Happy Fall

Camping up Logan Canyon the end of September 2015

 

hiking around Tony Grove

 

 

September 24, 2015

 Ethan was so happy to turn 7 and get to open presents.  We were camping on his birthday.  We let him open some of his presents first thing in the morning.  Later we were joined by family for cake.  He had a very special day.

Ethan had fun playing songs for us all day on his new guitar.

 

 

 

We left camping on Ethan's birthday so the boys could play in their soccer and flag football games.  Afterwards we headed home for a few minutes so Ethan could finish opening his presents.  Then we went back up to Logan and camped for a few more days. 

 

Yes, the boy likes the Raiders and the Broncos.  He actually likes the Raiders much more which makes his dad and brother Alex a little disappointed.  His uncle is thrilled he is a Raiders fan.

 

 

 

 

Because we went camping up in Logan Canyon the days around Ethan's 7th birthday, we weren't able to celebrate his birthday at Chuck E Cheese until the following week.   The lucky boy got to celebrate twice this year. 

 

 

 

 

Oct 8, 2015

Jaime before her choir concert

 

 

 

 Lunch with dad at school.  Look closely and notice the Wendy's bag.   After eating the school lunch once a few years ago he decided this was the way to go.

 10-9-15 

 

 Mike and I enjoyed a vacation to the Washington DC area in October.  We saw many historical places.  Sadly many of the places were under renovation but we are still glad we were able to see them.  We did a ton of walking and also enjoyed riding the subway.  Everyone was very friendly in the DC area.  The weather was great and we ate some yummy food. 

 

I was so excited to mark some more states off of my list.  As of now I have 9 left and Mike has one.  Hopefully I can catch up and he doesn't end up with an audit in Alabama anytime soon. 

 

We attended a session at the Washington DC Temple.  It is so very beautiful.

 

 

 

We ran into a few famous people.  Ok, we visited a wax museum.  It was pretty cool and freaky at the same time.  They looked so real.  I would get up close to them and just stare but be nervous they were going to move or blink. 

 

 

This one was for Jaime.  She told me she wanted to throw up after seeing it.  It was just the reaction I was going for.  (Justin Beiber)

 

We sent some other pictures to the kids of us with some other celebrities.  They were impressed that we got to meet these people.  It wasn't till they saw one of Mike with Abraham Lincoln that they figured out they weren't real people.  Boy am I relieved they realized Ab wasn't real.

 

 

Before we went on our trip we watched Night at the Museum The Smithsonian.  It was fun to see the places we would be visiting.  When we got home we watched it again to show the kids the things that were accurately portrayed in the movie.  No, we didn't meet any talking cavemen or converse with Abraham Lincoln.  We did see the Einstein bobble heads but I wasn't about to pay $16 for one.

Yes, this is an albino squirrel.  I thought it was pretty impressive.  Mike wasn't convinced.  So now to drive him nuts (no pun intended) because I randomly send him texts and emails of this.  He had better watch out or I might make him a shirt for Christmas with this squirrel on it!!

For cub scout pack meeting in October we carved pumpkins in our garage.  It was a lot of fun.  The scouts donated the pumpkins to be displayed at the Hooper Halloween Haunt.  All the boys had fun and their display turned out great.   Ethan named his favorite pumpkin BOB.  I though this was very cute because he has a grandpa named Bob.  Boy did my garage stink !!!

 

I helped in Adam's 4th grade class Halloween party.  They played a bunch of minute to win it games and had a blast.  The object of this game was to see which team could stick the most papers to the kid's face in a minute.  Adam's team won. 

 

We enjoyed a visit with the newest member of the Lott family- cousin Henry.  He's so cute.  He's about three months old now. 

The kids didn't have school on Oct 30.  We decided to have a mini stay-cation and stayed in a hotel in Layton for two night.  The boys had a blast swimming.  Jaime was a typical teenager and slept in super late every morning and spent most of her time in bed watching tv.  Lucky her.  But we all did have a great time.  We watched the Disney channel, ate out and headed up to Logan to visit family and go to the Little Bear Bottoms corn maze. 

The boys- Mike included- had fun crawling around in the hay pyramid.  Jaime and I mostly just watched.  We did the corn maze.  It was fun.  To this day we still have never found our way out through the exit.  We always wander around and tend to back track and make it back out from where we started from.  Oh well, maybe we will have better luck next year.

