Time Marches On

Happy New Year!  A new year is here with many exciting events that our family is looking forward to this year.  Of course, the events will unfold throughout the coming months which will obviously be written in this blog as the main purpose for this is our family history.  Here are some "noteworthy" happenings from the Lloyd home....time marches on....


Nathanael has reached his eighteen month mark of his mission!  He was transferred recently from Talca to Buin.  His time in Talca was the shortest that he has been in one area on his mission.  I think that he really enjoyed his time in Talca but he was looking forward to some new experiences in Buin.  He has visited Buin before when he was assigned to Paine, so he is already familiar with the city.  Before his mission, I suggested that he purchase something for his future wife from Chile so that there is a small connection to him from this very important part of his life.  He actually remembered that advice and purchased a beautiful necklace that includes stones that are mined in that country. Because the stones are mined there, he was able to get a really good deal.  Nat continues to work hard and is so very happy.  He feels that the weeks are just flying by and time marches on.

Lindsay's Senior year is definitely flying by showing me that time continues to march on.  Earlier in the month she attended her final Girls Preference dance.  She went with a young man that she gets along with really well.  She looked stunning in her dress.  For the day date, they went to a place in which they jumped on trampoline's, jumped into foam pits, swung on ropes etc.  They had a really great time.  Then they had dinner at a friend's home, took pictures, went to the dance, and ended the night with dessert at another friend's home.  She was glad that she went and is trying to enjoy the last months of high school.  Lindsay also participated in the Chamber choir's Masterworks concert.  All the Chamber choirs in Alpine school district learn major choral pieces and then come together to perform them in a recital.  One of the works that they performed this year was Morten Lauridsen's "Requiem".  Both Travis and I have sung that same piece in choirs that we have been and it is actually one of my favorite pieces of all time. I enjoyed the concert very much.  I ran into someone that I graduated high school with and it really helped me to realize again that time really does march on.

Ethan celebrated his 15th birthday.  I cannot believe how quickly he has grown.  We celebrated his birthday by inviting his friends to play futsal, have pizza, and then soak in the hot tub.  The boys seemed to have a great time.  On Ethan's actual birthday, we went to a Chilean restaurant called Pantrucas for his birthday dinner and Nathanael's 18 month anniversary.  The food was delicious as usual.  A couple weeks earlier, Travis and Ethan and his soccer team went to Mesquite for a soccer tournament.  They had a game their first night and then had a day off and played their final two games after having a day of recovery.  His team is playing in a new level and although they competed well, they were only able to win one of their games.  I have every confidence that they will work hard and rise to the challenge of playing at a higher level.  They are almost there.  However, what impressed me the most is that these young men chose to take the day in between games to drive to St. George and perform baptisms for the dead in the St. George temple.  They finished the day at a fun center.  I am so grateful that Ethan has such great friends.  They encourage each other to live their high standards and to be the best they can be on and off the field.  Ethan also participated in the Junior High Honor Choir.  I spent several hours helping him learn his part and was so pleased to here them perform.  The concert was  well done and it brought back memories of Nathanael also singing in the Junior High Honor choir.  I think Ethan was glad that he was able to participate.  Watching Ethan grow physically and emotionally is a huge reminder that time marches on.

Clarissa is becoming so responsible and is growing up too fast.  It was the annual science fair in January.  Personally, I dread these projects and am always grateful when they are over.  However, Clarissa tried to involve me as little as possible and took care of things herself.  She came up with her own idea and executed the whole project when Travis and I were out of town.  She had seen a website in which your personality was described by your favorite color.  Her favorite color is yellow and she said that it was a fairly accurate description of her.  Clarissa's science project was in psychology.  She created a survey for her classmates and then guessed their favorite colors based on their answers.  The students then told her whether or not she guessed correctly and she recorded the results.  Her hypothesis was incorrect, she got more wrong than she got right.  No matter.  I was just pleased that she got it done and received a good grade.  We were completely surprised by a phone call telling us to come to the school for an awards ceremony.  Clarissa's project was chosen to go on to district.  We were told that the judges were extremely impressed with her and could tell that she "owned" the project and the presentation.  Her taking on the entire project herself in planning and executing it shows me how quickly she is growing up and that time continues to march on.

