We drove Cheyenne (Sister Skinner) to the MTC on Wednesday. Oh, happy day! Oh, sad, sad day! Our hearts couldn't decide whether to rejoice or mourn! So, we did both. Chey spent a good part of Tuesday packing. Wednesday morning she had a couple more things to do and we drove to WalMart for a couple of last-minute things. Then, we had everyone over for lunch. We even grabbed Beth and Ben from school. Chey wanted salmon and "fresh, crunchy grapes." Megan and Ammon came and Sarah with her babies. We talked about what she might have at the MTC for dinner. We took more pictues! Then we packed into the van (except for Sarah and the babies) and headed for Provo. We were met in the parking lot by a happy sister missionary who helped Chey with her bags and took one more picture. Then there were hugs and tears and waving and waving. The end. We went sadly home. Except she did call us that night and we saw her face again and we will on her p-day, too, and weekly throughout her mission. What adventures and spiritual highs await! This will be a terrific 18 months of her life. Hurrah for Israel! Hurrah for Cheyenne and her love for Christ and the people of the Earth.

Bethany and I got to spend some more hours at Primary Children's Hospital this week. We saw an endocrinologist on Monday, got some more bloodwork done, and even got an xray of her hand for growth-plate reasons. The xray room was decorated like an underwater laboratory and the lab for bloodwork is decorated like a jungle. I think they should decorate hospitals for adults the same way. It makes everything cheerier. Beth will be spending 3 to 5 days inpatient starting on the 25th. Her surgery is scheduled for that day and then they will watch her for infection or complications. Everything should go well.

Meanwhile, Beth is trying to keep up with her classes which is extra hard since we keep taking her out for doctor's appointments and MTC drop-offs. I think we are close to getting her caught up, but her teachers want her to get ahead, and so she is pretty stressed sometimes and wants to curl into a ball and make it all go away. Which she does try sometimes. She loves being in Newsies and I'm glad that is so fun for her and that her director will let her miss rehearsals. It will all work out!

Ben hasn't been able to run for the last week because of pain in his ankles, knees, and legs. Ammon, our resident doctor, believes the problem has arisen because his bones have grown faster than his muscles so they are overstretched and mad. Ben is trying to remember to stretch thtoughout the day so that next week he can run at practices instead of just cheering everyone else on.

Savannah has been working on her bees this week. Bees don't take much work daily, but every once in a while they take a lot of work and Savannah gets worn out! She did great, though, and has a big bucket of honey in return for her labor.

Calianne gets set-apart today!! So, Mariah is back in town (yay, a visit from Mariah!) and on Saturday night we had a family picnic up Hobble Creek Canyon. The weather has been beautiful so we were upset when it started to rain on us! Still, it didn't rain until after our food and it wasn't raining hard, so everyone still played bocce ball and spike ball and I sat under the trees holding baby Lyla. We're glad we went. It is always fun to be together even when we miss Chey and are dreading the departure of Cali (the next Sister Skinner). It's good to feel all the family support. I love our big family.

This morning Kevin got set-apart as a bishop in the Provo YSA 189th ward. We went to church with them this morning and they look like an amazing group of young adults! I can't wait to get to know them. Kevin is looking forward to this new way to serve in the Lord's kingdom and I think he will do great.