 

 

 

 Happy Halloween

 The Lott gang ready to go trunk-or-treating

Oct 31, 2015

 

Jeri was a good sport and dressed up.  Ok, I bribed her $10 to put the wig on.  I guess we will be going out to lunch soon.  Hee Hee.  Mike wouldn't take the bait.  He went as an auditor.  Ha Ha.

Who knew dogs liked raspberries.

 

  I had lotts of help harvesting.

His clothes were totally stained when he got out.  But at least he had fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I am not sure if I posted these previously.  We took these this summer.

 

 

My niece sent this in her most recent email.  She is on an LDS mission in NY City. 

 

 

 

 "Kites fly highest when the wind is blowing against
them". It is so true. I know most, if not all, of us are most
comfortable when things are going in our favor, but that's not how we
become our best.

But like kites, we need to have opposition to fly. If kites never had wind,
they'd never go up. They would just stay on the ground, not ever
reaching their purpose or potential. Kites are also designed
beautifully, so others far away can see them. We all need 'wind' or
challenges in our lives, because that's how we can rise above and be
beautiful examples to others far away. If they see how we respond to
the wind, they will know what they can do, too, when they have theirs.

 

 

 

So, don't give up when times are hard.  You do make a difference and your Heavenly Father is perfecting you with the trials and wind he sends you.   He tells us in Psalms 30:5  , "...weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning."  So hold out for the morning.  He always keeps his promises.

 

 

Lotts going on in the Philippines

I recently found this picture.  Wow that's a lot of corn.

 

9-21-15

 

I am glad that you guys got the letters.  So this week we had zone conference.  President rahlf and sister rahlf came up and talked to us.  One of their talks was about fulling our full potential.  Like what will we did with our opportunity to serve.  Their messages were good, but another thing I was looking forward to was the lunch.  The guy cooking was american, but he lives here so he cooks some american food and filipino food.  It was pretty good.   I went back and got seconds thats for sure.  Then this past saturday we had a family activity for our branch.  I wasn't feeling well so we didn't make it to that.  The work is going good.  It is cool to see how the gospel effects the lives of others.  It is cool when people ask me were I am from and I answer in tagalog and they are like your good at tagalog, then I can say that I have been here for awhile and I am here to share the gospel.  So all that yellow stuff on the road is corn.  They dry it out on the road even though it is pretty much a highway.  We went jogging this morning, and we were just going along minding our own business and I didn't see this dog and it got a little to close for comfort.  I am glad it didn't bit me. Who knows maybe I would have had to come home early...haha just kidding that wouldn't happen.  Well I don't really know where september went.  it  just flew by.  It goes by fast when you are sharing the gospel.  I love you guys so much.  Have a great week

Love Elder Lott

 

 

 Hopefully he doesn't want to ride on the top of vans when he comes home.

 

 

 

 

 

Drying corn on the road.

 

 

9-28-15

 

Wow the time is just flying by.  So this week on Tuesday we went on splits with our zone leaders in there area.  They are pretty lucky because they have a dinner appointment every night.  So we went with them.  I really enjoyed the food and it was good.  The next day on Wednesday we had different feelings about the food.  Lets just say that we were visiting the restroom a lot.  It has been raining a lot this week, which is a good thing.  I was wondering when it was going to start because it is the rain season and we haven't had that much rain.  It is also nice that it isn't as hot.  The work has been pretty steady for us.  We are focusing on contacting and stuff.  I have probably told you guys this before but I am not a big fan of contacting.  We also contacted a referral that we got from a member.  She said that we can keep teaching her, which I was happy about.  Yesterday me and my companion were the speakers in sacrament meeting.  I was kinda nervous, just cause the last time like no one listened.  It also didn't help that we had no power.  So when I was up speaking I was sweating like crazy!!  Yesterday we had a pec meeting after church to try and help our branch.  The sacrament attendance has been really low, so we are trying to get members involved with our work, and trying to help the less actives in our ward.  So we always see those horse and carriage things here, but I was wondering where the horses live.  Boy the life for them sure stinks here.  I saw where they are when they aren't pulling the carriage and it stinks.  So I was in my bed last night just laying there, my companion was out in the other room.  The light was off.   I was just resting and I felt something on my knee...and then it bit me!!!  I hopped up so fast and turned the light on.  I shook my sheet out and about a 1 to 1 and a half inch centipede fell to the floor!!  I was a little nervous because my native companions have told me that they are poisonous.  So I just paid attention to see if anything would happen or if I started feeling weird, but nothing did.  Ugh that's so gross.  I will probably check my sheets more often now.  As for the language.  I can tell that I improving.  I am learning more vocabulary and stuff.  I can't believe that I will be the missionary that has been out the longest in our ward after dominic gets home.  The time is going by so fast.  Well I love you guys have a great week!!

