Celebrations and Stake Conference

Nicole spent Memorial Day weekend (and her birthday) in Colorado visiting with her friend Jeff Bullock and his family. We appreciate the kindness of the Bullock family in providing the birthday cake and celebration for her. A weekend of water skiing and boating at the family cabin was anticipated but since snowflakes were in the air, these activities were somewhat curtailed.

While Nicole was in the mountains, Ashley was visiting her friend Ryan Smith in California. Ryan's little brother Scott, age 10, was not quite sure how to deal with being displaced in his older brother's attention by this pretty new interloper. If Ryan put his arm around Ashley, David would disengage his arm. When Ryan and Ashley were in the car driving to the grandparent's house, Scott (in the back seat with his fifteen-year-old sister) pointedly declared to Ashley, "In our Church, we don't kiss until we get married." The teen aged sister rejoined, "Well, I know for a fact that [naming the brother on a mission] kissed a girl before he went on his mission!" Scott held his ground until a cell phone call to his mother settled the question. Solomon-like, Sister Smith assured Scott that "You are allowed to kiss once before you get married."

Mom and Dad dropped by Wendy's to deliver birthday wishes to her before going to the airport to pick up Nicole. One of Wendy's friends had made her favorite birthday cake for her -- chocolate with seven-minute frosting. Dad, who doesn't care for chocolate, declined the cake but Mom savored her piece and did not resist a second helping.

Our Amie celebrated her birthday on June 5th. We remember how smitten we were with our first little grandchild and how every morning it seemed like Christmas and to wake up and hurry to Wendy's and Steve's apartment in Laurel to "help Wendy" but really to cuddle and admire beautiful little Amie.

This week Mom and two other dear friends, Maria Bailey and Ann Bowler, went out to lunch at Bella Luna to honor her friend Carolyn Brammer on her birthday. All these women were in our ward when we moved here nearly twenty-nine years ago. We had a wonderful time reminiscing and sharing funny stories. Maria, who travels frequently to her home country of Peru, told of a time she had boarded her flight in Lima and as the plane started to taxi down the runway discovered she was missing her purse containing her passport, documents, credit cards, and money. In a panic, she alerted the flight attendant and expressed her distress so vehemently that the pilot turned the plane back to the gate. Her purse had become lodged on the security belt and bomb squad was there ready to dismantle her purse!

Our "birthday season" with Brian, Dad, Molly, Grandma Morris, Nicole, and Wendy in May and Amie, Brett, and Steve in June (not to mention Mother's Day and Father's Day) is nearly over. We love the cake and ice cream and getting together.

This evening we have a tired Dad recuperating after the last session of stake conference this weekend. After weeks of planning, a full day at the temple on Friday, Saturday meetings, and two sessions on Sunday, he is ready for a rest. Dad gave some fine talks and all the talks were inspiring and motivating. For the Saturday evening meeting, Nicole and Harmony White, an accomplished cellist, played a beautiful piano-cello arrangement of "I Need Thee Every Hour."

Kurt and Jennifer sent us a delightful family newsletter. We love the pictures of Kayla and Hailey who are so cute they should be stars on the Disney channel.

Holly flew to Utah to take advantage of an opportunity to take a special photography class over the weekend. Dave did a good job of getting the kids to church although Sadie's hair seemed to lack a mother's touch.