Kenneth C. Whitney Family Newsletter
Kenneth C. Whitney Family Newsletter
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Mom
What a beautiful reunion we enjoyed this weekend, a time to spend in the company of all our favorite people: our family. Looking back on the years when we first set out on this journey of life together, I remember hesitating to have children. It seemed so expensive and chaotic to interrupt our happiness with babies who might just add problems and chaos to our blissful existence. Many people advised waiting or limiting. Looking back, they just didn't have the foresight to realize that building a righteous family builds blessings. After all, the best moments of our life come from enjoying the company of family. I love my family and cherish the moments spent together above all others. I can't imagine the void in my life of not having this wonderful family.
In the saga of the Kenneth C. Whitney Family, the chapter on McKay's single life has come to a close. What a peaceful joyous feeling comes into the hearts of his parents upon witnessing the union of two such wonderful families in the marriage of McKay and Keresa. All their sweet siblings testify to the righteous upbringing of these two young people and the honorable intentions and goals of their parents. And don't they make a beautiful couple? Seeing them so happy together makes it all worthwhile and foreshadows a successful life ahead.
Summer, Martha and I managed to snag Keresa's undivided attention for lunch on Friday, and discovered what a talented, musical, and hard-working young lady she is. And, she's also smart enough to keep McKay on his toes! Our short time alone with Keresa was a highlight of this eventful weekend. Getting to know Keresa makes us feel confident that they will compliment each other's talents and truly make a perfect match.
I'm thankful for each family member making sacrifices to contribute to such a successful wedding. Chris and Summer were right there checking up on me, and helping and guiding me every step of the way. Chris babysat while Summer took me shopping twice to prepare for the brunch. Melanie counseled me in the ways of fashion, choosing my dress and insisting on some new shoes. Andy supported by staying home with the kids while Melanie dropped everything in the midst of moving and starting Andy in his new internship in Montana. We appreciated Melanie's dedication to travel down with Milo for the wedding. Martha pulled Jeremy out of school for two days, then consoled Lyle while he cried through most of the five-hour flight from Philadelphia. I hope Jeremy can make up the work he missed and still keep his grades up. The Tanners certainly sacrificed. Becca, Nick and Jonathan made the eight-hour drive from Tucson and back again. Then they traveled up to Summerlin to borrow Mishelle's harp so we could all bask in beautiful music at the reception. They endured long days and late nights to fit this wedding into their busy schedule. Matt hurried home between difficult classes and midterms to make it in time to prepare a slide show full of clever narration, and still managed to set up the brunch crew at the church Saturday morning and be back at the temple in time for pictures. Of course Ken worked full time keeping me sane, and coordinating everything else, while he oversaw the stake DI drive on the same day as the wedding. He even carried out most of the airport shuttling, which I had planned to do originally.
Isn't it glorious to have such a family that rises to the occasion creating a beautiful celebration honoring McKay and his union with Keresa. May we continue to build upon this wonderful family so that we may always enjoy such joyous times together.
Chris and Summer
Melanie
Martha
It was fun to see everyone over the weekend. Time went way to fast. Well I'm not sure what to write but I love hearing about everyone else so I'll write a few blurbs.
We made it back to Philly Monday evening. Lyle was an ANGEL on the flight home. It doesn't make any sense that he was so pleasant and awake during the day flight home and a screaming and crying machine on the night flight. Wouldn't he want to sleep during the night flight and then be in a bad mood because he's confined to one spot and awake during the day flight? I won't complain though because now I feel like we can make the trip again. It's cold again so the Logandale warmth was great. We all loved seeing everyone. Jeremy even enjoyed the time he spent with the female side of the Whitney's. He said it was fun being "cornered" by Mel and Becca. I just think he liked the attention! MK's wedding was beautiful. All the little nieces and nephews are adorable and were so much fun to be with. I just want everyone to know that Lyle doesn't scream that much usually. I promise! I think he was overly tired because the first night we got home, he slept for 14 hours straight. Today he was so cute I wish everyone could have seen him! I'm glad that it is (finally) my turn to have a twin cousin. Thanks Becca! We hope everyone enjoys Easter and all the birthdays this month. Lyle is turning 1. Take care and have a wonderful month.
Becca
One of the best things about March is Spring Break! This year we packed it up and headed for the border. We went with Nick's sister's family. It was their first time in Mexico and it was fun for us to show off all the great secrets of Rocky Point. We spent most of the time lazing around the beach where we actually saw a live jellyfish come very close to the shoreline. Jonathan actually got in this time and splashed around. I'm not sure what was more fun for him, playing in the sand or the water. Nick took us to the Rocky Point aquariums, which was pretty interesting. The walls were covered in little aquariums and the floors in buckets. One of the buckets had a sign above it saying 'Don't touch, fish bites like dog.' (That was the dogfish.) Jonathan loved the sea lion (it had its own cage, not in a bucket). The trip was just what we needed, a little family relaxation. When we got back from Rocky Point, Nick still had some time to plant more lawn and some beautiful flowers before school started again.
I've been working on Jonathan's photo album and am actually less than a year behind now. We got a swing set from a family in the park so I've been spending time with Jonathan there. (Although I did learn that one of the swings could not carry my weight, must be the baby.) We finally got our screen door up, so in the morning I like to open the door and smell all the sweet smells or our honeysuckle and jasmine vines. They usually call to me and make me go outside and wander around the flowers. Jonathan likes to smell the flowers too. He bends down and puts his nose right up to them and sniffs.
Speaking of Jonathan, he sure is fun. He talks all the time and sometimes I actually understand a word. His favorite words are Elmo, apple, golggy, hi, and bye daddy. He says Elmo all day, it is a happy word, a sad word, or whatever mood he is in. He was especially excited Monday when he found an Elmo movie at the library. He says 'bye daddy' whenever anyone drives by or after someone leaves. He usually doesn't say it until the person is completely out of sight, then he waves and says it. He is also getting to be quite quick on his feet and loves to run back and forth through the house and across the lawn. Jonathan has also learned a little independence. He knows how to go to the neighbors and knock on the door. His two little cousins live there, Bradyn and Landyn, and he loves to play with them.
The wedding was so beautiful! It was great to see the family although it was only for a very short time. McKay and Keresa were so cute together! We had a good time and enjoyed visiting.
For reunion dates we are just going to hang tight for a while and wait to hear what Matt's mission dates are. Then we'll go from there. (But 4th of July is out.) :)
