The Mission Call

We headed over to Heritage Halls about 7:45.  We wanted to FaceTime Parker in Colorado, Aubrey in Mexico, Gram and Gramp in Texas and Grandma and Grandpa in California.  Bryn was planning on streaming it over Instagram.  Luckily she did because we couldn't get any of our FaceTime calls to go through.

I LOVED that her BYU Gwilliam cousins came to support her.  We had just hung out with Kyle and Andrew two nights before.  It would have been really easy on their parts to say, "We can't make it.  Let us know."  Bryn only gave a few hours notice.   However, they came early and stayed late.  It seriously made my heart swell with love for their kindness.

Kyle, Andrew, Tanner, Bryn, Megan & Griffin

Brinley set out sticky notes for friends and family to make guesses.  She guessed somewhere on the East coast.  I guessed Brazil.  Bri guessed Spain but German speaking (silly guy.)  Aubrey said, "Please, anywhere but Maine."  When Brinlely asked her why, she said it was because she remembered how hard it was for her to find Maine on her states and capitals tests back in 5th grade.  Tanner guessed Massachusetts, and Parker didn't have a guess.

Many other guesses came in on her live Instagram feed.

 Click here to see a video of her opening her call.

 BOISE, IDAHO mission!  Reporting July 15, 2020.

Hugging Ashlyn with Kierstin looking on.

Lft-rt: Tanner, Brian, Griffin, Megan, Kyle, Andrew, Ashlyn, Brinley, Kierstin, Grace, Elena, Jacob & Matt

A few people had left when I remembered to take a group picture.  I am posting two because Grace is in the first group picture, and then she took the picture so I could be in it.

We are so excited for her. As she loves and serves the Lord and those in her mission, her life will forever be changed.  Also, I agree with several sweet supporters who said this,  "Idaho is blessed to have her."

Skiing and Such

On Tuesday, Brinley and Tanner went skiing up at Sundance.  (Shout out to Joseph for letting us borrow his gear!)  Brinley had heard that mission calls come in on Tuesday mornings.  When the morning was past, Brian sent out a text to both families saying it didn't come, and we guessed she would have to wait until next Tuesday.  We were bummed because how amazing would that be to be there when she opened her call.

Sarah, my sister-in-law, sent me a text around 2:00 saying she was hearing from moms on a missionary Facebook site that their kids were still receiving texts letting them know their calls were in.  Sure enough, when Bryn and Tanner were done skiing for the day, she turned on her phone, and she had THE TEXT.  (The text lets you know you have an email in your inbox with your call.)

She decided to open it that night, in a Heritage Halls commons area.  The next several hours we were all pretty antsy.  But back to skiing at Sundance...

Bri drove the kids up to Sundance and got them settled.  He's a good Dad like that.  I like that in the photo above you can see his shadow taking the picture.

Part way through the day, Chris sent this picture of the girls having a relaxing day outdoors.  They tried to alternate days between relaxing and touristy stuff like whale watching or snorkeling.  Aubrey was very excited about how tan she was getting while on her sunny vacation.

Then we received these fun pictures from Jesse of Parker and the boys.

Parker has only been skiing once, but he liked snowboarding so much more.  He said it was easier to learn and just more fun.

Cole and Parker

Brian spent the day going to woodworking places and fishing a little bit.  He had the car so I just hung out at the hotel.  The Provo Town Center mall was right behind us so I walked there twice and did a little bit of window shopping.  I also caught up on some blogging.

By the end of the afternoon, I was definitely ready to get out of our little room.  I tried to rent a scooter but the app wouldn't work.  I eventually ended up jumping on a bus, which was free.  I was trying to find my way to Crumble Cookies.  The bus got me much closer, but not close enough.  Before the bus headed up to Orem, I got off near BYU, and Bri and kids picked me up on their way home from the ski resort.  We dropped Bryn off and headed up to Milk and Cookies on campus instead of Crumble.  It wasn't as good the second time.  I tried a double chocolate cookie, and it was overly sweet for my taste.

And then we just had a few hour wait until Bryn opened her mission call.

Bryn's Roomies

I am a few days behind on the blog, as usual.  However, there have been so many crazy things it's hard to not just get to the exciting/crazy stuff.  (Brinley's mission call, Covid-19, BYU cancelling classes, all of us being reunited and more.)

I also want to document some fun parts of our spring break though so I think I'll just do a few photo spreads and move on quickly.  Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we moved to a hotel in Provo.  We wanted to be a little closer to Brinley to catch her between classes or when she had some free time.  

We were able to meet Joseph at the Cougar Eat and catch up for a few minutes.  I felt such overwhelming love when I saw him.  He's a great kid...a great kid who is actually a young adult and is about to get married.  He is positive, kind, inclusive, funny and has always been so good to his younger cousins.  It was kind of fun too that we were hanging out with him for just a little bit in Utah, and Aubrey was with his family in Mexico.

I went with Brinley to her American Sign Language class.  It was fun to try to talk to the other students and understand the teacher.  It was especially great just being with Brinley and imaging her day just a little bit more clearly.  Tanner wanted to go back to the hotel room and veg.  For some strange reason, he loves hanging out in hotel rooms.  Weird kid!  Brian drove by our newlywed apartment in Provo and snapped this picture.  It's a four-plex, and we lived in the bottom right.

While I was waiting for Brian to come pick me up after class, I smelled the most heavenly smell of fresh baked cookies.  I followed the deliciousness to a corner of the BYU bookstore and discovered "Milk and Cookies."  I tried a Cosmookie.  It was amazing.

Monday evening, we picked up Brinley and  roommates and headed to Cubby's to eat.  She adores them, and we wanted to get to know them just a little bit more.  I love them so much because they love her and have been so good to and for her.  Her roommates have truly been a huge blessing.  

I remember sitting on the couch with Bryn last summer as she agonized over which dorm and which floor and which room to choose.  It was daunting.  She left the couch and went to her room for a few minutes to say a prayer and ask for Heavenly Father to guide her.  He did.  She has made lifetime friends.

Elena, Grace, Alyssa (from down the hall), Ashlyn, Kiersten, me, Brinley and Tanner.

Sunday Night Utah Style

Denise and Bruce were awesome and invited the local Gwilliam family over to eat and hang out on Sunday night.  We definitely don't get together often enough, and I was so grateful almost everyone was able to come.  (Emily, McKayla, and Megan/Griffin could not make it.)

Look at all of these handsome, SINGLE, Gwilliam cousins!  They are such good guys too.  Conner, Andrew, Kyle & Blake

Denise made delicious Cafe Rio, and I made french bread and candy bar cake for dessert.  Sara brought a yummy salad.

Tyse just finished playing a fun game of Candy Land.  His motivation to finish the entire game was one Swedish fish.  He did great recognizing colors.  (At the table: Keith, Bruce, Denise and Tyse)

Caroline and Ruby with Uncle Keith.  They are beautiful girls inside and out.

Bruce and Sarah chatting it up.

Jeff and Tan

Caroline, Sarah, Ruby, Bryn and I catching up.

Lft-rt: Keith, Conner, Andrew, Kyle, Lindsey Bruce, Ruby and Blake   Behind the couch: Jeff, Sarah, Caroline, Me, Brinley, Denise and Tanner

Caroline had homework so Jeff and fam had to leave after a couple of hours.  The rest of us played Catch Phrase and hung out just a little longer.  I love this family of mine.