Three Generations of Beautiful Women...Grandma Carolyn, Mama M'Recia and daughter Allie...M'Recia and Allie had just spoken in their Sacrament Meeting and it made their parents and grandparents proud... Allie 'entertaining' Katelyn...The oldest and nearly the youngest of 'The 27'...wonder where that number will end??? Sunday Dinner at the Clawson's home with all the Las Vegas contingency...Six Clawson's, Three Tyler Ritchie's and nearly Three Jonathan Ritchie's...(two weeks to due date on #27)...
The Next Generation of Ritchie Management - back in my day when we had a board meeting (we usually spelled it Bored Meeting) we th0ught you had to wear a coat and tie, but today's excecutives 'make their mark' dressed pretty casual...Michael Klein (BYU JD/MBA), Jayson Newitt (BYU MBA), Brent Ritchie (BYU/UofU), Rob Heywood (BYU), Paul Ritchie (BYU MBA), Ryan Ritchie (BYU). Looking over an Arizona land deal from the benefit of a heliocopter...the land is near this hotel resort where the San Francisco Giants used to Spring Train - notice the swimming pool shaped like a baseball bat... Some of the 3000 acres under 'due diligence'...amazing world we live in...
87th year, bad knees, constant siatic nerve pains, carpal tunnel fingers, insulin dependent, cancer survivor, beginning renal failure, cataracts, hearing slipping away...but still does numerous baby sitting for the great grandkids, pink lady at the hospital, works out three days a week at the Fit Stop pool, never misses a funeral of her classmates and friends, 100% visiting teaching, visits her sick friends in the 'rest home', Senior Citizens active, widow of two years, does her own grocery shopping, puts on a spectaclar Christmas party for her grandchildren and great grandchildren...but hates to drive after dark... McKay Ritchie and Samuel Heywood like coming to 'play ball' with her...
Eighteen Homemade African Dolls complete with baby strapped on back arrive from their four week airplane ride...one for each of our eight 'daughters' and ten granddaughters...each of the seventeen grandsons and eight 'sons' got an African homemade Kente Tie...(kind of a meager gift compared to the doll - but everyone was nice and didn't make a scene - could have been ugly if we would have had mean grandsons). Wisdon's famous (famous all over Ghana for his wood carvings) handcarved Noah's Ark and Natitivy Scenes also arrived safely, sixteen sets, enough for all eight familes to have one set of each...
Ryan, Jessica, Jackson, Madison, Chase and Cole Ritchie visit on Valentines Day and pick up their African Dolls, Kente Ties, Hand carved Noah's Ark and Nativity Scenes - oh, and a Grandma Carolyn homemade Cupcake... The Clyde Boys (and Mother Adrienne) come over for their cupcake and African goodies....Curt (the father) along with Caden, Devan, Trevor and Heath... The Paul and Angela Ritchie boys are enjoying their cupcakes...Bryson, Garrett, Tanner and McKay Valantine Day or Halloween??? Savannah Heywood and her friend come to model their 'bunk bed' wrappings - new fashion opportunity - and Ritchie gives his approval for their picture to be published on the Valentine Blog...
"Elder" Trevor Clyde celebrating his fourth birthday
Missionaries need to have birthdays too...Trevor Clyde (yellow jersey) is surrounded by his three 'missionary' brothers, his mom and dad and both of his grandmothers...Sisters Clyde and Ritchie...
"Zone Conference" in Las Vegas with the Clawson, Ritchie and Ritchie Districts...
Our New "Zone Leader" for the Las Vegas Zone...Tyler Ritchie who is also the newest Elders Quorum President in the church - he had the whole zone over to his home for breakfast... The Clawson District, Allie, Chas, Brigham and Dane along with their Great Grandma Orton, Grandma Carolyn and Katelyn a 'recent' convert belonging to the Zone Leader, President Tyler Ritchie... We must have an interview...this sister, Sister Eliza Ritchie obviously has had problems with at least one of the mission rules... "Elder and Sister" Jonathan and Eliza Ritchie along with Katelyn and the grandma's... President Tyler and his family Emily and Katelyn in the kitchen where they prepared an incredible German Pancake breakfast for the entire zone... A missionary can't be expected to perform at his/her best without good grub...you can tell by the contented faces and slicked up plates that they will be having a good day of 'tracting' today...it just doesn't get better than this...
