Dear Max,
We had a fun weekend in St. George. We enjoyed the festivities of the Dixie College Homecoming weekend, meeting your daddy's niece's daughter Lexi and attending the wedding of Hilary and Jacob. Wow! It was a lot to pack into one little weekend. But you know us...we like to multitask and thrive on staying busy. We got to St. George late Friday night, we actually dropped you off at Grammie's and daddy and I went with Auntie Julie, Brian out to Auntie Andrea's parents house for a marshmallow roast. We had a great time laughing and talking until the wee hours of the morning. It was fun to enjoy the beautiful weather outside and the great company. Your daddy and Brian were being super silly and took this picture outside on a bench that Andrea's mom has. I hope we are invited back again?!? It's definitely questionable!
Saturday morning we got up bright and early to attend the Dixie College Homecoming Parade. Grammie was riding in the float, cause she is on the Dixie College Alumi Board and was in charge of several of the activities during the week, including the Alumni Banquet that was held later that evening. This is your 2nd parade, and you loved it! You liked this parade so much - compared to the 4th of July parade. You loved the bands when they would go by and you loved waving at all the people that loved waving at you!
Mommy, Daddy and Cooper
Waiting for the parade to start
Max waiting for the parade to start!
Elder and Sister Holland
They were the Grand Marshall's of the Parade
It's GRAMMIE!
Grammie came and enjoyed the parade with us
after she fulfilled her parade duties!
You were so excited!!!
The LDSSA float gave away
scripture marking pencils
You were pretty excited about it!
Dad was not enjoying it as much as you.
While pencils do fit into daddy's ear's
they are not intended to be in ear's...
words of wisdom for your future!
Mommy, Daddy and Cooper
Waiting for the parade to start
Max waiting for the parade to start!
Elder and Sister Holland
They were the Grand Marshall's of the Parade
It's GRAMMIE!
Grammie came and enjoyed the parade with us
after she fulfilled her parade duties!
You were so excited!!!
The LDSSA float gave away
scripture marking pencils
You were pretty excited about it!
Dad was not enjoying it as much as you.
While pencils do fit into daddy's ear's
they are not intended to be in ear's...
words of wisdom for your future!
Daddy had his arms full on the way back
to the car!
After the parade we went down to Aunt Kathy's house to see Lexi, Camri and Kathy. We enjoyed a nice visit and lunch at the Brick Oven. Where daddy decided to feed you a lemon. I want you to remember this Max, when you get older. Which parent was the one to feed you the crazy stuff just to see how you would react... that's right YOUR DADDY!
Stage One of Lemon Tasting:
Ignorance is Bliss
Stage Two of Lemon Tasting:
What the CRAP is this!
Stage Three of Lemon Tasting:
Not too bad!
Stage One of Lemon Tasting:
Ignorance is Bliss
Stage Two of Lemon Tasting:
What the CRAP is this!
Stage Three of Lemon Tasting:
Not too bad!
After lunch we went over to Grandma Trenholm's so she could see how big you are getting and so she could meet Lexi for the first time. We had a fun visit with Grandma. She couldn't believe how big you have gotten! You were not as snugly this time...it makes me sad to think that you are growing out of this stage!! My little snuggle guy is growing up! You still are good for some nice open mouth kisses, which makes up for it all.
Grandma Trenholm meeting
Lexi for the first time!
Grandma Trenholm saying hi to you!
She loves you so much!
Two Beautiful Ladies..
Camri and Lexi
Still good for giving kisses...
Dancing on Grandma's bed...
But no snuggles this time...
maybe next time!
Grandma Trenholm meeting
Lexi for the first time!
Grandma Trenholm saying hi to you!
She loves you so much!
Two Beautiful Ladies..
Camri and Lexi
Still good for giving kisses...
Dancing on Grandma's bed...
But no snuggles this time...
maybe next time!
After visiting with Grandma the race began. We ran back to Grammie and Grampie's to get dressed up. We had Jacob and Hilary's wedding reception to attend and the Dixie College Alumni banquet to attend. You have a busy little social schedule. We met up with Auntie Julie and Brian as they had an identical evening planned, so we drove to the wedding and banquet together. Hilary and Jacob's wedding was beautiful. I left he camera in the car... so I didn't get any pictures, but I will tell you that I had I taken the camera with us their would be no need for us to go to a pumpkin patch this fall. Their were pumpkins EVERYWHERE... to be exact, their were 4,000 lbs of pumpkin!! Can you even imagine. It was like the guessing game of how many jelly beans are in the jar, except it was how many pumpkins are in the back yard. We hurried at the reception so we wouldn't be too late for the banquet.
