A New Chapter in the Book of Life

If I had a nickel for every time an experienced mom said to me, "cherish every moment, they just grow up too fast" I'd be rich.  Well, I am rich.  Richly blessed with 5 wonderful kids. And I would gladly trade that 5 cents for 5 more minutes with them while they were little.

I'm not sure how or when it happened, but my little girl with the blond bob, that put on weekly talent shows, sang Sound of Music at the top of her lungs and wrote church talks for fun, grew up.

Now she will be showing off those talents at BYU, singing "Rise and shout, the Cougars are out" at the top of her lungs, and writing church talks for real!

It has been an emotional roller coaster getting ready for this day.  One minute we are crying over the fact that she will be gone, and the next minute just so happy with excitement for all that awaits her.  It helps that she is so excited and has seen the reward for all her hard work.

We loaded up the car with 7 people, one dog, everything we could fit from Kennedy's room and a 25 gallon tub full of cowboy boots and headed to Utah!

We spent the first few days in Utah with Grandma C.C.  The kids were so excited to get to her house and play games.  We did get in a few card games and had some good visits with all the Rushing family in Utah.  Our trip to Utah was scheduled for two weeks, except for Scott.  He was only staying one week and then flying home in time for church and work.  He was a busy boy that one week between visiting with both sides of the family and Education Week at BYU.

Grandma Bethany threw a big pool party that first weekend we were in town so Scott could see as many people as possible.  It was fun to catch up with my Aunts and Uncles, cousins and family friends.  We also got to meet Brittany's newest addition, Isaac for the first time!

Then as usual, all the Stewarts and several of the Seals, spent our first Monday out there at Lagoon.  According to my kids, this is "the happiest place on earth".  Someone ought to let Disney know.  Down Syndrome day at Lagoon always falls on the first day of Education Week, meaning we are usually in town!  It was especially fun this year because everybody could do any ride they wanted.  No weight or height restrictions for this family anymore!  

The bigger kids were looking forward to the sky coaster ride.  They say it is the best ride there, which is why I guess they can charge and extra $15 for the ride.  Kennedy started in right away with Scott about how they needed to do this one last time for bonding.  She knew exactly how to get him to pay for it!

Then to my surprise, all the kids wanted to do it!  Unfortunately, someone had to stay behind to take photos and being the self-less person I am...

Then Heather and Gavin made another one of Kennedy's wishes come true by taking the kids boating.  Kennedy LOVES to wake board, and that opportunity doesn't happen very often when you don't have a boat and live in the NW with glacier waters.  Will was off to a Diabetic Camp that day with his cousins Ryder, Cameron and Grace.  It was good having so many people help entertain the kids for us all week long while Scott and I were at Education Week.  It felt really good to be back there again after missing last year.  

Then if boating weren't exciting enough, we got invited up to my Aunt and Uncle's cabin to go four-wheeling.  That was fun because I hadn't been up to their cabin since they first bought it like 20 years ago.  I found it interesting that both my licensed drivers, Kennedy and Cassidy had to drive the only four-wheelers that were automatics while Karsyn drove the manual one.  Will had fun riding around with grandpa.  I know it wore him out, but we were glad he managed as well as he did at that higher altitude and being so active.

When the kids weren't outside having fun, they spent all their time in the cabin with Buck, the talking deer.  There was a microphone in another room you could speak into to make Buck talk.  We had to get Kennedy's photo with Buck.  "Buck" is Kennedy's alter ego.  For some reason, she started this in high school.  She makes this awful buck- teeth grin.  Then to make it even scarier, sometimes she will lean forward and reach her long arms out and up behind her.  Everyone at school knew this was "Buck" and loved when "Buck" showed up somewhere.

Will has been lucky enough to be there for almost all of Cameron's birthday parties since his birthday is at the end of August.  But then he has a hard time understanding why Cameron and all his other cousins can't come to his birthday party just 6 weeks later.  This was a special birthday since Cameron turned 8!  Then just after we left town, Cameron got baptized and Kennedy was able to go and represent our family!

Then just because we hadn't done enough already, we went to Raging Waters water park.  We met the Seals there since they had season passes.  That place was packed!  It was the last day before SLC schools started up again and everyone in town had the same idea.  The kids had a great time until a quick storm rolled in.  Before you knew it, it was dark, windy, and raining.  Then just as soon as it came in, the storm left.  But unfortunately, the staff was all leaving as well.  They saw the quick storm as a nice excuse to close down the park for good and sent us on our way.

But more than anything, the kids just swam, swam and swam some more.  The boys got some much needed swimming lessons from Uncle Blake and the girls got some much needed sun!

Kennedy was to report to BYU one week before classes actually started.  She had been invited, along with 300 other freshman, to attend  a 3 day BYU Leadership Camp up at Aspen Grove.  They invited certain incoming freshman, that showed leadership skills and qualities on their applications, to join them.

We thought it would be a great opportunity to meet other freshman and get acquainted with ways to serve at BYU.  She ended up absolutely loving every minute of it!  

So on our last day in SLC with Kennedy, all the Stewarts met up at a park for dessert, drinks and good-byes.  Then we were off to check into her dorm and send her off to camp.

We did a quick move-in job, surveyed the scene, then headed off to get her BYU student card, all before sending her on her way to Leadership Camp.  

After Leadership Camp and before leaving for home, I drove the other kids up to Provo to see her dorm and say good-bye.  We walked around campus with her to find all her classes, finished unpacking, made a quick grocery store run and then did the dreaded good-byes.  I'm not going to lie, there were some tears.  But nothing like there would've been if Scott had been there.  I think he had it planned like this all along, knowing that he couldn't handle saying good-bye at the dorm.  You would think he would've run out of tears from all the crying leading up to this day, but somehow he always managed to find some more.  It is a weird feeling leaving your child on their own when you are so used to being such a part of their everyday life.  Life is starting to change for the Rushings.  I just have to remember that change isn't always bad...it's usually hard, but also necessary for us to progress.  And Kennedy has so much potential.  I guess it is time to let her show us just how far she can go.