Summer Week #6

Elder Babcock's last Sunday with us for a while hit hard.  I drank him up.

Dinner.

Conference talks.

Yard games at Grandma's.

Quiet chatting.  Then Sunday was over.

Monday came and we worked together to pack him two years of clothing and supplies.  We enjoyed ourseles.  

He also cleaned out his room.  

Those two efforts along with his MTC classes filled up our final day together.  Grandpa and Grandma came for ice cream final hugs.

Monday night Austin walked Elder Babcock through all the minutiae of the upcoming morning.

All of a sudden it was 4am and morning came.  Our two hour drive to Phoenix was a solemn one for us.  Elder Babcock was so happy and chill.

We said goodbye for two years.

And he was gone.  Meg picked him up from the airport and spent the day with him.  Wednesday morning Andy took to him to my mother's house for breakfast and family.  Andy then dropped him off at the MTC and that was that. (I did get an email from him asking if I had packed him pants.  😏. Good luck, son, it just might be a long two years without your mommy.)

Austin took us to breakfast.

Then we floated the river casually and calmly.  It was just what our souls needed.

That night Austin made good on his promise to join me in my hobbies, because I spend hours joining him in his.  I found this instrument for free, but it does not sound good, so we only played a few minutes, and then he said that it's no use.  I was tickled. We played Elgar's anthem once and Molly recorded it.  He already found another sax for sale, but it's a bit of a drive away, so I'll have to ease that into our lives.  It's going to be worth it.)Austolie -- Duet

Rapelling is our hobby of choice lately.  Here we are!  I actually quite enjoy hiking up and skipping the downhill hiking.  The workout is real, but the joints are not jostled.

GO MOM! GO MOM! GO MOM!

Molly keeps up.

Grandma's 76th birthday was a success.  Fancy-shancy pizza and shortbread went over real well.  

We sure love our nice grandma.

CFM felt a little empty without Nick, but Molly kept Eddie happy and the rest of us entertained.  Her book is perched on the back of the couch.

INDEPENDENCE DAY!  Two of the twelve families that I invited to our backyard swim/BBQ were in town.  The total number of 12 people was bleak, but we had such a relaxed time eating and lounging in the pool.  

Austin smoked the burgers and peppers which made the most delicious burgers.  So many vegetable options rounded off the meal.

Maddie's braces gone!  That also happened this week.

The only holiday picture.

Saturday we cleaned the church, the office, harvested all the basil and made pesto, then I finished wiping Nick's existence from his room.  

Very sad.  I was very sad.  

I had no chance to wallow in the emptiness of it all, because we were invited to a wedding event that lasted all afternoon and evening.   I did my very best to be fun.  I was.  Despite the fact that my heart was aching and I looked so bad.  Poor Austin.  The best remedy is that he danced with me all night. 

Summer Week #5

Another beautiful week filled with rejoicing in Jesus Christ.

Elder Babcock began his home MTC experience.  Monday morning we glided into the gym at 6:30am and began lifting and working out.  Later, he sat for hours at his desk on ZOOM learning and listening to his instructors and other elders.  Day after day the spirit worked within him, and we felt it.  He's going to be an amazing missionary teaching and testifying of the redemptive power of Jesus Christ.

Breakfast of champions.

The Standifirds came to visit.  They were here less than 48 hours, but we drank up every bit of them.  Molly lives her best life with cousins just her age -- as do Eddie and Ryan. 

We experienced scripture reading FIRST!  It was suggested that because our CFM section was only seven verses, that everyone would choose a partner and then read back and forth each work.  I think my father would have been proud of our adaptation and interpretation.  Smug.

Jude-baby loved Nick.  Nick loved Jude.

Best buddies.

Best sisters.

Wednesday night Nick was set apart, and our dear stake president came to perform that holy ordination.  The children were very reverent and the experience was quite sacred.

Cousins.

Thursday came and Maddie and I were off to YW camp 2025.  I was in charge of the entire stake event, and it was possible because the Lord magnified my efforts and gave me such phenominal women with whom to work.  Maddie was an impressive leader and a light.   Here are a few high lights.

