Back to school & trip to Utah

Our last Sunday (Sept. 4th) with Julia her Dad gave her a beautiful Father's Blessing. We love her! Julia loves to serve and make others happy. I will miss her beautiful piano music that brings the spirit into our home. She radiates goodness.

I also wanted to record that on that fast Sunday we had one of the most moving testimony meetings where two investigators preparing for baptism bore their testimonies as well as two recent converts. There was not a break in the meeting, one young adult after another bore powerful testimonies of the Atonement in their lives. We love being a part of their lives.

Spencer & Melissa Ashton and their darling children came for dinner Sunday evening along with the Vance's and the Caudle's. We had such a fun time visiting with them We're so glad they are now in Walla Walla, WA, just 4 hours away. Spencer has finished medical school and interning and is now over the cancer clinic there as the oncologist. We hope they can come again soon.

We left early the next morning, on Labor Day, for Utah. One of the highlights of our trip was stopping to see Candice & Bryan Johnson and their new baby just 6 weeks old. She is Brett Caudle's cousin and one year ago we introduced her to Reliv as she had been suffering for 8 years with Lyme's Disease. They never thought they would be able to have children. We are grateful for the tender mercies in her life and the blessing of Reliv that gave her her life back. She spent most of her day on the bed a year ago because she was so sick. Although just 6 weeks after delivery, she is shopping, starting to work out again, and being an active Mommy. After the delivery, the Dr's. rushed her baby off for special care because they were concerned about her for a number of reasons. But in an hour they brought her back as she was just perfect.

On Tues. we enjoyed meeting Danielle Swain from Las Vegas. She is Crismon's friend, a senior in violin performance, and she's preparing for her senior recital in Nov. She joined us for lunch on Tues. Sept. 6th when we went down to BYU.

We captured a quick photo on campus before Danielle and Emily headed off to class.

Emily gave us a tour of her apt. She is in Wyview Park for this fall.

Julia helped Kenna and Spencer pick tomatoes for the family picnic. The Johns' garden is growing so well it's up the fence and going over into their neighbors yard. Check out Kenna reaching for the cherry tomatoes. Yum!

Cute Mommy Alice-Anne made a delicious pizza (whole wheat crust) for all of us. We love her bread, too! Oh...and homemade yogurt.

Grandpa loves to kiss those grandkids cheeks, even when they're swinging!

Aunt Julia having fun with little Elliot.

Did I mention how much we love being grandparents!

Crismon, Jr. is loving his experience in China with a BYU Study Abroad program. This is in front of Chen Academy.

He is with Ken Daines by the Hong Kong temple.

Our time with the Johns Family was too short. We love these darling grandchildren. We packed up and were off on Wed. morning the 7th for Garrett & Alisha's wedding in the Logan temple.