Our family pictures from this reunion are in my August posts!

July 5, 2009
Happy Birthday land that I love!!! I am so blessed to live in America. I am scared for some of the directions we are going but have faith that our leaders will remember the freedoms that have made our America so great.
It has been crazy here for the past few weeks. I had my petscan June 29th and received the results on Thursday July 1st. I am still cancer free. So yeah for me! I was a little nervous to go to my result appointment, but there you go I am good.
A few years ago we decided to start are own immediate family reunion. I was I afraid if we didn’t get it started that we wouldn’t be able to find a time for all of us that didn’t interfere with spouses reunions and stuff. So our little family reunion was over July 4th. It was Jed and Jamie’s year to be in charge and they arranged for us to rent a cabin up Sundance area. It was so beautiful and so fun. But our life was crazy busy getting ready for it. Marci and her kids arrived last Monday evening. Jed and Jamie arrived from visiting Jamie’s family in Green River on Wednesday early afternoon. Eric arrived Wednesday night. The reunion started Thursday. With shopping, packing, planning etc. it has been go, go, go. The reunion was awesome. I love all my kids so much and my grandkids are so darling and so fun to be with, that even though I am a little sleep deprived I wouldn’t change any of it (except for it to last longer) for a minute.
We had planned to take the boat to the reunion but as we were pulling out of the driveway the boat trailer came unhooked as we rounded the driveway, we heard a funny noise and I looked behind us and saw the boat and trailer come toward us at an odd angle. The trailer hit the curb which I am sure stopped it from causing more damage than it did. The back of the truck will need some paint and the plastic casing over the trailer part where you cinch up the anchor is damaged. After we looked at the damage and with Jamie and Marci’s helped put the trailer back on we decided to go ahead and bring it. As we continued on down the windy road to the freeway the rain just started pouring. Jack asked where we were going to park the boat. I called Jed and Jamie to see if they had arrived at the cabin yet to see if they thought we could park a boat under the carport. They hadn’t arrived yet, we knew it would be up a windy canyon road and Jack asked if we would have enough room to maneuver parking the boat. On the way down the hill to the freeway Jack made an executive decision to not bring the boat. We turned around and took the boat home. By the time we turned around and brought the boat home the boat was soaking wet and Jack and I where drenched through and through just parking the boat in the garage. We left at 2:00 pm and got to the cabin a 4:30 pm (should have been there by 2:45 or 3:00 pm). We had Gabe, Isaac and Karsten with us. They had been in the car almost 3 hours and we didn’t hear a peep out of them until we were about 10 minutes from the cabin and then they wanted to know if we where almost there. They were totally involved with their DS’s which was so great in this situation because it was pretty scary, plus we had the thunder (really loud), lightning and a pretty amazing rain storm.
Everyone was to the cabin in time for a yummy dinner. We just visited and played games the rest of the evening. Friday we went on a short hike as the road ended and we couldn’t get where we wanted to. We played family cranium and Pictionary which with the kids. We had delicious meals each day because we have such amazing cooks in our family and tons of snacks. Friday night we played Mafia until 2:00 am. I am sure you can guess who was still up playing till the very end, yeah it was me. Saturday we played poor man’s paint ball. You put flour and marshmallows in a bag and shake them up divide in teams and throw the marshmallows at the opposing team we had dark shirts and light shirts teams, but soon it didn’t matter because you couldn’t tell who was light or dark because of all the flour. The kids had a blast. Amber brought all the stuff for it, they had played it in YM and YW. Josh had made swords out of noodles for a Get the treasure game where you have to run to the treasure without getting hit by the sword. Saturday night we went to the Staduim of Fire. Today we just packed up after breakfast and took a few pictures of the families as they left. I went to bed about 2:00 am each night and got up about 8:00 am which normally I wouldn’t even blink an eye but since the end of my chemo I have been sleeping 7 – 8 hours per night, so I am exhausted. But, very happily exhausted. I love being with my family. I cried a little as they all left. Big surprise I know.
Jamie and Kirk have a little nephew who was run over by his older brother in a truck Tuesday night before the Reunion. It has been an amazing experience to see the Lord’s hand blessing this family and this little boy. He isn’t quite two and the damage was so extensive to his head they didn’t think he would last the night. But through priesthood blessings and Heavenly Father’s tender mercies he has pretty much healed himself. All the doctors and everyone are amazed at his progress. Miracles truly surround.
I am so thankful for all the miracles that Heavenly Father places in our lives. Wow, the trailer thing could have been a disaster, my petscan could have turned out differently, everyone traveling safely to all our different activities, little Alex, all amazing miracles which I am so thankful for. I know the church is true. I know we have a loving Father in Heaven and Savior, Jesus Christ who want to bless our lives if we will let them. Love to all!! Life is great!!!