Lame leaders who don't dance.

Awesome YW who know how to have a dance party.

I brought my own floatie for the lake.

Spiritual moments.

In all my "free time" I taught girls to crochet and and I braided so many heads of hair.

Of course there was drama.  Of course there were tears.  Of course there were moments of intense trauma dumping during testimony meeting.  STILL!  I'm confident that the YW came away with a greater knowlege of the love Heavenly Father has for them, that living in covent relationship with Jesus Christ brings happiness in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come, and that they are disciples of Jesus Christ with the agency and power to daily and eternally progress.

Summer Week #4

Every weekday morning, Austin drops Eddie off at the pool at 6am where he swims for two hours.  I snuck in early just to peek at his progress, and he looked so fluid and confident in the water.  GOAT.

We have a fun friend that comes a couple times each week, and when he's here, the boys have no need for devices or screens.  Keep that Tristan coming back.  Molly tags along, and doesn't miss a beat.

I spent eight hours preparing for Girls Camp next week.  These lanyards look innocent, but five hours later.......

Wednesday morning I had the privilege of taking Ryan and the activity day boys on a quick Sedona hike to a watering hole.  So fun.

They found fish, wild huckle berries and ate millions of snacks.

Hours later, the Armstrongs and Andy arrived for the weekend.  The usual drill of pool, food, easy conversation and lots of laughter fell right into place.

We love being together.

Thursday morning we left Meg and the babes and headed on our annual overnight backpacking trip to Indian Maiden Falls.  Our numbers our dwindling.

Camp for the day/night.

Three miles up river and we settled on the rocks for several hours to jump and swim.  I did not freeze this year, and I jumped twice.  Austin dove off.  Nick and Andy backflipped.  Molly jumped several times.

It's a beautiful tradition.

He's pretty darling.

They're pretty darling.

Our darling friends.

More handsome boys.

I was jealous of Molly floating with Austin -- I wanted to kick her out, but I just couldn't.

Sweet Katie -- she's one of a kind.

Back in the late afternoon.  Austin and Elijah cooked us the best food.

Following Austin down canyons and up rivers is never dull or easy, but always epic.  I follow him to the ends of the earth and back.

Maddie made the photos!  The big kids chatted and just relaxed.  I was a bit misplaced; I don't know why.

The morning after sleeping in a hammock.

I slept SO well.  Like a full eight hours.   I missed Ryan's wandering, Eddie's solution and the hammock fails.  I crept around camp taking pictures of the sleeping hikers.

Cleaning up.

We were back to the cars at 7:45 am (I made the mistake of trailblazing and got our group lost.  EESH.  I know it's best to just follow Austin.  Why did I not?).  Meg and the shining twinnies were waiting for us outside and had breakfast piping hot inside.  Coming home to a clean and refreshing meal was invigorating.  "You did this for me everyday, Mom.  It's nice, isn't it?"  Indeed, it's nice.  It's been a while since I was nurtured in the ways that I nurture.

Saturday afternoon, we all headed to the House of the Lord where Nick received his endowment from the Lord.  Austin and Nick.

We had several friends join us in this sacred event.  Nick was everything reverent and mature.

Our family.

Melijah celebrated their fourth anniversary.  Baby #3 due in November.

Nicholas Austin Babcock -- named after his mother and father -- cleansed and ready to waltz into adult-mortal life armed with power and glory.  He shines.

The nice grandparents that support and teach and guide.

Saturday morning we were up early watching Maddie play and win in a flag football tournament.  My boys laughed through the whole event, but she's a star.

HOT!  Austin did bring us a canopy, which was our only saving grace.

Of course we swam all afternoon.

Andy and Nick came up with new games.  Chariot races were afoot.

Leaning trust falls.

Sheer happiness.

Sunday morning Nick spoke in church and testified of the power of the Book of Mormon and of Jesus Christ.  He's ready to go.

Ryan still sits on my lap after most meals.  Actually, he finds my lap whenever I'm sitting.

Sunday evening we spent in the backyard playing football and jumping on the tramp.

Just like old times.