Love Elder Lott

 

This is the horses little pen.  By the way I am not  that white it was just the flash

 

 

 

 

Mike asked Alex to write something to put in our ward newsletter.  Boy we should have asked him to do this a long time ago.  It was wonderful to read his testimony. 

Since I have been out on mission I have realized how much of an influence the gospel has on other peoples lives.  It is a blessing to be able to share the gospel with others that don't have it.  I can see it in some of my first converts that I had on my mission.  I remember teaching them, I remember how happy they got when they saw us walking up the road to their house.  In fact they would invite all of their neighbors into our lessons too.  I had the chance to go back and to do a service project for them.  So far that has probably been the coolest thing that has happened on my mission.  I think maybe 6 or 7 months passed between them being baptized and us going back to do the service project.  I was so happy to see them again.  They were so happy.  I was so happy to find out that they have been active since they were baptized.  Even though they are not well off financially, I could see that happiness and joy that the gospel brings them in their lives.  Since I have been out on my mission I have realized how important missionary work is.  It is so cool to see people accept the gospel into their lives and to see how happy they are and to watch it form them into the person or family that God wants them to be.

Elder Lott

Philippines Cauayan Mission

2014-2016

 

10-5-15

 

Wow that is another cycle done.  The time is going by so fast.  This week is transfer week, which is pretty crazy cause its seems like we just had transfer week.  So our branch is really small and has a lot of less active members, but we finally got a BML.  A branch mission leader.  He got home from his mission like a month ago, he went to hawaii which is pretty cool.  I am really glad that we have a bml now.  I am hoping that he will work with us every once in a while.  We haven't been able to watch conference yet.  I don't think I would have said this back home but I am actually pretty excited to listen to the messages.  I also want to see the new apostles.  Ours is just one week later than you guys so we have it this saturday and sunday.  The work is going good for us.  We don't have a ton of investigators, but we do have some and we are focusing a lot on less active members.  This morning we got together as a zone and played basketball and some ping pong while we waited for the transfer list.  I was thinking to myself there is no way that one of us will be transferred because I have only been here for two cycles and he has only been here for one cycle.  My companion is transferred, when the zone leaders read the list I was so shocked.  I am not mad though.  I think it will be cool to have another companion.  My new companion that I get this week will be my 9th companion in the field, and 10 including the mtc!!  I am kind of hoping for another foreigner, but I don't know if that will happen.  I am excited though that I don't have to pack.  That really really stinks when I have to pack, so I am happy that I don't have to.  We had some pizza for lunch...and it was way good.  I haven't had it for awhile so I enjoyed it.  Tomorrow my companion will probably pack and we will probably visit some members, then it is transfer day!!  I have 6 cycles left!!  I love you guys have a great week!!

Love Elder Lott

 

 

 

at lunch earlier

 

 

mom,

 

Hey mom.  As crazy as it sounds I am actually looking forward to listening to general conference this weekend.  I also want to see who the new apostles are.    I would like to go jogging regularly, but a lot depends on my companion and it gets so hot here so we have to go earlier and when my alarm goes up I never really want to get up to go jogging.  Well you guys are decorating for halloween back home and they are playing christmas music here.  Only one more christmas in the field!  I have 6 cycles left!  That one just flew by.  I love you have a great week.  Can't wait to get that package.  I am pretty hungry haha!:)

Love Elder Lott

 

 

 

Hey dad.  I noticed that my mtc companion is training and he is also a DL.  I have thought about it before.  At some times I have wanted to do it and at others I would rather not do it.  I don't know I guess what ever happens...happens.  It would be really hard though.  I am looking forward to general conference.  Just think this time next year at priesthood we will be eating steak or something...mmm sounds good.    Well I love you dad have a great week!!

