We decided if our girl is playing college volleyball the whole family should get to see her in action.
I mean, when your school has stuff like this in the halls, it’s kind of fun, right?
Ha!
(Elle got there earlier than we did and took that one up there), then Grace sent this one she saw en route to a class…a little blurry, but hey, still Claire:
Anyway, we knew there were a couple games one weekend, one at UVU, and one at Max’s alma mater, BYU, so we decided to take this little sister up there:
(who misses her big sister terribly)
And this sister too:
(Carson got there for the second game.)
We met up with Max after work (Abby was visiting her Grandma and didn’t get there until the last day), and headed to the big game.
It was so fun to be there at a home game and see how they do it…all clad in green and white with the “light show” and promo video at the beginning.
Love that Elle’s brother-in-law snagged these court seats right next to “Willy” the UVU Wildcat:)
So fun to see Claire amidst this amazing team of girls:
Let’s see a close-up here…
…there we go.
We were so excited to hug Claire up when she came out (we got there just in time for the game to start and didn’t see her before).
Lucy was especially excited:
Love.
Saydi and Emmeline came down to meet us for the game and it was so fun to have them.
We got to hang out with these “original five” that evening:
Missed Carson and Abby but kind of fun to see these five all lined up, hugging each other up.
Loved that togetherness:
And a little inkling of the leaf-changing coming up:
Also got to visit Grace at work, of course:
And had a family sleep-over complete with charades. Nothing in the world quite like gathering those pieces of my heart all in one spot after everyone is stretched so far and wide, experiences and emotions and thoughts and convictions shifting and maturing and hopefully still looping.
Then it was time for the BYU game.
We packed ourselves into the bleachers at BYU’s Smith Fieldhouse to watch UVU play BYU.
There was something so surreal about walking past that court, and seeing Claire standing with her team in the exact same corner spot where I first saw Max as a college volleyball player with his team all those years ago:
The place was filled right up to the brim and the energy was high in that place…
…and we got walloped pretty good (UVU is a pretty great team, but BYU is incredibly good), but about half way through, suddenly THEY PUT CLAIRE IN THE GAME!!! She is the newest team member on that really good team, so we have been resigning ourselves that she may never play, (which is fine, she’s learning so much on this team and also she’s a pretty great cheerleader I have to say), and then there she was, out on that court, ready to play in that huge place packed with people.
Our whole family erupted in cheering. Max yelling out in his huge voice, “set Claire!!” and Lucy with her screeching cheer, all the cousins and the rest of us joining in. Claire was only in there one rotation and didn’t make any points, but it was such a huge win for all of us and you would have thought it was Christmas morning.
So fun to have Char and Moses there with us up in those bleachers for that exciting night.
So fun to talk with Claire on the court after the crowd dispersed as she told us how she was shaking in her boots so bad but had so much fun out there.
(We missed Max for the picture since he had to go pick up Abby at the airport.)
Cute cousin supporters:
One of the friends who was there:
…and later we met up with the others:
(So fun to meet them all), and get some with them and cousins at the creamery after.
The WHOLE fam together:
Got to meet one of our new little baby nephew:
Wait, my nephew’s son, so who knows what that makes him to me, but I fell in LOVE with that little sweetie.
Love these guys.
Got to meet up with Grace’s friends too:
This one had a farewell:
Love that she’s found such a good spot with such good people.
And then it was the end.
I guess all good things have to come to an end, but so grateful for all those golden threads weaving their way into Provo.
Now that the majority of your kids are in Utah do you think you’ll move there?
No, we love the desert, and I don’t think they’ll stay forever. But so glad it’s so close for a visit!
This is awesome, so happy for you guys to be able to be together!
xoxo
Oh SHUCKS! So sorry to miss this, but I have to say that seeing these pictures was almost as good as being there! Thanks for sharing this beautiful event. And those banners…WOW! So fun to see!