This letter will probably be subpar. I’m foggy.

As you already know, we drove up to Utah a week ago Friday and enjoyed the weekend with the Coles. Levi and Lincoln love their grandparents and aunts and uncles! You’ve already heard the rundown of the weekend, but I must note how grateful I am for the chance to go to the temple with Wes (always a special experience) and for your help with the boys. Levi is usually so scared of the initial whoosh down the slide; I don’t know what happened, but he’s “a big, brave boy!” now. Thank you.

Sunday night we played at my older sister’s house and put the boys to bed. Wes helped my little sister and her husband move a few big furniture pieces into their new house since Drew was scheduled to be in Hawaii with Air Force stuff all week. Then we drove through the beautiful mountains to Great-aunt Jeannine’s house and conked out in their hospitality. I took Wes to the airport (15 minutes away!) at 6:30 the next morning and he made his first international flight. To Canada. I returned to Jeannine’s and we powwowed about Grandma Wright’s journals. We’re making progress. After I finish all four years, we’ll insert all the pictures and send them off. Hurrah!

The whole reason for this trip was Wesley’s trip to Montreal for ACC (American Control Conference). He presented some of his building research that he did at UT, went to workshops, listened to presentations, and made a lot of connections. The people who listened to him present awarded him the best presentation of the session. Go Wes! Somehow he’s even part of preparing next year’s conference! He seemed to run into the right people every day! He roomed with another UT guy who is from Venezuela so they spoke Spanish for a few days.  He saw the temple. He went to a jazz festival. And he called every night no matter how late it was. I can keep myself distracted, but it’s always better to be together. I think I could pretty much do anything if he’s with me. He thought he booked his return flight to Denver for Friday night, but realized Thursday that he booked it for Saturday. I chuckled over this. The poor man needs some sleep! The delayed flight gave him a little rest time.

Wes’s story of getting to Montreal:  Before I flew my first leg to Dallas, my bag was checked because there wouldn’t be enough room on board.  I got to Dallas and found my next flight to Laguardia (New York) was delayed by several hours, so they immediately put me on a different flight to Laguardia.  Laguardia is an interesting airport.  Each terminal has its own security line, so when you leave one terminal to go to another you have to go back through security.  I went to the gate where the Montreal flights were to leave and they announced that all the Montreal flights were being canceled due to bad weather.  I waited in line for some time to get a rebooking and when it was my turn, the guy told me I was in the wrong place.  I was switching airlines, so my flight was actually leaving from another terminal (Brilliant! And I’m supposedly a Ph.D. student…).  Unfortunately, by this time my flight was already to have left.  I ran to the other terminal and passed through security for the third time all the while praying that my flight was delayed because of the bad weather and that my stupidity wouldn’t cost several hundreds of dollars.  Fortunately I showed up just as my flight was boarding.  Boy was that a relief!  I got to Montreal somewhat late, but I got there.  As a consequence of all the changes, however, my bag ended up in airport land somewhere and they told me I probably wouldn’t get it until the next evening.  I was blessed again—when I woke up there was a message for me letting me know my baggage had arrived.  It was nice to go to my meetings in clean, dress clothes as opposed to jeans and a t-shirt.  End of Wesley’s section.

While Wes participated in professional development, the boys and I partied with family. We spent most of Monday with Bodie and Grandma Stacy then zipped up to Preston. Tuesday we drove to Pocatello with Tressia (they love “aunt Tress”) to see Geran, Kathy, and Seth. Kathy spoiled us with a yummy lunch and lots of fun blocks. Seth is one determined little boy. He’s grown up so much! Lincoln loved the “BABY.” We stopped in to see my brother and his family. Jared came home from lunch to say hi; I admit this was one of the major highlights of the trip for me. I love watching him with his wife and kids. You can just tell they adore each other. Both of these homes have a nice feeling about them. Good to be there.

That night my mom threw a mini party for Levi’s birthday. My aunt and cousin came over. Lincoln generously bestowed kisses much to everyone’s delight.

Wednesday we went back to Logan, played with Bodie, swam in the pool, and adventured in general. Lincoln loves Bodie’s dog, Annie. He says, “Aaaa-eeee!,” shakes with excitement to pet her, and then revels in her fur. The only problem with this was when he decided to “SMASH” her toes. Levi started feeling sick that afternoon. I thought he was just travel worn (understandable). He cuddled, lost his appetite, and slept. That night he woke up, “My feet hurt!” So I rubbed his little feeties and told him Book of Mormon stories. He helped make up tales of two cowboys (Levi and Lincoln) who wanted to fly and figured it out. He loved it.

The next day, he perked up a little. We went to the tire shop when my uncle Dax basically robbed himself in putting super nice tires on our van. Next to ink on the page, tires have got to be the most comforting smell. Later in the day we visited great-Grandma and Grandpa Keller. The hay truck arrived. We watched the fork lift load the bales in the barn. We threw rocks in the stream, loved the cows, the heron, the horses. Grandpa filled them with yummy treats and Grandma played with them (I’ve got to learn to play).

Friday morning we played at the Knapp farm. Tressia and Hiram gave us the grand tour complete with fresh picked strawberries, swathers, combines, and baby cows. Lincoln heard a rooster and ran toward the sound until Hiram’s sister opened the coop. Hiram took Levi on an extremely short motorcycle ride which he loved and feared simultaneously. I understand the wonder of Cub River, especially when people like Hiram and Tressia are involved!

I knocked out during Lincoln’s nap. Lincoln caught whatever Levi had and whimpered for a few days straight. They both have coughs and congestion now. Levi didn’t want to wake me, so he went to the potty all by himself. He still needs a little assistance wiping, but he decided I needed sleep. He did very well! He only woke me when absolutely necessary: washing hands without a stool. Such a sweetheart.

We saw Grandpa Corrie and Grandma Stacy’s new house. Levi loved the construction stuff going on in the basement, as well as Irv the builder. Tools and wood and cement—does it get much cooler than that? Grandma took us to ice cream at Casper’s: a kiddie cone can feed multiple people! Try it. Love it.

In the midst of this, Grandma Buttars welcomed us into her home, endured the mess and noise, and received a lot of slobbery Lincoln kisses.

Yesterday, Grandpa Corrie drove all the way from Preston to Denver with us. As in, he drove, without even cringing at the “Little Red Caboose” song on the zillionth time. He told us a little about growing up, working in the tire shop, his job (now he’s been there a year!), and life. I love being with my dad. Poor man! He drove nine hours just to go straight on an airplane, fly to SLC, then drive two hours home! We bought some milk, put boys to bed, and 45 minutes later, loaded boys back in the van to return to the airport, and finally grab Wes at 11:30 p.m.

So we made it! What a week! Two more months before our next big trip! We’re glad we could see so many of you.

We love you.

Cole Crew

P.S. Joule has grown a ton. He’s stretching me in entirely new ways—creative fellow. I did start having contractions yesterday. This isn’t totally new since I start that pretty early anyway, but we’re hoping he gives us a while more before starting in earnest. Dilating a month early is fine. Four months early is not! 

 Bodie's house and life really make Levi happy. They're good buds.

 Gram Stace. I just want to make posters of this and give it to people. You should have seen her spin in it!

 Great-grandma Buttars and Lincoln reading. Lincoln loves Grandma.

 Feeding the ducks outside of Willow Park.

 This is mostly for Wesley and Megan. They wanted a prega picture. Ta-da!

 We love our aunts!

 Motorcycles=joy. I'm still learning what a chassis is...