The Nays

Christmas with the Nay's was always so much fun. When Rachel and PJ were little they got so excited. We loved driving around Christmas Eve in Cary to look at all the homes lighted up with Christmas lights, and other decorations. Of course Christmas morning was delightful. Christmas with the Nays was a time to remember. They do know how to celebrate the season.

Easter, Halloween, watching conference on TV, Thanksgiving, camping or just visiting with the Nays was always a special time we enjoyed. Rachel and PJ made everything fun. But then they started to grow up. I kept telling Karen she should "Put a brick on Rachel's head", because she was growing up just too fast. Seems we didn't see them often enough to keep track of their growth.

We hadn't seen PJ often enough to hardly know him. He was a little blond headed boy running around the house and the next time we saw him his hair had turned dark and he was over 6 ft tall!! We hardly recognized him.

Rachel was going to school at BYU at the same time we were serving a mission in SLC. She and some room mates, came up for conference and they brought a some guy with them. He didn't have a ticket for conference so he stayed with us to watch it on TV. We found him to be really nice. Then one day we got a phone call from Rachel telling us she was getting married to that "guy". Seems like she was just a little girl and now she was all grown up. Derek had served a mission in Japan and spoke Japanese and was learning to read it too.

They chose the new temple in North Carolina for their wedding. It was a beautiful wedding. For the reception they had a Japanese theme. It was really lovely. It was a sad time too. Raymond's sister Evelyn died and the funeral was at the same time. We had to choose so we went to the wedding.

The Nays were living in Cary, North Carolina and decided it was time to move back to the west. Karen's MS had gotten worse. It was mid year for school and PJ was in his senior year, but he had enough credits that he could graduate. He had worked hard to finish his Eagle Scout Project, His Duty to God award and to finish Seminary as well as graduate from High School. He received them all and was ordained an Elder all the same day.

We wish we could have been there for it but it all just happened too fast. But we are certainly proud of him. He drove the pick-up truck from Cary to Caldwell, Idaho; Bruce drove the mini-van with Karen in a bed, and their household goods along with PJ's car were in the moving van. Karen said it was a very long ride.

Rachel and Derek both got jobs teaching English in South Korea. They were there 2 years. When Karen got worse Rachel got released from her contract and came home to care for her. Derek came home a little later. Bruce is still working for his computer company in Cary. We have driven up to see them a couple of times. PJ is attending school in BYU-I.