One of our best "Missionary" Familes...I was getting them used to the 'water' (every missionary needs to know the techniques of baptism) - they seemed to be fast learners and took to the 'lesson' quite rapidly... Some more 'lessons'..."Sisters" (literally), Meagan, Kinsie, Sydney, Kylie (birthday girl) and Kendee with their "Mission President" (New Mission Handbook with new 'water' rules and 'arms length' restrictions)... Four Generations and an interloper in law...Grandma Orton, Grandma Ritchie, Mama Michelle and Birthday Child (12) Kylie Parker (oldest daughter of Chad and Michelle) The nicest part of a birthday party...Strawberry shortcake
Grandma Carolyn teaching Devan, Heath, Trevor and Caden the finer points of how to love your companions... Grandpa Jim teaching the importance of always having a missionary Smile (Heath is not so sure he wants any more missionary 'lessons')...
Prepartion Day Birthday Party on Chase's First Birthday
Grandpa Jim and Grandma Carolyn with Chase - the birthday lad - (his number one) and Madison, Cole and Jackson at the Ryan and Jessica Ritchie home. the Birthday Cake with love and kisses from mom and dad... Almost the entire family - where is Cole?
Devan Clyde, pictured here with his father, Curt, (and the Savior) was the first baptism of our new mission (Mission to our Grandchildren - a calling we received after only two hours home from Africa). He was a very wlling candidate and had been taught all the 'lessons' in the Clyde District so our part was pretty easy - all we had to do was to show up and then help feed 'the 3,000' at our home after the 'big event' . Devan will be accompaning us on a special zone conference/ Preparation Weekend to Palmyra in June along with some of his cousins who were baptised while we were in Africa. Here are some of Devan's cousins practicing for a special song they were asked to sing at the baptismal service. More than half of his cousins couldn't be here for the baptism as they had just been to Heber the week before to attend the 'welcome home' festivities of the Africans - two trips from St. George and Las Vegas in eight days was more than school and work would allow... Here's the 'big production' as they sang at Devan's baptism...Devan later bore his testimony, first time as a full fledged member.We were proud grandparents and missionaries... This was the first big step to his Etnernal Life, next is Deacon, Teacher, Priest, Patriarchial Blessing, Elder, Temple Endowment, Mission, Sealing, University Graduation, Family, Career, High Priest, Senior Missionary with his eternal companion and meeting the Savior for his 'Eternal Life' Confirmation. Lots left to do, but Baptism opens the door and points the way to all the rest. The rest will come easy as he commits to the Covenant he just made...and endures to the end...the reward for his life long journey is 'never ending happiness' (Mosiah 2:41). Satan will be trying hard to get him off track and lead him instead to 'never ending misery' (Alma 12:11)...this must not happen. President Hinckley has taught us how to prevent the 'falling away' and instead RETAIN all our converts..."Good friends in the church, service and responsibility and daily nourishment of the Word of God". One of our mission commitments is to work closely with all the missionaries in the Clyde District and help them make sure our new baptism stays commited to those three 'events' happening. No one must be left behind and not one of our 'baptisms' must lose track of his/her way...
Mission to Grandchildren - Future Missionaries at Dinner
As everyone knows Mission #6 was a special calling to become Grandparents again...one of the early 'Zone Conferences' came in the form of a three day sleepover of the Heywoods (Savannah, Spencer, Ritchie and Samuel-the-Slammer) while their parents - Wendy and Rob - went on a weekend 'get-a-way' to San Franciso with some friends...on this night we also had three of the Paul and Anglela Ritchie kids over (Bryson, Garrett and Tanner) for a cheese sandwich dinner. One missionary activity took us to Day's market where we had to convince everyone in the store, by our behavior, that we were true blue future missionaries...everyone left the store thinking they had seen some future missionary giants...
6:45 AM - In Heber shoveling snow... 3:00 PM at Hawaian Temple in Laie- after a five hour airplane ride... 7:30 PM, waiting to be seated for dinner in Kuwai - 30 minute airplane ride and we are in Paradise on the Garden Island...we live in an amazing world where you can literally eat all three meals each day in three different worlds...
Three Generations of Beautiful Women...Grandma Carolyn, Mama M'Recia and daughter Allie...M'Recia and Allie had just spoken in their Sacrament Meeting and it made their parents and grandparents proud...
Allie 'entertaining' Katelyn...The oldest and nearly the youngest of 'The 27'...wonder where that number will end???
Sunday Dinner at the Clawson's home with all the Las Vegas contingency...Six Clawson's, Three Tyler Ritchie's and nearly Three Jonathan Ritchie's...(two weeks to due date on #27)...
