Nathanael and Lindsay Ann continue to go to school and work hard. One apple for our family is that they were able to come down to be here for Zachary's baptism at the beginning of February. I was so grateful for their help in getting the January decorations down and putting up the Valentine's decorations. A couple of weeks later, they came down for the long weekend so that Nat could have his eyes checked and order new glasses. Another apple was that we decided to go see a movie while Nat and Lindsay were here. It was basically about soccer- and so all the boys loved it. We always enjoy having them come visit.
Lindsay Kaye has been very busy in her new area. One of my apples for the month was seeing a post that she and her companions did. They sang, "Love at Home" in harmony to a ukele for Valentine's Day. It was really cute. I was also pleased that she finally received her Valentine package. I do candy bar posters for the kids each year and I do a smaller version for the missionaries. I also included a few Valentine treats for her companions. Lindsay Kaye continues to work hard and enjoy her mission.
Ethan had a couple of apples and onions this last month. His first apple was celebrating his birthday with his friends. It was a couple of weeks after his actual birthday, however, he planned a fun late night with a lot of his friends. We had a lot of kids come and everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves. Travis and I were impressed that most of the activities and games planned were interactive. They were able to visit and connect with one another. Another huge apple for Ethan was that his 5 v 5 soccer team took first place as the season champions. The other team he was on as placed second. (He double rostered.) He was so excited! Travis told me that one night, Ethan kicked a volley into the upper corner to score and helped his team win. His soccer skills have been improving even more this year. Ethan still loves soccer, but one of the onions this month was that he decided to not try out for the high school soccer team. He is so busy with Chamber choir and work and school that he decided that the pressure of high school soccer and even the pressure of just doing what needs to be done to try out was too much. Another onion that Ethan would say he had was taking the ACT test. For some reason, he was really worried about it. The test ended up not being as bad as he thought it would be- he actually felt pretty good about it. We'll see. Ethan also had a choir concert that was amazing. His Chamber choir really is very good. I have heard many Chamber choirs over the years and Travis and I have agreed that this is probably the best high school Chamber choir we have heard. After the concert, Ethan said that he felt really good about this performance. He said that all the kids seemed to really put their hearts into doing their best and performing well.
One apple for Clarissa was that she participated quite a bit in our Young Women's New Beginnings night. She loved singing with a group of girls and introducing a new Beehive. Clarissa loves to help and be involved. Another apple for Clarissa is that she was "Student of the Day" this last month. She got a treat and was nominated by her teachers. Clarissa's onion was that her science project lost in the district competition. She seems to always move on in the science competitions, but her projects never get past district. Oh well! She was not really surprised. She laughed because she was listening to some of the other projects-one of which was a studentwho had built a working satellite. She thought it was funny that she was competing with students who put their heart and soul into these projects and have done some incredible things! I am so grateful that she can win gracefully and that she can also lose gracefully. She is genuinely happy for others when they are successful.
Zachary had the biggest apple of all this month! He was baptized on February 3, 2018. It was a beautiful day. He had asked Clarissa and I to speak. Clarissa gave a wonderful talk on the Holy Ghost and my talk was on baptism and the covenants that we make when we are baptized. I also had asked Lindsay Kaye to write a note to him that I read at the end of my talk. Travis, Nat, Lindsay Ann, Ethan, Clarissa, and Zachary sang, "He Sent His Son" while I accompanied. Zachary had asked Travis to baptize and confirm him and he asked Nathanael and Ethan to be the witnesses. It was such a wonderful privilege that all of our family were able to participate in this special ordinance-even Lindsay Kaye serving a mission. After his baptism and confirmation, we invited the extended family over for soups, fruit, and cake and ice cream to celebrate his 8th birthday. We ate and visited and just enjoyed the day. The weather was gorgeous and everyone seemed to get along so well. Another apple Zachary had this month was that he got the Bronze metal in his class for all the minutes that he read in the reading contest at school. That was a big surprise to me! He felt very pleased. Zachary also got to attend his first Cub Scout Blue and Gold banquet. It was a carnival theme and Travis said that he seemed to have a lot of fun! So Zachary had a pretty great month full of apples.
I have two "moments of joy" this last month. The first one was that I felt such overwhelming joy to have my two oldest sons, Nathanael and Ethan, be worthy and willing to be witnesses at Zachary's baptism. The other "moment of joy" was overhearing a conversation between Ethan and Travis about him not trying out for high school soccer. Travis had hoped that Ethan would at least try- but Ethan had decided that he had made up his mind to spend most of his time doing things that bring him a lot of joy. Travis told Ethan that he understood why he made his decision and told him that he wanted Ethan to know that Travis was not disappointed in him and that he loved him so very much. I am so grateful and blessed to have Travis as my eternal companion. Our children are so blessed to call him father. He supports his kids with the apples and onions of their lives.
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