A Little Loud, A Lot of Love

June 7, 2026

Don't let this cute little photo lull you into believing we had a calm and quiet Sunday night family gathering. It was not.

Kate, Wells, Noah, Brian, and Aub

It was loud and chaotic. There were conversations in every corner. The littles were running in and out between the playroom and the family room. Some were playing outside at times and then popping back inside to ask a question or grab a snack. Christian (6) was practicing the piano. It was a lot--but also a lot of fun.

Here is a short video glimpse into the evening.

Lincoln, Joseph, Adam Vore, Grandma Honey, Noah, Brit, Tanner, Erin, Ella, Char, Wells & Kate w/ Braddock, Hud and Aubrey in the background

The men were late joining in due to a Priesthood meeting in Midland. Brian, Hermana Gwilliam and I were late to join due to an MTC family fireside. (Our Stake President asked us to call Hermana Gwilliam while she was in the home MTC. Overall, I have not done very well. Kaide has been a great example though. When he comes over to the house, he asks, "Where is Hermana Gwilliam?" and then he'll sneak in her room where she is doing Zoom. He gives her a hug and tries to get her to come play with him.) 

But back to Sunday night. Joseph, Kate and Wells were in town, which made it even more fun--it's nice to switch things up. Wellsy was the cutest: chunky, happy and busy. Everyone wanted to hold him and play with him.

Our numbers are dwindling in the Big O. We love it when family comes through, and we get to all be together. 

Aub and Hud are besties and have been soaking up the past month since she's been home from college. This was her last Sunday night

Grandma Honey (Shari Martin) joined us for the evening. She is family, but only related to some of the group—Angelique's mom, the Vore kids' grandmother, and the "little Vores'" great-grandmother.

This group was all chatting but then Joseph left to get a drink. I "made" them recreate so I could snap a picture, and they were giving me a bad time--ha ha. They did a good job though!

On Sunday nights, the kids often come in and out of the main room in different costumes and sometimes they do little shows. Here are Lincoln (8) and Kaide (almost 4) having fun.

I went in to video Christian playing the piano. (He loves playing and is amazing, by the way.) Then I heard little voices coming from the closet and found these two cuties inside the toy box with the lid closed. It was hilarious. They were sweaty but happy.

Kaide (3½) and Gracie (2½)

And that's a wrap. Messy, loud, and full of love—just the way family gatherings should be.

Pressing Forward with a Steadfastness in Christ

April 2026

Our three days with Chris and Ang were wonderful and flew by far too quickly. They were gracious hosts, but we knew they needed to get back to their full-time calling as mission leaders.

I was grateful for the opportunity to get a glimpse into their mission life. They were always busy—even while taking a couple of days to spend with us.

They were fielding phone calls, answering emails, and managing illnesses.

They were preparing for mission health council meetings and an upcoming zone conference.

They were hosting us, overseeing their missionaries, and FaceTiming with their children and grandchildren back home.

They were celebrating the achievements of recently released missionaries and cheering on the successes of those still serving.

They were busy, and they were happy.

The love they had for their missionaries was unmistakable. They seemed to glow whenever they talked about them. I found myself both overwhelmed by all they were juggling and inspired by the joy they found in their service.

West Africa is blessed to have President and Sister Vore, and I am grateful we had the chance to spend time with them.

Our Final Day in Senegal

April 7, 2026

For our last day in Senegal, we took a ferry to Ngor beach and had a wonderful, relaxing day together.

There were little shops like this both on the mainland and on the island. These two were nicer than most of the shops we saw, which I assume was because the island attracts more tourists.

This man had more than fifty tiny birds in a cage. For a small fee, you could make a wish as he released one of the birds into the sky.

We saw horses everywhere in Senegal. They are still commonly used for work, hauling everything from lumber and bricks to carts filled with supplies.

The ferry ride with part of the city in the background.

There were a few people selling souvenirs, but they were very respectful and quiet in their approach, which we appreciated.

We purchased a few bracelets and couple of small fabric satchels from this mother/daughter team.

The young men in this picture were very kind and quietly lingered nearby, hoping we might agree to a pedicure. Eventually, we all caved and got one.

Ang was so cute about the young men. She had a huge smile and just kept commenting to us about how impressed she was with how hard they were working.  

Chris did all of the negotiating of prices because he is the most fluent in French. I think he was very generous with the  payments and tips. They love the people of West Africa and know how hard it can be to earn a living.

Parker, Ang and I went on a walk around the island. There were beautiful cobbled streets, pretty flowers, and colorful buildings.

We had a late lunch at a restaurant right on the water and then traveled back to our Airbnb so Chris and Ang could attend a mission health meeting on Zoom.

Later that evening, we walked across the street to the fancy lighthouse restaurant. I was cracking up because this dog was stationed at the entrance, but it didn't even faze the Vores. There was also a pen with goats on the side of the hill about 10 feet away.

We ate outdoors and there was a live band. We walked to the top story of the place and could see the city. So fun!

Also, I'm not sure what day this lunch/dinner happened, but Chris found a restaurant with great reviews a couple of blocks from our place. This is a picture of our shared meal which was delicious. (Fish, rice, carrots, eggplant and cabbage with meat pies on the side.)

I'm so grateful it worked out that we were able to visit them. Ngor Island was the perfect way to spend our last day in Senegal—relaxing by the water, wandering colorful streets, enjoying good food, and spending time with people we love. .

Packed with Love

April 2026

Before we left, we wanted to find a way to serve the Saints in West Africa. Ang mentioned that some missionaries begin their missions with only two or three white shirts to last the entire two years, so we thought a white-shirt drive would be the perfect project.

We shared invitations with friends and family, and so many people stepped up to help. In the end, we collected more than 80 white shirts, which were distributed to missionaries in both the Côte d'Ivoire Abidjan West Mission and the Ghana Accra East Mission.

Many friends from the Odessa 1st Ward and several Gwilliam and Vore family members participated. In addition, a few families from our stake and some of Parker's friends donated shirts as well. Most purchased shirts through Amazon. Others donated shirts they no longer needed, although men's small and medium sizes can be hard to come by in a typical U.S. closet.

A friend in our ward, Cathy Bonifay, generously offered to alter the long-sleeved shirts, converting them into short-sleeved shirts. It truly was a group effort, and Chris and Ang were very grateful for everyone's kindness and generosity.

Grandpa Vore also took on a little service project of his own for the mission leaders. He sent them a suitcase filled with all sorts of goodies—pistachios, beef jerky, medicine, socks, brown sugar, granola bars and other favorite items—to help them feel loved and supported. 

Between the white shirts for the missionaries and the care package for Chris and Angelique, it felt a bit like Christmas morning. They are working so hard to spread the gospel and love their missionaries. I am glad they were able to feel some love and support from home.