Love Elder Lott 

 

 

 

 

 

10-12-15

 

So this past week was transfer week and conference week.  I got my new companion on wednseday.  His name is elder manalili.  He is from manila.  He will hit his year mark at the end of november or in december at some point.  This is his third area, hey me too even though I have been out 6 months longer than him.  So we had conference this past weekend.  Priesthood session was at 8 am, but the alarm didn't go off on our cell phone.  So by the time we woke up got dressed and traveled to the church it was over.  I was kinda disappointed, but it is online.  So no worries.  I really liked the messages that they shared even though I was having to fight to stay awake.  I didn't know why there was 3 new apostles because I thought only 2 apostles died.  I had no idea that elder scott passed away.  I was a little surprised.  That is a really short time to lose 3 apostles.  Actually elder schwitzer is coming on a mission tour to our mission.  So he will talk to us at the end of the month.  I saw a lot of members from my first ward and I got some pictures with them.  It was so cool to be able to see them again.  It was even cooler to be able to understand what they were saying and be able to have a conversation!!  The members were so nice in that area.  It was really cool to be able to see some of them again.  So it has been a couple weeks but we got some new couple missionaries.  I don't know if you look at the mission blog but they are on there.  The armstrongs.  When we were at zone conference a couple weeks ago I saw sister armstrong and I was like she looks familiar.  I wanted to talk to her after zone conference, but I couldn't find her.  So I just started talking to her husband.  I asked them where they were from in utah, he replied but I didn't know where it was.  I told him that she looks familiar to me.  So I just asked him if she was a teacher and he said yeah.  I asked him what school she taught at and what subjects she taught.  He said a lot of subjects, but keyboarding was one of them...and she taught at rocky mt jr high.  Then I realized it.  I was in her keyboarding class in jr high!!  I think that's pretty dang cool.  I guess it is a small world.  Well I love you guys have a great week

Love Elder Lott

 

 

 

that's what happens when you and your companion don't empty the trash and just let it overflow...I just didn't want to do it cause my last companion never cleaned the apartment.  I had to end up doing it though!

some members from my first area.  It was so good to see them again

 

 

 

 

 

10-19-15

 

So as you all know like a category 4 typhoon went over my mission this past week.  This is the second typhoon that has had the biggest impact in my mission.  At least in my area, and both were in this zone.  So one day me and my companion were walking back to our apartment and the wind picked up.  The buildings around us had tin roofs.  Those things started rattling and it was a little sketchy.  I thought what would happen if one of those things flew off, good thing that didn't happen.  They were pretty loud.  We did get a lot of rain this past week.  The flooding wasn't that bad in our apartment.  We had a puddle over by our sink.  So our apartment didn't get flooded, but we had a lot of brown outs.  I wish that I would have had my mosquito net set up over my bed.  Two nights the power went out at 12 and didn't come back on for awhile so it was pretty miserable getting eaten by mosquitoes.  We actually had power last night which I am really surprised about.  So there are 2 bridges to get to our area.  The one that we go over all the time is just a single lane bridge and it has a lower base, then there is one a couple miles down the river a bigger bridge.  This morning when we went to basketball we had to walk to centro and take the big bridge.  I am sure the other bridge was under water.  I really wanted to just go over and see and maybe get some pics.  The rivers overflowed.  As we were driving though I didn't see any houses in the river, but like some fields close to the river were gone.  I will make sure to get some picks on the way back to our area.  We didn't have church yesterday.  I branch president texted us in the morning and said that it was cancelled.  So when the power is out our water pump doesn't work, but we are lucky we have a manual pump outside our apartment.  So those pics are of me pumping water for a shower, then I got to shower in the dark with like a candle.  When there is no power our apartment is like a cave.  I kind of enjoyed the typhoon, well the weather.  It is a lot cooler than normal.  It feels great.  I have to get my umbrella back from a member.  I left it at her house.  When we were about to go out I was like where is my umbrella, then I remembered that I left it at her house.  So we are okay, if you guys were wondering.  Well I will get some better pics hopefully on the ride home.  I love you guys have a great week

Love Elder Lott

 

 

 

 

 

 

10-26-15

 

