NOVEMBER 2022

We love sharing our mission with family and friends through our emails and social media, but it doesn't compare to seeing firsthand the beauty of this land and meeting the people.  We were so excited Rob and Miranda were able to fly ‘across the pond’ to visit us and introduce us to CAPRI! 

 It was a magical day at Lake Anna 2021 family reunion when Rob and Miranda announced they were going to have a baby!  
We were so happy for them and excited.  The very next day we received our mission call to serve in the England Manchester Mission and again we were so happy and excited…but then  we did the math.  We would be in England when this little one arrived.  We’ve celebrated her birth and getting to know her these past 11 months via FaceTimes and photos. Last week we drove to London to pick up this wonderful little family and spend a week with them here in Wales and England…a dream come true.  Capri was immediately happy to let us hold her, love her, and get to know her in person.  Rob and Miranda are amazing parents and it was special to watch them as new parents
CAPRI…
-Little fashionista!  Dressed each day in darling coordinated outfits complete with hair bows, matching shoes, coats and a winning smile. (Shouldn't surprise us since Miranda grew up with all sisters!)
-she discovered food while she was here, especially mushy peas!
-her favorite ‘toy’ was my missionary nametag, which she promptly pulled off each time I held her!  I have little teeth marks on a few of my tags, which are priceless.
-she is a little flirt, engaging anyone nearby with her smiles.  Sunday at church our ward was smitten with her!
-she was an incredible traveler. In a stroller or a baby pack, Capri ‘hiked’ multiple castle towers, lighthouses, beach islands, seaside cliffs and Rob got his daily ‘gym workouts’ toting her up and down lots of stairs and some pretty steep spiral staircases!

The weather cooperated fairly well and we loved showing them some of our favorite sites in Wales including Penryn Castle, Newborough Beach and Llanddwyn Island, Holyhead South Stack Lighthouse, Snowdonia National Forest, Conwy Castle, and Angle Bay to see new seal pups.  We had a special evening at dinner with Kev and Alicia Cooney and Damian and Denise Halligan…and we loved just sitting on our floor in our flat, talking together and playing with Capri.

Before returning them to London airport to fly back ‘across the pond’, we enjoyed seeing some highlights of London and surrounding areas including Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, Big Ben, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and Evensong, Buckingham Palace. It was Remembrance Day (similar to Veterans Day) and London was full of red poppies commemorating the sacrifices of those lost in war. Christmas lights were being hung on city street lightposts and storefronts  and it was…'beginning to look a lot like Christmas’.  Capri enjoyed her first Uber ride through London streets passing Harrods and upscale shopping (grandma and Miranda were aching to stop and shop for ‘just a minute’)  and then cruised on an Uber boat on the Thames…pretty impressive for an 11 month old!

All too quickly it was time for them to return home and for us to return to our missionary assignments, but we will never forget this magical week together.
(It was so hard to choose which photos to include from the 300 I took - and that isn't counting the 800 Miranda took!!)


































































































All worn out…sweet dreams until we see you again at Lake Anna 2023

Remembrance Sunday
Every year the Gaerwen Ward joins other churches at our town cenotaph to place poppy wreaths at its base, listen to remembrance words and prayers , sing hymns and express gratitude for those who fought and gave their lives for freedom.  
Proud to wear our poppies…and our missionary tags.








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