Last Sunday, after a full day of regular Sunday worship activities, we piled all Mariah's stuff into the car, and Kevin and I drove Mariah down to St. George! She had an athletic meeting she needed to attend at 10am Monday morning. While she went to that, Kevin and I wandered campus and got acquainted with the places our daughter will be haunting for the next big while of her life. After the meeting, we got some lunch and then came back to get her student ID and check her in to her student housing! We brought her stuff inside and made her bed and then went shopping at WalMart for groceries and sundries. She had another athletic meeting at 5pm, so we hugged her tight and told her again how excited we were for her and this new chapter in her life and then we left her there . . . and drove home without her.

Up until that moment I had been really excited for her, but when we drove away I thought, "What was I thinking?" Raising kids is fulfilling and gut-wrenching all at the same time, I tell you.

Anyway, we had a fun time on our little trip and she reports to be settling in really well and feeling like this is where she's supposed to be. This week she has attended orientation, three full days of her Trailblazers class, four days of regular team practices, Freshman Friday, and the On-Campus Housing Ice Cream Social. I may be forgetting some things even. She has been busy! Classes start for real on Monday. I am excited for her. I really am.

Saying goodbye to Springville.

Where she'll spend most of her mornings!

The T-shirt quilt Grandma Elton made will remind her of great times!

So, back on the homefront, more change was a brewing for this mama's heart! We knew (hoped!) it was coming but Wednesday made it official when McKay proposed to Sarah! When I explained to Ben he asked, "And what did Sarah say?" For those of you wondering like Ben, . . . she said YES! McKay set up a romantic spot in the woodsy spot of our backyard and we didn't even see the two of them! After dinner watching the sun set, they told us their big news and let me take their picture. Happy day with the promise of many more happy days ahead!

Back in the realm of less earth-shattering news, Cali and Chey had their first tennis tournament of the year! Cali played third Varsity doubles and Cheyenne played second JV doubles. They had different partners than each other, of course, and that was new for them but they did really well with it. Cali and her partner won all four matches (2 matches a day) and Cheyenne won 2 of the 4. They were pretty exhausted from the sun and the tennis play but still managed to play ultimate frisbee with their friends Friday night, too!

I've decided to have a "Build-It" day with Ben once a week. This week we made a rope bridge. Can you believe it? That You-Tube. You can do practically anything with it. Anyhow, Ben and I had a great time and our scratches from tree branches are all healing really nicely. Ha ha!

Savannah had a good week of work. Bethany played with friends. Benjamin started football practices. Sunday before Mariah left, the kids made a chain to count the days until Megan gets home. Mariah wanted to be part of making it and realized while doing so that she was also counting the days until she gets home from Dixie. It's a happy chain. It's not too long. Can't wait until my M&Ms are both home again!