The highlights

(Some of these pictures are mine and some of them are nabbed from Olivia and Facebook.)

Our quick trip to Nevada was memorable and exhausting and wonderful.

Friday morning we left early and made it in time for the Ladies' Brunch at Olivia's.  We stopped at the school in Wells to pick up Lili for the brunch.

If I were to pick up Mark from school, I would have to carefully identify him by name and grade level and then I'd have to show a picture ID and they'd make sure I was on the list of people that could pick him up.

I walked up to the office window and before I could say a word, the secretary (who I don't know) said, "You must be here for Liliana."  (I must look like my sisters.)

I said yes and she had me sign a roster and that was all there was to it.

The brunch was lovely as usual.  Everything was festive and beautiful and the food was spectacular.  I just love the convivial atmosphere of mothers and daughters and aunts and sisters and cousins and nieces.  They are my people.  Aunt Olivia came too which was wonderful.  Olivia has us go around the table and talk about our past year and what we're looking forward to and our end of the table always cries.

There's just something about all being together and saying things that all of us know anyway and all the love around the table.  It makes us emotional.

Or maybe there's some allergen at Olivia's house that makes our eyes water.

It could go either way.

We also laugh quite a bit.  Here's a picture of three sisters losing it and one daughter/niece thinking we're crazy:

After, we headed back to my parents' to pick up our menfolk.  They had been helping my dad in an archaeologist dig under their house.  The back of my dad's truck was full of old toys, destined for the dump.  My parents said I could have anything I wanted.  I loved seeing things but the only thing I pocketed was a Weeble.  Because Weebles wobble but they don't fall down.

I got to finally meet the groom, Timeon and he was every bit as great as I'd been led to believe.

We went to town and the mighty decorating began.

I was kind of in charge but eventually felt uncomfortable with people giving me credit because it was very much a group effort.  I never could have done it alone.  We stayed there until late afternoon, went back to my parents' for dinner then to the Club Hall for the Starr Valley Christmas program.

My mom wrote the original Nativity script way back when and I could recite it to you right now; it's imprinted into my brain.  My dad made the manger they still use and some of the decorations on the tree are the same I remember from the 70s.

It was good to be back.

Olivia ran the show this year (usually Marianne does too but her kids have aged out/she had one or two other things going on) and did a fabulous job.

I loved it.

Saturday morning we had a scalloped potato making party at Marianne's.  We had teams and Adam and Robert were the champions.  (Emma and I made a respectable showing.)

In the afternoon, it was back at the church for setting up and preparing.  It all came together in a lovely way.

Desi and Liberty did all the flowers and they were AMAZING.  My children were silly and made McDonald's runs (also they helped a lot with set up.)

I loved this picture I snapped before the reception began.  The happy couple and my dad.  

Emma and Braeden with Adam in the background who apparently missed his calling as an announcer.  

Teamwork makes the dreamwork.  It was a lucky day when I got in the same line as these two before coming to earth.

When I was pinning Marianne's corsage on her, I said, "Can you believe this is happening?  Your daughter's wedding?  I feel like we're grownups."

It's blurry but this is me holding sweet Boston.  He's basically sweetness with blue eyes.

I love these two!

Robert's sister, Deborah, took pictures and she is amazing.  She had the bridesmaids pose like this:

So these goofballs tried to do the same:

At one point during the reception (I think after we'd watched a video of the happy couple with some sweet words at the end by Timeon), Braeden said to me, "I don't know why I'm so emotional."

I said, "It's a big deal.  A family is being created."

Braeden nodded, "Yes.  It is really sacred."

And it was.  The adoration of the new couple, the encouragement of a community who showed up to celebrate, the amazing women in the kitchen who worked so hard, and the large extended family of Clarissa's who opened their arms and welcomed Timeon.

Dahl Family

Johnson Family

We were all there out of this huge love and that's sacred.

Sunday was also a big deal.

Before church, Adam ordained Mark to the office of priest.  We had permission to do it in Nevada so Mark could have his uncles and grandpa and Hyrum there.  I loved feeling the goodness of those men as they surrounded my sweet son.  What a blessing it is in life to have righteous men to look up to and through them, to feel the power of the priesthood.

Enoch unfortunately didn't make it in time because of snowy roads.

It's a wonderful life.

Deseret spoke in church and I cried the entire time.  She is just this embodiment of light and truth.  Every word she said was so good (I'm guessing the Cantonese words were good because she spoke a little Cantonese too).

After, we had a big ward dinner and then we headed back home.

That much concentrated joy can wear a person out.