Visitors! - March 2022

 We started the month of March with a dinner with our senior couples. We now have several of them and we used to have only one. I used to wonder where we would put them all and now I don't know how we ever did it without them. I'm so grateful for them. For the last few months we've had only senior missionaries in the office for the first time, and it's pretty great. 

At the end of the week, my college roommates came into town and we had a great weekend visit! We stayed up by Lake Lanier for a couple of nights and then one night in downtown Atlanta. We hiked, ate, talked, explored - all our favorite things. It's never enough time, and it always feels like we can pick right back up where we left off. We were missing Jill this time, but got lots of good phone time in with her. I'm so grateful they came out here to visit! It was fun to show them around Atlanta.

The next weekend, we got a quick visit from my brother, Clint, passing through Atlanta on his way to somewhere in the Caribbean...we had dinner and visited for a couple of hours before bed, then I ran him to the airport the next morning. It was great to catch up. Our next visitors were the Graham girls - Sophie and Bekah. We always love our time with them! We stopped at the infamous Buc-ees convenience store on the way home from our meet up spot. It did not disappoint! The pictures will just have to explain...we love these girls, and it's so fun for our girls to have this shared experience and friends they can relate to in all of it. Every time they're together, I'm reminded of how mindful God has been of these brave kids to put them so close to each other so they can have these awesome friendships. I'm so grateful for this blessing!

Before we knew it, it was time for another transfer, and another visitor! This time, we got Rainey as our visitor - we were so excited! She came out to go to the Justin Beiber concert with Goose and Suse. This was a long awaited Christmas gift they were all excited about, and it did not disappoint either. Towards the end of the month, Mark and I taught seminary on the Plan of Salvation. It's always kind of tricky to teach in the chapel, but we did our best. Every Friday, Suse's seminary combines all the grades and has a guest speaker. We talked about how loving Dads want to give their kids all they have and how the Plan of Salvation is exactly that from our Heavenly Father. 

Suse started her new job at Playa Bowls, which is this delicious acai bowl place in a shopping center called Halcyon. They made good money in tips at the grand opening and we stopped by for an order. She looked pretty cute back there blending away :)! 

At Zone Conferences this month, we talked about being problem solvers - bringing our will, creativity, and energy to challenges. We even talked about "The Go Getter." My Dad was smiling somewhere while we did and didn't know why.  We talked about how the Savior problem solved when he fed the 5000 by identifying what their resources were that they had to work with, expressing gratitude, then asking for help and acting. Zone conference weeks are always busy and amazing. 

This month has had lots of fun track with Goose and Suse, too. Lots of weeknight and weekend meets, and lots of progress for both of them. Goose tried the high jump, hurdles, relay and 400. She did great! Suse has been long jumping, doing the 4x400, the 100 sometimes, the 200 sometimes, the 4x100 and sometimes medley relays. Sadly for Lu, this month has meant no track. She's had an EKG, MRI, Houlter monitor, and they've determined she has pericarditis (inflammation of the outer wall lining of her heart) and can't run track for the forseeable future. Oof. So sad to see her struggle to feel good after all her hard work and being in the best shape of her life and all prepped for the outdoor season. When I think of how hard she's worked all year to not be able to run a warmup lap now without her heart racing, it's pretty sad. Doctors don't know much about if/when this resolves or what it means for her long term. We'll hope and pray for the best, and move forward with faith with whatever the outcome. 


I forgot to mention, Lydia gave the opening prayer in a BYU devotional this month. 


Track team gathering


College roommates - love these girls!

4x400 - Suse's least favorite event 

Graham time :)

 

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