Bush Family Mini Reunion & 4th of July
So I just got the latest installment of pictures from the family to finish this post I started 2 months ago. Here's a brief synopsis of our 4th of July Bush Reunion!
The last few days have been so fun as we hosted a mini-reunion for the Bush family in Co-Op and St. George. Chelsea and Dixon were unexpectedly able to come home to the United States this summer and although we had just held our big Bush Family reunion in May, as many family members as possible gathered to Southern Utah for a few days to see the Singaporians. We hadn't been with the Grant's since Daphne was just 2 weeks old, meaning we had never even met Alyia, Chixon's 18 month old darling. We loved getting everyone together again for a few days and here are a few of the things I enjoyed most:
1) Having the Murphy Family stay with us in Mesquite to break up their drive which gave us the chance to visit, play Illuminate and visit one-on-one with Apes and Devo.
2) Racing Burke up the trail on the 4-wheelers at Co-Op with a gaggle of nieces and nephews clinging to us and cheering us on.
3) Setting up our tent and having it fall over, but getting it up just before the rain came!
4) Seeing this little guy collecting firewood in his Toy Story slippers. Cutest. Thing. Ever.
5) Watching the nieces and nephews play with their cousins. What a special thing to see the love they all have for each other.
6) 4th of July fireworks in the rain parked above Brian Head Resort. It was a stormy night and just as one of the most impressive fireworks evoked "ooo's" from the group, one of the most majestic displays of lightening lit up the entire night sky beyond the firework. It sent chills down my back as I thought of the Creator of Heaven and Earth smiling to himself as he gave us a small glimmer of the brilliancy of his creations. It was yet another testament to the reality of our Heavenly Father.
7) Watching Burke, Zakia, Karl, Amy and April get decked out for the airsoft gun war in the trees and later seeing the power of prayer as they searched for a missing part of the gun that could have been anywhere on that part of the mountain, but Amy was led straight to lost piece.
8) Enjoying the company of the 3 "wild horses" (Uncle Kelby's horses that roam the mountain during the summer) for a time until they started poking around the cars and annoying Daddy. :)
9) The Family devotional on Patriotism and the Title of Liberty, especially hearing GG's thoughts and having Burke tell the family about how Co-Op came to be a part of their family legacy.
10) Having our 95-year-old Grandmother Mary Jane out enjoying the whole camping experience right alongside us - even braving a bumpy ride on the 4-wheeler! She is my hero.
11) All the son-in-laws getting up early on Saturday morning to go golfing with Daddy.
12) Doing a brief version of the talking stick at the Riding's home with the adults.
13) Going to Tuachan's production of Mulan. (They let 2-year-olds come to the performance and Daphne was mesmerized!)
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14) Hanging out with the family at Cassie and Dan's house and trying to have a meaningful conversation with Chelsea and Dixon while pushing Daphne and Desmond on the swings.
A few choice moments from the reunion deserve more than just a brief sentence. The first was when the Bush Clan descended on my peaceful Adams in-laws home in all of our chaos! I was amazed by the grace with which my mother-in-law, Marie, handled the situation, making food for all of us to enjoy (no small task!), letting the kids run wild through the play house and on the zipline, etc. I loved seeing the two families mingling together - Mike and Alan in their farm clothes discussing Devon's work as a scientist, Amy and Catherine laughing about kids, Marie making sure everyone was eating enough. It brought so much joy to my heart to see the two families I love most in the world in one unified environment. It reminded me that Burke and I were so blessed to be raised in the families we were and that our little family and marriage will continue to be blessed because of these choice people with whom we are bound to for eternity.
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The second thing I was touched by was how several different family members commented (independently of one another) on what a wonderful man I married. First, Karl said to Amy how nice it is to see how happily married Burke and I are. Next, Chelsea observed how Burke and I worked together herding the cows through the gates and commented on how much I've changed for the better since we've been married. She was shocked that I would get out there in the first place, which was humorous to me because it seemed so natural - of course I'd help get the cows where they needed to be. I guess I've changed more than I realized. Later, Cassie too mentioned how she and Dan were discussing how I had married such an awesome man! It pleased me to know that my family can see what a good man Burke is and the positive match we are, lifting each other to higher ground.
