Elder McGrath

Last week we went to Utah for a few reasons: 1) to visit my mom and dad, 2) to see my brother off to basic training for the Army (the he's off to OCS after that), and 3) to surprise my youngest brother, Colin, at the airport when he came home from his mission in Chile.

Seeing Tristan off on Monday (and then again that night...and then again on Tuesday!) was sad because he was leaving behind his beautiful, pregnant wife, Ana. He is supposed to graduate from OCS the week she is due. I am hoping since this is her first that she will go over her due date, just to be sure Tristan is there for the birth. But, if not, she is staying with Mom and Dad and I know they will take good care of her.

Wednesday was so fun. We got to the airport early and rolled out our banner for Colin. He was expecting my mom and dad, Ana, and maybe my oldest sister and her family. BUT, my second oldest brother was also there, along with our family, and my youngest sister and her family. We had quite a group! He was so surprised to see us all there!

It was so nice to see Colin and hear his stories and feel the Spirit. He was/is such a wonderful missionary and I know that the people in his mission were sad to see him go.

Friday was fun. I almost died several times, but it was fun. My dad and brother took Jeremy and I skiing up at Sundance. Neither of us have been, and we really needed a lesson, but we decided since we were going with such skilled skiers they could just instruct us. So I made it off the lift just fine (which oddly enough was the SCARIEST thing about skiing). After that, well, let's just say it wasn't pretty. I didn't know how to turn or how to slow myself and stop. They kept yelling, "Wedge! Wedge!", at me. I would point my skis together and nothing. I think I started going faster. I would get going so fast that I thought if I did fall and crash I was surely going to break something, so then I would just make myself fall. I was an excellent butt skier though. I would just bend down to where my butt was almost touching my skis and just go. If butt skiing were an Olympic sport I would medal for sure.

Now that we are home, Shelby is having some major cousin and grandparent withdrawals. When the plane was taking off yesterday Shelby yelled, "Bye Me-tah! Hope to see you in a month!". She begged me this morning to be the Shavy Gravy Monster. I don't think anyone can play that game as well as my dad though.

I am too tired to go through and put any pictures in order, but here they are (the airport pics are blurry. I think the camera was on the wrong setting.).