Andrew was accepted into the Air Force leadership training camp again this summer. We are proud of him. This year he chose to stay home. He went on the pioneer trek instead. 
The pioneer trek is a reenactment of the Mormon pioneers that fled persecution in order to freely practice their constitutional rights. Mormon pioneers migrated to what is now Salt Lake City, UT. Many of these immigrants could not afford wagons and livestock so they walked pulling what little belongings they had in handcarts. Many LDS Stakes reenact this trek with their young men and women to help them better appreciate the faith and sacrifices of the early Mormon settlers. Many of the youth find the trek to be a life changing event. They return home with a greater respect for early Saints and stronger faith in Jesus Christ's restored gospel. This trek was no exception . . .
When boy baby #5 was born, mom was disappointed that she did not get her little girl that she had waited so long for. The doctor told mom that she had to have a basketball team before she could have a cheerleader. Finally, after having 5 boys, with her 6th pregnancy, she got her cheerleader!
The older I get and the older my children get, the more I appreciate my Mom and all that she has done for me. She would always stay up late to make sure I got home safely from my dates and no matter how late it was, she would stay up and talk about how the date went. She put up with my teenage hormones and now that I am dealing with my own teenagers, I think she handled my ups and downs gracefully. I wish I could be as graceful. She taught me how to be frugal and how to stretch a dollar, a skill that has been very important in my marriage. She taught me about hard work. She taught me about motherhood and the importance of teaching my children correct principles. She has been an example to me in many things but the examples that stand out to me most are her examples of grace and respect for others. She has been an example of forgiveness. Her spiritual strength helps me to not give up during hard trials. I saw her make it through some really hard things, she always turned to her Heavenly Father for support and comfort, this is the best example of all! She has been a shoulder to cry on many times and someone that I can count on in hard times. I love you Mom!
