Elder Donald L. Hallstrom & Samuel Clark were the visiting authorities and it was a fabulous meeting. It was a great feeling to see my dad and know what an incredible job he did and how many hours of service he rendered on behalf of the people in the Salt Lake Stake. And my mom.....what a great support and strength she is!!
They figured that in their 36 years & 3 months of marriage, my dad has been gone on Tuesday nights for church meetings 31 years & 9 months of that! Incredible!!!
The new Stake Presidency will be great too, but this release made my parent's mission to Russia seem that much closer! We are all so excited for them and they will be such a blessing to the city and people of Moscow, but it's hard not to dread them leaving and having to say goodbye! We're being brave though, and we know it's the right thing for them to do!
After the Conference, we spent the entire day at my parent's house! We had lunch, took naps, watched movies, played games, played outside, visited and just had a wonderful time. It was a great break for me from housework (I just can't seem to keep up on it these days!) and it was fun to just be together. We also celebrated Becky's upcoming birthday!! She chose to have a cereal bar for her birthday dinner, with donuts for dessert. It was great!
We bathed the kids and finally tore ourselves away from their house at 9:15 - we just didn't want the day to end!! (Thankfully Jon got there about 7:15, so it was fun to have him there for the last couple of hours). Anyway, what a great day! My cup was filled and it's a great way to start another week!
My mom and dad arriving home from their release. (Sorry about the splotches on the side of my dad's face! It was a weird shadow from the tree).
Have you ever seen a happier group?
Kate having grandpa read "Just Grandpa and Me" to her.
When my dad was called as Stake President, we took a picture of him with Emily and Lindsey. Emily had just turned 2 and Lindsey was 4 months old. This is how much they have changed in the 8 years! 
Becky and her cereal bar!
Kate insisted on sitting on Candy's lap for dinner. Candy was such a good sport and let her do it!!
Hannah - typical spilled cereal & milk
blowing out the 24 candles!! (My dad, Kate, Meg & Becky's mother-in-law - Betty in the background).
Hannah and her donut
Good thing she has such a cute face to make up for all those messes she makes!
John & Jack
Becky, me, Hannah & Meg
4 comments:
The end of an era. I have to tell you when the new Stake President starting talking Aiden leaned over to me, real serious like and said, "Oh, Steve's much better."
We love our Steve and "Torinne" and will miss them SO much.
I wish I could have been there. I can't believe Mom and Dad leave in just 2 months. With Dad being released it makes it that much more real that they are leaving.
That was a fun birthday dinner and so fun just to hang out with family. I loved the cereal bar :) Might have to do that again next year!
Their mission will go by so fast. My parents have just over a year left. We took a picture of the grandkids when they left. They have grown up so much in these past two years.
Your parents will be home before you know it. Some days it will seem like forever, but then you'll realize you're on the downward slide and every week it gets closer and closer. (It's 156 1/2 weeks altogether. Just so ya know ;))
I can't believe they will be leaving so soon. They are the best. So sad how fast kids grow too. It is nice you are here now to celebrate all these milestones.
Loved the cereal bar. Really cool idea. Who wouldn't love a cereal bar?
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