Family Reunion, Jason's Farewell and Good-bye

Thursday, June 6--The day after the hayride, our family reunion officially started.  Jared and I had our individual interviews with our adoption counselor (one of the last steps before we do our home study in less than 2 weeks), so we got there later in the day and the girls joined in some of the water fun (not much of it, though--they don't like be sprayed with cold water, ha ha).

They sure did look cute in their swimsuits!

Makenna not enjoying being splashed or sprayed by someone

I think Cleo got a little more walking and loving by all of the kids than she would prefer; we had to go and "hide" her several times, ha ha.

I think the swings were the girls' favorite part, of course

She wouldn't be smiling like that if it actually popped on her.  :P

Avery looking a bit nervous to be carrying that water balloon!

Fun throwing the soccer ball to each other for a bit

Then a walk across the field to see the neighboring sheep

Some throwing around by Daddy

Mommy joining in on the swinging fun...

Then Daddy

S'mores that night after dinner

Friday, June 7--

Jason had slept in a hammock under the playset with some of the kids under him

We did pictures of all the grandkids with their birthorder # on their shirts.  The twins, especially Avery, did NOT cooperate!

Drawing pictures with sidewalk chalk

And riding on "bikes"/trikes

Avery thought it was fun to just pile all of the chalk in her lap

Jared had not been feeling well all week and I started to feel pretty crappy that day, so we napped when the girls napped, then everyone took the big family photo together that evening (I don't have a copy of any of them and don't know if it would be OK for me to post it, anyway).  After dinner, there was a video presentation for Jason with tons of photos from his life then he was presented with a gift from the family to take on his mission.

Watching the picture slideshow in honor of Jason

Jason getting a photo book from the family to take on his mission

All of the adults were supposed to go do a session together in the Mt. Timp temple but, since Jared and I were sick (and getting very little sleep for several nights in a row didn't help), we stayed home.  We were very sad to miss it but we just couldn't do it.  And there was no way I was gonna go and cough my lungs up through an entire temple session.  To make matters worse, our a/c wasn't working so it was getting quite warm in our house.  The day of rest did us well, though (plus I got to watch LSU win the baseball game that got them into the College World Series (not that they got very far in it but that's another story...), and we were, thankfully, feeling well enough to go to Jason's farewell the next day...

June 9-- Jason and Grandma spoke in church in their ward, after which tons of family and some of Jason's friends went to the local middle school for a luncheon, which was really nice.

Jason and his parents and siblings

Daddy's girls!

Avery was getting grumpy and tired by this point

She didn't even make it until we left--she konked out in Jared's teenage cousin's arms

A kiss for Uncle Jason

Monday, June 10--we stayed home to have our a/c checked out but the guy (the co. owner's son) wasn't able to fix it that day; he came back the next day and still wasn't able to fix it, so his dad came out to fix it on Wed.  FB post that day:

86 degrees in the house right now. A/C guy came today and said it's the motor. He'll come first thing in the morning to fix it. Trying to stay cool in the meantime while still dealing with a bad cough. Will be happy when it's fixed!

Tuesday, June 11--We left the house after the a/c guy left, then went and ran some errands and bought some stuff for Jason that he needed for his mission.  It was lunchtime and we were still in our town, so we decided to stop and eat at the new Popeye's!

FB post: Popeyes! In Utah! In my town! Great to have a taste of home.

Once we got to Grandma's house, the girls had fun playing with cousins, except that I had to keep Makenna away from everyone and sanitize everything she touched because I thought she maybe had pink eye.  I gave her drops that night and it was better by the next day.  Who knows if it was really pink eye or not.

The girls giving Jason some tie tacks we bought for him

A goodbye hug from Makenna

And one from Avery

Our last photo as a group with Jason for 2 years

And, of course, we had to do a silly photo!

After my goodbye hug

I posted this on FB later that night:

I can't believe this kid, who was the most adorable, flirtatious 5-year-old I've ever known when I met him and the cutest 6yo best man there ever was, will be 20 in 2 1/2 weeks and is leaving in the morning for his mission in Scotland/Ireland. I'll miss you, Jason Norman Crittenden! — with Jared Crittenden.

I brought the girls home and Jared stayed the night to go to Jason's setting apart and to stay up late with him and their sisters.

 

June 12--Jared went with his parents to the airport to see Jason off:

Goodbye for 2 years, Elder Crittenden!  We love you and will miss you so much but we are so proud of you and know you will do great things!