Easter & Akayla's mission farewell

 Last weekend was just a whirlwind.  I felt like I was in a fuzzy cloud.  So many little details to take care of.  Everything went very smoothly thanks to so many dear friends (and skipping sleep to take care of last minute things).

So many people came to support Akayla.
She is such a beautiful and genuine person.
Her talk was so sweet and full of the spirit.
She will be a powerful missionary!

  SATURDAY:

Our wonderful friends, the Staffords (from New Plymouth) came Saturday morning.  Their son is Akayla's best friend who is on a mission in New York.  

My parents came a few hours later, and later in the evening my brother Brandon, Ayrial, and their 4 kiddos came.  They all helped prepare food for Sunday morning.

Easter egg Hunt

love these beautiful women - Shauna, Akayla, Erin & Adri
Akayla and I got to go out to lunch with Shauna & Erin -
we love them so much!

Brandon & Anna were inseparable - they were so funny together!

Dave & Kirk worked on my car
(I got in a little accident recently)

My Uncle Bruce and Grandma came that evening
 and had dinner with us
Sweet Grandma and Mason

My dad read "The Monster at the End of this Book"
 to the grandkids
You haven't lived unless you've heard him tell you a story!

My sister-in-law Ayrial made this cake for Akayla
AMAZING!

SUNDAY MORNING:

dessert table - one of my very best friends made 300 mini (amazingly delicious) cupcakes
We also had brownie bites, cookies, cinnamon rolls, cream cheese danishes, and my sister-in law Amber made little turtles and cookie bars

brunch buffet - we had breakfast burritos, granola & yogurt, and fruit salad

4 generations
Miriam, Angela, Akayla, and Gary

proud daddy
He says he wants to hide in her suitcase and
go serve a mission with her.

just a random shot of some of the guests

my best friend Lindsey and some of her kids
(she made all the cupcakes)
Akayla taught these 2 piano lessons last year

some of Akayla and Corina's friends from high school
Brandon, Nathan, Akayla, Jordan & Corina

more of Akayla's friends from high school
 (she is short, but they are also tall!)
Brandon, Ethan, and Patrick

the Staffords - practically family

This is how we all felt after it was over 
and everyone had left.......

I'll admit that having something to prepare for was really good for my mind.  

As soon as everyone had left I started to feel the dread.

This is going to be tough.  But WE can do hard things!!!

good things:

supportive friends

everything turning out

people who jump in and get it done!