A Haircut...and, Cousin Jacko Arrives...

 

The Rooster has some GREAT hair... Let's just start with that!

 

 

Auntie is a hairdresser... and, thank goodness for that!

 

The Rooster HATES a haircut! I mean he hates it!!!

He will go to great lengths to style his hair in a way that it appears not to be too long...

to avoid a haircut. Auntie has a way with The Rooster...and he "allows" her to

work with his hair. In fact I think he secretly enjoys the attention she slathers

on him while he is in her "chair."

 

 

When it was all done...he looked great!!! Well...he looked great before,

but he was ready to attend AFY,

Adventures For Youth at BYU-I.

 

Cousin Jacko arrived on Sunday, so that he and The Rooster could attend AFY together.

 Cousin Preston came from Mesa with a couple of friends too!

We drove to the Salt Lake City Airport to pick up Jacko.

 The cousins were so happy to be together again!

They really miss each other when they are apart.

 

 

It didn't take long to realize that Cousin Jacko's luggage had been lost.

Holy Smokes!! Everything he needed was in that bag! He also arrived with a sleeping bag on his back;) While we were waiting for the luggage, Cousin Jacko told me that a man on the airplane asked him if he had run away from home. To which Cousin Jacko said "no...why???"

 The man said..."you have a sleeping bag on your back..."

Cousin Jacko thought that was really funny!

 

 

I think these too are in for a wonderful week together in Idaho.

 I love listening to them talk to each other... although I can't understand a word they are saying!;) He have developed a language all their own...lots of grunting...Spanish words and a little English mixed in. Very, very interesting! These two love to spear fish together... it is their most recent obsession.

  I am glad they are cousins...

I am even more glad that they are friends!;)

One Of The Best Parts Of Utah.....

Auntie celebrated a birthday while we were in Utah.....

(This post is a little belated....)

The birthday party "theme" was a Mexican Fiesta....hehe....

We met at The Brick Oven....it is one of our favorites....took our own centerpieces....

made her wear a party hat and chile necklaces....and we ate until we were all sick!

Oh, and I am pretty sure we bothered everyone around us with our singing.....

Auntie was one of the best parts of our summer life in Utah.

She moved to Utah with us and after a few days found her own apartment and started her

life as a BYU student. It was fun for us to be a part of this new adventure in her life.

I turned 21 years old two months after Auntie was born.

In fact, she was born while I was on a trip with The Farmer,

to this place I now call home. Between us are six brothers. She was a miracle;)

The Sunday she was blessed....a lovely lady at church.....well meaning I am sure....

came up to me and announced that Auntie should not have been born to our Mother...but that she should have been my daughter, after all I was old enough to be her mother.

Shortly thereafter, I decided to serve a mission for our church.

(not because of the well meaning lady, by the way.....)

When I left for my mission she was 4 months old.

When I came home she was nearly 2 years old.

And then a few months later I married The Farmer.

We never really lived in the same house at the same time, and didn't really get to know each other as sisters until later in life. She came to Mexico to live with us, a couple of years ago... and she became a part of our family in a very special way. The Darlings love her as a sister.....

I love how she "fights" with them like a sister.....

How she wrestles with them....like a sister....

How she loves them...like a sister.....

How she encourages them...like a sister....

I love how they confide in her and trust her....like a sister.

She is about three years older than our Gracie would be...

and I see her filling an an empty space that Gracie would have held. Preshie has said many

times through the years that she has missed her big sister and that she needed her.

Auntie has filled that need for her. Auntie fixes her hair...they tan togther....they share clothes...

Auntie offers fashion advice...and more importantly....boy advice.

The Boy has needed a sisters hand to steady him at times....and Auntie has done that for him.

He listens to her when he will not listen to anyone else.

The Rooster just loves, loves, loves her.

And she just loves, loves, loves him back.

The hardest part of leaving Utah was leaving her behind.

We cried alot.

The Darlings cried alot.

The Farmer thought we were all nuts....but he felt pretty sad to leave her too.

She is beautiful....

She is talented....

She is smart......

She is giving.....

And she is strong!

(And she brought me Sonic drinks without me asking....now that is a sister!)

I love you Auntie, and am so very proud of you and all that you have accomplished!

Thanks for melting right into our family and becoming one of us!

Thanks for letting us share a part of your life,

and thanks for bringing some great entertainment to the condo....

(you have dated some fun guys! good thing we had the strobe light!)

I love the relationship that we have developed and sisters and friends.

And, thanks for sharing my sense of humor, even when we were the only ones laughing!

I love you Auntie/Sister/Friend!!!

Called To Serve

In Honor of our Auntie Beth....who arrived in the mission field this week.
She called...we laughed...we cried...we talked about all that is to come.
We love her and are so proud of her willingness to serve.

It Came...And....She's Going To......

This is her...Sis. Auntie Beth...Friday evening at The Boy's football game, in a remote town in New Mexico...and I do mean remote! My Cel. phone rings and it is our Mother. She says that a letter has arrived from church headquarters for Auntie and what should she do with it. I, having been through this very experience myself, knew immediately what it was and so quickly passed the phone to Auntie. After many tears, she announced that she would be going here....
To Boston Mass. to serve her mission, speaking Spanish! A bit stunned, and emotional, but excited, ready to begin this next experience of her life.
She will leave very soon, and is very happy about that. It will be cold, but she isn't worried about that she just wants to serve. She is ready!
(Harvard University)

We are thrilled for her! We love having her here during this special time. Her excitment is a blessing in our home and encouraging The Darlings! The Farmer says that there couldn't be a better place in the whole world for her...this is where she is supposed to be! I couldn't agree more!