Bonfire and BBQ

Last weekend (June 18th and 19th) we got together with some friends and family before we headed out to the east coast. We of course had to spend time with Amy and Jeff. They are our good friends. I have been friends with Amy since 7th grade and she is the best running buddy ever!! We went to Beer Can beach in Aptos and had a bonfire. We roasted marshmallows and sat around the fire. It was really freezing outside but once the fire started it up it got loads warmer!!

Amy, Alice, Kyle

Our last long run together before we move...I will miss you Amy!!!

Last Saturday we had my sister and her family over and my Grandparents too! We had a BBQ down by the pool and hung out. It was a lot of fun! I made Challah bread and Terrill did the BBQing...it was yummy!

Hudson you better not grow while I am gone...I love you baby!

Grammy

Sisters!

Seattle / Bellevue

On June 10th Terrill, Laurie and I flew up to Seattle to spend the weekend with Rudy. It was a lot of fun! We were able to see the sights and at the same time spend time with Terrill's Parents. Some of the activities we did were going to the Space Needle, Pike's Market, Dinner by the ocean, Shopping, Boeing Museum, Hanging out the in the apartment, going on nice drives and eating yummy food!

I had a huge project due for work so unfortunately I had to spend some of the weekend doing that. But luckily everyone was very flexible so it worked out...thanks everyone! Terrill and I really appreciate Laurie and Rudy for showing us the sites and planning so many fun things! We had a blast and Washington is really beautiful.

On the first day we visited the Boeing Facility and then went to dinner by the beach. (I forget what it was called) We also went to this awesome waterfall that gives off large amounts of mist. It was awesome!

Laurie and Rudy

The Mists are Beautiful! (and wet!)

The second day (Saturday) we spent at Pikes Market and the Space needle. Both were so fun. What I thought was fun about pikes market were all the different things for sale. There was a lot of interesting food, like flavored olive oil, jams, nuts and honey. The Space needle had incredible views and interesting history of the area.

Pikes Market

I forgot to mention that Terrill and Rudy went shooting. Later that night we also went bowling as well.

"What? Getting strikes are so easy"

Please note the score...ha!

Terrill Working in Chicago

Terrill has been on a project for a few weeks in Chicago. He flys out on Monday mornings and comes home on Thursday nights. The project is supposed to last 10 weeks. I miss him a lot during the week, but am grateful he has a good job! When talking with him, here are a few of his likes and dislikes about working there:

Likes:

• Nice views from the office
• Cool lightening storms
• Deep dish pizza
• Running on Navy Pier
• Learning new things on the project

Dislikes:

• Misses me
  
• Really humid
• Airport is far away from downtown
• No waves on the lake

John's Graduation / George & Jackies Wedding

On June 5th...my brother graduated from High School!! Can you believe it?? I can't. Just a little while ago he was a little boy I loved to tease...now he is six feet and I don't mess with him...haha! He graduated on Friday. The ceremony was short and sweet just the way I like it!! Then after that Terrill, me, my sister and my mom all helped volunteer for my brothers grad night!! IT was so fun and it made me very grateful that I wasn't in highschool anymore..haha! Terrill had to leave the next morning (Saturday) to go to George and Jackie's wedding. I stayed in Utah and helped my family with my brothers party and spend time with everyone. Overall the weekend was great for both Terrill and I.

Pics of Johns Graduation!

You did it John!!

Volunteering at Grad night and having fun acting like teenagers again. The volunteers kept thinking we were high school students, it was hilarious!

John - you are such a wonderful brother! You impress me with everything you manage to accomplish. I love that you are full of life. You have a great sense of humor and are fun to be around! I know you will accomplish so many wonderful things!!

Jackie and Georges Wedding:
I wasn't able to go :( but Terrill had a lot of fun so I am going to post some pics!

The happy couple! :) Jackie was a beautiful bride!


Laurie, George, Rudy and Terrill

Habitat For Humanity

On May 27th me a few of my co-workers did Habitat for Humanity. It was a lot of fun. Some of the things I did that day were:

• Digging a trench
• Nailing up boards on the deck
• Jack Hammering
• Sledge Hammering
• Taking down chain link fences

It was a ton of fun and great way to give some service to the community. I love doing Habitat because it teaches me valuable skills for when I own a home someday!!

Jen, Joelle, Me, Shilpa

So Fun!!

Go Joelle!

Jen D.

Jen Trainor

So towards the end of the day we were getting pretty tired. I was working with Jen Trainor nailing up a bunch of boards. We were getting kind of loopy so by the end of the day we were laughing at just about anything and singing songs....so fun!! I am going to miss all of my wonderful co-workers when we head out to the east coast!!

