This Weekend

We had a great weekend with Makiko. She left this afternoon, so we tried to pack a lot in for her last few days here. Friday night, their school had a big closing social for all the host families. We had dinner and they did a program for us. It was lots of fun. They sang songs, played games, did Japanese dances, and a few gave speeches. It was very emotional for all the students.

Afterwards, we took Makiko and her friend, Rina, up to the cabin. It was both of their first times at a cabin. And it was Rina's first time doing a lot of the things we did--building a campfire, roasting marshmallows, sleeping in a sleeping bag, etc. It was fun getting to experience it with them.

Saturday night, at home, we had a special evening with dessert and giving her the presents we got for her. It was quite emotional and special for all of us.

Sunday morning, we took Makiko up to temple square and the Conference Center. We went to the Tabernacle Choir broadcast, then had a tour of temple square. We took a lot of pictures then drove around downtown a bit. We had a picnic at Memory Grove and then drove home through Park City and Heber. It was a nice way to spend our last day with her.

Saying goodbye was really hard. It's amazing how attached we all got after only 10 days. I think Jason even cried as he said goodbye. Rina and Makiko gave us a nice picture frame that had "One Crazy Family" engraved on it. It was perfect. Makiko gave us a lot of other gifts throughout the week. Right before she left, she gave us a card with a Japanese coin in it and she said it represents the bond between a parent and child. We were very touched. It was so much fun being able to share our family with someone. We are going to miss her so much.