Grace is HOME!!!

It is SOOO great to have Grace home. She left Provo on July 31st - all alone - with Mapquest directions, an atlas and a fully charged cell phone. The plan was for her to sleep most of the day so that when she left she be rested and refreshed and ready for a long drive. She was headed to Nauvoo where friends of our family (the Hogans and Ackers) had gathered. She hoped to get there on Friday afternoon so she could have time to look around, attend the new pageant (we were cast members of the old one for the last two years) and then spend the night with the Hogans before heading on home Saturday morning. However several last minute things came up on Thursday - interupting her sleep - so she wasn't all that rested when she left Provo. She had to stop several times to take short naps - which delayed her. Then a wrong turn at Des Moines resulted in a detour to Minnesota. So it was 3:00 am on Saturday before she ever arrived at the Hogan's hotel room in Nauvoo. They took good care of her and after a few hours of sleep she followed the Ackers as far as Nashville (where they ahd to vere off toward Georgia) and then made it the rest of the way by herself. It was not a pleasant trip but we were thankful to have her home safely.

Emily started school last Weds. I can't believe she is a SENIOR!!! So far school has gone well. She starts seminary on Thursday so her life will be even busier. Andy and Clay start their new schools on Weds and I started my new job at my old school last Friday. I'm working with three exceptional education teachers who are wonderful. Once I figure out what I'm doing I'll be more comfortable - but I'm thankful to be back at Hueytown Elementary.

I got up early this morning and emailed back and forth with Tommy. He's doing well in Uganda and it's so fun to see him mature and settle in to missionary life. We still miss him and it's still hard to have him so far away, but I'm confident that he'll be okay.

And finally - we've been mesmerized by the Olympics around our house. It makes me so proud of our athletes and so thankful to be an American! GO USA!!!!