The Graduate!

It has been an amazingly crazy few days... Last Thursday we went to Provo and arrived just in time to get to Amy's BYU graduation at the Marriott Center. It was sooo great! Elder David A. Bednar was the speaker and he was amazing. He is so filled with the spirit that you can feel it radiate from him, even in a place as big as the Marriott Center. We all went to dinner after to celebrate. (Ally even brought the other three members of her double date to dinner so she could be with the family... they were all good sports to come.) Then, Friday morning was Amy's McKay School of Education Convocation at 8am . It was held in the Smith Field House which made it extra special for Amy. As we were sitting there, I was thinking how quickly the time has gone by... It seemed like just a couple of years ago that she was 7 years old attending her first volleyball camp in the Fieldhouse... and now here she is a BYU Graduate!! Elder L.Tom Perry was on the stand and shook each graduates hand. It was the first time Amy has shaken the hand of an apostle. It was a great day, and a wonderful sweet memory.

We are so proud of you Amy... Congratulations Graduate!!

The BYU men's volleyball team played in Long Beach Thursday night, and Friday morning at 6am Ivan Perez flew to SLC so he could be at his Electrical Engineering Convocation which was also held at the Fieldhouse. He then flew back to Long Beach Friday night at 8pm so he could be there for the Saturday night match. Amy, Allyn, Ally, Kaden and I and Ivan's family, who had come for graduation from Puerto Rico, all drove to Vegas right after pictures and lunch. Ally and I got home an hour before everyone else and so we had a huge meal all ready for them when they arrived. Then, Saturday morning Amy and Ivan's family drove to Long Beach for the volleyball match. It was so sad that BYU lost to Pepperdine in 5 after winning the first two games!! Ivan truly had a (3 time All American) great volleyball career at BYU. He is now going to be amazing on the P.R .National Team as they try to earn a bid to the Olympics, and then he is going to play professionally in Europe. Go Ivan!
Amy's plans right now (they change frequently) are to go to Austin, Texas and teach high school and work on her master's degree at the University of Texas.

Sunday morning they all drove back from Long Beach and then on to Provo. We had a BIG Sunday dinner all ready for them when they got here. I am now on strike from all cooking!! The kids all just laugh when I say that... but I really mean it( at least for a couple of days!) It's now Monday and Amy and Ally just left to go back to school... I am always so sad when they leave. Amy has a few classes she needs to finish up for spring term and Ally is doing spring classes too before she comes home for summer. Now it's too quiet around here and I am missing them all ready.
I am grateful for my family and I love each of them more than words could ever express...I am so blessed.