Fabulous Weekend

We had a great time this last Saturday. It was one of those unplanned, spontaneous things. Kristi wanted to meet Shawn and Stina to give them some things she had for their baby. They were planning on being in Cedar City to go to a play. So Kristi asked me to come over and meet with her, Dustin, Dalley, Shawn and Stina. I mentioned to Luke and Kayce that we were doing this and they said they had planned on going to Richfield or Cedar City on Saturday anyway because they needed to do some shopping. So they decided to come too. When Rocky heard they would all be there, he decided to come, too. So it was kind of an impromptu family reunion. Shawn and Stina decided not to go to the play so that they could spend more time with us. (Love those guys.) We spent some time at the Harvest Festival (maybe that isn't the right name, but it was some kind of Festival). Then we got some lunch and then went to the Discovery Park. The kids had a ball and we got to visit.
Lukie, from the minute we saw him, kept saying he wanted to go to our house. We told him that he hadn't brought any clothes, so he wouldn't be able to. And besides we told him that he would not have his costume to wear and he needed to be home for Halloween. He wasn't entirely convinced, but he was okay. Then Luke and Kayce thought it over and decided that Luke will take Friday off, so they will come to Hiko for Halloween. Then they went over to Walmart and bought Lukie some clothes for the week, including a church outfit. So we were all set and we brought him home. He is so fun. Ryan is enjoying him totally. In fact he watches him while I am at work. What a fun kid!!

I thought I would add a little history. I found these photos online--the one is Ira Stearns Hatch and the other is his children. I thought they were pretty cool when I came across them. Also, Shawn and I went to the library the other night and found a book called Ira Hatch: Indian Missionary. We couldn't check it out because it's in the history/reference section, but I have contacted the son of the guy that wrote it and hope to get a copy of it soon.
I can't believe we will have another addition to the Hatch clan in just 4 more weeks!
I hope you all are well.

with love,
Stina

I love Conference!

The two weekends a year that Conference is on are the two most wonderful weekends of the year. I spent most of my childhood and teenage years hating that time. It meant sitting for HOURs bored to tears. Well, when I got married and started my own family I sat down to watch conference and found that it wasn't boring at all. In fact it rejuvenated my spirit and made it easier to go ahead with all that was going on in my life. I learned to love the General Authorities and their love for us. I learned that I ALWAYS get some counsel that I have been needing.
It seems that when you have to work hard to have something, then it becomes even more dear to you. These past few years with sports events being in the way a lot of the time and preventing my watching on Saturday, I yearned to be able to have my time again. Well, now that the sports part of my life is over, I got to watch ALL four sessions without any interruption. And not only that, but the great invention, the Digital Video Recorder, it is even better. If I want to catch something I missed or my mind wanders a little, I just hit rewind and go back and get it. I LOVE IT!
This past Conference was awesome. I had Kristi and Dalley here and they watched the first session with me. Dalley was an angel, by the way, and slept through it all. Then Shawn and Stina came for the second session. It was Shawn's birthday (Kristi's was the day before), so we took him, Kristi, and everybody else out to dinner at Windmill. The men were all dressed up to go to the Priesthood Session afterward. It rained really hard as we went to get in our car. However, it was kind of sad because the men got in to the church, sat down, the prayer was said and the opening prayer give, and then the power went off. So they didn't get to see that session.
Of course Sunday was just as wonderful. Then everybody went home. I felt totally rejuvenated and ready for the next six months. (I can hardly wait for April to come, though)