SURPRISE EMERGENCY TRIP TO SEE EMMA!

After a long 72 hours of nothing going very good (chemistry lab issues, Sodalicious drink breaking inside her backpack and drowning her new MAC book Pro, being hit by a car on her bike heading to the bus stop (TOTALLY fine just a headache and sore neck) this chick was done! She hit rock bottom. 

We had talked to her that morning after she was hit and sounded super annoyed but fine. Then while at work she sent me a text that she was trying to pull it together, but that she was just done.  My mom gut told me I needed to get up there and help her! But Jared had just talked to her on the phone and said she was fine. It still wasn't sitting right with me. 

By the blessings of Heaven and a few very special friends and family members - I was able to buy a plane ticket and 2 hours later I was in the sky flying to her! I texted Stephanie at work and asked her if she could come in for me and she did, She showed up at 11:15am and then by 11:20am I was driving home and told Jared to by me a ticket. I called Kati Hall and asked her if she could drive me cause Jared was stuck in a meeting he had to go to. She showed up 15 minutes later ready to take me and had made me a sack lunch! I texted Ashley and knew she was heading to pick up Emma at 4pm to take her to Best Buy so she could buy a new laptop and asked her to swing by the Provo Airport and grab me because my flight landed at 4pm. 

We got to her apartment and I surprised her. After the shock she gave me the tightest hug ever, sobbed in my shoulder and her little body shook! We took her and she got a new laptop, we hung out that night and even stayed up late eating Chipotle and watching a movie with Maddie (I promised the girls I wouldn’t post their pic so they are unicorns now 🤷‍♀️)and then Emma slept on the couch and gave me her bed. I woke up to the sound of a Hot Air Balloon right above her apartment complex - so random.  Then the next day while Emerson buckled down and did her chemistry and got caught up on homework. 

While I was there I was able to do all her laundry, clean her kitchen, bathroom, mop, empty trash and of course get her room back in order which I hear always looks good till the last 72 hours, took her to get a flu shot and her left her money for the treats her and Maddie are making to enjoy during Conference. I flew home the next day 26 hours after landing but she was back to her old self by the time I left. It was so good for both of us. I will be forever grateful for that quick trip, helping my girl and for those who made this crazy thing possible within a 20 minute notice! So grateful to Heavenly Father who also made everything fall perfectly into place! 

POLITICAL PARTY!

 The twins got extra credit if they had a political debate watch party! So we borrowed Sara's 4th of July decorations and hung those up over our Halloween decorations and the twins and Mikey watched the debate between Biden and Trump! They didn't last long, but we got a picture so now they get the credit! 

YOUTH CONFERENCE!

 A lot of planning went in to having Youth Conference this year. We really wanted to do something to bring the youth together since we haven't been together since March. We decided to make it an all day affair. It started off with breakfast made for them by the Elders Quorum, then they listened to Taryn Bashford speak, then they broke out into their age groups and did different service projects, after that Kona Ice came. Then Jared and I took the boys to their first tackle football game and then came back just in time for the virtual fireside speaker, Cafe Rio for dinner and then swimming and hanging out until 9pm. The next day was a fireside testimony meeting. The boys had a great time. My favorite part was the end of the night when the boys and girls would all just mix and play some giant game of capture the flag and there wasn't anything awkward about the boys and girls mixing! Good memories and the boys really enjoyed themselves. Made all the planning and meetings worth it! 

DALTON'S BAPTISM!

 In 4th grade, we were super bummed we didn't get Ms Palomarez for the twins 4th grade teacher. We got someone we didn't know - which means you never know what you are going to get. We got Ms. Dalton. Turned out she was a perfect fit for the twins. When we walked in her room on the first day and it was filled with Superhero stuff - I knew we were in the right spot. I would do Art Masterpiece in the class that year and bring Alyza with me to teach and Ms Dalton would color with her, etc. 

Fast forward to last year when I got Alyza signed up for Haley cheer with Ms Dalton. Then RJ and her became friends and they ended up finding out they live 4 houses down from each other. 

Then fast forward to many phone calls over quarantine about many different things. I felt a very strong prompting - even though it was way out of my comfort zone and I was fighting it - to ask her if she would like to have the missionary discussions. She did! We secretly got all the kids out of our house without them knowing and had her over for the discussions for an hour with the sister missionaries over zoom. 

Then over time she would meet with them on her own at her house, call me with questions, I dropped her off some magazines from Deseret Book, her friend Christie helped her a lot, etc. 

