Can't Wait

So Camilla and Abbey and I are off. Tomorrow. So excited.

Hannah has big plans. We start off with meeting her for lunch on Friday with Steve Woodbury, our favourite neighbour, who is in D.C. for work. Lunch at the Congressional Cafeteria. Hannah eats alot of grilled cheese sandwiches there.

Probably too many!

Maybe a Capitol Tour on Monday. With our lovely tour guide. Also enjoyable.

And whatever else we can cram into our fun-filled weekend. I'll let you know what else we get to do and see.

I can't wait to see her. I missed her last night on CSPAN. She was in the corner against the back wall. I watched the Obama speech several times, but no sight of her.

I have my hands full this week - the judging for the Eagle Valley Middle School Art Contest is tonight - had to get that pulled together. Bought ribbon and waters and cookies and scrounged around for clipboards. I set up for that tonight. When I get back is the Art Show.

I do not know how to do an Art Contest & Show. How did I ever think I should put one together? Because I am crazy. Probably.

A Dudley Hat Trick x 2

Well a fun update on our athletic adventures. The other night all 3 kids scored a goal in the game they were playing. And then Danny went on to score 3 more goals of his own in the following game. This was Jack's first goal ever. A big night. It has been fun watching them all play hockey. I need to get some handwarmers for Abbey and I - maybe put them in our back pockets, cuz that's the part that gets the coldest!


What a week. I got people for camp. Finally!! I have two assistants who were certainly worth the wait. Camp is a ton of work, but I love it. And all my girls will get to go this year. So I am glad. I can hear Mom sighing, and hoping I am really doing okay and not trying to cram too much in. I am. I know it. Way too much. But it'll be good. My employer will probably let me slack off a bit!


Hannah is good. No, Hannah is great. Thank goodness other people post pics on Facebook so I can see her once in a while. I tried really hard to enlarge this picture, but I am incompetent. This is North Dakota and Florida - Sean on the left and Audrey on the right. I loved Audrey on the first day. She is a darling girl. She keeps offering to take Hannah shopping. So she could lose the blue sweatshirt. Hmm. How many times have I begged? (I am holding myself back from commenting on North Dakota's close proximity. Biting my tongue.)

Camilla, Abbey and I head out there on Thursday. We are excited. Hannah is ready to show us around town and I am so looking forward to that.

Abbey turns 12 in about 3 hours. She is a little disappointed that I cannot remember the exact minute of the 2am hour she was born. I was busy. I don't recall the exact time on the clock. I do remember that it was difficult and sweet and she was worth every second of hard labour.

If you know Abbey - and you all do! you know how sweet and kind and happy she is. Our family is blessed to have her. I am particularly proud of she has stepped outside of herself this year. Playing basketball and working hard to improve. Rebounding and shooting - she is playing great! Just saying 'No" to hockey, even though her dad kept persisting. Really coming into her own in middle school this year. Abbey is quite a girl.

Happy Birthday to you.

Abbey - now if I really loved you, I would decorate for you! Hannah where are you when I NEED you?

Miss Dudley goes to Washington

FINALLY

You've asked. You've waited. You've been patient.

Finally I have a post up about Hannah.

I have not been negligent.

I've asked. I've waited. I am no longer feeling patient. But Hannah is a busy girl. She's running packages. And seeing famous people. And eating breakfast at Crepes-a-go-go every Saturday morning.

Busy. No time to write home.

Poor girl.

Well, so for the long awaited post about our girl that we left in the D.C. What an adventure. I still can't believe we left her there!

First of all - what a weekend we had. Orientation to a whole new life. She lives in a Page Residence Hall just off Capitol Hill. Guarded by the Capitol Hill Police. Really - there is a police officer with any variety of transportation about every 40 feet. So that is a definite plus.

We toured the monuments at night. Beautiful. Truly Beautiful. And I am not much of a monument kinda girl. But, still.

We made a big Target run to the 2 story Target(!) and tried to get her everything she'd need. And lugged it all onto the Metro. With much success! And lugged it all back to our hotel. And nary a bag broke! I've not walked so much since my days in college. 10.6 miles in one day!

And then it was Sunday and we got her settled in her dorm room. Her first room-mate's name is Priscilla. From Florida. Her stuff is all pink and she decorates with alot of Victoria's Secret bags and lots of BIG jewelry. Not exactly a like minded girl, but I think things have been good. Her other roommate came later in the morning - she is from Boston and her name is Olivia. Again, maybe not a perfect fit, but I think things have worked out. They keep these kids busy and tired! Not much time to hang out in your room!

They swore them into office later that afternoon. Impressive to see all these beautiful kids from all of the country excited and nervous and raring to go. I was listening to Hilary Clinton be sworn into office later that week and they each said the same oath. Do no harm, yada yada yada. Not to diminish the importance of the oath of office, but we might be in better hands if these kids ran the country.
Tom left for home that afternoon and Hannah and I headed over to the Library of Congress for the Page School orientation. That was something else. To be in such a beautiful building - there really is a cool energy there. Her Principal - Mr. Sullivan is an interesting guy - school will be all about group discussion, read, discuss,think, group - George Wyeth sort of education. Hannah would like a work sheet. With math problems on it, thank you very much.

Her Bishop came to meet us that night, Bishop Scott Parker. He was wonderful. They traded cell phone numbers. And that was also wonderful. She will attend church about 7 walking blocks away at 10:00 am. I won't tell the grandparents that the church is behind locked bars. There are 2 other LDS girls - one from Utah, and one from Virginia. The girl from Virginia usually goes home on the weekends. I think Church has been a little unusual. There was a cross-dressing teenage boy there last Sunday. A little quirky, no?


I toured around on Monday by myself. Went to AT&T and got her set up with an air card, which has yet to work. Finding internet access has been difficult for her. Her dorm doesn't seem to pick up any signals. Tricky, but she seems to be managing. I'd like to have more communication with her, but she sounds good when we talk.

Maybe I'll just have to visit more often!

I saw the Holocaust Museum. And the National Gallery of Art. What an amazing city. It was beautiful and cold and I could have walked all day long. What am I saying? I did walk all day long!

And now I am home. I teared up on every phone call the first week. She sounded tired mostly. But now she sounds excited and confident. School is still not her favourite - mostly reading, but she is doing well. She has seen:

Barrack Obama - day 2

Blink 182 & Good Charlotte (bands, for those of you who don't know)

Katie Couric interviewing Nancy Pelosi

A real Shakespeare play (- as opposed to the fake stuff out here)

Denzel Washington

She can't wait to show Abbey and Camilla and me around the city. I think she has settled in!

Canada, eh?

Toronto Canada West Mission. Whew!

Definitely not what was expected, but how exciting is that?

What a strange day. Us here in Nevada, Tommy in Utah in his dorm room, Hannah out in D.C. I liked it when we were all together, but I couldn't be more proud or excited for them.

We are so proud of Tommy - he will be a wonderful missonary.

It's here!!!!

Okay - what we've been waiting for.

Tommy's mission call is here!

I can't believe he isn't racing down to the Cannon Center to rip it open.

He is actually going to wait till this afternoon.

Crazy.