Wedding week.

The invitations:

Not the greatest quality since I had to screenshot it. It's ridiculous that I need a subscription to modify my own pdfs in any way. Not doing it.

Friday, Aug 5

Centerpiece mock-up.

Bottle-gathering bar hopping.

This bar was our favorite. The first thing Jill said to the nice {female} bartender working there was, "We've never been in a bar before!" The bartender let us go through what empty bottles she had, and kindly offered to save the weekend stash for us to pick up on Monday.

We also purchased the fruit for the reception, and were blessed to find amazing cantaloupe, grapes, pineapple, and strawberries at Sam's Club. Such a tender mercy.

Saturday, Aug 6

Brooks turns one {month old}.

I dropped off Ellis' birthday gift.

He had turned 5 a couple days before.

Where does the time go?

Scarlett had made this awesome balloon garland from his birthday balloons and some good ol' masking tape. That girl has skills ♥

We helped Mar and Jonah move into their {Call Family-owned} apartment in Logan.

Jill came with us and helped me clean the kitchen. We reminisced about our time at these very same apartments back in our USU days.

Bill switched the swing of the refrigerator door - it no longer opens away from the kitchen, but towards it... 

So. Much. Better.

Sunday, Aug 7

Britt came over in the evening and we worked away on the signs for the reception.

I couldn't have pulled it off without the help of these two amazing ladies and Billy-my-hero, who may or may not have made a Walmart run on a Sunday night because we didn't have enough vinyl.

The ox was definitely in the mire haha.

Monday, Aug 8

Everything else day.

Jill and I had picked up the flowers... Friday? Saturday? We were again so blessed to find what we needed at Trader Joes. What we couldn't find, a florist we met there offered to get for us at a wholesale place. Another tender mercy.

Jill arranged flowers while I frosted the wedding cake.

YES.

I made the wedding cake.

I can't believe it myself.

I have watched so many how-to YouTube videos my brain is spinning.

My next door neighbor had a baby at home in the middle of our prep. Mar noticed the fire truck next door, and went out to inquire if everything was okay. Yep, just my cute young neighbor giving birth. Her midwife didn't show up in time, so her mom panicked and called for help. Momma and baby were doing just fine.

At this point of wedding prep, I seriously just look forward to being DONE. I'm so excited for the big day, but also know it involves careful timing, a clear mind, so. much. help., attention to detail, and extra special attention to Mar Mar. And it would be nice if I could feel and look... okay haha. 

We shall see.

The big day is tomorrow.

It's going to be AWESOME.

Welcome, Brooks!

Wednesday, July 6

Brooks Palmer made his appearance. 

Welcome to the world, Brooksey!

I just couldn't stay away, so Bill and I went to meet Brooks and congratulate his parents. This turned out to be a tender mercy because Lynnea had not been feeling great, then Tay started to feel sick the next day, so we had to keep our distance for a little while after.

Heaven is here.

There is literally nothing better than holding a newborn baby in your arms.

Such a beautiful baby boy. 

Good work, Shi and Kody.

I love you, Brooks! ♥ So glad you're here.

One year down + missionary package palooza.

 February 4-5

Sister Syddall hits the mission year mark.

In 2020, this is how she spent those two days:

Today she is serving in Grand Junction, CO, wishing and hoping she can return to Brazil for her last 6 months. But if not, she's ready and willing to keep on keeping on in her home state of Colorado. It's been a crazy year for ALL missionaries, and I've been so impressed with Mar's resilience, humility, and trust in the Lord. She has spent the year waiting:

waiting for her visa

waiting for her mission to begin

waiting at an airport for 17 hours after her plane to Brazil was diverted

waiting to finish up the CTM and head to her mission

waiting to understand the language

waiting at a Stake Center to catch a plane home

waiting to be temporarily released

waiting to be reassigned to a US mission

waiting to be set apart... again

waiting for an apartment (she spent almost 2 months in a hotel)

waiting for a transfer

and now, waiting to hear if she'll be sent back to Brazil

So. Much. Waiting.

The first missionaries from her mission {Brazil Sao Paulo Interlagos} were notified last week that they would be returning. We don't know how it's being determined or why certain missionaries are being sent back to their original mission. Is there a cut-off date as far as amount of time left to serve? Does an expired visa have anything to do with who goes back and who doesn't? The not knowing is HARD. 

The waiting is HARD.

Sister Syddall celebrated her year mark this way:

Hurrah for Israel!

Here is a quick pictorial of the many packages we've taken/mailed to Mar since she's been in CO (she only got a couple things while in Brazil through a service where parents could order online and the missionary could pick it up - near the CTM, and she was going to get an Easter package through a similar service that delivers to each mission in Brazil once she was in her mission... she never got that one, so we kissed the $$ goodbye ;-) Nothing "personalized" from home, though - I was still trying to figure out the process when she got sent home).

Sunday, July 26

**There have been one or two packages that we took to Mar that we didn't snap any pics of. I know that Bill took the first one up to Evergreen (the one with her passport, missionary debit card, and a few things that she didn't realize she needed to bring with her), plus dinner for her and her two comps.**

Just a little box to BRIGHTEN your day

Sunday, August 9

A late-night-hotel-delivery box ;-)

Sunday, August 30th

ORANGE you glad it's almost Fall? box

+ some dinner items :-)

Friday, October 2

Happy General Conference box

(I dropped off Chick-fil-a lunch with this one, I believe)

(These are Mar's pictures... she got a better close-up)

Wednesday, November 4

Hump Day box

+ some winter boots ;-)

Friday, December 11

Christmas box + 12 Days of Christmas + vanilla cream pie

(Here are a couple examples of what I put in the 12 Days of Christmas packages for Sisters Syddall and Danso. We knew Sister Danso would be going home before Christmas, but wanted to do something fun - and small - for her.)

Mauri spent Christmas with Sister Loder, an STL in her district whose comp had also gone home before Christmas. They both received similar pjs, so I loved the cute pictures they took in them.

AND they made this darling video:

I believe Sister Loder has returned to her originally assigned mission now. Hoping and praying for Mar to have that opportunity. But if not... well, you know ;-)

Saturday, January 2

Birthday box

{Mailed} Tuesday, February 2

Valentine's box (+ she got one from Britt, too) Lucky girl.

Britt had told me she would send Mar a Valentine box, so initially I wasn't going to put one together for her, but I was making boxes for all the grands, and just decided to put a quick one together for Mar, too.

I'm sure there will be more boxes to come... unless Mar goes back to Brazil. We are willing and prepared to accept God's will in the matter.