What difference a Day can make

1 year, 365 days full of wonders, growth, changes, miracles and blessings. Together we reflect upon what a wonderful year this has been. With many changes, and so many blessings.

It was December 2021 when we received our mission call. Knowing that we would be leaving for Hungary in August 2022 allowed us to cherish every moment with family and friends. Please indulge us while we review our happiest memories.

We continued to work in our beloved Oklahoma City Temple 6 months of 2022 and began packing the house for our departure. Clark continued to develop his wood working skills with some beautiful side tables and end tables. Melody began preparing to put her successful Real Estate career on hold.

January 2022 found us returning from helping Thomas and Makayla move to their new home in Saint Joseph, Missouri. It is a beautiful town, and they were full of excitement for the adventures of Thomas, graduating with a PHD to teach at Park University and Makayla beginning her years of Medical School at UMKC

February 2022 we made the drive to warmer weather in Houston. This time without a BIG FREEZE. We enjoyed our days with Christopher, Megan, Clark, Annie, Daniel, and Julia. Between those trips we went the back and forth, with visits to David & Callie, Bennett, Boston, Oliver and Newborn Liam in Edmond, Oklahoma and Sarah in Stillwater, Oklahoma

March 2022 was spent watching Liam grow (3 months old), working on a shelving craft with Sarah, smoking meats with all the boys, (oh so many pictures of meat). Snow for Oklahoma and Missouri. Clark began his downsizing of his firearms collections with gifts to all 4 children. Treasured memories of Grampa David Ayres and his grand Firearm collection has continued through the family.

April 2022 brought the BIG Babysit! C-Paw and Grama spent 5 days watching Bennett, Boston, Oliver and 4 moth old Liam while David & Callie went on a much deserved vacation. I think the kids were more worried about the grandparents than the children. We had a fantastic time, and the boys were perfect angels! We were exhausted, at the end, and are happy to say we all survived.

May 2022 included a blessing of Liam Daniel Ayres. Family is truly the greatest gift from God. Grand children are like lights on a Christmas Tree. They just make everything look brighter. Clark continued to finish up his wood working projects with 14 completed frames and 2 mirrors. We celebrated Thomas's Graduation from Tulsa University and Makayla's graduation from Oral Roberts University. Another Trip to Missouri, then off to Boston, and beloved Maine. The place where happy memories are made. We had wonderful visits with Clark's Aunt's Jean, Joyce and Ginny. We visited cousin Jill, and enjoyed the beautiful east coast shore line.

June 2022 was summer fun in Edmond and Stillwater, and back to Houston to help Christopher recover from retina-detachment surgery. It was tough keeping a good man still, but he recovered well and followed doctors orders.

July 2022 was celebrated with fireworks on the fourth in Houston, dancing in Edmond, and preparing for our family reunion. Then Covid-19 visited Clark and Melody with positive tests. Sad day. The family reunion turned into a Children of Clark and Melody Reunion. They shared phone calls and photos with us every day. Pictures helped our recovery. Knowing our children were gathered at the Temple was healing to our bodies and souls. We attended the last day of the reunion at the old shop in Locust Grove, hosted by Gail with food, music and fun. Karaoke was a hit with everyone. The best way to end the summer.

August 2022 was short, knowing we would be flying to Utah the 18th. We finished packing up the house. Christopher announced he was taking a new job in Oklahoma City. A whirl-wind house hunting in Edmond, Oklahoma City, and finding a home in Arcadia, Oklahoma. Megan & the Kids moving to a temporary home to start the kids in school in Oklahoma then Melody flying to Houston to help Chris pack up his house to sell. Hurry back to Oklahoma to say good-bye and have our kids take us to the airport. We enjoyed a quick visit with Melody's brother Jim for 1 day, then he was quarantined to the basement with Covid-19. We all survived.

We reported to the Mission Training Center in Provo Utah on August 22, 2022 . It was a wonderful 2 weeks of training and making new friends.

September 2022 began this fantastic adventure of serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Humanitarian Office of Hungary. It has been a wonderful year. It was a great blessing that we were able to spend so much time with our families and friends during the 8 months we prepared to leave. We have enjoyed your comments to our blog, and we try to document the highlights. December has been busy with paperwork, wrapping up old projects and getting prepared for 2023. We are excited to see what the next 365 days bring.

We wish all of you some very happy holidays. We celebrate the wonderful blessing of our Savior Jesus Christ. We enjoy Christmas in Hungary. They sure decorate beautifully. Here are some of the Sights of Christmas. Love to all. See you in 2023

Christmas Markets in Budapest

Ritz Carlton Lobby

St Stephens Basilica

Below is a Christmas Concert by St Nicholas Special needs school in St. Peter & Paul Cathedral:

We are all bunded in coats because heating the old church's is not possible. I like the Statue of Peter holding the Keys.

Mission Conference for Christmas, Caroling in the square and Gingerbread Temple creations

Walking through Illumination Park with our fellow Senior Missionaries.

Lights at the Parliament building

Nativity at the Parliament Building.

Our Apartment Christmas Tree

Our Children, Ayres Family Gathering December 2022 (Liam was asleep)

1 year old Liam's first Christmas December 2022

Thomas and Makayla came to Hungary to spend 10 days with us over Christmas. Life is Good.