Still Up North and Then Again for Josh's Missionary Farewell

I mentioned that Roger went on a golf trip with his sons and our oldest grandson,

 while I stayed with Jodie, Sadie, Katie Abby and Blake.

Roger is still editing the 600 pics that they took at Bandon Dunes.

When he gets them sorted out, I am going to post about their adventure.

For now, I am picking up when they returned to Rick's home in SLC, having played 92 holes and walked 33 miles.

Jodie picked them up at the airport and we had a marinated and grilled flank steak dinner waiting for them.

Next day, Memorial Day, we drove to Roger's mom's home in Ogden 

and Roger showed her some of his pics from his trip on his laptop.

We love to go with Lois to the West Weber and the Ogden Cemeteries 
to visit and honor Roger's Dad, his brother, Gordon, and many other relatives who are buried there.
Every year, she faithfully decorates many graves of family and friends, then revisits them 
with whichever of her kids and grandkids want to go.

A light rain was falling, but it was a pretty Spring day.

We took Grandma to lunch at Union Grill in Ogden, then left for St. George.

Two and one half days later, we were on the road again, heading back Up North for a very special reason.

Our first missionary in the family, oldest of 25 grandkids, 

will soon enter the MTC and he spoke in Sacrament meeting Sunday, May 31.

Each of our five children came to hear him speak and wish him well.

This is a moment in time for our family. 

We want to have a nice photo of all 37 of us before Josh leaves for two years.  
We look forward to having new faces coming in when the grandkids start to marry, 

but we wanted to freeze time in a pic before our family dynamic changes. 

Busath, the photography studio in SLC that took each of our daughter and daughter-in-law bridal portraits, takes lovely composites of families; you don't all have to be in their studio at the same time for the complete photo, but can schedule individual family sittings within a couple month's time.  Then they put it together. Magic!

Roger and I, with Rick's family went in for our sitting on Friday, 
then Rick treated us to lunch at his kids' favorite sandwich place, Tony Caputo's. 

They all love parmesan cheese, salami and other Italian meats, cheeses and pizza and pasta so much, 
I'm a little suspect that there must be some Italian blood in those roots somewhere.

For the three days we were there, we were treated to hearing Josh play wonderful music on the piano:

Grieg's Wedding Day at Troldhaugen, (which he just recently went and checked out at the library 

after he heard it in his music class at BYU, then worked it up to play) 

and beautiful arrangements of How Great Thou Art, Joseph Smith's First Prayer, 

Master the Tempest Is Raging, and others.

Josh is so humble and unassuming and willing to please and serve.

Roger, or I, or his mom or his dad or his aunts or cousins would say, 

"Josh, play for us," and he'd grin, sit down to the piano and play.

We were storing up that gorgeous Josh music in our hearts for two years.

Unbeknownst to me, Roger took this pic of me, listening to Josh play. He transports his Grandma Pam. 

Josh's talk on Sunday in Sacrament meeting was on Integrity.

It was truly profound, with many resources he had researched, segued together seamlessly 

and interspersed with his own deep thoughts. 

The Chinese people Josh comes across in Hong Kong are so fortunate to get to feel of his spirit for two years.

Rick and Jodie hosted a lovely get-together at their home afterward.

Over 100 people came over, with many relatives and friends from out of town, 

to wish Josh well on his new adventure. 

All of Missy's family drove up from Boise on Saturday and stayed in Malad overnight with Jedd's parents, then came to Josh's Farewell on Sunday, then drove home Sunday evening.

Stacy and Sydney flew to Provo on Friday, Stacy helped Syd move in to her new apartment and help her get ready for her road trip to Nauvoo with Young Ambassadors, then both came to Rick's on Sunday. 

Ryan, Emily and their oldest son, Peter, flew from Mesa on Saturday afternoon, then flew home Sunday evening.

Mindy, Jeff and kids live nearby, in Highland, so they drove up Sunday morning. 

Craig, Susie and Shellie brought Roger's mom, Lois, from Ogden.

Jodie's parents, siblings and cousins came from all around the Wasatch Front and Logan.

Roger and I are so very proud of our Joshua Rick Stratford!

We grabbed a quick pic with little Claire, who is growing up so fast!

Chatting with our Stacy, Roger's sister, Susie, our daughter-in-law, Emily, and Roger's sister, Shellie

Here are the proud parents!

Jodie's mom, Kathie, her cousin, Jesse, her dad, Bart, our Ryan and Emily, Jodie's sister-in-law, Julie, our Stacy, Roger's sisters, Susie and Shellie, Julie and Chris's kids  - Everybody smile! Click!

We didn't take as many candid camera pics as we wish we had because everyone was busy talking and eating, but Josh had many friends come to wish him well.

Four-Generations!

These two have been Best Bud cousins since their beginning!

We were all so tickled that Ryan and Emily brought their oldest, Pete.

It takes a very special occasion to bring us, with our five kids, all in the same place at the same time.

Thanks, Josh!

Sweet mother/daughter pic - and she might be our next missionary!

She is taking mission prep classes.

Aunt and Cousin Catch-up!

Miss Claire

Miss Fi

May 31st was also Ryan's birthday and, after most other guests had left,  

Emily surprised him with the traditional family turtle ice cream cake. 

Happy Birthday, dear son!  I asked him when was the last time he was together with his parents 

and all of his siblings on his birthday, and he couldn't remember!

We herded everyone out to the front door to take more pics to treasure.

Here is another four-generation shot.

Stratford, Shupe and Haslam visitors from Ogden

The Smiths, before leaving to drive back to Boise

The Linds (baby Fi is asleep in her carrier and Charlie is shirtless because he got into the Nutella!)

Roger and I with our much-loved children

Our kids with their amazing (and I really mean that!) spouses - Tom couldn't be there and we missed him!

Roger and I drove home late Sunday night, feeling such euphoria and gratitude to our Father in Heaven for having shared treasured moments together with our family and friends.