An Abridgement

The last week was quite possibly the busiest one I've lived.  As I went through my photos I realized that as I was writing to Mariah I told her the major evening events (at least one every night this week) but not even close to everything I did.  Here are SOME of the highlights:

Amanda babysat for us on Monday when Alan was off so we could go mountain biking together.  We had to get a fall biking selfie because it was such a pretty day.

Amanda and Sam on Tuesday at the park.

Willa's display at YW in Excellence.  And her Blue Steel look.  The theme was "Reflections"

Amanda got this of E and G hugging as they jumped on her bed.

Just too cute of my boys not to post.

 Highlights of the wild BYU ride we had this weekend:  BYU Football Fireside.  We had about 1500 people stuffed in to the Independence stake center, and it was that full by 30 minutes before it started.  We broadcast to 7 other stake centers, the farthest being in Wichita, KS and Columbia, MO.  I was lucky to get a good seat--front and center on the stand.  I felt a bit sheepish claiming it, but I did.  Then the team and dignitaries sat down and surrounded me.  I was between Bronco Mendenhall and President Worthen and his wife.  The team was in the choir seats behind me.  It was a great fireside and I loved being right in the middle of all those voices as they sang! Also, Bronco agreed to take my BYU merchandise and have the team sign it for me.

As we went to the hotel the team was staying in to pick up our shirts and football, we magically ended up parking right next to the place where the team was doing a few drills.  Fun!

Church History Presentation.  I was busy setting up for the tailgate, and I had Willa, Griff and Eve with me, so I slid in 5 minutes before this started and thought I'd still make the beginning and be able to introduce our speaker and get someone to say the opening prayer, but he had already started because the room was so full so early!  I also got a front seat to this--awkwardly centered in front of the slides he was showing and facing the speaker at a 90 degree angle to the rest of the crowd.  These two pictures were from my strange seat no one else wanted:

Cougar Town Tailgate. We had a perfect day and people showed up in droves.  We planned on having about 200 and it was closer to 2000 who actually showed up.  There were mistakes here and there, but mostly it was wonderful and fun.  Our auction brought in over $400 for our 4 items!  And I tried to talk to people and see where they were from and I don't think I met any locals I didn't already know.  Most people were from out of town. Perhaps the most fun one was when I was talking to a woman from Bentonville, Arkansas and realized she was married to the guy I went to my Senior Prom with.  Tag Barron was there and I got to talk to him and his wife Paige!  We hugged and talked about our wards (he is bishop) and our oldest daughters who are both on missions (theirs is in Portugal).

Alan took Willa and the littles home while I forced Wyatt to help me clean up and then we met back at Arrowhead stadium for the game.  It was well-matched and fun to watch, and we lost by 4 points.  And by that point I didn't much care.  I was just glad to be going home!

We got to sit right by our friends the Schows.  Their daughter Eliza is in Paris with study abroad right now, and luckily, all the kids in her group (and all the Schows' friends in Paris) are okay after the terrorist attacks.

As I look back at this wild ride, I am struck by how much of it is evidence of God's love for me (and the rest of his children).  What a truly cool world.