May

The highly anticipated mission call arrived on Saturday, May 3rd.

We paced and walked to the front windows about a hundred times, searching for the mail truck.

Summer and Isaac sat on the front porch.  Waiting.

The mail finally arrived about 5:30 p.m.

Friends and family gathered (some through google chat) to watch him open it at 8 p.m.  

 Breathe

He is called to serve in the Piracicaba, Brazil mission, leaving September 3.

He will enter the Missionary Training Center in Sao Paulo and will learn Portuguese.

Cole's best friends  

(Left to Right) Gabe- serving in South Korea, Quinn-Serving in Chile, Austin-Cusco, Peru, 
and Nate- Hermosilla, Mexico.

Cole has done landscape work for the past 5 years to pay for his mission.

He earned over 11K

Our nephew, Craig Ahlstrom, served in an area close to Cole and so he came over

to give us an overview of the mission and to answer some of our questions.  

He suggested Cole order Rosetta stone ASAP and get going on learning Portuguese.

While we were talking about the different food dishes in the Sau Paulo area, 

these guys came bursting through our front door

singing and dancing a Brazilian soccer chant.
Such a great show of support ...thank you!

Cole will be the 9th Farnsworth cousin to serve in Brazil.  

Summer's last Choir Concert

She sounded beautiful in her solo.

On Mother's Day, we took another family picture for the grandmas.

We put the camera on the tripod and set the self-timer.  

 I love having a day where I can think about how great it is to be a mom.
The greatest and hardest work.

MVT Volleyball made it to the state semi-finals.
 What a great ride.
Here are a few highlights from the state tournament.

Isaac is their biggest fan...

and quite the yell leader

 We experienced some exciting highs...

and some disappointing lows.  

 Cole's last Prom
For their day activity,
this group headed up north to hike and swim Fossil Creek.
After a long day, they came here for a barbecue.

A couple of weeks later was the actual prom date.

Cole took his friend Sammie Norberg.

To fill some time, we held a big game of musical chairs after dinner.

Isaac's 4th grade took a field trip to the Grand Canyon.

They left on a chartered bus at 11 p.m., drove through the night and arrived

in time for the sunrise.  I really wanted to be on this trip with him,
but they didn't have room for any more parents.  

 Ike took photos on his iPod to share with us.  

I think he

did a pretty good job.

For almost the past 3 years, Meg has babysat these kiddos that live around the corner from us.  

It never feels like a job to her.   She always jumps at the chance to spend time with them.

 It was a sad day when we found out that they are moving. 

 Luckily, it is not too far away. 

We held a little celebration before graduation for Cole and his cousin Annie.

 Annie with her 6 older brothers

My wonderful aunt Jennifer Hall catered the dinner for us.  

We love every one of these boys.  

They have spent a lot of time in our home: eating, napping, playing.

I will miss hearing their bursts of laughter coming from the playroom.

The close of a very great chapter in our lives but it helps to think of what is ahead