Temple for Tutu

Easter marked one year since Tutu's passing. What a great time to be reminded that we will see her again. Because of the resurrection, we'll all live again.

Keenan took Mel to the Provo temple yesterday to do baptism and confirmation for Tutu. I went along and planned to do the initiatory. Allie will do the endowment on the 3rd of May, when Mel goes through the temple. It was so sweet to watch the baptism. Keenan kept apologizing for only bringing one name. I would add that it was a very important name - his mom. No need to apologize.

When I went to do the initiatory, I had a bit of a wait, but since I was there, I persisted. I was a bit concerned that Mel and Keenan were waiting, but I figured it would be ok. It just took about 30 minutes. When I got in with the temple workers, it was great. The first sister repeated Katherine's name pretty well. No huge mistakes. The second sister was Korean and took time to sound out her name quite well. I was thrilled that no one had butchered or been afraid of tutu's name. Then the third sister said it perfectly. I thought "wow, this lady must have some ties to Polynesia." When I looked at her name tag, my thought was confirmed. Polynesian for sure. She got choked up and couldn't continue, then I got choked up. We finally got through it and I told her it was my mother-in-law. She gave me a hug. I told her I was so happy she could say tutu's name so beautifully. We hugged again and she said she was supposed to have been relieved of her shift earlier. We agreed that it was a good thing she had been there. She said Katherine must be so happy. What a great experience I had.

Temples are great and families are forever!

Temple workers are the best!

Easter 2017

Easter was going to be quiet at the house. Kamiko was going to Boise and the girls would stop in. Things changed when Kamiko's girlfriend broke up with him, leaving him without plans. The girls also declared that they were doing ANOTHER Easter egg hunt, even though we had done one over conference weekend.

Sooooo, I bought a bit more candy and raided my stash for my primary class. We got the fixins for Easter egg hunt round 2. Larissa, Mel's friend, decided to come home for the weekend. We did mission shopping on Saturday. Sunday we had a quiet start, then went to church. The big kids joined me in my primary class on the resurrection. After church, we threw together a yummy dinner. My students had made a bento bowl for their magnificent meal. It would be perfect for our Easter dinner since I already had everything and didn't want to make a crazy, complicated meal. In fact, I declared that I wasn't making a crazy, complicated meal. Everyone divided and conquered. Keen grilled chicken, the kids started the rice, I made the veggies pretty, Allie toasted sesame seeds. Here's the finished product!

After we ate, we had the hunt in the house because while eating outside Mel and Kamiko saw wasps and they're afraid of them. We had a blast. I love Larissa. She's so cute and fun.

These kids. Never too old for Easter egg hunt: Kamiko, Larissa, Mel, and Allie

Mel, in her new mission nightgown, sorts her candy

My girls

Melia is going on a mission...to ARKANSAS!

Allie, Melia, Eden, Larissa (Mel's SOAR friend and Eden's host for the weekend)

Oh boy, as if my girls didn't have enough inside jokes and enough reasons to love being together, now they have ONE MORE. Mel submitted her mission papers on Tuesday, March 28. This was just a few days before general conference. Just one week later, on April 4, her assignment was made and she received her call on Friday morning, the 7th.

Her stake president had recommended that she read her call alone. Then she could share the news with lots of family and friends. I had gotten a phone call from the Cannon Center at BYU that her call was there. I couldn't believe it came so fast. I called Mel and she went to get it. She called me at work later and said she had read her call and "it is just perfect." Wow, I started to guess. Perfect...

California
New York
Hawaii
maybe Texas, since she was born there

That was the extent of my list. Then I thought maybe she would be at a visitor's center. She'd be good at that. I told her the call came so dang fast that the brethren must have looked at her picture and immediately said, "Oh, there's the sister we've been waiting for to send to..." I just didn't know where it was.

We all gathered at our house at 6:00 last night. Kamiko and Allie were home. Kobi and Brooke came over. So did McKenzie Nebeker and Makei's parents and brother. Kobi's mom and sister also came. Kobi and Tori have been here for both mission calls. Anyway, she opened her call and read it. We couldn't believe it.

Mel's going back to where Allie went to school. Allie's post on social media read "My favorite person in the whole world is going to my favorite place in the whole world. Arkansas, Sister Adcock is coming for you." Is that not the sweetest thing ever?! Those girls have been such good friends for so long. They've always gotten along and now this will create an even stronger bond. I'm with Melia. "It is just perfect."

Another reason this is so cool is that mom recently picked up a newspaper article written in 1966 about the Sears clan in Fulton County, Arkansas. They were quite influential. Mom's grandpa and family. Fulton county appears to be in Mel's mission, as is Branson, Missouri (my friend Jenn Coxson lives there). Also, my dear friend from Allie's freshman year at UARK, Michelle Blankenship, lives in Bentonville. Her daughter, Drew, came to BYU when Allie went to UARK. We watched out for each other's girls. Michelle now gets to know my other girlie. Mel is just so excited.

Easter is late this year

I've had Easter decorations up since we finished St. Patrick's day. Easter isn't until April 16. It's usually around conference weekend, but not this year. Mel thought it was this week. Nope. One more week. Wow. We're ready, though.

I bought some new stuff this year: the bunny, the yellow and pink jars, and the carrots. Plus the colored eggs in the picture of the front room are new.

Allie invited Kobi to come over for conference. She came for Saturday afternoon session. We took this cute picture together and she told me it's the first picture of just the two of us. I'll treasure it.

First EVER picture of just me and Kobi

In conference, President Monson announced 5 new temples: Saratoga Springs, Utah, Manila Philippines, Brasilia, Brazil, Nairobi, Kenya, and Pocatello, Idaho. It will be so great to have one in Saratoga. Our temple is crazy busy. What a blessing.

My Kids are Getting Older

The MANY faces of Allie and her birthday trifle

Allie turned 21 in February. She promptly celebrating by going to Las Vegas and doing nothing horrible. She just wanted to go. Her friend Sarah lives in St. George. They went down there together and they had a great time.

Because my kids are growing up and everyone is so busy, we didn't get to Allie's birthday dinner and birthday cake (it was actually trifle). Allie's at BYU, as is Melia. They are both taking my class and it's super fun to see them every Wednesday. Allie is majoring in FACS Education, so I'll be seeing a lot of her. In fact, she's gonna be a TA at work. She's a great girl.

Happy birthday, Allie!

Oh, and how lucky am I to be her mom? She gave me these beautiful flowers on International Women's Day.