Hoffman Family Reunion 2014

The Hoffman cousins from Idaho were all in town last week for their bi-annual Robertson family reunion.  I was talking to Alison over a year ago and she and I decided that we wanted the Hoffman cousins to get together too.  This is the first time we've done anything like this. At least on an organized level.  Here we are in all our craziness and love.

 Bonny is home so here's Brett showing his affection.

 Jack with Jane and Aubrey.  Megan and Jackson are in the wings.

 Prior to the meal, we had a few thoughts about being a family.

 Clare created two pinatas.

 Apparently this one got busted!

 Liam and Daxton getting involved with the broken remnants.

 Alyssa and the newest addition, Ava with Clare.

 I had Clare bring her riding toys over so the little ones had something to do.  Clint parked his car at the end of the driveway so they would have an end to their race track.

 Michael and his fiancee, Becca.

 Beautiful Lauren.

 Cousins

 Addison has the touch with little Liam.

 Pat and eldest daughter, Liz.

 This is the first time in 30+ years that we've had a family photo taken.

This time with the spouses.

When I was a kid, we had either a branch or family picnic on the 4th of July.  I have such fond memories of those gatherings.  Therefore, the 4th was the perfect day for us to have our family reunion.  We ate and visited and visited and the guys played ball and the kids went swimming.  In the evening we had our own fireworks show thanks to Lance and Tom providing the fireworks.  It was quite impressive.  I took 200 pictures.  Most of the family was here.  The only ones missing were Kurt's Evan and Alexa who are both serving missions, our Erin who is working a fairly new job, Pat's Alex who was just here a month ago and Matthew who apparently didn't get the memo, Brett's Katie and Tony who were both just here and Bonny's Bradley and Shane.  My dad said he enjoyed the day with all the people and visiting.  I was so thankful for that since he's been feeling under the weather since his surgery.  These are beautiful people whom I love dearly.  Can hardly wait until we do it again in two years!

My Son, the Elder

On Sunday my handsome son was presented to be ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood.  He was ordained that evening.  This week he is gone to EFY in St. Peter, MN.  It is a week long retreat sponsored by BYU.  This is the 3rd year he has attended.  He had such an amazing experience last year that he couldn't wait to go back again this year.

Usually I send my cell phone with him as he doesn't have one. That's right folks.  He's 18 years old and doesn't own a cell phone!  I didn't bring my charger along when we dropped him off so he said he didn't need it.  It is always interesting that when you can't reach one of your kids, that's when you have things to say.  He called today to tell me that he was asked to assist in giving a priesthood blessing.  I was really grateful for his opportunity.

I thought today that this is practice for when he leaves on his mission next month.  When Sammi entered the MTC I had to wait for the once a week emails and it was hard at first.  I guess I'll have to do it all again in 5 weeks.  I also realized how much time we do spend together and just how much we talk to one another.  When Andrew was a little boy, he was my little buddy cause we did everything together.  He's still my buddy.  Just not so little.  I am very proud of the man he has become!

State Track Meet

 What a wonderful weekend/experience we had at the state track meet in La Crosse! It has been quite a few years since I had four athletes in five events at state.  Last year I had several young men there but a relay brings four guys in one event.  This year was different.

 Drew qualified in the triple jump as well as in the long jump.

 I love Drew's game face!

 Austin qualified in the 300 hurdles.  He was here last year in the 4x100 relay but this year was just about him and his individual event.  He owns our school record.  Here he is running the qualifying heat.  He made it!

 He's worked really hard this year on gaining strength and speed.

 Drew on the podium.  5th in the triple jump.  He came in ranked 11th.

 We had a 5 hour rain delay on Saturday morning.  Andrew had jumped the opening height of 5'8" and one race was run and we had to take cover.

 The only picture of Cody.  He's on his phone.  He ran an amazing 3200 meter race.  He broke the Bowler school record by running a 9:58.10.  He placed 8th.

 A close up of Drew.

 Drew also competed in the long jump.  He was ranked #1 but couldn't pull out a 21' jump.

 He is so much fun to watch.  I don't believe Todd nor I taught him anything.  I asked him to try jumping and he did it!  He takes direction well though.  We ask him to fix something and he does.

 This crazy picture looks like he is jumping over the hurdle.

 My 8th place finisher.

 My guys.

 The guys with the coaches.

 My crazy tatted boys.  They bought stick on tattoos.  Apparently Cody is too shy to show you his.

 Opening jump at 5'8".  No problem.

 Getting ready.

 First guy to make 5'10" after the rain delay.

 He made it!

 Some of that warm up stuff prior to jumping.

 The approach.

This photo is a reminder that God provides miracles.  On the way home we saw a beautiful full rainbow.  In fact it was a double.  Here's the miracle we asked for and received.  When we had the rain delay it was determined that at 3pm it would be determined what would be done.  Would the meet continue or would it be canceled until Sunday?  We got together in the laundry room and offered a prayer to ask for a miracle.  Andrew and Austin had already determined that they would not compete on the Sabbath.  We exercised a bit of faith.  I just knew that the meet would go on.  The weather showed storms coming all afternoon and into the evening.  We got our miracle as the storms went around us. By 4:15 Andrew was jumping again.  As we were driving home, I thought about the tender mercy we were shown. I was once again very grateful for the Lord's miracles.

