This has been a landmark month for our family. On June 4th we closed on our home in Gresham. On June 9th we noted that it had been 32 years since we moved from Phoenix to Gresham. Then on June 11th we closed on our new home in Vancouver. We were not going to be able to move in until July 1, but we were so thankful for the blessing that the owner and his family were able to make the home available to us earlier than expected and we started moving in on Tues. June 15th. We were having a family reunion beginning on June 26th, so we were so grateful that we had a home to host our family, along with the Vance’s home for people to stay. We were able to save on a month of storage and a week long stay at an Airbnb.
Other important events were attending Sydney’s orchestra and choir concerts in person. We were thankful they could perform at least one time during this pandemic year of restrictions. Then, Seminary graduation in-person for Sydney (Ondalynn), and the next week for Jackson (Seth) in Eugene. We watched virtually their high school graduations. Attending a graduation party for Sydney one evening, provided the opportunity of meeting some of our neighbors and members of our new ward. On June 17th Meredith flew in early from Maryland with her 3 youngest children, as the moving van with all their belongings was arriving sooner than expected at their new home in Graham, WA (near Tacoma). This made it possible for her to help us get settled in our home, and for us to watch her children for several days while she unpacked their new home without the family.
Crismon & Danielle came several days before our reunion to spend some one-on-one time with us. We loved relaxing and visiting with them as we drove to Gresham for Crismon to see one last time his childhood home, and other meaningful sites. One day we went to the famous estate in Portland, the Pittock Mansion. Amazingly, after 32 years in the Portland area, a first time for us! By Saturday evening the 26th everyone had arrived.
We had a wonderful 6 days together. The most exciting moment of the reunion was when Alice-Anne surprised us and flew in with her precious (“our miracle grandbaby”) Oliver that I hadn’t seen yet (photo). Because he was in the NICU for the first month of his life, I didn’t get to see or hold him when I was there helping Alice-Anne for two weeks soon after his birth in March. I can’t express how amazing it was to have her come. Ondalynn and Seth’s families had been in Utah the previous week and they brought 3 of the Johns children home with them. Gary, and son, Spencer, arrived a few days later to make Alice-Anne’s family complete. While in Utah, the Vances, the Johns, and Seth’s family were able to attend the Annual Smith Swim Party. It was wonderful for them to see many of our Smith family. Bryan (Williams) had to stay in Maryland until the end of the month. Gratefully he was able to leave a few days early. He drove across the entire USA with their two older children in record time. As a doctor, he is used to working 24 hour shifts, and he pushed through, arriving in time for the last day of our reunion. This meant that we were ALL together as a family for the first time! It was incredible to have everyone—all 47 of us—there!
We began with a Sunday Devotional and a memory video by Emily about the home we just left in Gresham (where everyone grew up). The first few days of our reunion we were experiencing record heat for the Northwest of 109 degrees, then 115, and 116 degrees! This was a once in a millennium event! We escaped the heat by going to the Oregon coast where it was 60 degrees cooler. We spent two days (at separate times) at a beautiful lake north of Vancouver where everyone loved paddle boarding, blueberry picking, and one day the families participated in a service project helping us with needed fixup, planting flowers, and putting in pavers in our backyard. We were so grateful for their tremendous help. That evening we had a BBQ and terrific time at the Gee’s backyard (Tiffany’s parents) where there was a fun slip-and-slide, and a zipline that kept the grandchildren going nonstop. The Gees moved from Dallas to Camas last August, and we love that we are now in the same stake with them, just 12 minutes away. What a treat for Seth’s family to have both grandparents so close to each other.
One of the greatest blessings of this year was when we received the joyous news that Crismon Jr. and Danielle are expecting a baby. We are so grateful for the medical advancements that have led to this mjracle. They return to NYC to continue his studies at Columbia in August. She has an early January due date.
Earlier in June, Alice-Anne, Seth & Ondalynn's families were all able to be at the Smith Swim Party which was a fun time for them to see their Smith cousins.
