Back to School Traditions

Well . . . I just counted, and this is our 21st year of getting our kids to school!  That is soooo crazy!  Emily started Kindergarten back in August of 1993 and now we are down to two at home and we are still at it.  It is very apparent at our "Back to School" open houses, that we are some of the oldest parents around.  Every year my eyes can't believe how young the moms and dads look.  That being said, I am really sad that this was our last year of elementary open house.  Ryan is in the 6th grade this year.  I love that even though we are all separated, the big kids still send me pictures of one of our enduring traditions:  laying out "the man" the night before school.  So, even though Emily forgot to lay out her "girl" (and she is a teacher herself), and Alex is on his mission - we got some fun "Back to School" pictures.

 Breakfast at Kneaders the day before school started

Here is "the man".  For as long as I can remember, the kids have been laying out their 1st day outfit on the ground to look like it is them.  Ryan even thought to use his glasses this year!

 Murphy is gonna be one sad doggy without his friends here and only mom to keep him company.

Here he is - Ryan off to 6th grade:  His and our last year of elementary school.

 Here is Danny's man, and we only have two years left with him here :(

 I can't believe Dan is a Junior already!

 Danny was telling me how much he loved pie - so I made them a cherry pie for when they came home that day.  For some reason, they don't look too excited.

I had to put Ryan's new shoes in here.  Gotta have new shoes for the first day of school!

 I had to put this pic in of Alex.  He isn't in school right now, but he sure is a great missionary in Argentina!

 I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED that Taylor did this and sent it to us early this morning!  He is married and today was his first day at ASU (after completing) junior college.  I loved starting my day with a smile because of this picture. :)

 Emily is our "very own" teacher!  She is following in the footsteps of her maternal great-grandmother Alma Patterson and her maternal grandparents, Earl and LaVelta Patterson who all spent their lives in education.  She graduated from BYU a few years ago with a degree in English and minors in Editing and Music.  She spent a year working in Salt Lake for the church and then decided that Editing was the wrong choice of a career for her.  The next year, she went back to BYU and earned her certificate to teach Junior High English.  She interned last year at Springville Junior High, and after a lot of stress of wondering if a job would be available, she was hired again and she is thrilled!  I am so proud of her for following her dreams - and I bet Papa and Nana are pretty proud too.

It's been kind of a tough kick-off to school for me.  It was a year ago that my sweet mom had a massive stroke on the first day of school.  I look back at that time, and it was such a period of pain and growth for me.  I miss her so much, but I am so grateful for the time I was able to spend with her - especially those last 4 1/2 months of her life after the stroke.  I am so thankful for families.  What would we do without them?  I love all my kiddos (and of course my husband) so much and I am so proud of them.  They are turning out to be pretty amazing human beings.  Here's to another year of school!

Highland High Prom!

Well...whaddayaknow!  I'm finally writing a post!!  Danny asked a cute girl to Prom this year.  Sophomores don't usually go to prom, but Danny had a Junior friend who hadn't been asked - so he did!  We decided to buy a suit since renting a tux is such a waste and I am so glad he wanted to do this!  He looked sooooo sharp and handsome!  Here are some of my favorite pictures of him that night and so far, I only have one of the couple.  Oh...her name is Staci Allen!

A March Easter

Happy Easter from what's left of the McBride family that's here:

On Saturday, we went over to Don's house and had lunch and an Easter egg hunt.  Then all of us that could, went over to Mom's house and the kids were able to pick through some of the things that were left and put their names on some hopefuls of things that they wanted.  Terri and Gerry were able to come and collect her stuff and it was nice to spend some time with them.  This whole thing is just so hard.

On Sunday, we went over to the Mooney's for dinner.  Taylor was able to join us but Mallory had to work since she is the newbie nurse.  Andy and Suzette's family went to St. George, so it was just us and the Mooneys.  We had a nice dinner and then did the traditional egg toss.

I am especially thankful this Easter for our Savior.  It has an even deeper, more emotional meaning the more people we lose death.  I am so thankful for the knowledge that I WILL see them again.

