Homecoming in Arkansas

Over the summer when Lucy went to FSY she meet up with Taylor Conran.  Taylor's parents were friends of ours in our BYU ward.  His mom Lori and I were friends and spent many days floating around the pool in her apartment complex trying to keep cool during the last months of our pregnancies.  The Conran's lived in St. Louis a few years ago and then moved away.  They then moved back and lived here for a few years recently.  They were in the St. Louis stake and Lucy and Taylor would see each other here and there at stake dances.  It wasn't until this summer at FSY when they really became friends.  They hung out a bunch and then after FSY his family moved to Arkansas, just outside Bentonville.  Lucy and Taylor continue texting and talking with each other.  He invited her to come down and go to homecoming with him.  She was so excited, and we decided to make the trip down with her.  We left Friday as soon as I got done with work.  We got there in time to catch the last half of the football game.  

Saturday morning, we got up and headed to the Bentonville Temple to do baptisms.  The temple opened just a few months ago.  We wanted to come down for the open house but couldn't make it work.  I am so glad Lori thought to make reservations to do that. I loved seeing the inside of the temple.  Even if it was just a small part of it.  It is beautiful and I loved the dark wood, beautiful stained-glass windows and colors they used inside.  They had beautiful yellow and blue painted details on the ceilings by the woodwork.  The walls were also painted a light blue.  The temple seemed colorful and cheerful, also warm and very welcoming like a home should be. After the temple we dropped Lori off at a football game for their youngest.  We headed to Bentonville to find a store.  We didn't find the store but enjoyed walking around the farmer's market.  We bought some flowers to make a corsage and boutonniere for the dance.  We went home and then had lunch and relaxed.  JJ had a conference all weekend.  That was part of the debate of who should take Lucy.  We figured JJ could just hang out and do his conference in our room all weekend but still be there to visit in the evenings.  He wouldn't be available to help Lucy get ready or anything so I figured I should come.  Plus, I wanted to be there, and it was fun to visit with Lori.  Lucy got ready, I squeezed in a little nap and then visited with Lori while she made the flower arrangements.  We both helped Lucy with her hair, Lori loved that having 4 boys. We then headed to the college campus for some pictures.  I was happy to see Lucy enjoying pictures with a date.  Every dance she has gone to she has just gone with a group.  This was a fun experience for her to have a date.  They forgot their flowers so after dinner they were going to have to stop by the house for them.  They headed to dinner with a group.  We decided to treat Matt and Lori to dinner that night too.  We headed to a Mexican place they had been wanting to try.  It was fun to catch up with them.  After dinner we saw the kids were just getting to the dance.  We decided to pull in and watch them walk into the dance.  It was funny to be spying on them.  We went home and Lori made snacks for the kids to have after the dance.  They didn't stay at the dance long, they said it was lame.  They came back to the house and hung out there.  They had two fun barns/sheds that the kids hang out in.  One has a basketball court and a big weight room.  The other one is open, and they have a TV out there with some air hockey tables and turf for the boys to play sports on.  It is such a fun set up for their family.  They love hosting people over and encourage the boys to invite their friends over.  We stayed up chatting and went to bed late.  

Sunday morning, we got up and ready to hit the road.  JJ was still on his conference call all day and we figured it would be best to get home back to the boys. We knew my dad was leaving after church because he had to get back to his church building for tithing settlement. We walked out with Taylor to feed the pigs and then they headed to church, and we headed home.  It was a quick weekend, but we all had a really nice time.  It was a lot of work and a long way to go for this, but we knew it would mean a lot to Lucy.  It will hopefully always be something she will remember.  She was thankful we took her and allowed her to go.  We would love to come back down another time and bring the boys and our bikes.  There are some awesome biking trails in that area just minutes away from their house.  It would be so fun, and our boys would have such a fun time with their boys.  We got home late afternoon, and the boys were happy to see us.  Garrett told me he turned into me.  He packed snacks when they went to the football game, he took pictures of them at the fall festival and football game, and he had to help with Nolan and tell him to go to bed.  It made me laugh.  That evening we worked together getting the Halloween decorations out and up around the house and yard.