Sunday, July 2, 2023 - Another goodbye

 Today was another Break the Fast dinner with all the seniors. Today we were supposed to wear our Aloha wear so that we could take a group picture. After Dinner we gathered in the benches outside of the Ohana Luau.

Elder Handley went across the canal to take the group shot. Some he did with his camera, some with the drone.

He took several of us on the benches. 

Then he somehow stitched the pictures together so that there was NO gap!

After that we sang an Aloha Oe for those seniors who were going home.

Elder & Sister Phillips, Sister Karen Shephard, Elder & Sister King, Elder & Sister Hansen

We all sang, some played their ukuleles, and we were led by Sister Kmack.

Saturday, July 1, 2023 - a Wedding!

 Today we were privileged to be at the Sealing of Kalani and Leanne. They were both in our ward last semester and Kalani was in our temple prep class. Leanne has graduated, but Kalani is still a student at BYUH.

We had to go to work at the PCC Luau right after the reception, so we had to wear our outfits!

Then we went to work at the VC and some friends from Buena Vista, VA who know CJ and Mush came in…Nonie and Keenan Reeser.

It is always so much fun to see friends…of ours, those who know our kids, those we have worked with…etc.

Week of June 24- July 1st, 2023- the Lakehouse Week

 This week was the week our family gets together at the Lakehouse on Lake Norris in Tennessee. Of course, we couldn’t be there, and Layne and family were not there because Zach’s knee surgery.  

Since Tanner had recently been called into the Bishopric in his BYU ward, he wanted to wait until he got to the Lakehouse to have his dad and Uncles help ordain him as a High Priest.

It was wonderful to see pics of everyone having a great time, but we certainly did miss not being there too!!!

When the Monroe’s returned home, there was a surprise waiting for Ashlyn…some friends in their ward had painted a mural on her bedroom wall !  It was amazing

Monday, June 26, 2023 - a meeting of the Grandparents!!!!

Today we had the wonderful opportunity to meet Brother and Sister Mike Jensen from Shelley, Idaho at the VC. As we were talking we discovered that we both had grandsons serving in the Italy Rome Mission!!! 

When I showed him a picture of Trevor, it turned out that his grandson, Anziano Austin Jacobsen was standing right beside him in the picture!!!

Such a small, wonderful world!

Sunday, June 25, 2023 - the beginning of goodbye

 Our good friends, Elder David and Sister Kaylene Phillips are finishing their mission. They are from Orem. They were the only other senior couple in our ward and the first ones we met here. They were the coordinators of the BYUH senior missionaries. Wonderful people! So, this day begins our good byes…..the ward did an Aloha Oe for them.  In preparation, I learned to make ribbon leis.

So, at the end of Sacrament meeting, Ralph Mallapre , who was in our ward last year annd has ann incredible voice, sang Aloha Oe and then put a Lei around their necks and then we all joined in on the chorus.  

Bishop Spring and his wife Colleen on left.

There will be more Aloha Oe’s for these great people!

Later in the day, Cindy and Leon Montgomery, old neighbors in our Cedar Hills ward that have now moved to Arizona, came to the VC. Since it was Sunday, and NOTHING here is open on Sunday, we invited them to come to dinner at our apt. So fun to see good friends !!