First letter from the field!

We got our first letter from Joel from the field today.  It was great!  He has hit the ground running and is already loving his companion and the work.  They don't have a car, they don't get Ipads or Facebook, they just have a junker cell phone, but he is "good with that."  He was telling about the first day there and I especially loved this part:

Eventually we were split up into two groups, one group went into the chapel and talked about cars and finances and stuff like that. The other group split once again and half of them were interviewed by the president and the others were taken to the Draper temple to have some personal time and set some goals for themselves and stuff like that. I had actually been to this Temple a month or so ago. But it is so awesome because you can look out across the valley since it sits up on the hill and you can see the whole mission! As I stood next to the temple looking out at the place I would be serving for two years the wind was really strong at my back and it was almost like it was compelling me to get out there and start working. It was an awesome experience.

The view is beautiful from up there...we went to the Draper temple a couple weeks ago and stood in the same place overlooking the valley and told ourselves, "that's Joel's mission!"  Then told ourselves we better not attend that temple for the next two years...we will go to our Timpanogos temple.  Another part of his letter that brought tears to my eyes as he told about his first Sunday and visiting the three wards he will be serving in:

When we got to 14th ward, they have sacrament last, the primary was singing and marching to called to serve. They saw us walk by and they asked us to lead them. So we marched and sang called to serve with them, it was awesome :)

Joel is serving in Kearns East Stake and he sounds very happy.  His letter made us very happy!  

There was a baptism on Friday and his companion's former companion came back for it.  Love getting pictures!  For his whole letter, check out his mission blog.  

Elder McKinney...

I know I have put these pics on Joel's blog, but that is to print into a book for him, and this blog is to print as a journal for me...so there will be duplicate pictures here...please bear with me!  He finally sent us a couple of pictures from the MTC last week, (Monday) and then left for the field on Tuesday.  We are anxiously awaiting his letter tomorrow, hopefully with lots of detail of his new companion, his area, his mission president...high expectations I know...in the meantime, we received a very nice email from his mission president yesterday and it included pictures!  He expressed appreciation for Elder McKinney who is ready, willing and worthy to serve the Lord.  He also said he was "well and in high spirits" and that made this momma's heart especially happy!  We had a mission farewell at church today and it really had me thinking a lot about Joel.  What area is he in?  What ward is he in?  Has he met the ward mission leader?  I know he is ready to work and probably already has been...but I will be watching all day for his email tomorrow!  He had a wonderful MTC experience and I know his experience in the field will be even more rewarding and challenging.  We love and miss our Joel! In the MTC picture, he is standing next to his companion, Elder Banen from Oregon...the last picture is of him with President and Sister Chambers.

Happy Birthday Amanda!

Also happy anniversary to us.  We celebrated both events on the same day...Amanda's birthday is the 26th and our anniversary is the 25th.  (31 years!). The boys and I made cupcakes while Amanda was at school.  They had fun decorating them!  Then when everyone got home we went to Outback Steakhouse. It was so yummy!  We loved celebrating together ~ haven't been able to do that in a long time!

Cousins sleepover...

We had a couple of little guests over the weekend...two of my brother's children.  His other two children stayed with their Grandma in Springville.  The kids are actually cousins to my kids, so not sure what they are called for Amanda's kids...2nd cousins?  First cousins once removed?  We just call them cousins!  Eric and Randa had a weekend getaway (actually a "staycation") kid-free.  David and Jacob had fun with the cousins and we kept busy...We had a movie night, (Pippi Longstocking) did bike rides, made halloween crafts among other things and lots of playing!  They went to church with us and Makayela even went up and sang with the primary when they asked her if she wanted to.  (It was primary program day!).  When Eric and Randa came back Sunday evening, the rest of the family from Springville joined us for a dutch oven meal of Mountain Dew chicken.  (Eric and Randa made it) It was very tasty!!  We had a nice visit and then they all went home.  It was a fun weekend and we are glad we live close enough to help family with their kids when called upon!  I am not too ashamed to say that I was pooped when the weekend was over!  Glad Amanda was here to help...I must be getting OLD.

 Our Bike Train...Dave was the Engine, then Makayela, David, Carson (on his no-pedals bike, called a balance bike) Zach (our neighbor), Amanda and Jacob on his scooter.  Grandma was the caboose and she walked to the park (we ran out of bikes!) a few blocks away.  It was the perfect weather for a bike ride and park play!

 Riding in circles on our little side street (it is a dead end and a great spot for little bike riders...big ones too!)

 Carson was so taken with the lava lamp...he would come out screaming, "You HAVE to come see this!  It is so cool!"  or, "Come see what the Lava lamp is doing!" always at the top of his lungs...it was like Christmas for him!  He did it so many times...easily entertained!  So funny...and here are Makayela's crafts...a wooden spider web, complete with spider, and a milk jug skeleton.  She did most of the jug cutting herself!  I only helped with the head and ribs...great job!

Carson Arlow's 5th birthday...

...and we live here now and could go celebrate!  How fun is that!?  A Hot Wheels party!  We went out to West Valley City after dropping Ashley off at the airport and then doing a little shopping...it was a fun party, and then we stayed afterwards for a pizza dinner.  We have seen the Farnsworths more in the last 3 months than we have seen them in the past 5 years combined!  It's so great to be close by!!  There was a game of "Red Rover" but David and Jacob didn't want to participate.  The next game was a donut eating game, they participated in that one!  Jacob was most interested in the ride-on motorcycle, and spent most of his time on that!  "Duck Duck Goose" was the next game and David did play that one.  Then a pinata - complete with hotwheels, slinkies, and candy!  Some opted for the blindfold, others didn't.  And of course there was Cake and Ice cream...Randa made a cute hot wheels cake.  There were presents too, that part went pretty wildly and quick!  It was a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon/evening...and that curly headed Carson is just the cutest!  Love being close to family!  Have I said that before?

 I love the expressions on their faces!  Watch little Jackson in the pictures...he's so little and cute!

 Jacob got his donut!  And here is the motorcycle he couldn't get enough of...

 Singing Happy Birthday...

Today is the day!

The day has arrived!  Joel finished his packing (after running to the store and buying another LARGE suitcase! The medium one just wasn't cutting it...) and cleaning up his room (aka leaving all his stuff for Mom to figure out what to do with).  His report time was 1:30.  We dropped David off to Kindergarten and made our way to Provo.  Ashley and Jacob were with us.  We had time to spare so we drove around Provo a little bit and then went on in to the MTC.  There were "Host" missionaries lined up and down the sidewalk.  They were all smiling and ready to help!  We got out, got Joel's luggage out, our host gave us a few minutes to take some pictures and say good bye, and then he headed up the hill with all the other people!  Talk about drive thru drop off!  I handled it very well (reality still hasn't hit) and it's just so beautiful to see so many happy faces and know that your son is in good hands and is starting a wonderful adventure!  Good luck and goodbye messages are still pouring in.  We are so grateful for the outpouring of love that we have received. Joel will be a great missionary and we look forward to his first letters from the MTC!  Now, to go and make his bedroom into a guest room!  Gotta keep busy, right?  Farewell Elder McKinney...we love you!!

And he's off!