Missing

Things have been quieter than usual around these parts lately. That's because this girl --

 (No, not both of them, just Shanna, but I gotta get 

a picture of the grandbaby in here too!)

--is at JBA. She wanted to go last year but I told her we simply couldn't afford it.

When her dear friend got back last summer, Shanna let me know she REALLY wanted to go next year. My response was that she would have to earn at least half the money, assuming that would put the matter to rest. I was so wrong!! She worked and scrimped and saved and earned the $805 to pay for her half. I was so impressed.

I didn't realize when I made that off hand remark that I was giving her permission to attend, but once she worked her tail off and earned it all, short of something catastrophic, I couldn't very well tell her no.

When we arrived, we got her checked in and found her dorm room and hauled her stuff up five flights of stairs (the elevator line was too long to be endured) and got her unpacked and ate lunch and met her professor and then it was time to say goodbye and actually leave my little girl in this place for multiple weeks. Ouch!

So she's gone, for way too long. She's loving it and learning so much and making new friends and it's all wonderful except that our house is severely lacking in off the cuff kids history, Brian Regan and Tim Hawkins quotes; I'm not hearing nearly enough piano pieces coming from the living room and we all just want to hang out with her but don't get to for now. ...sigh.

Newport Ladies Book Club Book Review

 
I recently read Daisy, the second stand alone book in the Newport Ladies Book Club series. Each book is written by a different author from the perspective of a different member of the book club. Review of the first book here. This one was written by Josi S. Killpack, the author of the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery series; one that I've spent many lovely hours devouring.

As I read Daisy I found it to be an interesting experience--reading many of the same events but from another perspective. Daisy's life has it's own set of challenges, very different from those faced by Olivia in the first book. I like that these women in book club come to each others aid as the inevitable bumps in the road come along in their individual lives. Daisy was an enjoyable read.

Paige is the next installment, due out in August. I'm looking forward to it!

An Actual Blog Post!

I've become an absent blogger. I'm not sure how it happened and I'd like it to change, but apparently not enough to really do anything about it.

Life is good and continues on.

A few highlights.

 My beautiful oldest daughter graduated from BYU in April. She's as lovely and kind and accomplished as I hoped she would be and more. What a deep-down-in-my-heart-pervasively-joyous thing it is to see what beautiful person she has grown up to be.

My youngest son and I ran the Joplin Half Marathon on May 19th. We did this guys training program, something that made a half marathon actually possible for me. I couldn't have done it without Michael. He's a great running buddy and such a good son. I loved going back to Joplin and see all of the rebuilding happening there. What a resilient and lovely community!

Our second grandbaby is on the way!!! David and Jess are expecting #2! 

Hubders continues to smooch me on a regular basis. That's nothing new, but it certainly does add to the happiness of my life. (TMI?)

Jess continues to send lots of pictures and videos of Emily--a constant source of happiness around here. She's getting soooo big! Here's three of my current favs:

We're having our first ever family reunion with our kids in July. I can't wait to see them and hug them and laugh with them and chit chat to our hearts abandon!

We'll get to see these three people that we love.

 And these two people that we love.

And these two people that we love.

CANNOT wait!