Cheyenne Reunion and Fourth of July

We made an extended stop in Wyoming on our way to Utah and we're so glad we did. It was so nice to spend some time in Cheyenne after almost seven years away. We were able to catch up with old friends, see what's changed and what's stayed the same, celebrate the Fourth of July, and recharge before hitting the road again. We left our hotel in Nebraska a little early in the morning so that we could make it to Cheyenne in time for the Western Hills Ward's annual Fourth of July pancake breakfast. We were a little late, but there were still pancakes left when we arrived and, even better, there were many familiar faces there!

One of the wonderful benefits of military life is that everywhere we've lived we have been blessed to find great friends, but it's sad when we have to move and say goodbye to those friends. Something I guess I didn't think about before this summer's trip is the fact that thanks to our transient life we now have friends everywhere! It's been really special to be able to go and see old friends and pick up right where we left off as if no time had passed. For example, our friends John and Becky were gracious enough to make room for us in their home for the weekend we were in Cheyenne.


After we got settled in we went to visit John at his really cool miniature train. John's company, Wasatch Railroad Contractors, has built this amazing little steam engine that gives families in Cheyenne another great option for family fun!

John, our friendly train conductor

Even Jared approved of the fun!
Natalie loved riding in the caboose
When we were finished riding the train we took a little trip down memory lane and drove around FE Warren Air Force Base. Only one of the three houses we lived in there is still standing. The remaining two have been torn down and new homes built in their place. Still, it was fun to see familiar sights and hear from the girls the things they remember from our time in Cheyenne.

No drive around the base in Cheyenne is complete without an antelope sighting or two!
That evening we had a blast at the barbecue at the Rimmasch's house. We only knew two of the families there, but everyone was so friendly and welcoming it felt as if we weren't the new (old?) family at the party.  Of course, being the Fourth of July, there were fireworks that evening. First a little pre-show fun in the street in front of the house and then the official display over Frontier Stadium.



We were happy that our time in Cheyenne included a Sunday so we could attend one of our all-time favorite wards, the Western Hills Ward. Our five plus years there were really wonderful ones; Natalie and Samantha were born and Madison and Emily were baptized while we were members of that ward.   While there were plenty of new faces, there were definitely lots of people we remembered as well. In fact, Jared was asked to participate in a baby blessing for the daughter of an old friend while we were there. As he was walking up with his little one he tapped Jared on the shoulder and told him to come join the circle. I was already feeling a bit emotional - I'm kind of a cry baby anyway - and that just took me over the top. Seriously, the people in Cheyenne are some of the best!

That's right, Wyoming is Forever West!
Our stop over in Cheyenne was a great reminder of why we loved Wyoming so much. To name just a few - the skies that go on forever, the small town feeling, the beautiful geography, and the wonderful people.  We were so grateful to have the chance to revisit the people and place we loved so much!

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