Finally, when we were loading into our car to leave on Saturday night, sweet Desmond came running down the driveway and reached his hands out desperately calling in a squeaky voice, "No! You can't go! You can't!" I think my heart ripped in two right then and there. I was so saddened by the physical distance between my family members and I wished so badly that we all could live closer. How wonderful it would be if we could get together for Sunday dinners, school plays and date nights! It broke my heart that it had been two years since I had seen that angel face in person and that it will be another two or more until we are reunited again. It was yet another reminder to me that beyond our gospel covenants - family is truly everything. I love you dear Bushlings and can't wait until we are all together again.
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Dixon, Alyia and Chelsea - moments before Alyia fell onto a hot coal from the fire and burned her arm pretty horribly. Poor little lady!
1) Having the Murphy Family stay with us in Mesquite to break up their drive which gave us the chance to visit, play Illuminate and visit one-on-one with Apes and Devo.
The Murphy Mob
2) Racing Burke up the trail on the 4-wheelers at Co-Op with a gaggle of nieces and nephews clinging to us and cheering us on.
3) Setting up our tent and having it fall over, but getting it up just before the rain came!
Setting up camp
That picture on the right kills me - look at that face of intense concentration, the lone stick curled between his biceps and Grandpa adoring the scene in the background.
5) Watching the nieces and nephews play with their cousins. What a special thing to see the love they all have for each other.
6) 4th of July fireworks in the rain parked above Brian Head Resort. It was a stormy night and just as one of the most impressive fireworks evoked "ooo's" from the group, one of the most majestic displays of lightening lit up the entire night sky beyond the firework. It sent chills down my back as I thought of the Creator of Heaven and Earth smiling to himself as he gave us a small glimmer of the brilliancy of his creations. It was yet another testament to the reality of our Heavenly Father.
8) Enjoying the company of the 3 "wild horses" (Uncle Kelby's horses that roam the mountain during the summer) for a time until they started poking around the cars and annoying Daddy. :)
Never tire of this place
9) The Family devotional on Patriotism and the Title of Liberty, especially hearing GG's thoughts and having Burke tell the family about how Co-Op came to be a part of their family legacy.
10) Having our 95-year-old Grandmother Mary Jane out enjoying the whole camping experience right alongside us - even braving a bumpy ride on the 4-wheeler! She is my hero.
12) Doing a brief version of the talking stick at the Riding's home with the adults.
13) Going to Tuachan's production of Mulan. (They let 2-year-olds come to the performance and Daphne was mesmerized!)
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Robin Hood fun with cousins in the Riding's backyard.
14) Hanging out with the family at Cassie and Dan's house and trying to have a meaningful conversation with Chelsea and Dixon while pushing Daphne and Desmond on the swings.
A few choice moments from the reunion deserve more than just a brief sentence. The first was when the Bush Clan descended on my peaceful Adams in-laws home in all of our chaos! I was amazed by the grace with which my mother-in-law, Marie, handled the situation, making food for all of us to enjoy (no small task!), letting the kids run wild through the play house and on the zipline, etc. I loved seeing the two families mingling together - Mike and Alan in their farm clothes discussing Devon's work as a scientist, Amy and Catherine laughing about kids, Marie making sure everyone was eating enough. It brought so much joy to my heart to see the two families I love most in the world in one unified environment. It reminded me that Burke and I were so blessed to be raised in the families we were and that our little family and marriage will continue to be blessed because of these choice people with whom we are bound to for eternity.
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Sister shot right before April and I hit the road.
The second thing I was touched by was how several different family members commented (independently of one another) on what a wonderful man I married. First, Karl said to Amy how nice it is to see how happily married Burke and I are. Next, Chelsea observed how Burke and I worked together herding the cows through the gates and commented on how much I've changed for the better since we've been married. She was shocked that I would get out there in the first place, which was humorous to me because it seemed so natural - of course I'd help get the cows where they needed to be. I guess I've changed more than I realized. Later, Cassie too mentioned how she and Dan were discussing how I had married such an awesome man! It pleased me to know that my family can see what a good man Burke is and the positive match we are, lifting each other to higher ground.
Herding the cows with Burke into the right pasture
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Saying goodbye to this Singapore sweetheart
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