North Salt Lake 2009 - 2016

1076 E. Fairway Drive, North Salt Lake, Utah

NORTH SALT LAKE 2009-2016 

Welcome to Utah! We moved into our 13th home and the 7th house we owned the end of February 2009. I never thought I would want to, or like to, live in Utah, but I really liked it. (I have liked every place we have lived). Our new home at 1076 E. Fairway Drive was located in North Salt Lake on the 14th hole of Eaglewood Golf Course which Marley and I walked every morning. The yard was small, but having the open space behind us helped. It was hard to know where we were supposed to live, but this suburb was close to downtown Salt Lake City where Roger worked and the wood and stone finishes made us feel at home. Emily said she could see us living there when we looked at it and we finally did buy it with the second offer a month after the first. 

Keegan started school at South Davis Junior High which was huge school compared to WyEast. There were over 1000 students, but I need not have worried about him. Coming from the mission field, he feared he would no longer be different in Utah, so he wore a tie everyday to school for 2 months. When I asked him why, he said it was a good conversation starter. In the year and three months he attended there, he ended up playing on the basketball team (85 tried out), being in two musicals and voted best smile. He made many friends.  

Cousins Hannah and Cole at Keegan's Thoroughly Modern Millie.

Keegan as Trevor Grayson

Our ward was strong and talented, I wondered what we would have to offer, but I was shortly called to be first counselor in the Relief Society and then less than a year after arriving called to teach early morning seminary at Woods Cross High School. It was one of the few schools in the area that offered an early morning program along with release time. I taught in a building with 8 or 9 full time teachers, a principal and a secretary. It felt big time, more like a regular school class than the bonded close-knit classes in Oregon. I still loved it. There were 32 students in my first class and I team-taught with John Lund, a huge bear-hugging man. I taught at WX for over 2 years and even had Keegan in my class when he started at WXHS as a sophomore. We had waffle-Wednesdays until I was asked to stop (other teachers complained about the smell in the building and their students feeling left out), a movie marathon of “The Work and the Glory” series at my home for make-up during the D&C year and the principal said I was the only teacher he had never had any complains from students about. When I was called to be Relief Society President after 2 and 1/2 years, the Stake did not think I could do both callings. Principal Barrus suggested I substitute teach for the Davis Seminary District. So for the next five years I taught at every high school and many jr. highs in Davis County teaching four to six periods a day, a few days a week. It was a rush to get a call at 6:30 AM and have to be prepared to teach 30 plus high school students for 1 and 1/2 hour classes from a block of scripture I had just received. It was fun, growing, humbling  and spiritually enriching. 

I also updated my RN license for the state of Utah. After taking 32 continuing education credit hours on-line, filling out some paperwork and making the payment, I was a Utah RN. I got a job with Community Nursing Services working part-time giving flu shots around the valley at businesses and schools in the fall. It was flexible hours, helped me keep my nurse’s license and paid $20 per hour. I worked there several flu seasons.

The second summer we were in North Salt Lake KC returned home from his mission on June 25th, the same date he had left two years before. He had served an amazing mission and was returning to a new home in a new state and no one he knew. We welcomed him home at the Salt Lake Airport and the first thing he wanted to do was visit Temple Square. It took awhile for KC to be comfortable back in the land of plenty again. He felt we had way too much. His talk was wonderful and so moving. We took a family vacation to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, then KC, Keegan, Roger and I spent four days in Mexico City getting the real feel of what he experienced. It was crazy, intense, humble and the ward he had baptized 55 people in treated him like a returned rock star. My favorite part was to see how much the people loved my son. Even Keegan could feel it. Roger’s stomach struggled, but it was so interesting experiencing the sites and the people and the food. 

KC arriving at the SLC Airport June 2010.

The family welcoming KC home at Temple Square.

We had three floods in the first few summers in Utah. Two were from the sprinklers on the golf course breaking and creating a flood over our rock wall like Niagara Falls. The second time it even washed down several of the huge boulders and covered our basketball court with a foot of mud. The golf course took care of that one. KC shoveled mud off the stairs the first time and the third time our sprinkler system broke and filled our window well with water that burst the window and filled the basement with over a foot. (I was away when that one happened for Karley’s birth). We felt like Noah’s people with all the floods.

Karley Darren Huber was born August 27th, 2010 in Twin Falls, Idaho. I was able to go to Twin Falls and help for a few days until she got home from the hospital and all the family got to meet and bond, then took the older three siblings home to Utah for a week. Emily said that was the best part of the help and we all had fun too. 