So in a couple days a member of the 70 is coming to our mission.  They will also visit some apartments randomly.  I guess to see if we keep our apartments clean.  So me and my companion cleaned our apartment a couple of days ago.  It was a mess.  We don't want him to choose our apartment just in case if it wasn't clean or something.  It didn't take us that long maybe a couple of hours.  I think we got it done really fast.  We got before and after pictures of some places in our apartment and they don't even look the same.  So with that typhoon we didn't really get a lot of flooding by our apartment or anything, but we did get to help people that the flooding did effect.  On tuesday after our district meeting we had a service project at the stake center.  It was filling boxes for family's that the floods hit.  The boxes had some rice in them, corned beef, noodles, like toothpaste, etc.  So the was the service project.  There was a ton of rice.  That is what I ended up helping with.  Since ever family got like 4 kilos of rice people had to put it into bags and measure it.  So I was one the the people refilling their buckets.  I think there was 1000 bags.  So there was a lot of rice.  I hadn't been to the gym for awhile so it was some good lifting.  Each of the bags weighs like 25 kilos.  The people that work with rice bags here carry them on their head.  I always thought does that hurt.  The bags they put on their head weigh probably 100 pounds.  So at the end of the service project I put 2 bags on my head.  I know I can carry them on my shoulders, but I wasn't sure if I could do it on my head.  It actually wasn't very heavy.  I bet it is not that great for your neck though!!  I haven't done a service project in awhile.  I really enjoyed doing that service project and seeing all the bags at the end and thinking how many people that will help.  Also this past week we were going to buy some food before we went back to the apartment, and I heard a little kitten.  It turns out that there was two of them.  My companion said that is what people do when they don't want them.  Just take them somewhere and leave them.  So I told them that if they were there when we are on our way back that we would take them back to our apartment and feed them, cause they are still really small.  They were still there on the way back, so we brought them back.  I bet jaime is jealous.  I don't really like cats, but they are just babies.  The names that we have picked took a lot of thinking...elder lott and elder manalili haha!!  Sunday was the first time that my companion has been to our chapel, since we had general conference and then they cancelled church because of the typhoon.  Our ward is not that organized, let me just point that our.  So it was probably 5 minutes into sacrament, after announcements and stuff and a person in our branch presidency comes down and tells my companion that he is a speaker.  I am so glad that didn't happen to me...oh my pheew.  I guess the other speaker didn't show up.  This morning we were supposed to go to calloa caves for a zone activity but it was raining so we just stayed here in our area.  Maybe next week.  I think the highlight of my week was doing that service project.  I just felt so good after, to be able to help people.  I love you guys.  Have a great week.  Happy Halloween!!

Love Elder Lott

 

 

 

service project

gross!!!!!

 

 

 

 

elder lott and elder manalili

 

 

 

mom,

 

Happy Halloween mom.  I haven't gotten my package yet.  I bet that I will get it this wednseday cause we have to go to cauayan for the mission tour.  I am so excited there is going to be a lot of good food in it.  That tree looks nice.  I still have that little tree that you sent in that package last year and there are a little christmas lights on a bench in our apartment so that is our decorations.  I hear all you guys say that you are sad that it is getting colder now...I don't even want to hear it haha!  Well I love you mom have a great week!  Happy halloween

Love Elder Lott

 

 

11-2-15

 

This past wednseday we had a member of the 70 come to our mission.  We had a really early morning on wednseday.  We slept over at the zone leaders.  The zone leaders decided to set the alarm for 2:45 a.m.  We had to be in cauayan and seated by 8:30.  The sisters had to be in cauayan and hour earlier than us because they had a meeting.  By the time we got to cauayan it was like 7 am.  The sisters meeting hadn't even started yet!!  We could have gotten like another hour of sleep or something!  The meeting was really good.  It was pretty long, but I enjoyed their talks.  President rahlf, sister rahlf, and sister schwitzer gave us a short message and then elder schwitzer spoke to us.  The topic was on repentance, and even though I was super tired I tried my best to stay awake.  We had lunch there and to tell you the truth it wasn't that good.  In my chicken curry I think I got the fat of the chicken.  I wasn't feeling well to start with and after seeing that I had no appetite.  Before the meeting I heard from a couple people that my package was in the mission home.  I was so excited to get it.  Everyone was saying that it was huge!  When I went into the mission home to get it I saw elder arorong in there.  I got some pics with him and talked to him for a little bit.  He goes home either tomorrow or on wednseday so I was glad that I got to see him.  He was one of my favorite companions.  When I walked back into the room where everyone was with the package in my arms it was like I was a celebrity or something.  Everyone was looking at me!  I was thinkin...ya this is mine!!  We ended up having to sleep at the solana elders apartment because there was no vehicle for us to be able to get home.  I was so excited to open that package.  I haven't been feeling that well for awhile.  I have had a cough for about 2 weeks and I keep coughing , so we worked this week when I was feeling well.  It was a busy week though.  This morning we had a zone activity.  It was at calloa caves...again!  That was my third time going there on my mission.  So this week is transfer week.  I am glad to say that I am not transferring, and neither is my companion!!  Finally I will go two cycles with one of my companions.  Every companion that I have had in my mission except for my trainer I have went 1 cycle with.  So it will be nice to break that streak.  Also this is my 8th cycle total in tugue north zone during my mission, and that equals out to 12 months.  So I have been in this zone for a full year, on december 30th.  That is when the transfer day is.  So I will have christmas and thanksgiving here!!  Well I love you guys I hope you enjoy the pics!  Thank you so much for the package, I love it!  Love you guys have a great week

Love Elder Lott

 

 

 

Rockin the new tie at church!

