RIP Walnut Stake

Today they combined our stake with the Hacienda Heights Stake. They had a combined Stake Conference out at the Hacienda Heights Stake Center this morning. The cultural hall was completely full. Elder Hafen said that the decision had been made to combine the two stakes because of demographic shifts in the area. Basically both stakes were just too small. He talked about the importance of having strong stakes during these times.

I of course support the priesthood leaders in their decisions but it was still kind of sad. It was sad for Dad too because the Hacienda Heights Stake already has a patriarch so Dad has to go on inactive status. He has really enjoyed being a patriarch for the last couple of years. It is also king of sad for sentimental reasons since the Walnut Stake was my home stake and the stake that Dad was president of for so many years. Even though I once heard it referred to as the "Walnut Stank" due to our dearth of "hot" girls I always loved our stake. I probably feel especially connected to our stake because of Dad's calling. Everyone in the stake knew who we were because of Dad and I felt a responsibility to get to be friendly with the kids in the other wards because we were the Stake President's kids.

All of these changes got me thinking about past ward and stake boundary changes and how they changed my life. When I was 15 they split up the Covina Stake and put three of their wards into our stake. This turned out to be a real blessing since some of my good friends were in those wards and I might not have met them if they hadn't made that change. Here are some funny old pictures from over the years of my pals Desirae and Jennette from Covina.

This is from my 16th B-day party. Who knew this was just the beginning of a beautiful friendship? (oh the cheese)

Here we are again as Freshmen at BYU standing outside the Cannon Center.

And finally here we are our Senior year of college during Christmas Break.

So I guess the moral of my Blast from the Past photo montage is that we don't know how the Lord is going to bless us through this boundary realignment. When the Covina wards were added to our Stake back in 1995 I ended up with some great friends who were my friends through high school and college. So goodbye Walnut Stake. We will miss you.

June Gloom Can't Keep Me Down

For those of you unfamiliar with June Gloom, for some reason in June we are greeted most mornings with a thick marine layer which blocks out the sun and makes everything gloomy. Since we don't have real weather in Southern California we complain about the marine layer. But in spite of the gloomy mornings around here and starting summer school this week I am really excited that it is finally June!
There is so much happening this month. Ryan is coming home for two separate weekends. Brandon graduates on the 15th and Chelsea is throwing him a graduation party at our house the night before. I'm not sure what all the plans are but I heard there will be kabobs involved. Mom of course is using the party as an excuse to fix up the house some more and bought a new barbecue and patio furniture. Grandma and Peter will also be staying with us that weekend.
Then the next weekend Megan and Jason finally come to see us. I haven't seen those guys since last summer so I am really excited. I can't wait to see little Josh and meet Jane. Mom and I are already planning fun things to do. I believe that hostage negotiations have been successful and Jason will finally get to go to Disneyland this time even though it is June and it will be insanely crowded.
Grandma's 80th B-day is the next big event. Auntie Karen and Alissa are flying down with Grandma and Grandpa on Friday and we are having a big birthday party on Saturday. Heather and Ryan are also flying out and Heather isn't bringing the kids. I will miss the kids but it will also be nice to see Heather without them. I haven't seen her without her kids for years now and I imagine that she will be relaxed and happy without any diapers to change. Just a warning Heather - you will probably have to share a bed with me since we are going to have a full house. I hope you don't kick anymore like you did when we were little.
In all of this fun and excitement I am especially looking forward to the fact that all five of us Stewart siblings will be in the same place at once. We haven't all been together since before Ryan's mission. We had some crazy times growing up and I'm sure there will be some funny stories told. And don't worry guys we all remember, "fun chip, fun chip, fun chip, fun chip, butter toffee peanuts." We don't need to hear that one again.

Martha Stewart Weddings

For some reason I am always compelled to buy the latest issue of Martha Stewart Weddings. I held out for the last couple of months but I bought the latest issue tonight in a panic after discovering that it was being pulled from the sales floor already. Luckily it is a quarterly magazine so I don't have to go through the ordeal of purchasing a copy very often. I am always embarrassed to buy it because marriage is definitely not in my immediate future (nor has it been for the many years I have been a loyal reader). I even lied once when the salesperson asked me if I was getting married and told her I was buying it for a recently engaged friend. Oh the shame! But I just really like the magazine and they have great ideas and tips on planning a beautiful wedding. And having been raised in a "no white shoes before Easter" family I am always concerned about doing things the proper way. (Reading too much British literature at an early age might have had something to do with that too come to think of it.)
Although I feel stupid buying the magazine it is also one of the few ways that I shake my fist in the air and show that I haven't given up on getting married. It is just a small way to remind myself in the hustle and bustle of becoming an independent, single working girl that my ultimate goal is eternal marriage and a family of my own.