Baseball time!

This year is Eliza's first year in tball. There is a lot of chasing the ball and running the bases and that is about it. She is having fun, but there are some very boring moments. She is anxiously awaiting her ballet classes to begin. Tommy is in a higher level of baseball this time around and spends a lot of time in the outfield. He is fast and has an AMAZING arm and is the only boy who can throw from center field to home plate. Still, he is also bored out there with not a lot of action. It has been a bumpy season and I think we are all ready to move on. Guess I do not have pics of Tommy........oops!

Senior Prom

Senior Prom................................the last big hurrah before graduation. The thing to do here in Idaho is go to dances in a group. This Prom group was HUGE. There is a "day date" involved. Then dinner. Then the parents gather somewhere to take pictures of all the lovely couples. Not exactly the way I did Prom :). George had a great time and his date, Emily, was beautiful. Here are a couple of my favorite pics from the evening. I am not a professional photographer by any means and I wish my dad was there to give me pointers. I do think they turned out pretty good though!

The winds of change...........

Elder Marvin J. Ashton said "There is nothing so unchanging, so inevitable as change itself. The things we see, touch, and feel are always changing. Relationships between friends, husband and wife, father and son, brother and sister are all dynamic, changing relationships. There is a constant that allows us to use change for our own good, and that constant is the revealed eternal truths of our Heavenly Father." What comfort the last part of that statement gives me, especially since our home has seen quite a few changes lately, and there is only more to come!

First, I have become a working mother again. I am back working for a local chiropractor, around 37 hours a week. The way this job came into my life is nothing short of an answered prayer and a blessing from a loving Father. I assumed since I prayed for this and needed it, that would make it easy. Um, NOT SO MUCH :)! The adjustments the kids and I have had to make have been difficult and uncomfortable. Tommy and Eliza have felt my absence the most and have had the hardest time accepting this new change, but we are finally finding our rhythm and things are calming down a bit. The dynamics of our home have shifted significantly, but if we can lay hold of the one constant, the reveled eternal truths of our Heavenly Father, we will survive.

Shelby is now the golden age of 16. She has been driving for some time, but her sweet brother arranged for a double date on her birthday. Yes, I just said DATE, wow. He chose a boy she is comfortable and friends with and it was the best first date she could have asked for. She has become my nanny, my right hand helper, and I am so grateful for her cooperation and wholehearted willingness to help out while I am not at home. I am continually amazed at her happy spirit and her ability to adapt, and know who she is, even during times of change.

George is on the brink of some amazing changes. High School graduation is a mere month away and he has received his mission call to the Philippines Manila mission. Today in Stake Conference he was sustained to receive the Melchizedek priesthood and be ordained to the office of an Elder. He will report to the Philippines MTC on August 16th and learn to preach the gospel in the language of Tagalog. He received his Eagle Scout award a couple of months ago, and as much as he prepared and worked for that award, it pales in comparison to the adventure he is about to embark on. We will have another shift in the family and some more adjustments to make that will be uncomfortable and difficult, but comfort will come through the constant of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Mike will return home on May 22nd! Hooray!!! It is time for him to be with us for a while, but his coming home always brings about great change. Some wonderful and some not so wonderful :). Having the priesthood back in the home is something I always look forward to, but those who know me well, know relinquishing control is not my strong suit :).

Little Michael will return from his mission to Kennewick Washington on August 13th. Yes, a mere day or so before George is scheduled to leave. He will be living at home again, not sure of what to do with himself or how he fits into the returned missionary world, BAM change! For all of us. I am going to say it again, I will be thankful for the constant of the eternal truths of the gospel to cling on to, as I am sure he will feel the same.

Here are a few snap shots of the family over the last couple of months. Also here is a link to a youtube video of George opening his mission call :), ignore my screaming and irrational shooshing......

Christmas

Christmas expectations can be hard to live up to. We try and keep it very low key around here and focus on the true meaning of Christmas and our Savior. I wanted the kids to experience a little more of the true spirit of giving. Every year we put all our names in a "hat" and each draw one out and that is who we give a gift too. This year I decided we would do handmade gifts for each other. I wanted the family to think of individual personalities and really put some thought, time and effort into the gift. We started off a little rocky, but with a little bit of help from mom, they all pulled it off beautifully! Dylan made a book safe for George. Martha made some jewelry for Shelby. Eliza painted a work of art for Martha. Tommy sewed a small blanket for Eliza's dolls. Mike made Dylan a paracord bracelet with a compass attached to it. Shelby made me a decorative jar light. I made Tommy a velcro dart board. George sewed a Superman pillowcase for Mike. I am proud at the thought that went into the gifts. I was pleasantly surprised at how well they knew each other. My other favorite part of the holiday, aside from my husband being under the same roof as me, was my parents being with us. It was so wonderful to have them here and share the holiday with us. I love living closer to them and my siblings. Since the move to Idaho I have seen ALL of my siblings, and parents, multiple times! I am loving it.

18!!!

18 seems to be some kind of magical age. The first step into the "real" world, so they say. My third child has reached that magical age. I know it was bound to happen, and I feel very cliche when I declare "Time is going way too fast!" But it is. My charming little George is now 18. He wanted to go buy a lottery ticket and a pack of cigarettes to make it official but did not want to part with his hard earned money. When the prophet announced lowering the age to serve a mission my heart leaped, then sank a little. My selfish desires kicked in and I mourned that lost year. Then I was happy that my boy, who has been aching to serve a mission since he was 13, can go serve the Lord even sooner, if possible. I have all the confidence in the world in this young 18 year old son of God. I know he has what it takes to make the prophet, and the Lord, proud of lowering the age limit. I love this young man more than I thought I could. Has it really been almost 10 years since he asked "So..........what do I call you?" I said he could call me anything he wanted, no pressure. He put his little fist to his chin in thought, looking up at the ceiling sideways, and told me, "I think I will call you mom." I hope I have lived up to that name when he has needed me to the most. I love you George!

Cub Scouts

I have not been the best Cub mom there ever was. Tommy is my 4th boy in the program and will be the first to actually finish it. Tonight he received his Wolf award. There was a little ceremony where I got to paint his face. Each line meant something but I can't remember what! We also had a Space Derby. Tommy had a great time fixing up his rocket and his did the best. There were some technical difficulties with the race "track" and there will be a re-run at the Blue and Gold banquet, but we still declare him as the winner :). I am still amazed at how confirmation of the true gospel can be re-affirmed at something as simple and fun as a Cub Scout pack meeting. Here is a link to a very short video of his race.

I love getting pinned :)

Ready to race!