Sectionals Track Meet and Graduation

 May 30th was a very busy day.  First we attended the sectional track meet in Marathon.  Andrew didn't have a great day jumping, but he did well enough to qualify for STATE!!!!!!  He's been working for that goal for the last couple of years and finally made it.  I'm a proud mom and coach.  After Alyssa was done running her mile, we packed up the athletes who were finished competing and I brought them back to Bowler and Gresham.  We arrived at school in Gresham just as the National Anthem was being played.  By the time we were inside, the welcome was already in progress.

 Andrew got to make his entrance late as he wished.  He didn't want to do that silly march down the center aisle.  Erin did the same thing.  He jumped up on the back platform and put on his cap and gown.  He had his track uniform on under his shorts and T-shirt.  He was also wearing socks and his mandles.  Brenda said only he and Austin could wear them if they were coming late from the track meet.

 A group of students were called up on stage to receive scholarships. 

 Andrew received the Hoffman Transit scholarship as well as the Gresham Scholarship Committee scholarship.  He got the two he applied for.

 Receiving his diploma.

 Turning the tassel to make it official.

Walking out with Haley and Tracy.

 A big hug from Mr. Sean Anday.  He was Andrew's resource teacher who helped him whenever he needed assistance.  Thank you Mr. Anday.

 A big hug from his neighbor and bishop.

 Cami and Brock with their uncle.

 Tom

 The Gourleys

 Don't you love the bowtie?  That was the attempt to "dress up."

Andrew at sectionals doing a great job!

Such a busy day for us.  I'm so proud of my son!

Andrew's Track Season

 The track season this year hasn't been without it's hitches.  Mainly the weather.  Old man winter just kept holding on.  It seemed he was on a ventilator and no one would shut it off!  We missed three invitationals as well as two other meets.  Pretty sad.  Less hardware for my athletes.

Andrew has been high jumping very well this season.  He won every meet except the Shawano Invite.  He didn't expect to win that one since Seymour's Alex Bloom was competing against him.  He jumped 6'10" that day and Andrew "only" jumped 6'1.5" that day.  That was his personal best of the season.  He was jumping what he thought was 6' and when they measured it was and inch and a half higher.  His first major competition was at our conference meet but he ended up jumping 6'2" and won!  Two years in a row as the conference high jump champ!

 He also triple jumps.  He isn't great at it but does a good enough job to always bring in some points for the team.  He has great form but lacks the speed to really make the leaps that could bring him up in the standings.

I love track and field!  I will miss not having any of my children competing.  I love competing and I love watching the competition as well.  I anticipate working some meets next year as well.  I will miss it!

Miracles

In March I began receiving emails from my sister, Bonny.  She didn't always contact me a lot due to her circumstances at home.  Her phone was missing so I had my dad send her a new one.  Then we started talking and texting more and more. 

My dad became ill in early April and after many doctor visits, he still had the chills and felt like garbage.  Finally his physician asked him if he would feel comfortable in the emergency room.  He said he wouldn't feel uncomfortable so I took him.  He spent the night in the hospital.  Many tests overnight and the next morning and still no answers, but no fever.  Still had the chills though.  I stayed overnight with him on Easter Sunday as he was scheduled for a colonoscopy on Monday.  Prior to going in for the procedure he still shook occasionally because of the chills.  After the procedure, the chills were gone and he felt better.  In fact, he felt good enough to go out to lunch and talked about his summer motorcycle trip.  It was an absolute miracle!

In the mean time, I wasn't hearing anything from Bonny.  Her phone had been confiscated because she invited her bishop over.  I needed to let her know about my dad and so finally we called her local sheriff's department and sent an officer over to check on her.  I was right, no phone.  The message was delivered and she went to buy a new phone.  She got her phone back due to a note she wrote about the police being at the door earlier. 

Fast forward a few more days.  My nephew, Tony, got a new job.  The kind of job that is a once in a lifetime and too good to pass up.  His family would be moving to Dallas but until then, Tony would be doing some meetings and training in Austin.  Tony set up a time to visit with his aunt Bonny on Tuesday.  After a visit together, he was able to get her out of the house.  She stayed with the bishop and his family for a few days before we could fly her out.  Initially she would be coming home with Tony, but decided she needed to get out sooner.  Her flight was delayed on Wednesday afternoon due to mechanical problems and then it was delayed again on Thursday morning. Somehow, she got on a flight to Dallas and then to Chicago and finally to Green Bay.  I went with Dad to pick her up.  It was an absolute miracle that things worked out the way they did to get her here.

I cannot adequately express my thankfulness to my Heavenly Father for orchestrating these events.  It must have seems to Him, that my endless prayers were without any faith as I just kept begging for the same things.  He DOES answer prayers and better than I could have ever expected. 

A Fillmore Visit

Jeff graduated from BYU in April and shortly afterward they "packed up the truck and moved to Muscatine!" Sing it like the Beverly Hillbillies, it sounds better.  At any rate, they came to visit us for just over a week.  It was so much fun to have them here.  It was lots of fun to have Evelyn here.  We enjoyed her so much.  I don't ever remember a child who sings as much as she does.  Even with her limited words, I could tell what she was singing. 

 The kids got to play together a lot.  Brock was quite jealous when he had to share his time with either his mother or his Nana.  Love my grandkids!

 Love these happy faces!

Now they are gone back to Muscatine so Jeff can begin nursing school.  We will see them again over the 4th of July weekend and then again at the end of July.  I'm so glad they are only 6 hours away rather than 24.