 

 

 

 

look familiar??

Guess where???  Calloa caves, again that was my 3rd time.  I still enjoyed it though

 

Happy Happy Happy

 It weighed 85 lbs.

Thank you so much this is freaken awesome!!

 

 

 

 

 

Alex and his first companion Elder Arorong

 

 

 

 

We are so proud of you Alex.  We can"t wait to see you in about 7 months!!!!

 

 

 

 

missionary-  Someone who leaves their family for a short time, so that others may be with their families for ETERNITY.

 

 

 

It's so worth it !!!!!

 

fall la la la

         Go Aggies !!!!

We attended an open practice for the USU Aggies.  It was a lot of fun.  The boys were especially thrilled when after the practice fans were allowed down onto the field to get player autographs.  Ethan actually hooked up with a player and they played catch for quite a while.  We asked him how that happened and he told me he saw a player with a ball and asked him if he could borrow it.  The player said yes but said he needed to use it with him.  Ethan cracks me up.  He is totally not afraid to talk to anyone, even a big football player.   Adam joined in as well.  The player was very nice.  He said he had little brothers.  He was impressed with my boy's arms.  We got some fun pictures and video.  We had a really fun time and plan on making this a new family tradition.  I am not a huge football fan.  To be honest I go to the games for the treats and the company.  I have to admit it was pretty neat to go down on the field and look around and see everything and everyone close up.

 

Silly boys   

There was a dress up station at their back to school night.

 Ethan

 

 

Adam






First Day of School

August 25, 2015
 

Our beautiful 9th grader.

  Watch out boys.  She still can't date for two more years and she has 4 brothers looking out for her.

Excited boys for their first day of 1st and 4th grade. 

Ethan in his brand new clothes.  The shorts only made it being worn once as permanent markers are really permanent.  Thank goodness for good sales.

 

 

 

So Ethan has been so excited for 1st grade since the last day of kindergarten.  He couldn't wait to ride the bus again and to have more than one recess and to eat school lunch.  His older siblings tell him this excitement will end quickly for him as they don't like doing any of this.  Hopefully they are wrong, however, I doubt they are.

 

I have to admit I wasn't quite as excited for the kids to go back to school this year.  Yes, they had started to drive me nuts with their teasing and their boredom, but thinking about the start of the new year brought me some sadness and heartache.   Jaime would be starting the 9th grade this year.  Ryan never even finished the 8th grade.  She actually passed him up in age last month as well.  Ryan will be forever 14 in my mind even though I still wonder what he would be doing today and how he would look.   This would also be Ryan's senior year in high school.  He would have been so excited to only have one more year of school ahead of him.  He would be driving and would probably have begged me to let him drive the first day of school.   And of course that would have only been possible had he received his Eagle scout award, which I am sure he would have left to the last minute like his older brother.  I am also reminded that he would be less than a year away from serving a mission and I am sure would have been excited and nervous at the same time.  Sometime during the winter I am sure he would be turning in his mission papers.  So at this time of the year my heart aches for my loss.  I miss my son so much.  With this being said, I am so thankful to know this is not the end and that I will be with him again someday.  I can't imagine not having the knowledge that families can be together forever.   I am so thankful that Alex is in the Philippines sharing this wonderful message with those who aren't aware of it yet.  I am so thankful that Ryan is waiting for us and that some day I can see why he needed to be called home so early to complete a special work up there.  I am so blessed to be his mom.  I am so blessed to have two sons serving the Lord right now.  I am so happy I can give one of them a big hug in 9 months and I will patiently wait to give the other a hug when the Lord sees fit.  I trust in my Heavenly Father and accept his plan and his will, even though it is so hard at times.  I know it will be worth it in the end and that keeps me going.

