My little Gray_D_Bug!

August 1 my baby girl finally arrived from her trip to Brazil. It was a little longer than I think she thought it would be, but it really helped her grow and learn. I could see and hear the growth in her before she even arrived!



While in Brazil, she stayed with Barata, Jackie and Lol (who was an exchange student here last year at LWHS). They were so loving and generous with her. Gray didn't speak any Portuguese when she left, but they made sure to help her around and she learned to speak a little while she was there. Lol said she had never met anyone who picked up Portuguese as fast as my baby girl did! But I already knew she was amazing! Gray loved it in Brazil and can't wait to go back for Carnival!

Gray and Lol became very close while she was there and they did most everything together. Lol and Jackie even attended church with Gray while she was there. Gray said they really liked the church and would like to know more about it! They took Gray everywhere and treated her like she was family. Gray loved the the first few weeks at the house by the beach at Marica and said the beach Copacabana was awesome too! But her favorite place seemed to be Cabo Frio where Jackie's sister lived. Gray said it was beautiful there. After Jackie went back to work and they went to stay at the condo in Rio, she and Lol took the bus to the house in Marica and back to Rio several times, so they were pretty independent there.

I think Gray got pretty homesick. We chatted on messenger everyday while she was gone. She left feeling pretty sure she wanted to go far away for college once she graduated. She returned rethinking that plan. :) I'm sure by the time graduation really rolls around I will have driven her sufficiently crazy that she will again be anxious to spread her wings!

This month or so was really a learning experience for Gray. She had a great deal of time to think about her life and what she wanted it to be. She was exposed to things in a way that she never had before and made some realizations about herself and her life. She was able to experience a great deal of independence, but exercised great discipline and maturity in her decisions. She really put herself in a situation that stretched her and I think those challenges brought new found courage and amazing growth. I am so proud of the things she did to help herself grow toward the person she really wants to be!

It Begins!

I should start with a warning that I tend toward verbosity.... and bragging about my great kids. Other than that, I am pretty open. No real secrets and pretty much any part of my life could end up here. So buckle up, hang on and enjoy the ride!

Today is the first official day of summer!! Kids are done with school for the Summer as of the 18th!! YAY!! Mason is officially a senior and Gray is a junior.... Man... how time does fly and things change so much, so fast!

As of today, Mason is in Scotland and Gray is at Youth Conference, so I am basically on my own. The last 6 weeks have been unbelievably crazed. Getting Mason ready for his European tour (as many as 10 countries) and Gray ready for Brazil all while trying to tie up finals on top of working was a bit of a job. But Mason is off and on his way and hopefully Gray will have her Visa in time to leave on Tuesday as scheduled! (Stay tuned here for photos from the babies adventures!)

It's kinda a crazy thing. I don't like my kids to be away from me. I love having them around and don't find parenting to be anything but wonderful. But between Mark living in Utah, and the kids travels, they seem to be gone from home more than most. I am so excited they get to travel and see the world (hopefully, my time will come soon) and am so extremely proud that I can trust them so much as to let them venture out on their own. But, Dangit!, I miss them! I love their sweet faces, their thoughts and ideas, having their friends fill my house, and teenage kisses as they head off to bed (way later than I think they should) or out the door to school or to hang out with friends. I love text messages about their latest crush, asking for help, advice or permission, even the ones that express frustration with me for some reason. I love being a mom. I love being their mom. They really are such amazing human beings. I am so lucky they belong to me! I often say Heavenly Father sent me angels because real children wouldn't last long at my house!! I'm not all that amazing, but they really are. I'm not sure how that happened, but I'm really glad it did!!