We started out May finishing the tail end of a few days in Austin exploring Grace’s mission stomping grounds.

We fell in love not only with that cool city, but even more with the good people who’s stories intertwined with Grace’s who she fell in love with…and they loved her right back.

I wrote all about that trip with so many more details back HERE.

Claire went to another prom at another school where her cousins were seniors as well.

I already wrote about that back HERE.

I loved this:

And also this:

That Lucy sure creates some beautiful music on that piano (more about Lucy’s song she was determined to learn back HERE).

We, as always, played lots of cards:

We loved having Grace around, still relatively freshly returned from that mission of hers in Texas. She had a little cyst removed from her cheek in between babysitting gigs and trying to get ready to head to college.

…and time soaking up her sisters, of course.

Elle’s friend came to visit with her sweetie baby:

Grace and I had a pretty special date to the temple:

We got to go to the lake:

Where Dave and Lu tried their old-time trick…that didn’t work now that Lucy has grown up so much (back HERE).

A kind friend made Lucy’s day.

People are so good.

In other Lucy news, she graduated from the “family bank” and got her own “real” bank account:

All about that family bank back HERE.

We joined in with extended family to watch my nephew play volleyball:

I am trying to learn my friend’s bread recipe.

Because it is the best home-made bread I’ve ever tasted in my whole life.

For real.

But it takes some talent to make stuff that good. And I needed some help to figure out the consistency. When I called my friend to get tips and FaceTiming didn’t help, she got in her car and ran right over. And when it took longer than we thought and I had to leave for some Relief Society visits that had been scheduled, that good woman stayed and baked that deliciousness for me (and the ladies I was visiting).

Honestly, some people are just so good.

And I am so grateful for their examples in my life.

Claire got an exciting offer: to play volleyball for UVU.

I talked all about that back HERE, but wanted to post this picture Claire took of their FaceTime call because she knew her parents would love it.

And she was right.

She gets to play with one of her best friends from her high school volleyball team.

We got to meet all together at church for Mother’s Day.

There is not much that is so good as being together in a room filled with like-minded women talking deep about life and God.

And also not much better than being surrounded by at least some of your children, and your good husband as you ponder the beauty of motherhood.

Especially when they’re willing to join you for a traditional Mother’s Day hike out in the spring desert heat.

(More on Mother’s Day back HERE.)

We prepped for graduation.

Took pictures on the football field:

(more back HERE)

Our church congregation celebrated the graduating seniors at a dinner they put together in their honor:

(HERE)

We held an extended family graduation party for these three cousin seniors:

(HERE)

And the next day Grace and I packed up and made the long trek to Utah to get her settled into her new college life at UVU.

We shopped for some things for her new apartment, moved her in, met mission friends, explored the campus, she changed her major a couple times (ha), finalized classes, and she started school all in a matter of two days.

Phew!

We also snuck in to visit my cute nephew (one of the 23 cousins on Dave’s side who live in Provo…for real).

One cousin from my side of the family was up there for a little while too, (and his sister who was there then left to prepare for her mission):

More about Grace’s awesome sisterhood as well as more details about that big move back HERE.

Back home Claire and Lu both got awards at school. Lucy had her last choir concert, and Dave and I got to go to the Coldplay concert:

(Coldplay concert HERE.)

My nephew got married (yes, another one, we are in wedding season with nieces and nephews I tell you!)

They have all chosen some pretty awesome spouses we’re so lucky to have join the family.

Especially these kids of ours who live up there:

It was such a good day filled up with family we love (back HERE).

Other news from Provo, Abby sent me this pic of Max reading with his little cousins (my sister Charity’s kids) one afternoon.

So grateful there is so much family up there!

Back home for “counter-talks” with Claire talking through all the next steps coming up for her:

Helping with photography for this giant fundraiser to help those fleeing from Ukraine:

(Back HERE.)

Met up with some old friends for dinner straight from there:

Those two on the right created (and then sold) a pretty incredible hair color company (called Pulp Riot), and it was so cool to hear their journey.

We did ministering interviews. This is the only picture I got but I loved meeting with those women I love and fell in love more than ever with the beautiful opportunity to minister to each other.

There was a Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults at the Conference Center up in Utah.

Loved getting these pictures from our kids who were all there in that sea of kids hoping to get in:

You guys, I listened to it and it was SO GOOD.

If you get a chance to listen, I would so recommend it.

I want to listen and have those words wash over me again.

We all need those reminders of who we are. And President and Sister Nelson gave the best words of encouragement.

Lucy had a piano recital:

And also learned some other tricky music that makes me cry (back HERE).

We went and watched the lunar eclipse with our own personal astronomy expert (my brother Josh):

It was incredible.

Loved watching that wonder with Josh and Claire and Dave.

Grace got a job up in Utah:

(a pretty delicious one I might add…)

Powderpuff came in full force:

(all the powderpuff talk is back HERE)

Claire’s new UVU teammate was in town and love that Claire got to work out with her a little…and also that Dave and I sometimes accidentally match when we go to work out:

I talked about Claire’s signing ceremony at the school back HERE, but I don’t think I posted this pretty clever and funny thing Elle whipped up speedy quick so she could actually have something to “sign” at the signing:

(Everything was so fast she they didn’t have any paperwork, so this sufficed:)

I tried my hand at that delicious home-made bread once again:

…not as good as when my friend helped, but hey, a little better every time!

My high school friend met me for lunch (she was in town on business):

Sometimes I just have to take a screenshot of beautiful things people post:

A beautiful sunset:

SO much else leading up to graduation, Josh’s end-of-the-year swim party, Lucy’s end of the year hoopla back HERE.

My cousin and his daughter stayed with us for a few days in the midst of all that crazy in that link up there (they were good sports to just jump in the fray!):

We loved the opportunity to catch up with them (she had a basketball tournament…they are the best!).

Meanwhile up in Provo:

…gotta love some brother/sister bonding over acai bowls.

Ha!

I need a “meanwhile in Florida” picture too, but I don’t have Elle & Carson pics this month. They were plugging along with life over there though, cheering our graduate on from across the country.

Like it or not, we were in the home-stretch…on the doorstep of graduation.

It was on to baccalaureate (my favorite part of graduation), and seminary graduation:

(All kinds of stuff about both of those back HERE.)

Claire and I got graduation pedicures and Lucy worked hard on her braiding skills:

Then it was the last day. The last day of having two kids officially under our roof. The last breakfast made for two. The last day of such a big year:

We found ourselves in that jumble, smooshed in together with so many other people in this oven of a place to live, waiting for our girl to walk that stage…and throw up her cap.

(all about graduation back HERE…)

We drove over to California to celebrate with this crew of girls:

…and had the added bonus of Grace and a bunch of friends from Provo taking a Memorial Day road trip there as well, so fun to meet all these great kids that had become such dear friends:

Of course we had to play “One and Done” with all those high school graduates:

…with the loser having to jump in the bay:

And then it was on to get Lucy all prepped and ready for FSY.

So much more about that miraculous experience for Lucy and her mama back HERE.

My heart is still filled up to overflowing with that gratitude every time I think about it.

And THAT is a wrap for May.

Posts that may interest you:

Our family bank

Moving my {post mission} girl to college

End-of-the-school-year hoopla

Similar Posts

4 Comments

  1. Is your friend willing to share her bread recipe? I’m always interested in good bread recipes.

  2. A genuine and not-meant-to-be-snarky question…is it acceptable/common for women to wear pants to church services? In the Mother’s Day service photo, I only see dresses.

    1. Good question. It’s customary to wear dresses at church, just historically culturally a way to show respect, but totally acceptable to wear pants as well!

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