The end of February when Emma didn’t get the summer theater jobs she was hoping for, we bought her plane ticket to come home right after the winter semester was over. She offered to hold down the fort here in Shanghai so John and I could go to Italy for our anniversary. We also started planning a four-day trip in July to NYC to see several Broadway shows before she left on her mission. Then On March 28th Emma texted this to John and me: "Mom and Dad-- Pickleville just called-- they're offering me a job!!!!!!! I have been freaking out and so nervous and confused, but the minute he called me and said they'd like to offer me a job, it was just like when I got into BYU and I know this is what I want to do. He said I could have a day to contact you guys and make sure it'll be okay, and then I can text or email him to confirm. It is going to be really hard for me not to be with you guys, but after the blessing from my friend and some of the things the Pickleville guy said on the phone, I think this will work out. I'll be done with women's chorus at 4 (6am for you) and I'd love to call for a few minutes."
What great news for Emma! It felt right so she went ahead and signed the contract and knew everything would fall into place. James and Eliza handled everything while we were in Italy and we could defer Emma’s plane tickets — but since she is going on a mission I’m not sure she will be able to use it before it expires.
Emma finished a great Freshman year at BYU. The last few weeks of April were stressful with finals, getting her drivers license, and packing up her dorm. But she got through it and finished the year with straight A’s — earning her a full tuition scholarship for her next semester at BYU. She stayed with the Wilkinsons after checking out of her dorm until the beginning of May when Brad Wilkinson drove her to Logan to start her summer with Pickleville Playhouse.
Emma sent this to me on May 12th. “Our first day of rehearsals yesterday was SO. MUCH. FUN. One of the most fun days of my life. (I know I say that a lot, but it was actually so so so fun). The entire Davis family is the best and this is such an amazing opportunity. I am surrounded by such talented, kind, supportive people and I know they will be my friends for the rest of my life. I'm also excited to learn from them--they've all had such unique and cool experiences and they are all so talented! Also, yesterday TJ (the one who wrote the Bandito play) talked to us about how we're gonna create the family-centered and welcoming and homey environment and experience that Pickleville is so well-known for and he talked about his grandparents who built this theatre. It was such an amazing story and it made me so proud to be standing on the shoulders of all the people who have worked to make this such a wonderful place!! My double (Sydney) and I are having so much fun, and she hasn't even graduated from high school yet (she graduates next week) so she asks me a lot about BYU and living away from home and it's a lot of fun to be her friend and to help her! We also got to try on most of the Shrek costumes yesterday and WOW I am SO EXCITED. I think I have four costumes (I'm the elf fairytale creature, a tap dancing rat, one of the three blind mice, and a Duloc dancer) and they are all ADORABLE. Even though we have a small theatre and a small cast (which means cutting some songs and scenes and fewer big effects), it is going to be such a hilarious, creative, beautiful show!! I'm working on memorizing my Bandito lines today before we have rehearsal at noon because TJ says we should be off book on a scene the rehearsal after we block it! I miss you guys a ton, but I know this is where I need to be. I cannot WAIT to see you guys in July. You are going to love it here. I love you, mom!! Maybe read/show this to the rest of the family because I just realized this was super long and I want them to know about my life, too. I love you guys!!!!! Keep me updated on all of your lives!"
On Saturday, May 6th our ward had a fabuolous family history event. Several of the primary children participated in a fashion show. Tessa made a great Mary Fielding Smith.
"This is Mary Fielding Smith. She is Tessa’s great great great great Grandmother (4 greats). She was born on July 21, 1801 in England. In her 30s she moved Canada and was baptized by Parley P. Pratt. The next year she moved to Kirtland, Ohio (with her brother and sister) to live with the Saints there.
She married Hyrum Smith on Christmas Eve in 1837. Hyrum’s first wife had died and they had five small children. She cared for those children like they were her own. Hyrum and Mary had two children together -- Joseph F Smith (who later became the 6th President of the church) and a daughter named Martha Ann.
Mary always believed in the Lord even during hard times. She had a strong testimony and always paid her tithing. One of the hardest times in her life was when Hyrum and his brother Joseph Smith were in Liberty Jail. She was very ill after giving birth to their son Joseph and during that time a mob broke into their home and stole Hyrum’s possessions.
After Hyrum and Joseph were martyred she decided to leave Nauvoo and make the journey with the other Saints for the Salt Lake Valley. Her family was assigned to a traveling group, and the captain told her that she would be a burden to others and shouldn’t attempt the difficult journey. She responded, “I will beat you to the valley and will ask no help from you either.” The trek was very difficult, but she arrived with her family in Salt Lake a day ahead of the captain who had doubted her."
I think Mia looks like a doll baby in this sweet picture.
After the branch activity we had all the seminary kids over for ice-cream and games. At least one Saturday evening a month the seminary kids would get together at member's homes.
We live in a pretty big international neighborhood. One Saturday morning a group text went out that someone was looking for a HS girl to dress up like a pacifier fairy and visit her daughter. Eliza agreed. The mom stopped over at our house and told Eliza the plan and gave her gifts to give to her daughter in exchange for her pacifiers. The girl totally believed Eliza and handed them over. That was a fun way to earn $20!
One of the things I’ll miss most about Concordia is the theater and music program. The choir director, Meg Ideker, and her family have become great friends to us. In these photos you can see Eliza and James shine in their choir groups.
James had a big solo in a song called Baba Yetu that all of the choirs sang together as the grand finale.
Tessa was so nervous to audition for the Wizard of Oz. The audition had such an impact on her that she wrote one of her school writing assignments on it — which her teacher loved and used in their next writing lesson. Tessa was such a cute and animated Munchkin and Ozian.
Tessa and her friend Katherine Gordon
The Millers and the Seminary students at Seminary Graduation
