Our Guests

So last Saturday (July 26) was the day we had waited for. The day we were supposed to pick up our dancers. We worked hard all week outside in the yard and also in the house getting house work done. There were also so many projects I was hoping to get done but just didn't get around to it. So we were supposed to pick them up at 2:00 at the Junior High School.

We knew ahead of time that we would be getting boys. The housing director told me alot of people requested girls and where we weren't specific, she assigned us boys. No problem! I am used to boys plus this whole experience is for Sam right?!? Who better to bond with him than boys.

Sam and Conner wanted to go with me to the junior high to meet our dancers. The day was HOT! It seemed like we waited forever in the sweltering sun for the bus to arrive.

I need to preface a little here. Mexico was the only team coming to the festival that didn't fly here, they chartered their own bus. All the teams had been to Burley the week before and were coming over from Burley. Salt Lake Express (a local bus company) went and picked them up and Mexico drove their bus up.

Mexico was one of the last teams to pull up. Then it seemed like forever as they hauled costumes into the junior high school for the week's performances. Finally it was time to find out who our long awaited guests were. I must admit there were a few younger Mexican boys that I would look at and wonder if they would be our house guests. I didn't have to wait long. My name was called second and then I was told that Filipe and Iscidro were to be our house guests for the week. Here's the kicker: we weren't housing dancers but instead the two bus drivers. I admit my first thought was "this is just my luck"!

Because the bus couldn't stay at the junior high school, I got in my van and pulled it around to where they could see me. They then followed me to the Chamber of Commerce to where we were going to park their van for the week. I was so thankful for this opportunity of being alone with the boys. I couldn't help but show how disappointed I was that we weren't housing dancers. I made a phone call to my friend, Brenda, who got a huge kick out of what I thought was my misfortune. I then called Bryon to let him know how unhappy I was. When we got home, Iscidro and Filipe went into what was to be their room for the week for a "siesta". It gave Bryon and I a chance to talk. Bryon told me something that would totally change my attitude for the week. He told me that yes we did sign up for dancers. We were doing this to give Sam a taste of his heritage. We can make this a totally negative experience and complain and let our sour attitudes rub off on our children or we could make the most of the situation. We could still do everything, well just about everything (For some reason, I don't think these two men would have enjoyed a morning shopping trip in Idaho Falls that I had planned to do with the dancers.), that we had planned to do with the dancers. We would probably still have a wonderful time and yes Sam could still experience his heritage because we were still housing people from Mexico. I am so grateful for Bryon and his perception. It totally made me rethink my attitude.

After their naps, I made Hawiian Haystacks for dinner. We then loaded up and went to the football stadium on the campus of BYU-Idaho for the opening ceremonies. Words cannot describe the feelings that I felt as we sat in the stands and all ten countries walked into the stadium and danced an opening number. It was awesome! We aren't sure where Filipe and Iscidro went. They didn't march in with their country. We figure they sat somewhere in the stands. Each country presented a gift to our state legislator and then danced a number. After the program, they launched fireworks. It was a great evening.

Here is a picture of our house guests for the week. Filipe is the one in grey and Iscidro is in the darker colored shirt.