Spencer's Home, so we went Camping!

Hey all! Spencer FINALLY got home on the 26th. My buddy is now home safe, sound, and a little wierd - but I expected that part.

So, you'd expect that since every person in my family missed him terribly that we'd all be at the airport, signs and goodies in hand, a half hour early to welcome our boy home. Not so! Not only were ALL of us late, but his plane was early! No sooner had my parents burst through the automatic doors of the airport, Spencer came bounding in from the plane through the opposite set of automatic doors! OUCH! The rest of us brothers and sisters (if you could still call us that after this shameless display) were, in the mean time, racing down the Boulevard at full speed, hearing reports that his plane had landed and he was already in the airport! Jesse dropped me off at the doors, knowing my extreme excitement to see my little bro. and I ran, no, waddled quickly, into the airport so see all sorts of people hugging my brother who were nowhere nearly as related to him, or as excited to see him as I was. I waited patiently as he was finishing an embrace with some other stranger and then I hugged him as only I can, while he was nervously mumbling "Is this allowed?"

"Of course it is!" I yelped, "I'm your favorite sister!"

By this time Jesse had parked the car and was now entering the airport with my Cooper in his arms. This added momentum to my excitement, for my Cooper had not met his "unkie spunkie" before! Cooper took little interest in this kid with which his mother was so enamored. He promptly took the opportunity to run rampant through the airport with his fellow cousins (Cash is newly added to this group, only just learning to walk). As the excitement died down, pictures were snapped, and hugs were given all around, we noticed a few key family members were still missing: Alan, who we knew was out on a fire. Chris and Shawn, who were in Phoenix, but would be seeing Spencer the next day. And... ANNIE! Where could she be? Questioning eyes turned to Dave who could only shrug and say that when he called her she said she was on her way. We stood and socialized a while longer until Spencer announced that he was ready to eat the feast of Chile Verde mom had prepared and waiting at the house. We all agreed it was time to leave and made our way out to our respective cars. As I was climbing in to mine, I saw a familiar white Camry approaching. Annie! "Hey!" I called, "What took you so long?"

"I was sleeping!" Came the reply.

So Elder Syphus was welcomed at the airport in a fashion that could only be pulled off by the Syphus family as a whole...luckily, there was an understanding, as we were only welcoming one of our own.

We all left for the Grand Canyon the next morning and set up camp on the beautiful north rim next to North Timp Point. We passed the 3 days 4-wheeling, pulling down dead trees, and taking pictures of the view. Here are some of my favorites: