.  Elder Jones was excited to end his mission with a baptism.

Elder Jones, Elder Reyes, Israel and his brother, Daniel.

Elder Jones and Israel.

Elder Jones, Israel, Daniel and Elder Reyes

Elder Goana and Elder Jones - last day in Monterrey.

Elder Thomas and Elder Jones. Elder Thomas was Elder Jones' first companion at the MTC.

The last dinner for the missionaries going home the night before they left.

Here are all the missionaries going home the same day at the end of September. They are one happy group.

Another picture of all the missionaries going home at the same time. What a great group of young men and women who have spent the last two years serving their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His children in Monterrey, Mexico. They all look so happy!

Elder Jones at his missionary president's desk.

Elder Jones with his mission president, President Maucotel and his family.

Elder Jons and Elder Meyers, a missionary from Texas who came out and went home with Elder Jones.

Elder Jones' "welcoming committee" at the airport. 

Mom and dad with newly arrived Elder Jones at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.

Elder Jones - fresh off the plane.

A welcome home hug from dad.

This picture is of Elder Jones and Elder Austen Haymond.  These two young men met in an institute class the summer before their missions began. They didn't know each other but as they were introducing themselves at the beginning of the institute class, they found out they were both called to the same mission leaving the same day!  They left for their missionary together as 18-year-old boys and returned home together - now returned missionaries.

Two sweet ladies from our church congregation (ward) asked if they could decorate our home to welcome Josh home.

Josh - newly released as a full-time missionary (Elder Jones no more) pausing outside before going back into his home for the first time in almost two years.

The first dinner back home - Josh elected to go to Texas Roadhouse for dinner.

Welcome Home, Elder Jones.  You have served well - now on with life!

Since Josh got home, things have been very busy but good time, as we have been trying to help him readjust to being home.  I'll do another post very soon about some of the other things going on.