Graduations

It was a time for graduations in Utah last week. Congratulations to Taylor and Aubree! I had such a great time celebrating and visiting with Aubree's family - especially Mandee and her two little miracle boys. I also got to see Dennis and Rosemary and Don and have a traditional yummy Payson dinner. It seems like there is never enough time to do all that we would like to do, but it's fun to try.
Several years ago, when my father passed away, Dallin H. Oaks came to his funeral and told my mother that my father was having his "graduation day". While in Utah last week, my cousin Willard Dixon had passed away and at his funeral we again visited with Dallin H. Oaks. He came running up to my brother, Dennis to give him a great big hug and so I asked if I could take a picture of the two of them. He said, "of course" and so here is the picture. The two of them had been friends in high school. Dennis was a star basketball player and Dallin was the sports announcer. When Dallin's daughter asked her father if the two of them got into trouble together, he replied,"no we got into trouble separately". While speaking at the funeral for Willard, his brother-in-law, Elder Oaks spoke of the resurrection and said how not a single hair of our heads would be lost. He said that means more to some of us than others. This is a picture of my cousin, Leslie. Her mother, Aunt Beth is sitting down. Aunt Beth is my only living aunt on my father's side of the family. (Actually she is my only living aunt.) She is getting up in years, but is still going strong and is as sharp as ever. We seem to cross paths now and then and it is always such a joy to see her.