SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU???

Recently I have been trying to picture in my head, with some assistance from Google Maps, just where in the world Chase actually is? And then the next thing I know, WAHBAM! I get this wonderful picture of him showing me "EXACTLY" where he is! I feel much better now knowing! Thanks Elder Wilson:) The first area he has been assigned to serve in since arriving in Denver is Littleton, CO. He says that it is pretty much like "Grandma Ashment's" neighborhood. LOTS OF HILLS! He is mostly riding his bike. I hope that he remembers that what goes UP must come DOWN, eventually! You can't go uphill both ways, unless your 70+ years old and then it is always "uphill both ways, in a snowstorm". The blessings of YOUTH! He wrote us about his Trainer who he almost called "ELTON" John instead of "ELDER" John....only Chase would make his first companion into a ROCKSTAR!

HELLO!!!

Wednesday the 27th of January was the day that Chase left the MTC and traveled to the Salt Lake City airport to fly to Denver:) He sent us a letter that week and told us that he could call us from the airport and talk to us before his flight left. Needless to say we were all "WAAAAYYY EXCITED"!!! Just another excuse to have a tea party, RIGHT? His flight was scheduled to leave at 8:20 so we figured he would call pretty early. A friend of ours worked for Delta and he offered to go to the airport and take a couple of our cell phones to Chase (one for him to use and the other for the other missionaries flying out at the same time to use so that they would all have a chance to talk to their families) and take a treat to Chase and some pictures of him and he also waited until Chase left and then he brought back the phones, took some pictures of Chase and his companions for us and delivered Chase's SD camera card that was already full. So nice of Him! Thanks MIKE:) Charity and Chambrae and Chad and the kids came out at six and we "WAITED" in anxious anticipation for the phone to ring. TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK. Why does time seem to stand still when you can't wait for something so exciting to happen? He called us around 6:45 a.m. and we talked and talked and talked, until about 7:50!! It was so good just to hear his voice. He was a little bit nervous and still sick but he sounded great!! It was absolutely one of the very best phone calls we have ever received!!

CURBSIDE DROPOFF?

Okay, so that may sound fabulous for dry cleaning, laundry services and really heavy packages! But for MISSIONARIES, Really? The recent swine flu outbreak was the culprit in the instigation of this "new" delivery method for missionaries arriving at the Provo MTC!! Chase was absolutely thrilled when he learned about the "3 minutes or less" curbside delivery!! Me, not so much.....at first! But, when it finally came time to actually to "drop" him at the curb I was a little bit relieved to be honest and could actually see the wisdom in the change. For me the final days and hours leading up to Chase's mission departure date on January 6th, 2010 were a lot like having a very sticky bandaid pulled off "REEEAALLLYY" slow........OUCH:( It has been a very happy, little bit sad, spiritually uplifting, emotionally draining, up and down roller coaster like ride. But with all of that said, I wouldn't want it any other way! I am so happy for Chase and also very proud of him. I know that he will be an amazing MISSIONARY!
"Give 'em a little bit of HEAVEN there in Colorado" Elder Wilson!!

IT'S OFFICIAL!

ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 5TH 2010, PRESIDENT ALLRED SET CHASE APART AS A FULL TIME MISSIONARY FOR THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS!! IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE EVENING. WE ARRIVED AT THE STAKE CENTER AT 8:00 AND PRESIDENT ALLRED SPENT SOME TIME VISITING WITH US AND GIVING US "ADVICE" AND ASKING BRUCE AND I TO GIVE CHASE SOME "ADVICE". A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT PRESIDENT ALLRED COUNSELED CHASE TO DO WERE FIRST, TO ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT HE WAS ON THE "LORD'S ERRAND" ! AND SECOND, TO BE "STRICTLY OBEDIENT" TO THE MISSION PRESIDENT AND THE MISSION RULES"!

BRUCE COUNSELED CHASE TO "BE HIMSELF" AND "REMEMBER WHO HE WAS" AND I COUNSELED HIM TO REMEMBER THAT HE WAS "DIVINE BY BIRTH" AND THAT HE HAS A HEAVENLY FATHER WHO KNOWS HIM INDIVIDUALLY AND WHO LOVES HIM!!!

