Jorja's Home!

I picked up the girls at the meeting place at lunch time.  They drop/pick up the girls at some random church by Fashion Place Mall.  Jorja looked happy!  Safe to say, she had a MUCH better experience at Oakcrest than Maysen did.  Two of Jorja's good friends from elementary school were there.  Ava and Olivia.  They go to a different middle school, so it's been awhile since Jorja has seen them.  How fun is that?  Too bad they weren't in the same cabin.

Jorja, Ava, Olivia

Kate was also there.  I took her home as well.  I don't think Jorja knew Kate was going this week, so that was a happy surprise.  Jorja and Katlyn became pretty good friends with a girl named Sydni that was in their cabin.  She came without a roommate.  I'm glad they made her feel safe.

Kate, Jorja, Katlyn, Sydni, Shea

Jorja's counselor was named Cheerio.  Well, that is her Oakcrest name. The girls find out their real name on the last day.  Cheerio's real name was Timsyn, or something like that.  Jorja also got the "Incredible Includer" award.  That makes me happy and sounds like Jorja.  She seemed to like everything about Oakcrest.  She loved the food and bought a cookbook.  She bought a sweatshirt.  EXTRA LARGE!  That thing is huge on her!  Crazy Porge.  I hope Stockton and Willy have as good a time as Jorja did.

Thumbs Up for Chick-Fil-A

I spent the day catching up on laundry.  I also worked on a Christmas stocking I am hoping to finish this week.  I took Maysen shopping.  We got her bedding for college and a few other things.  I can't believe she is leaving in less than a week.  I think she will love it, but I'm sure going to miss her.  Mike didn't back until after 10.  He had a presentation he was asked to give.  Maysen and I got something to eat in the food court. I stopped by Chick-Fil-A to pick up something for Preston.  I ordered one 6 piece kids meal.  That was it.  When it was our turn, I handed the worker my card while he handed me the food.  He didn't take the card and said, "This one's on the house."  What?  I don't understand.  He said, "No charge, this one is on us."  I stammered thanks while I drove away.  That has never happened before!  I wonder how often Chick-Fil-A does that.  Pretty awesome.

April Hardcastle texted me this picture.  Well, her last name isn't Hardcastle anymore, but that is how I think of her.  Jorja went to Oakcrest with Katlyn and Gwen's ward.  Gwen is April's daughter.  On Thursday the bishops of the ward come up.  I was excited to get this picture.  April said she was told they were happy and talky.  Haha!

Mr. and Mrs. Bishop

Gwen, Katlyn, Jorja

Off to Oakcrest

I dropped off Jorja at Katlyn's house early this morning.  They are going to Oakcrest together.  I hope they have the best time.  It's gotta be better than Maysen's experience.  Katlyn's mom posted this from the drop off point.  They look pretty excited.

Jorja & Katlyn

Brett and Rachel left around lunch time.  Rachel sent me this picture of Maysen making macaroni.  She loves that pot!  It wasn't as hard to say goodbye to Brett and his family this time.  That is because we know we will see them in a week!

Maysen

Stockton and Willy played around here most of the day.  They played basketball and computer games.  I asked them if they wanted to go to Boondocks, but they were just fine right here.  That was nice because I was tired!

Anne's Selfies

Jorja taught Anne how to take selfies today.  Here are the results.

Anne

Plus about ten more that look just like that.  Matt and Sam came over so we could play two more games of Risk Legacy.  Matt won the first one.  I had all of North and South America and was doing awesome. He only had a few countries but was locked in constant battles and able to win.  Weird.  That's okay, I won the next game.  I was attacking Preston in order to win the game.  My dice beat his dice so I should have won. Instead Maysen used her rocket she had been saving and defeated me. I was still able to win, but it came down to my last guy.

I decided to let Jorja to go to Oakcrest with a different stake.  She is going with my dad's stake and will room with Katlyn.  She is thrilled about that.  I spent a lot of time talking to Jenny about it.  There are only two other girls that are in 7th grade.  Both weren't 100% sure if their daughters were going to go.  I didn't want Jorja to go by herself because Maysen had such a horrible experience.  I was extremely nervous for Jorja to go with girls she wasn't that familiar with either. Jorja has had a hard time feeling like she belongs in this ward.  On the way to my dad's church she said, "Everyone in our ward and in my Chinese class thinks of me as the shy one because they have known me for so long.  It is hard to get them to see me differently."  I guess it was a giant blessing that Jorja didn't have any classes with people she knew.  She sure has come out of her shell this year and is having a blast.

April Hardcastle was at the meeting.  Her daughter is Jorja's age as well.  I talked with her for a long time.  She has five girls and one boy. The boy is her 2nd oldest.  Just opposite my family.  We stood out in the snow as we talked.  If we were smart we would have moved two feet so we weren't being snowed on the entire time.  It was great catching up with her.  April married someone Mike and I went to high school with and someone Mike served his mission with.  She told me she has Mike's picture hanging up in their kitchen.  Only because it is a mission picture of Chad and Mike happens to be in it.  Ha!

It was really scary getting back home.  The roads were super slippery.  I was so relieved when we pulled into our driveway.  I even made it to the top!  Yay!