"Crazy daze" of soccer

Here are some "notes" as of late on the "crazy daze" of soccer at the Lloyd home....

Nathanael was just called as president of his teacher's quorum.  It's been interesting to watch him learn from having more responsibility and take initiative when things need to get done.  He also has been trying out for several AAA soccer teams for the fall season.  There was one team that some of his friends were playing on and he wanted to make that team to play with them.  These teams have multiple tryouts and one night, Nat had a slight fever and was extremely tired.  He wanted to try out sooo bad so he took some medication to help him feel better.  I was anxious to find out how he did that night and Travis said that he had never seen Nat play better!  How odd!  Anyway, Nat did make that team as well as another one and had to make a decision.  He decided to play with his friends.  He is excited and I hope that it will be a good experience for him!  He also just took an AP test for Human Geography.  Hopefully he passed-we won't know until the summer.  Nathanael also just participated in his last concert with the Concert Singers.  It was fun to watch him because he loves to sing.  One song that they sang was, "You Raise Me Up" and they had a slide show to go with it where the kids submitted pictures of those that have influenced them for good in their lives.  Nathanael submitted a picture of him with Lindsay and Ethan at a Real soccer game.  I am grateful that my children seem to really love each other even though they know how to push each other's buttons and drive us all crazy!  I hope that when they are all grown up that they continue to have good relationships with each other!

Lindsay's little soccer team kind of fell apart at the end of the season and so she tried out for other AA soccer teams.  She was able to make one that we feel really good about.  We know this particular soccer club pretty well (Nat has played for them) and Travis is excited about working with an old soccer friend again. 

Ethan's team has decided to go competitive next year and Travis will be coaching them.  Travis is just as excited about it as Ethan!  Are we surprised?  Ethan also recently had pioneer day at school and then they performed class plays for the younger grades.  Parents were not invited (we almost went anyway but did not want to embarrass him) but Ethan felt good about his performance and apparently was one of the main characters!  I must admit, he is quite a little "ham" when he wants to be!

I thought that Clarissa would be the one that would quit soccer next year (I was kind of hoping...).  Anyway, uncle Paul can't coach this year (it has been a great experience for her) and because she will have a new coach and a new team, I thought that she would be done.  Instead, she surprised me by saying that she wants to play until she is 16 years old!  Really?  Are you sure?  I don't know that she really will play that long but I guess if she wants to keep playing....

Zachary is into balls right now!  Soccer balls, bouncy balls, basketballs etc.  He goes around the house making a "collection" of all the balls he finds and puts them together.  Then he takes one at a time and kicks, throws, or carries them somewhere else.  Needless to say, there are balls all over our house!

I am just so glad that this soccer season is finally over and maybe-just maybe things can settle down a little bit!  Right-ha ha!  It's all good!

My "moment of joy" came these last two weeks when Zachary was interacting with another little boy in church and the little boy handed Zac a toy to which Zacky said, "thank you".  Yay!!!!

Cathy

Tender mercies

Here is a "note" from me to you on my thoughts of May 15th...

It was three years ago today that I delivered a tiny baby boy that had died before he got a chance to be born.  Even though it has been three years, I still have a hard time during this week.  I don't sit and cry but I do feel more anxious and just kind of in a "funk".  I find that I am not as patient with my other children as I should be and then I decide not to just pretend that everything is all right and let myself "grieve" a little bit.  Despite the loss I still feel, I can look back and see how far I have come and the things that I learned from that experience.  That was the beginning of a very difficult year for me -but I got through it and I learned a couple of things about myself.  I learned that even when I feel so dark inside, I know what I know and cannot deny that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true and that I can continue to keep going and making right choices.  I also learned that for me, peace is not necessarily an overwhelming comforting feeling but comes from doing what I know is right and continuing to try to live as Jesus Christ has taught us.  I am not even close to perfect -but I keep trying and hopefully I am progressing a little bit. 

I remember the difficult times I had when I lost Michael, but I also remember some of the "tender mercies" that helped me get through that experience.  I was able to deliver him quickly and without any complications.  To me-that was a great blessing.  He came out whole and I was able to see through "spiritual eyes" his features that showed that he was my son (he looked a lot like Nat).  A brother in our ward is a mortician and donated much of his services so that we were able to have a sweet family home evening and a nice little burial for him.  I also look back and see how many people cared for us and helped us get through that difficult time.  Many people provided meals, did yard work, and let me just talk and grieve.  I still am so touched by all the love that was extended to our family.

Every year around this anniversary, we honor our little angel by donating Build-A-Bears to the hospital- since we had received that generous gift three years ago, going out to dinner (which we did after his little graveside service), and visiting the cemetery where Michael is buried.  Even though it brings back some painful memories, there are also feelings of gratitude for The Plan of Salvation and knowing that because of Jesus Christ, there is always hope.

My "moment of joy" this week came when our little family was visiting the cemetery. I was standing there looking at Michael's headstone and reflecting when Travis put his arm around me and I realized that I am not alone- and that he and I have gone through something together that has helped us each become stronger people and stronger as a couple.  We are in this together-the good times and the bad.  I was so grateful to have him standing next to me and supporting me.

Cathy

Things that make you go hmmmm...

