While we were home in September and October, we had many great opportunities to spend quality time with family and friends. This was a rare blessing we had not planned on in the middle of our mission.
We had great times together in Irvine with our Grandkids. Chuck brought his family to visit for the first time in years, from Virginia. We took them to visit our houme at 8 Alondra. (We rented it out for 18 months while we were to be serving our mission.) My heart was full as these little girls played in our backyard playhouse!
We shared many Gates Family Traditions…. Including Thrifty ice cream cones. //Ed bonded with his name sake... Eddie James Gates. (Chuck's first son, after three daughters.)
We spent 2 months bonding with and enjoying these 2 little sweethearts, Brooklyn and Zelda, who had just lost their Daddy… Ryan.
We gathered with our special friends from the Irvine 2nd ward, where Ed was a Bishop in the singles ward a few years ago.
We went to Utah for General Conference weekend. While we were there we attended our Mission Reunion. It was great to be with those wonderful Elders again and catch up on their lives.
We explored Pioneer Village and This Is the Place Monument in Salt Lake City with the Dittbrenners. I was excited to share their Pioneer Heritage with them.
We spent wonderful time with our Dad in Salt Lake. Then he announced he wanted to go back East with us to visit, on our way back to the Congo.
For four days, we enjoyed a stay with our East Coast kids at a big rented Lake House about half way between our Virginians and our North Carolinians. We played and laughed and talked and had a marvelous time together.
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