 

I also dreaded the start of this school year because I didn't  know if was totally ready to have all the kids gone all day.  It's the first time in 19 1/2 years I will have this time to myself.  I wasn't sure I was up for this yet.  Well, I don't have much choice do I.  I joked with Mike that I would just home school the kids.  That would be a disaster just waiting to happen.  Well, the first day of school came and with tears in my eyes I sent the kids off to school on the bus.  I had really wanted to take Ethan to school the first few days but he was so excited to ride the bus.  He promised that if I let him ride the first day then I could take him the next nine days in the car.  He's so cute.  He was so brave and here I was in tears.  Adam also promised to make sure he got to his new class.  Really this wasn't even necessary as Ethan already knew where it was but I still wanted his big brother to look after him.  So I took a deep breath as I hugged them and sent them off to school.   Then I went in my room and had a good cry.  Luckily it was half day all week so that did make things easier.  I also had plans with my mother-in-law later that day.  So after a few minutes I regrouped and got ready for the day.  Staying busy was perfect to keep my mind off of things.  It worked and I was fine the rest of the day and am fine now.  I have stayed way to busy now that the kids are all gone all day long and so far the time has passed quickly.  I am doing good and am glad they are happy and are enjoying school.  And I am excited to say I have even had a few much needed naps. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So we went out to eat a few weeks ago and I took this picture of Ethan.  Instantly it reminded me of Ryan.  So I looked through some pictures and I was right.  It's not exact, but it's close.  It's crazy at how many similarities I see with these two.  I admit sometimes it makes me smile and sometimes I have to hold back the tears. 

 

Jaime continues to enjoy her riding lessons.  She was so excited to be able to go on an official trail ride last month.  She is very brave and learning quickly.  I continue to ride as well.  Mike hopes to one day see me compete in the barrel racing at the rodeo.  Dream on!!  But who knows, miracles can happen.  JK

 

 

The huge package headed towards the Philippines and a starving missionary (JK)

Just a portion of the stash of Alex's package.  The package ended up weighing 86 lbs.  I wish I could see his face when he opens it.  It contains many of our necessities of life and his Christmas presents.  I have encouraged him to share with his companion.  It takes about 2 months to get there and the freight charge is much cheaper because of this.  It's crazy this is the last big package I will be sending him as he comes home in 9 months.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hooper Tomato Days

 

 Jaime and her friend were in the parade carrying this banner.

Adam had no trouble climbing this.  He was to the top in practically a blink of an eye.  Ethan chose to jump on this kind of trampoline thing.  He was strapped into a harness and then could bounce and do flips and things.  He said he was having fun but the look on his face showed otherwise.  He looked pretty scared.  He barely bounced and had no desire to do flips.  I doubt he will ever want to do that ride again. 

Adam, Ethan and Jaime volunteered and helped run some of the kid games.  I was in charge of rounding up all the help.  Thank goodness for Jaime and her friends and all the other teenagers I happen to know who helped.   I didn't let the boys help until later in the day when it was much slower.  They were so excited to help.  Mike and I purchased a few tickets and played the games the boys were helping at.  They thought that was pretty fun to help their parents.

We had a fun weekend at Tomato Days.  We enjoyed a town meal, catch and release fishing in a ditch across from the park, the rodeo, yummy food, good company, a mini soccer tournament that Ethan played in, and seeing all the wonderful people from Hooper and surrounding areas.  I was co head of the Hooper Cherry Tomato Baby Pageant.  That went great thanks to all of Jaime's and my friends who helped with various tasks and judging.  We also enjoyed watching the fireworks from the cemetery near Ryan.  This has become a wonderful family tradition of ours since we lost him.  We love Hooper.  There will always be a piece of Heaven on earth in Hooper.







Ethan has had a blast playing soccer this fall.  After one game where he had scored a few goals he remarked, "This is the best day of my life!!"

 

I have officially stopped paying the boys for goals and touch downs as we are going to go broke.

 

Adam is a natural playing flag football.  I guess it comes with having brothers and all the practicing at home.  He keeps trying to talk me into playing tackle football.  After what we went through with Alex and his football injury, I am just not ready to do it.  I actually don't know if I ever will be.  So for now, I just tell him that we will see.  That's my nice way of saying, "Quit bugging me about it and be grateful I am letting you play this."  JK 

 

 

 

 

 

September 12, 2015

 

We love you Ryan.  You are never far from our hearts.  We can't wait to see you again some day.



I have so much to be thankful for !!!!!