Here are some "notes" from the Lloyd family last week...

We registered Nathanael for high school next year.  I cannot believe that I am old enough to have one going to high school!  Weird!  Also, in in P.E. the boys learned how to shoot bows and arrows.  They then held a competition for long-range and short-range.  Nathanael was one of two that qualified for both the long-range and short-range as a finalist.  Then he won the long-range competition the next time that they had P.E.  It was kind of funny.  (Too bad he didn't get a kiss from a fair maiden! J/K)  Nat said that it must have been his Welsh heritage coming through because they are known for singing and being good bowmen.  Hmmmm...

Lindsay played in her last soccer game for the year.  She is now deciding what she wants to do for next year-to play competative soccer or recreational soccer or just be done.  It is a difficult  decision for her to make and honestly I am amazed that she has stuck with it all of these years!  We have video footage of her playing in her first season.  She and another little girl are holding hands, skipping down the field and singing.  The ball goes by and they do not even look at it!  Hmmmm...

Ethan continues to experiment with food.  I found him the other day in the kitchen eating a graham cracker with Nutella on it and dunking it in a cup of milk.  It actually looked pretty tasty- but a little odd!  He also likes to salt and pepper hard-boiled eggs (not unusual) and put a little garlic powder on them as well.  I don't know where he comes up with these ideas!  Hmmmm...

Clarissa had to give a talk in primary this week.  She usually has no trouble speaking in front of others, however, this time she became very nervous and instead of speaking-she started giggling!  It took a little bit of time for her to settle down.  It reminded me of how when I was young, I would giggle and laugh when I had to speak in school- and the worst was singing with my dad and brothers in church!  We tried to sing, "Teach Me To Walk in the Light" and somone got the words a little mixed up.  Well, that got me giggling as well as a couple of my brothers (you know who you are!) and left my dad basically singing a solo!  Needless to say, we did not sing a lot together after that for awhile.  (Thank goodness we got over that-for the most part anyway!) Well, it seems that Clarissa has the giggle gene.  Hmmmm...

Zachary continues to be quite entertaining for our family.  When he accidentally gets knocked over, he tightens his abs and his neck so that his head does not hit the floor.  However, lately he has been doing little "protests" if he does not get his way.  He falls forward on the floor and bangs his head.  He then starts to cry because it hurts-go figure!  Unfortunately for him it does not work, we all just kind of stand there and laugh to ourselves.  Hmmmm...

My "moment of joy" came this week when I came home from helping out at a baby shower.  (Travis was gone all evening as well for his calling.) It had been a very stressful night and I was not looking forward to going home to clean up the mess that had been left.  When I got home, I took a deep breath before I entered the house to remind myelf to be calm and just "buck up" and get it done.  When I entered the house, I was totally surprised to find everything CLEAN!!  I instantly knew that it was Lindsay.  I rushed to find her and tell her that I love her!  She just smiled and said "Happy Mother's Day!"  Wow!

I hope that you all had a wonderful Mother's Day!  I know that I am so grateful for my mom and all that she still does for me!  She is such an amazing woman and such a good example of a woman of faith, strength, and wisdom. 

Cathy

random spring things

I am having a hard time being as consistent as I was when I first started.  Oh, well!  Just a few "notes" from the last week...

Nathanael's soccer season finally started and he was able to play in his first two soccer games for the Lone Peak freshmen team.  The very first game was against Pleasant Grove and his coach was unable to be there -so he asked Travis to coach that first game.  It was cold and rainy but they came home victorious!  I think that it will be a great memory for both of them.

Lindsay has been working on her Personal Progress goal to help plan meals, help at the grocery store, and then cook dinner for the family for two weeks.  She has done a fabulous job and I am sad that it is now over.  I enjoyed having a break from making dinner all the time!  Cooking is definitely not my favorite things list!

Ethan's soccer season has also started.  He is a good little player on defense.  In his first game, Ethan got hit in the face and came home with his nose a tiny bit swollen on the tip.  He said that he was tough and was able to keep playing even though he got hurt.  Poor Ethan!  He is always getting hit in sports.  One year he was quite a ball magnet by getting hit with the soccer ball (more than once), the baseball, a baketball, etc.  It did not matter what he played, the ball seemed to be attracted to his face!

Clarissa has been totally looking forward to Easter!  She wrote a letter to the Easter bunny asking him to bring a brother and sister for Jenny in her Loving Family dollhouse family.  Jenny is the only one with red hair and she specifically asked that the brother and sister also have red hair.  The Easter bunny left an older "cousin" and her horse in Clarissa's Easter basket with a note.  It explained that the Easter bunny had a little hole in the bottom of his bag and that he would send the dolls by post (it kinda rhymed with lost)-anyway, that seemed to please her and she is excited to receive a package!

Zachary loved Easter this year!  We learned that he loves jelly beans and that anytime he sees a plastic egg, he thinks that there is candy in it!  He also enjoyed moving all the eggs out of the basket and putting them back in over and over!  It was fun to watch!

My "moment of joy" this week was when we were driving back from my mom's house after doing some fun Easter traditions.  Travis put on the group, They Might Be Giants, and all of us started singing along to "Make A Little Birdhouse In Your Soul".  It was fun and it was the end of  a great day!

Cathy