The Wait is Over

Alex got word the other day that his Visa finally came through!!!!  Wahooooo!!  Here is his email:

"Well, this morning at 9, President called my companion Elder Herrmann and told him he got his Visa!  But he didn't say anything to me....so I was pretty bummed.  Then a few hours later, he called again and said mine came through too!!!!  Woooooohooooo!  I'm leaving October 8th to Miami and then on to Buenos Aires!  It's gonna be so sweet.  I'm allowed to call you guys on October 7th, which I think is General Conference Sunday.  So let me know what the best time would be to call.  Welp.  I gotta go.  See ya later."

He has had a wonderful 2 and half months in Alabama but he is ready to go on to where he was called.  I am thankful that he had the opportunity to serve in Alabama also.  What a blessing to be able to have a soft spot for two different places and to be able to learn and grow and become a better missionary.  I can't wait to talk to him next week!

Checking Into the MTC with Alex

We stayed in a hotel that night and got to meet up with one of Alex's friends for some ice cream that night.  The next day we packed up and ate lunch.  He wanted to have Scone Cutter for his last meal - but it was gone! :( - so we went to Panda Express.  Alex and I were both having trouble with our nerves.  I actually had to have Emily pull over so I could throw up!

Saying goodbye for two years is sooo hard!  We put Dad on speaker phone so that he could be present and hear everything.  They whisk the missionaries away so quickly that it is hard to get too emotional.  It's afterward that I REALLY have trouble.  I do need to explain though that the tears aren't just sad - they are joyful tears.  I will miss Alex like crazy and he will leave a huge hole in our home, but I would be crazy to not want him to go.  I am so proud of him in his decision to go and serve the Lord and I know he will be a fantastic missionary!  Goodbye for two years Alex . . . we love you.

They removed the MTC sign where everyone used to take pictures, so we found a pretty place across the street

Leaving Home

On Tuesday morning, we finished packing up and headed to the airport.  Emily and I flew up with him.  Everyone was able to go to the airport except for Danny because he had finals.  We were really sad for him that he wasn't able to be with us.

I think he just might miss Murphy more than he will miss us!

I'm sticking this next picture on because the afternoon we were flying out, they put the Angel Moroni on the Gilbert Temple.  That would have been an amazing thing to watch!

Setting Apart

On Monday evening, Alex's last dinner request was chicken enchiladas.  That night at 9 pm, he was set apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for the Buenos Aires West, Argentina Mission.  It was a beautiful blessing and the Spirit was strong that night.  We were blessed to have some family there with us also.

Bishop Dickson and President Barker

Our Son - Elder Alex James McBride :)

Farewell

We are counseled not to have "Open Houses" for new missionaries any more.  It was hard, but we are trying our best to be obedient.  Alex was a good sport.  He spoke on Mother's Day which was such a blessing in my life.  Because of weird circumstances, he had only spoken one other time in church - and that was when he was 12 years old and it was also on Mother's Day!  Alex was very nervous and worried about it, but he did such a wonderful job!  It was a beautiful talk on sacrifice and he seemed like a pro!  It was a very tender time for me.  Since he is younger than a lot of his friends, it seems that most of them had already left on their missions.  I was pleasantly surprised at how many younger friends and girls that he had that came out to support him.

That night we had family over to say goodbye.  A few friends dropped by that night and the next day on their own just to say goodbye and it meant a lot to him.

Aunt Jeanne

Uncle Greg 

Cousins - Adam, Jon and Celeste

Nana

Sam, Aunt Suzette, Uncle Andy, Cole and Isaac

Hunter, Matt, Uncle Mark, Aunt Susie, Melissa and Tom

The Aubrey Family

Brother and Sister Ward

Bishop Dickson

Taylor, Alex and  Brother Dickerson

5 yr Home Teaching companion Brother Mousser

Siblings - Danny, Ryan, Emily, Mallory and Taylor

Soon to be Sister-In-Law Mallory and Taylor

Some of Alex's cute friends brought him an Argentine dessert the day he was gonna be set apart!