Then one night she was having a really bad day and I was talking to her at 10:30pm and I felt like I should ask her if she wanted a priesthood blessing. She did. I looked at Jared who had just crawled into bed and turned on TV and told him, sorry we need to go. 

He got up, got dressed in his church clothes and we went over to her house and were there till probably 11:45pm. Jared gave her a very touching and powerful blessing. She is an incredible lady. Jared said it may have been one of the most powerful blessings he had ever been a part of. 

Then one night while we are sitting at tackle football she called us and asked if she could come over but we told her we weren't home so she facetimed us and told us she was going to get baptized and wanted Jared to baptize her, I was her witness (first time ever) and Jared confirmed her a member of the church and I gave a closing prayer. 

Dalton met with our Bishop and her Bishop and decided for many different reasons she wanted to be apart of our ward. She was able to get the exception and so we moved forward with it. Her best friend Christie and I got together and planned her baptism for her. Christie did flower arrangements and the program and I did the dessert table afterwards. I was able to secretly invite some of her former students and families in our ward to come and be apart of her special night. 

This was one of the greatest missionary experiences I have ever had and probably will ever have. We are so lucky to have her in our ward, we got her hooked up with the best home teachers, she sits with us every Sunday, we got her hooked with the activity days leader - perfect calling for her and everything is awesome! 

GRANDMAS KNOW BEST!

We love visiting Grandma Joyce!! We also love that at 96 years old she does NOT love ripped jeans. She warned Emmerson that her new ripped jeans should not be taken to Utah because the holes would make her cold! Em politely smiled and nodded! Fast forward a couple months later....I get these two pics from her today. “Ok Grandma Joyce was right! I’m wearing my new grey ripped jeans and my Sherpa and I’m freezing!” I promised her I wouldn’t tell grandma she was right!

COUGARS BASEBALL!

 Once a Puma always a Puma - that's the saying anyways....this kid made the Perry HS baseball feeder team! I haven't seen him this excited in a long time! The tournament this weekend was a little rough, but since I haven't seen him play since February I loved it! It's cool if I wear all my Perry cheer gear to baseball right?! #pitcher #firstbase #pinchrunner #cougars

COLLEGE DROP OFF!

 We left a huge piece of our heart in Utah! As we drive home we have lots of mixed emotions! WE are proud of the human we have raised, we feel at peace with her apartment and roommates, her bestie is right there, we love that she has family close by to help, we had a rough two weeks before she left but saw the blessings and gifts from Heavenly Father as we headed up, and now we will say our goodbyes, cry our tears and count down till we get to see her next time! #imnotaregularmomimacoolmom #ibettercallheritsbeen5minutessinceweleft

We blessed Emma's apartment before we left and Jared also gave her a back to school blessing before we left as well: 

Emma bless you to be happy the Lord is looking out for you. You are at a point to receive the fruits of your labors. Heavenly Father is very happy for the decisions you are making. Bless you with a spirit of discernment. Aware of your surroundings and be safe. Notice around you who needs help and upliftment. Bless you to focus on your studies. This room will be a sanctuary for you and you will be able to retreat from worries of the outside world. Pay attention to promptings of the still small voice. When you act upon them you will become more Intune. Your family is rooting for you and loves you. You are leading the way for the Jensens and Rodgers cousins. This is a powerful legacy you are leaving behind! 

Alpine Village #325 - her first apartment and home away from home

Chick-fil-a in Utah still sells wraps - Tyson is super jealous

family time with cousins

Braiding Markhams hair one last time

Teaching Emma with Uncle Bryant how to ride the UVX

Taking the girls to dinner one last time before leave

All the pictures of Emma's back while she is walking is every time she thought she was to cool for her parents - yes including the one inside UVU

Jared working on electronics in her apartment (even though Uncle Blake would have to come and help her buy a new router as soon as we left dang it!)

And Sodalicious Parkway - the newest shop and her new work location!

The lovely very detailed notes Emma's roommate Katie left every where for us when we came inside the apartment! 

When I got back from Utah, Michelle had left me flowers knowing I would be sad about leaving Emma!

The kids had one last sleepover together the night before Emma left!

Somehow we have to fit Emma along with all this stuff in our car to take her to college - ha ha! 

Emma also got a job at UVU working for TRIO. She is a tutor at the college. It pays $13 an hour which is almost double what she gets at Soda. She has her own little cubicle thing and has to wear the lovely vests while tutoring!