The Everyday

After Chuze this morning we headed with our friends to the pool! Then we came back for a nap. I learned that pool days are really fun, but once or twice a week would be just about right for me! There's just a lot of effort that goes into making a pool day happen with a child. In the afternoon we did a grocery story run and tidied up the house a bit.  After dinner I thought it'd be fun to go to Barnes and Noble to get our summer books--some for me and some for Emi. Emi was fussy on the way to the store, and when I went to take her out of her car seat she said "Mommy Weekend" which was really funny but also really sad. These past few weekends I've been gone, we've been telling her that she's having a "Daddy Weekend," and so I guess she just assumed that because Marty's out of town she's just with me for the next bit. Poor girl hasn't had both of her parents consistently here in about a month and is just trying to make sense of it all! 

Emi and I spent the morning at the pool with Kimber, Marlow, Bowen, and Brye B. It was so much fun and we came home exhausted. Timing was in our favor, because Marty dropped by the house right after Emi and I came back from the pool. He was just here for a little bit before heading to the airport. He's headed to Chicago for work! Emi took a good nap, and we hung out and had a chill day the rest of the afternoon and evening!

 Monday through pictures: Doesn't she look so grown up holding her banana and looking at her coloring book? Trader Joe's run! Thanks to my girls trip I now know how to navigate this super confusing store.haha. Colter and Emi. Met up with McKall! She and I went to BYU Jerusalem together. She's from HR, so anytime she visits her parents we try to meet up. Marty, Emi, and I took another trip to the tile store. We still don't know what we're going to do... 

Today was filled with church and a bunch of church meetings. Ward Council, Class Presidency Meeting, YCL Meeting, and birthday visit. In the evening, Marty grilled up some steaks for dinner. Yum!

In the middle of the night last night I had to go to the bathroom SOOO bad, but I couldn't bring myself to go to the porta potties by myself. haha. So I held it! Even so, I slept way better tonight than yesterday. Today went by quick. It consisted of packing, a ward devotional, and heading home. Our bishop came up for the devotional, and it'd been a long time since I'd seen him. His son was diagnosed with cancer over the past month or so and it's been all-consuming (as one might imagine). The stories he shared with us were special and faith building. I'm always in awe of people who go through really hard things and keep their faith.  We made the drive home, with a quick pit-stop at Chick-fil-A, and that was the end of Youth Conference! I can now see the importance of Youth Conference, Girls Camp, etc. These are huge faith-building opportunities that can be life changing. I hope the girls in my group took something away from their experience! It felt good to come hom

I don't think any of us slept very well last night but luckily there was a schedule laid out for the whole day which made it easier to stay awake and engaged.  Each group had a specific rotation schedule that carried throughout the most of the day--obstacle course, escape room, service project, axe throwing and archery, learning about the importance of the temple, and learning about missionary work. It was the perfect mix of spiritual and fun. I got to know the youth in my group as well as my companion group leader better throughout the rotations. My companion group leader, James, is close to my Dad's age and pretty quiet. After talking with him I learned he has 8 children, and he and his wife did foster care for over 16 years. He is a saint! In order to keep all the groups straight, the people who organized YC gave each group a name. Our group is the "mint" group which is special to me because I love all things mint. I know sometimes people feel like God shows them H