Dad's Funeral, Marathon and Family


Dad's Funeral

The funeral was so nice. We also had a viewing the night before. My cousin Henry did the programs. (thanks Henry...your the best!) My Aunt Kelly, Uncle Danny, Bob Haaga (dads best friend), Aunt Kathy and myself all spoke. There was a beautiful musical number by the walker family... "A Poor Waifering Man of Grief". It was wonderful. My Parents bishop gave the closing remarks. The spirit was so strong.






I just wanted to say thank you to all who came to the viewing and funeral and gave countless flowers and cards. Our family was so touched and it all truely helped us to be comforted.



Marathon

Terrill and I flew out to Utah immediatly at the news of my Dad's passing. My sis and I were scheduled to Run in the Ogden Marathon. One of the first things my mom told me was the she thought Dad would have still wanted us to run even though he had passed. My sis and I decided we were going to run it for him and give it our all! Below are some pics of the race. Terrill - you are an amazing husband who has supported me so much through this. Thanks for being there for me and thanks for cheering me one when running this race was one of the hardest times running ever!

Time: 3:46 (only 6 more minutes before I qualify for boston!)

My Dad always called me Divine and my sister Nick Nack

Me and my sis with Mom

My love

So I have to come up with new method for motivating myself to run marathons. I felt so sick after this one. I thought I was going to barf. It tried to eat along the way but I never feel like it. With all the anxiety and events of the week, I don't think my body liked me very much for running in the marathon. But don't worry, I am not stopping until I qualify for Boston!! I won't give up!!


Family

Thank goodness for family during a time like this. Although this has been a sad time and the whole time we were there, it was very overwhelming. We still found time to laugh and have fun together. My dad would have wanted it that way.

The whole fam and Bob Haaga (dads best friend)

The Beautiful Hoxie Family!

Dad's siblings and Parents (From right: Mary, Kelly, Kathy, Danny, Grandpa and Grandma)

Jason, Uncle Lane, Uncle John and Terrill

Aunt Mary, Mom, My sister Pam, Aunt Kelly

Grandma Barbie and Grandpa Bud

Mom and Baby Hudson

Aunt Krista and John playing with Baby Hudson

Dad

My dad was a very wonderful man. He was the best father anyone could have. On May 7th he passed suddenly from this earth. It was so unexpected for me. I was at work at the time when my mom broke the news to me. Just the night before Terrill and I talked with him and asked him about how his surgery had went and we both got to tell him we loved him. One thing he said to me was that he couldn't wait for me to come into his office and sit down next to him so we could just talk. Oh how I long for a chance to do that one last time.

On May 6th he went in for surgery on his neck. The surgery went well, he seemed to be doing fine. Then in the middle of the night he was having a lot of trouble breathing and his throat swelled shut and then his heart stopped. They tried to re-vive him for 40 minutes but had no luck.

Yes, this was tragic. But I don't want to dwell on the sadness for two long. There has been blessings that have come from this event. More than anything, I know that he still lives. Heavenly Father has a plan for him and for each of us. My dad is doing a great work on the other side and that I am sure. This experience has put an eternal perspective on my life. Here are somethings I have learned and am grateful for.

• Dad loved his family very much. He never judged me for my actions, he saw me for who I could become.
  
• Dad taught me to get to the heart of what really matters...our conversations weren't surface level. They were about the life and real issues that came up. I am so grateful for that.
  
• Dad wrote me letters, he would tell me how much he loved me and how proud he was of me. He used to say that even if I strayed from the gospel and make wrong choices, he would love me anyways.
• Dad loved my mom. He would always tell us that mom was so beautiful and the was the luckiest man to have her as his wife.
  
• Some of my favorite memories with my Dad were going dates with him, walking on the beach, talking, watching the 49ers play and him visiting Terrill and I in our little apartment.
  
• This life is one short piece in the God's eternal plan for us...so I need to live my life the best I can to return to heavenly father again and be re-united with my Dad.
• Don't sweat the small stuff. What really matters are the people around you and how you treat them. Life is too short to sweat the stuff that doesn't really matter.
• Since my Dads passing I have gotten a lot closer to my family.
• The Lord has a plan for each of us. He knows us and will take care of us in any situation we may be in.
• The gospel is true. The plan of salvation is true. God lives and has a plan for us all..

I will always cherish the times I had with my dad. I miss him terribly, but am so grateful for the gospel to know that I will see him once again. He was a wonderful man and I love him so much!