More Hugs - in Mesa

Mesa was our next break-out stop.

With two of our five kids living there, we got lots of big, loving hugs and they felt soooo good!

We drove to Mesa and spent a week being spoiled by our loving daughter, Stacy. Tom, an anesthesiologist, had flown to Ecuador earlier the day we arrived as part of a humanitarian surgery orthopedic team to correct birth and injury defects in children. Stacy was glad for the company while he was gone and she and her family always make us feel so welcome and loved.

Max and Luke are great huggers!

Maddy will be a high school senior next year and has grown to be so tall and beautiful!

Hugs after the twins' ball game

 

Hugs after Maddy's tennis matches

We arrived Saturday evening and soon left for a new experience - Tom's brother, Steve, and his family were visiting Mesa (they live in Palo Alto but have a home in Scottsdale) and he, along with his brothers' families, treated us to the new Disney movie, Raya and the Last Dragon, in a theater where you order, then enjoy dinner.  With all of the cousins, including Stacy's, Jimbo's and his kids and all of the adults, with social distancing, we nearly had the theater to ourselves!

Sunday morning we went to church in Stacy's ward and Maddy and I wore twinner outfits! After Sacrament meeting, we attended Priesthood/Relief Society in person for the first time and RS was a super special meeting!

That evening, Stacy hosted a dinner, inviting Ryan, Emily and family, Steve and Barb's family, Jimbo and Sham's family and Grit and Sherry. Roger grilled sallmon and marinated chicken tenders. We fixed chicken nuggets for the littles, and baked dilled carrots, mashed potatoes, asparagus, and a giant salad with fresh citrus dressing. Stacy made homemade rolls and Sham brought her famous layered jello and brownies, which we had with lots of choices of ice cream.

Sham, Steve, Wesley (Jimbo and Sham's), Jackson (Steve and Barb's), Max, Cy (Jimbo and Sham's) and Lyla ( Steve and Barb's)

Jimbo, Sham, Wesley, Jackson and Max

It was wonderful to get to be with our wonderful son, Ryan, his dear wife, Emily, and Ben, Becca and Sarah!

Ben and me with cute Sherry

The cousins all have such fun together!

Grit and Sherry, Tom's parents

Emily, Sarah and Ryan

We were so blessed to stay in the Young's beautiful home for a week!

Roger and I plan to replant some of our front yard, so Stacy gave us lots of ideas. Her front and back are so lovely and inviting!

We love the look of this triple "tree"!

Stacy took us to some plant nurseries for ideas.

Stacy, as well as Ryan and Emily, treated us throughout the week with delicious food. Phoenix area has so many great places to eat!

We got to watch Max and Luke play baseball and they are both amazing players! Their team is so far undefeated and they are a big reason why!

Maddy, who is in the off-season of cheerleading, plays on her high school tennis team, who are also undefeated and we watched her serve several hot aces! She is a great little player!

A real highlight was seeing and hearing a concert of, Lamb of God, in a movie theater. What a magnificent work by Rob Gardner on the life of Christ! The soloists, the instrumentalists, the glorious music were a genuine thrill! And, as we were standing outside our theater in the complex after our viewing, marveling at what we had just experienced, a kindly gentleman approached us and introduced himself as the composer's father, and soon after, his mother joined us as we had a wonderful conversation about their son and how it had all come about.

What a happy, relaxing time we spent with our loved ones! It was so soul satisfying to catch up with them in person! There's nothing like being physically together!

The night before we left for Mesa, we enjoyed a delicious beef stroganoff dinner at Anne and Jay's and I made a Granny Cake.

It felt so good to be able to socialize with our friends again!

After dinner we went back in time at the Carpenter music concert at Tuacahn. I have never before heard anyone sound like Karen Carpenter - her voice is so luscious on her low notes and so unique - but now I have! Especially in her low register, she sounded just like her!

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Getting back to real life brings such joy!