Two Family Milestones

Two very special events have happened in our family recently. The first was on 20 May 2011 when we got a phone call from our son Mark to say that his son (our oldest grandchild) received his mission call that day and he was getting ready to open the letter. They called to let us be a part of this special moment on the speaker phone. Brandon Nicholai Howlett was called to serve in the Brazil Vitoria Mission and he is to report to the Mission Training Center (MTC) in Provo in October 2011. Brandon was so excited, as was his whole family, and especially pleased that it was in Brazil because he has several friends from his stake who are also serving in Brazil at this time. We were very excited to be in on the moment when he found out where he’ll be going.

Brandon Howlett, our first grandchild to be called on a mission.


Brandon’s whole family is celebrating with him, but now they are in the grueling experience of getting passport, city and county clearances, driver’s license update, shots, last minute physicals, buying clothes and supplies, etc., etc. to get ready to go. He will also be doing a lot of studying and perhaps other training to be ready for his departure. His parents are driving him to the Provo MTC so they can enjoy him as long as possible before dropping him off at the front door. Families can no longer go in to a departure meeting. It seems to make it easier for the missionaries to say good-bye outside. What a wonderful and new experience it is for missionaries there at the MTC. He should love it.

The second very happy event to happen in our family was the birth of our newest grandchild, Tyler Cooper Howlett, born to Michael Grant Howlett and Harmony Noelle Lewis Howlett on 31 May 2011. Our son Michael texted us to let us know that Tyler had been born, two weeks early, but healthy and strong.

Harmony is pictured here still pregnant with Tyler and anxious to deliver.


So as soon as we got out of a meeting we called him back. Tyler weighed 8 pounds and 15 ounces and was about 21 inches long. That is a very good-sized baby and maybe indicating that he wasn’t early at all. Anyway, mother and baby are doing very well and all three of them (the dad included) were exhausted, since the labor took about 12 hours and lasted all night.

When Harmony’s pains began to be regular in the evening of the 30 May, she decided that it must be the real thing, but they didn’t have all the necessary supplies to take to the hospital so Michael was sent on an emergency trip to a department store to get the other things Harmony needed to take with her. What a frustration when the store was a distance away and so many people in the check-out lines. But he was able to get what was necessary and get back before they had to leave home.

Michael (Mike to his friends) is seen here holding his son, Tyler.

Harmony was kept busy timing the length and frequency of the pains which were coming more regular and getting more intense. But upon reaching the hospital, they wheeled her into a Labor/Birthing suite and right away she was given an Epidural for pain. Oh what a relief! She could even sleep a little while during the rest of the labor.

Tyler makes number 30 of our grandchildren now. We are very grateful to have 19 grandsons and 11 granddaughters. It is a continuation of a great legacy in both the Howlett and Merrill families, not to mention all the in-laws’ families. We are so blessed.