The Huber's adding Karley to the family August 2010

Grandma Teresa with Karley 2010

Karley Daren Huber

All of us October 2010 in Twin Falls, Idaho for Karley's blessing.

A week after KC returned he was teaching Mission Prep class for our stake and a tall young woman with a mission call to Canada took a fancy to him. She invited him to institute class and a few other activities and after speaking with her Bishop and Stake President said she would stay home from her mission if he wanted to marry her. KC fasted and prayed and proposed on her mission farewell date in September. KC married Macey Elizabeth Garrett on December 28th, 2010 in the Bountiful Utah Temple. We had a family late luncheon with toasts at Tucanos Brazilian Grill in Salt Lake City (KC was so choked up Macey had to finish his speech) and then had a reception at the Wight House in Bountiful that night. The newlyweds took off to Victoria, Canada for their honeymoon, (since Macey did not get to serve her mission in Canada :-) and moved in with her 92 and 94 year old grandparents in Provo to tend them while attending college…KC at Brigham Young University and Macey finished up at University of Utah. 

KC and Macey married December 28, 2010

KC and Macey's reception in Bountiful December 2010

Roger’s mom also got remarried shortly after KC’s wedding. On January 15, 2011 Bonnie married Desmond Welch in his son’s home in Twin Falls. He was a very nice widower, former bishop (three times) and still worked tuning instruments at one of his music stores. It was a little uncomfortable for Roger, but we were all so happy she had a companion and would not be lonely.  Roger was getting more comfortable at his new bank, but still looking and considering a positions at another smaller bank and then one for a banking software business in Provo. Both were back and forth decisions, but Bank of Utah worked to keep Roger there and he still had a law suit from the FDIC hanging over his head that he wanted to wait for the outcome as well. 

Bonnie and Des January 15, 2011

Hailey and Greg had moved in with us after Christmas to prepare for the birth of their son with spina bifida. The baby had spoken to Hailey in the temple shortly after she discovered his situation. He called her mom and told her (paraphrased) that it was okay, that he had chosen this challenge. On January 26th, 2011 Hailey started labor pains and went to the University of Utah Hospital where they prepared her for a c-section. Cash Lawrence Taylor was born that night and whisked away to Primary Children’s Hospital before Hailey could even see him. He was beautiful and perfect from the waist up, but had a large sack of fluid containing part of his spine on his back and his legs were bent up over his chest with clubbed feet and it appeared his knees bent backwards. It almost looked pretend to me. Over the next week he would have a surgery to close his painful spine with open nerve endings and one to put a shunt in his brain to lessen the pressure of fluid. He was in the NICU about three weeks and then came home to our house. We were blessed to have that sweet family of three for a little longer and regularly as they continue to visit Primary Children’s for various surgeries and appointments. Cash is a champ. 

Cash in Primary Children's Hospital NICU.

Cash Lawrence Taylor born January 26, 2011.

The Taylor Family

Keegan had started high school at Woods Cross High School by this time. His theater director called him “brilliant” in the Haunted Dinner Theater and he gave up basketball to be in "Les Mis" and then later was “Sonny” in “Grease” and “Prince Eric” and “King Triton” in “The Little Mermaid”. I spent a lot of time volunteering with the WXHS theater program which both made me a little crazy and filled me with joy at various times. Keegan was also elected to be Student Body Vice President over Productions. On the closing night of “Little Mermaid”, a large Polynesian cut his long hair so he could get his photo to turn in his mission papers that night since the age had been lowered to 18 for young men to serve. 

Keegan as Combeferre (the philosopher) in Les Mis 2011.

Keegan in the Haunted Dinner Theater

Keegan as Sonny in Grease 2012

Keegan as Vince Fontaine in Grease

Keegan dancing in Grease 2012

Keegan as Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid 2013

Keegan got his mission call March 2013 while still in high school. He guessed he would be serving in Texas, I asked which mission since there were eight. He said the one with the smallest town and Macey said that would be Lubbock, so Keegan guessed Lubbock, Texas. When he opened his call a few hours later he read “Texas Lubbock Mission”. I thought he was joking and could not believe he guessed his exact mission out of 405 missions! He told me later that night it was because that was the last place he could see himself. Heaven does have a sense of humor! Keegan graduated from high school the 7th of June 2013 and left for the MTC (stayed only 12 days there) and then off to Texas on July 17, 2013. Keegan wrote an inspiring, faith filled blog while away. He touched many people’s lives here and in Texas.