AT THE END OF OUR VISIT IT WAS TIME FOR CHASE TO BE "SET APART". THERE WAS SUCH A TREMENDOUS FEELING OF LOVE AND THE SPIRIT WAS SO STRONG AS HE WAS SET APART AND GIVEN A BLESSING BY PRESIDENT ALLRED. IT WAS A REMARKABLE AND POWERFUL EXPERIENCE. THE POWER OF THE PRIESTHOOD IS SUCH A MARVELOUS GIFT! HOW AMAZING IT WAS TO HAVE BRUCE AND CHAD TAKE PART IN THE CIRCLE AS CHASE WAS BLESSED! AND HOW GRATEFUL WE WERE TO HAVE ADRIAN THERE WITH CHARITY SUPPORTING US AND CHASE! THANKS FAMILY!

WE RECEIVED PERMISSION FROM PRESIDENT ALLRED TO MAKE AN AUDIO RECORDING OF THIS SPECIAL NIGHT. CHAMBRAE RECORDED THE ENTIRE EVENING SO THAT CHASE WILL HAVE A RECORD OF IT ALWAYS. THANKS SISTER:) IT WILL BE A STRENGTH TO HIM NOT ONLY WHILE HE IS SERVING AS A MISSIONARY BUT THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE. WHAT A MEMORABLE NIGHT!!

FIREARMS! FOOD! FUN! FAMILY! FAREWELL!

FIREARMS....Check! We have lots and lots of shotguns and Chase bought the shells!! Everybody had a chance to shoot! Well, except Charity because she was still recovering from surgery to her broken arm! She was there to cheer us on though! Chase impressed all of us, old and young alike, with his spectacular accuracy and finesse! Adrian & Chad shoot like the mighty hunters they are! Bruce just loved watching the family have fun shooting together and he was the official Ready, PULL...."Skeet" launcher! Cham and I gave the boys a run for their money and personally, I think we "OUTSHOT" them all; but that's just my own opinion!!

FAMILY.....Check! Only the best family in the whole wide world!! Bruce, Kristy, Chambrae, Charity,CHASE,Chad, Adrian, Daxten, Hadley, Mason and of course Duke and Bo!!! Booh Rah!!

FUN.....Check! Who wouldn't have fun doing this together? We started early in the evening and went through a ton of shells. We laughed when "someone" accidentally loaded a 410 shell into the 12 ga.???? We laughed when we made enough "ruckus" that the sherriff showed up in front of our house....BOY DID WE SHOOT A LOT OF SHELLS!! We laughed as we watched each other succeed and fail! It was a super, great activity made so much more enjoyable because we did it together as a FAMILY!!! It doesn't get any better than that!

FOOD.....Check! Chambrae and Charity took care of everything! Homemade Breaded Chicken Bites with BBQ sauce and honey, Breaded stuffed cheese jalapeno peppers, Shrimp and homemade southern style banana pudding......YUM YUM YUM. The way to a Chase's heart is most definately through his stomache! Good job girls he most certainly LOVES YOU....they even did all of the cooking and clean-up!

Just two good ole' boys and their guns!

FARWELL.....Check! It's not really Farewell its just "Bon Voyage & Good Luck" for now and we'll see you again REALLY soon!!! We just couldn't send you off without one last, big, whooping, hollering, eating, laughing, freezing, fun, country like Family SHINDIGGY!!! SEE YA AGAIN REAL SOON:-D

Snow Snow Go Away...Come again another day!

The morning of January 30th was the date chosen for Chase's endowment at the Bountiful Temple! Our appointment was scheduled for 8:30 with the session beginning (with his guests) at 10:00. We got up bright and early and to our surprise.....we had been socked with a giant winter storm!!! We needed some extra travel time because neither the roads nor the freeways had been cleaned, but as is usually the case it was not to be. I lost my car keys and we spent what extra time we had searching for them! Luckily we finally found them but our journey to the temple was slow going! We had to travel at about 10 miles an hour most of the way! There were lots of cars off the road but thankfully we were not one of them. We arrived a bit late but in tact! It was a really exciting day for Chase! He found himself surrounded by family and friends that loved and supported him.


What a joy it was to be in the House of the Lord on this special day with him! After the session we snapped a couple photos so we could remember this remarkable day and then went with Chad and Chambrae and Becky and Nate to Pei Wei for lunch. What a beautiful day it was. It was one of those days that will never be forgotten! We are happy that you are worthy and have received the blessings of the Temple for yourself Chase! Thanks for letting all of us share in this special day with you.

WE LOVE YOU!