Even after hurrying as fast as we could, we were still 15 minutes late for the banquet. It seemed sort of strange walking into the banquet late, when all 500 people were seated already with a baby, you can imagine the looks we were getting, but you see, they don't know you...the worlds greatest baby! No sooner did we get seated, when Papa Rogers spotted you and took you back to his table, which worked out good, so your daddy, Grammie, Grampie and I could all eat while you enjoyed the entertainment with some of the great great people. By the time we were done eating, their food had arrived and we switched. You enjoyed your own sweet potato puree table side, while we listened to the program. The key note speaker was your cousin Elder Jeff Holland. Elder Hollands Mom and my Grandpa are brother and sister. Your daddy and I had a strategic planned thought out of how we would space your entertainment / food through the evening to keep you happy and quiet. Well, the evening was a little longer than expected and the entertainment / food ran out much quicker than expected. So by the time Elder Holland got up to speak, we were at your mercy. I will say, I don't think I took one breath during his entire talk. I was so worried that at any given moment you would break out into a gleeful laugh or even worse a mad cry. But you were as equally captivated by every word he spoke as the rest of us were. We are so blessed to be from a community like St. George, and even more blessed that our ancestors are the talented individuals that built the community. Elder Holland talked about the fact that it was Dixie College Homecoming Weekend, and what it is like to "come home." I related so much to the words he spoke, I feel it each and every time we drive up the I-15 and as we come into town I see the spire of the St. George temple with the red hills in the back ground. The relief and comfort of being home!
After the banquet, Grammie had to stay around to clean up and take care of some things, this gave us an opportunity to go and talk with Elder Holland and Pat. You had yet to meet them, as we were unable to attend the family reunion this summer, we were out of town. Max, I'm not sure if I have shared this with you yet, but I will never forget Mother's Day, 2005. I'm sure I have told you of how much I dreaded Mother's day prior to your arrival. It was always an awkward and emotional day - and the fact that it is always on a Sunday made it that much worse! For some reason being at church always seemed to magnify our lack of a family. That mother's day of 2005, your daddy and I decided to drive up to St. George and spend the day with our own mothers. When we got to town to visit and see family, Elder Holland heard we were in town, he was there to spend this special day with his own mother. He knew of our struggle to start a family and called and asked if he could come over and give your daddy and I a blessing. I will never forget this experience, and I will never forget the blessing which he gave me, of all things said that day, the one that has brought me through was a blessing of peace. I have felt this protection so many times. As soon as Elder Holland saw you he swept you out of your daddy's arms and simply said "Max, we have prayed for a long time for you to arrive." The two of you couldn't take your eye's off each other. Not even for a picture. Max, you are such a special spirit, and I know that Elder Holland felt your spirit that night and I'm so glad that you could feel his warmth and love for you.
Elder Holland So excited to finally
get to meet you!
The two of you couldn't take your
eye's off each other!
Mommie, Daddy, Sister Holland and you!
Even after hurrying as fast as we could, we were still 15 minutes late for the banquet. It seemed sort of strange walking into the banquet late, when all 500 people were seated already with a baby, you can imagine the looks we were getting, but you see, they don't know you...the worlds greatest baby! No sooner did we get seated, when Papa Rogers spotted you and took you back to his table, which worked out good, so your daddy, Grammie, Grampie and I could all eat while you enjoyed the entertainment with some of the great great people. By the time we were done eating, their food had arrived and we switched. You enjoyed your own sweet potato puree table side, while we listened to the program. The key note speaker was your cousin Elder Jeff Holland. Elder Hollands Mom and my Grandpa are brother and sister. Your daddy and I had a strategic planned thought out of how we would space your entertainment / food through the evening to keep you happy and quiet. Well, the evening was a little longer than expected and the entertainment / food ran out much quicker than expected. So by the time Elder Holland got up to speak, we were at your mercy. I will say, I don't think I took one breath during his entire talk. I was so worried that at any given moment you would break out into a gleeful laugh or even worse a mad cry. But you were as equally captivated by every word he spoke as the rest of us were. We are so blessed to be from a community like St. George, and even more blessed that our ancestors are the talented individuals that built the community. Elder Holland talked about the fact that it was Dixie College Homecoming Weekend, and what it is like to "come home." I related so much to the words he spoke, I feel it each and every time we drive up the I-15 and as we come into town I see the spire of the St. George temple with the red hills in the back ground. The relief and comfort of being home!
After the banquet, Grammie had to stay around to clean up and take care of some things, this gave us an opportunity to go and talk with Elder Holland and Pat. You had yet to meet them, as we were unable to attend the family reunion this summer, we were out of town. Max, I'm not sure if I have shared this with you yet, but I will never forget Mother's Day, 2005. I'm sure I have told you of how much I dreaded Mother's day prior to your arrival. It was always an awkward and emotional day - and the fact that it is always on a Sunday made it that much worse! For some reason being at church always seemed to magnify our lack of a family. That mother's day of 2005, your daddy and I decided to drive up to St. George and spend the day with our own mothers. When we got to town to visit and see family, Elder Holland heard we were in town, he was there to spend this special day with his own mother. He knew of our struggle to start a family and called and asked if he could come over and give your daddy and I a blessing. I will never forget this experience, and I will never forget the blessing which he gave me, of all things said that day, the one that has brought me through was a blessing of peace. I have felt this protection so many times. As soon as Elder Holland saw you he swept you out of your daddy's arms and simply said "Max, we have prayed for a long time for you to arrive." The two of you couldn't take your eye's off each other. Not even for a picture. Max, you are such a special spirit, and I know that Elder Holland felt your spirit that night and I'm so glad that you could feel his warmth and love for you.
Elder Holland So excited to finally
get to meet you!
The two of you couldn't take your
eye's off each other!
Mommie, Daddy, Sister Holland and you!
Hey next time you crazies are in St. George let me know. It sounded like we would have never been able to fit anything in last weekend, but I miss you soooo much.
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