Photo shoot for Craze Ageny and Senior picture

Keegan's high school graduation June 2013

Keegan in his missionary suit June 2013

Keegan going through the Bountiful Temple June 2013

Keegan's mission farewell June 30, 2013

Keegan in the Texas Lubbock Mission 2013-2015

Weeks after Keegan left, I was released as Relief Society President and was not really sure what to do with myself as both of those things had kept my life quite full. I went to the temple praying if I should be an ordinance worker and my answer was “why wouldn’t I”. I spoke with a temple presidency member and told him perhaps I should wait a few months because I had discovered that both Hailey and Stephanie were expecting just weeks apart (I got both emails the same day while we were on a Mediterranean Cruise with our friends the Hales and Sowby’s whom we have done several cruises with). President Phippen said I should not wait, that I needed to serve there immediately and he set me apart at the very moment to work on the Thursday shift at the Bountiful Temple from 10:00- 4:00. I served for nearly 2 and a half years (like a mission) from January 2013 to June 2016 (until we moved) and had many sweet and sacred experiences during that time. 

2014 had many more experiences:

The first few days of May I was asked to speak at the BYU Women’s Conference on the topic “Prayer a Matter of the Heart”. I teamed up with a harp player and our class filled an auditorium of over 500. Hailey helped put together an amazing power point presentation and it was a special experience. The week before, KC graduated from BYU in Chemical Engineering and he and Macey packed and moved to their new home in Waxahachie, Texas to work for Owens Corning there. 

KC graduation from BYU as a Chemical Engineer April 2014

On May 8, 2014 Kylie Elizabeth Taylor was  born in Rexburg to Greg and Hailey. She was a healthy, darling little thing who looked like her mother. She had to be on the lights for high bilirubin count for about a week, but we got to bring her home to their new house and Hailey took her in to the hospital daily to have her blood checked. The Taylor’s moved a week before Kylie was born to a home near their 5 acre property where they built a Therapeutic Riding Arena so Cash and others could ride their seven horses.

Kylie Elizabeth Taylor born May 8, 2014

Cash kissing his new baby sister

Kylie Elizabeth's blessing day July 2014

In July I was attending a conference in Sun River with Roger for work when we got the call on July 2nd, 2014 that Stephanie was in labor. I left from Sun Valley as fast as I could and drove to Vancouver, Washington arriving before Benjamin Evan Platt was born later that night. He was a beautiful boy, dark with black eyes. I stayed in Vancouver for a week with the Platt’s and would have stayed longer, but felt it was time to go. Roger and Chelsea drove up for a day to see the little man. Then my mom drove back with me in September for his blessing.The Huber’s came too. We had two new grand babies in two months! I had been concerned about both circumstances…Hailey had Cash with special needs and Stephanie finally getting a baby here after 12 years of marriage, but both went so well!

BenE coming home from the hospital July 2014

Benjamin Evan Platt blessed September 2014

BenE enjoying his bath

I was asked that year to serve on a committee for the Festival of Trees, which was the major fund raiser for Primary Children’s Hospital. I kept discovering more responsibilities the volunteer position entailed, but it served a great cause and raised over 2 million dollars annually. For 2015, I was asked to serve on the executive board, an even larger commitment, I had never been more tired than the week of 14-19 hour long days at the Festival itself. Once again it was an excellent cause and like pregnancy once it is over you forget how intense it was. I decided to serve again for 2016 since the learning curve was so steep. I hoped it would be easier the second time around and I would be of even greater assistance. 

July 15, 2015 Keegan finally returned after two full years of hard, valiant service. Four of his six friends had returned early from their missions which had been difficult for him. Keegan lost his luggage the first nine days there, broke his arm in a bike wreck and been given the most difficult companions due to his easy personality. He was able to give blessings of healing and convert many that would not be likely candidates as he served. His homecoming talk was so powerful everyone was crying and Daniel Johnson, one of the 1st Quorum of 70 in our ward, said it was the best missionary homecoming talk he had ever heard. He went to the pulpit with 6 short sentences on a piece of paper and spoke 45 minutes sharing his conversion as he converted others and connected each point with an experience he had while serving. His four sisters sang “Amazing Grace” which he sang at mission baptisms. It was an eternal event. 

Elder Keegan returning to the SLC Airport July 15, 2015.

Keegan greeting Lirenza after 2 years away.

