The Bryan Family Sampler: April Odds and Ends

I believe it was either January or February that Andy told me there was going to be a big to-do at the Institute on my birthday and a couple of apostles would probably be there.

It wasn't necessarily my first choice of how to spend my birthday but it could also be kind of special so I decided to start looking for a new dress for the occasion.

A few weeks before the event Andy broke the news to me that unlike what we had assumed, he wasn't sure I would be invited. We had just assumed I would be a part of things since I always am when guests come. This was a little different though...a meeting for the board of education and they just wanted to have it in our new building. Elders Gong and Renlund and Sister Johnson wanted to meet and have lunch with some of the student leaders and do a very short devotional for the student body but other than that they would just be in meetings all day. Andy was very stressed about making sure everything was in order and prepared for them. They announced the devotional a few days before the event and Andy got a call from the new commissioner's office and was basically chewed out for publicizing it even though they had been told they could make it public....were they supposed to not publicize it and have no one show up?

Anyway, it was kind of a thing.

Also a couple of days before, Andy told me he still didn't know if I was invited. I told him not to ask and I would just assume I was not.

He told me to still come to the devotional even though I wouldn't be on the stand like usual. It was only supposed to be half an hour and honestly, for my birthday, it sounded more pleasant to just stay home and do what I wanted to do rather than running around in the middle of the day for a 30 minute devotional.

I almost stayed home but realized I didn't want Andy to feel unsupported in this big event that he had spent so much time and effort on so I went with Matt. We got there before the doors were supposed to open and found the event space to be completely packed already! It was raining and they felt bad for the long lines of students waiting to get in so they opened the doors early.

There were a few rows up front that were reserved. That's where Andy had told us to sit but I felt bad since literally no one else was sitting there yet. I thought other members of the faculty would have their family members sitting there but apparently not...Matt and I took a seat and eventually a group of a few girls came and sat next to us...I don't know how they got to sit there but the one right next to Matt was super friendly and she chatted with him for quite a while since we had almost an hour to wait.

I tried to get a picture of just how full it was but I wish I would have had Elder Checketts take it for me and get a higher view to show the depth of the crowd.

The choir had the opportunity to sing for the guests during their lunch so they came walking in a short while before it started...

Another attempt of trying to see how crowded it was but I was too embarrassed to really get a good shot.

The student leaders that had been at the luncheon came in and sat in our area and then Andy walked in with all of the distinguished guests. It was hard to get a good picture of them without being obvious.

I think this is just how Andy looks on the stand when an apostle comes...worried :)

The devotional went well. We started 5 minutes early and ended 5 minutes early. All three of the guests spoke and kept it very short.

Clint Mortensen came over afterward and wished me a happy birthday.

I can't remember what else I did that day.

At the beginning of the month, Andy had gone and visited Mike Lindhardt at his home.

He was dying of cancer.

He had been my advisor when I was the Classroom Enrichment Committee VP on LDSSA my junior year of college (also while I was dating Andy)

He was assigned elsewhere not long after and ended up in the south as a mission president about 8 years ago while his son in law was in Andy's preservice program.

They learned he had cancer and sent him home early for treatment. He was doing really well when he rejoined the Logan Institute faculty the same year Andy was made the director.

He did great for about 3 years and then, last year around the holidays, he started going downhill.

Andy had a precious experience with him during this visit. He passed away a few days later and we attended his funeral a few days before my birthday.

He was such a good man and I love this picture!

Matt had a pair of jeans that had a rip he wanted to repair. I helped him find a video that showed him how. He did it and then got super interested in all kinds of other ideas of what to do with jeans!

He acquired an old sewing machine from T and started experimenting.