Playing Frantic Catch-Up

Much has happened in the past few weeks. My dad got married so now there are three new people in the immediate family, not to menion the numerous extended family members. Then my brother went through the temple for the first time. Next came the inevitable missionary farewell talk. Sidnee conned herself into the program a well, and proceeded to give the most redneck speech I have ever heard in my life, where she claimed Christ was a cowboy. (A good analogy, but quite unexpected.) Shay's talk was phenomenal. And so the day arrived, when we all had to drive to Provo to drop him off. Luckily I am completely incapable of driving in traffic, so I got to ride in my dad's car, where Shay's luggage is, so I got to sit next to him as we drove through Provo to the MTC. Me and Sid also got to dragg his luggage to wherever and walk with him into the building. He got his name tag with a fluorescent sticker labeling him a greenie. My dad was tearing up as we entered the room where they have the little devotional, but he soon became more excited than anything. My mom, however, slowly crumbled. The siblings remained strong. I didn't cry, though when I turned around and looked behind me and saw a little boy clinging desperately to his brother, I got a little choked up. Shay was on his way out and gave Sid one last punch. With lightening-like reflexes, she whacked him in the arm. He looked as though he were sorely tempted to get the last punch in, but the missionary in him won out and he walked through the doors and out of our lives for the next two years. A few weeks later Kendra got her endowments out (and was really overwhelmed) and a week later, she got married to Zac and became a Lanier. Weird. Things settled down for a while, then I got accepted to school and my mom is off to Australia for a month to visit my grandpa. Hmmm, Bozeman during the winter or Australia during their summer, no contest. I'd rather go there.