The next month Keegan, Lirenza Gillette (his girlfriend before his mission) and I rented a car and drove back through Texas visiting Portales, Midland, San Angelo and Abilene, seeing people where he had served and ending up at KC’s apartment where we met up with Roger. It was so great once again to see how the people in the mission field loved my son.

Then the six of us drove on to Galveston where we joined the rest of the family for a 7 day Cruise of the Western Caribbean the last week of August (see vacation section). It was not perfect timing for all of those going back to school, but it was a neatly perfect vacation. We just wished the Platt’s had joined us to see Cozumel, Georgetown, Grand Cayman and Jamaica. We got home on Sunday night and Keegan and Lirenza drove to Utah State to begin college there on Monday morning. Keegan attended USU the whole year on a partial scholarship for leadership. Lirenza left to be Ariel at Disney World in January, but not before Keegan asked her to marry him on her birthday January 2nd down in San Diego. He then drove her to Florida carrying on a long distance relationship until May. 

Engagement photo in La Jolla California

Keegan proposing to Lirenza January 2, 2016 on a San Diego beach.

In August my faithful friend Marley and I were hiking to Elephant Rock during an open house to sell our home. She always led the way with gusto. I stopped at the top to make a phone call and Marley ran off the trail after some creature. She finally returned and we started down the mountain, however this time she lagged behind uncharacteristic of her. I kept stopping for her to catch up. She started to tremble, wobble and collapsed at my feet. It was not too hot, but I poured some water on her tongue which was hanging out. She looked at me with woeful eyes for a minute or two and was gone. I was devastated. I felt I had run my dog to death and was over a mile up the trail with a 90 pound pet. I sat on the trail with her head in my lap and sobbed. My phone had no reception so a woman let me use her cell phone to call Roger, but it would be some time before he could arrive. A man coming up the trail on his bike refused to leave a “crying woman with her dead dog” and three dainty, well-dressed women coming down the trail also helped. One walked the bike and the rest of us took part of Marley and did a three (and sometimes four) person dance down the hill. I held her head and wept intermittently. The man (who was a bishop) reminded me that in heaven when all the dogs were discussing their deaths Marley could share that she passed on a hike on a mountain. Roger arrived with a quarter mile to go and threw Marley over his shoulder and carried her to the car. We drove her to the vet, who sent us to the humane society to deal with her burial/cremation. We had to stop for a state bike race Tour of Utah blocking the way for an hour while Roger watched and we waited in the car. As I looked back on this traumatic event I realized it had totally been in Heaven’s hands. Roger wanted to have Marley put to sleep and had even taken her to the vet once and had two other appointments we did not make. I had prayed that we would not have to take this decision into our own hands, but that she would pass naturally when the time was right. I wrote this the day before Marley died, “Woke up early with these words singing in my mind...."For courage to accept thy will, to listen and obey"....a little worried what is coming.” I have to believe it was an answer to my prayers however hard. Marley lived over twelve good years and I miss her often. (The vet said the altitude probably contributed to her death).

Bonneville Trail overlooking SLC, a place Marley and I often hiked.

Marley's 12th birthday May 28, 2015

Many blessings happened over the seven years we were in North Salt Lake. It was hard to leave. I wrote some reasons why I thought we were supposed to be there in my journal a few years after we arrived: 1) KC’s wife was only 11 houses away. 2) A doctor who worked at Primary Children’s Hospital in NICU Dr. Con Yost was only two doors down 3) Hailey could live with us while she had Cash and his appointments there 4) They needed me to teach seminary (not so sure about that one, I may have just been trying to convince myself) and 5) Keegan got to be a part of an awesome theater program to develop his talents.

A Harry Potter Thanksgiving in North Salt Lake

Christmastime sugar cookie and gingerbread man decorating 2015

In August 2015 we put our home on the market for a few weeks attempting to purchase a home in our current ward with bedrooms on the main floor for Cash, but our sell fell through. Then in February 2016,  a gentleman from Reno knocked on our door one Sunday as we were eating dinner. He knew our house was not on the market, but he wanted a home on the golf course and had seen pictures online and asked if he could walk through. He offered to buy our home for a fair price that day and brought his wife through 5 days later and signed papers to purchase it. We truly felt this was totally in Heavenly Father’s hands and decided it was time to move. I hoped to wait until after Keegan’s wedding in May to close and not move until June 1st. The home we planned to buy had another offer and the sellers asked us to close in April just a few weeks before Keegan’s wedding. I packed and cleaned for a month and then we moved into our new home in Mountain Green on April 24th 2016 with a few weeks to unpack before all the family arrived!