Tyleigh is headed to Costa Rica!

Tyleigh is going to Costa Rica! She has signed up to be part of the International Language Program (otherwise known as ILP), and will be there for 3 months to teach English to children! 

We are so proud of her and how hard she has worked to earn this all on her own!

She will have the most amazing adventure, but saying goodbye is definitely not eay!

This was us trying to figure out how to pack 3 months worth of supplies, clothes, 

and living needs into not very much luggage!

We did a pretty freaking awesome job!

Minus the fact that one suitcase weighed 95 lbs!

We admittedly drug our feet a little once we got to the airport. 

There was no way we weren't going to cry. 

Sending your baby for three months to a completely different part of the world hits hard. 

Go let your light shine, Ty! And have the BEST adventure you've ever had!

We love you with all our hearts!

After she went through the gate, none of us could keep it together. A family sitting close by was watching us and asked if we by chance had a daughter going to Costa Rica. Their daughter had just gone through the gates and was headed to the same place. We both texted our daughters to let them know that they needed to look for each other. Little did we know that they would become best friends through their trip - and even after. 💕

Saying Goodbye to Our Fur Babies

Saying goodbye is so hard. These sweet cats have been a huge part of our family for 16 years. 

They were orphaned at only 5 weeks old and have literally grown up with our girls. 

They will be so missed. 

Love you with all our hearts Kirby and Kamikaze!

A hard goodbye . . . Susan Madsen

Rod's cousin Jon and his wife, Susan, really took me in as one of their own.

I struggled to find my place in the Madsen family for a lot of years, but Susan always made sure I was included. She literally kept my kids dressed in the cutest clothes, had us up for Sunday dinners all of the time, watched my kids, etc. 

On May 8, 2014, Rod and I had just climbed into bed when his phone rang. It was his mom. She was calling to let us know that Susan had been killed. 

The words did not register for a long time. She had five young kids and was involved in everything they did. There was no way she could be gone. 

A man who was under both the influence of drugs and alcohol got behind the wheel. He had just had a fight at home and was driving MAD in addition to being intoxicated. 

Susan was just picking Tessa up from gymnastics in Draper and was stopped at a traffic light when he came flying through the intersection. He hit Susan and Tessa head on, along with 7 other cars. Susan was killed instantly and Tessa was critically injured. 

Sweet Tessa was in the hospital for a very long time. She had such major injuries - a broken jaw, a broken leg, skin grafts, surgery after surgery, a concussion, but the emotional trauma this poor girl suffered was the worst of all. 

Susan's funeral was a tough one. It was the first time Tessa had "seen" her mom since the accident.  She wasn't even technically released from the hospital yet, but a medical team brought her to say goodbye to her mom. I don't think my heart has ever ached so much.

Jon asked Rod to be a pallbearer. It was pretty special. 

All the pallbearers wore RSL scarves in honor of Susan. 

Susan loved diet coke and chocolate chips more than anything!

The girls loved Susan and wanted to honor her with one of their incredible chalk drawings. 

Jon also asked us to release lanterns in Susan's honor. They didn't work super well, but it was super tender to have everyone who loved her gathered together to honor her.