Time is indeed marching on.  My baby, Zachary, turned 6 years old.  He is obsessed with "Star Wars, Clone Wars".  His favorite character is Captain Rex because this character does not obey order 66 and joins in fighting against the Empire.  So for his birthday party with his friends, we did a "Clone Cadet training".  The boys were told to report for duty in their full winter gear because it had snowed so much lately and little boys are very active and need to do physical things.  Ethan was their commander and trainer.  He did such a great job!  The boys look up to him and he knows how to work with kids and what would be fun for them.  For the first part of their training, they had to do an obstacle course.  They had to swing on the swings for 30 seconds.  They they had to climb up the ladder and slide down the slide.  Finally, they had to run under the trampoline and then jump around the outside of it and jump off.  They did this activity two times-to encourage them to see if they could do it a bit faster the second time.  Next, I had bought cheap nerf-like guns for each of them and they did target practice.  I had two of my nieces and a nephew staying with us at the time and the girls made an awesome target for this activity-it was much better than what I could have done.  My nephew was Ethan's assistant and it worked out well.  Finally, the boys used a bucket to build a small barrier in the snow and played a simple version of Capture the Flag.  They boys had to work together to defeat their trainer and his assistant (Ethan and my nephew).  This was really fun and the boys were so excited to beat Zachary's big brother!  Ethan made it challenging but let them be victorious in the end because he is a good big brother.  The boys then came in to eat lunch.  They had Tie'fighter Pigs in a blanket, grape light-sabers, and blue milk.  I know that the food is not from the Clone Wars but the boys ate it up.  It was a successful party and I had several moms at church the next day tell me how much fun their boys had.

So my "moment of joy" ended up being a combination of two different situations within the same week.  Clarissa had told me that it was a young man's birthday in her class at school.  She said that he is a shy boy and doesn't have many friends.  She came up with an idea and recruited her teacher and a couple of friends to help.  The teacher made sure that this young man went to recess and Clarissa and her friends got the post-it notes and wrote "H-A-P-P-Y etc." on the notes and stuck it to his desk.  She said that he seemed very pleased when he saw it and had no idea at all who did it.  The next experience came a few days later. Ethan has a friend that has been very ill.  He and other his friends thought that it would be a good idea to make her a birthday card.  At his birthday late night, Ethan gathered all the supplies for a card and pens of different colors and had all the boys sign it.  Wow.   These two experiences caused me to reflect on how grateful I am for each of my children and how they are learning to look outside themselves and not just feel compassion for others- but to actually act on  those feelings.  They are growing up so quickly and time is indeed marching on.....

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Okay.  I know that the new month is half over and I am just now writing about December.  Oh well.  I still am accomplishing my goal of posting about each month for the year.  Yes!  Here are some "noteworthy" things from the Lloyd home....It was a wonderful time of year!


We were able to Skype with Nathanael on Christmas Day.  It was wonderful!  It was a treat to be able to see his face and hear him bear his testimony in Spanish.  We asked him about any neat experiences that he had lately.  He shared with us how he and his companion had given a blessing to a man that was ill.  The man started to feel better.  A couple of days later, Nathanael and his companion decided to check on this man.  He was feeling quite ill again and his wife was praying that the missionaries would come back when they showed up.  Nat also was able to perform his first baptism on his mission. It is wonderful to see him having these experiences and growing into such a great young man.

Lindsay was quite busy with choir in last month.  She participated in the annual Madrigal Feast and sang at several parties with Chamber choir.  During the feast, she was one of the dancers and was able to perform an Irish dance solo on most of the nights for entertainment.  She was wonderful.  Lindsay is a talented dancer and it was a joy for me to watch her perform using her talents of singing and dancing.  She is turning into such a wonderful young woman.

Ethan had a wonderful ending to his futsal season.  His team won first place in their division.  It was an intense game and the boys were able to come back from behind and win.  It was exciting to watch and so pleasing to see Ethan "put it all on the court".  He is a wonderful young man and has such a wonderful group of friends.

Clarissa was wonderful in her last performance of the Christmas Sing in elementary school.  She has felt that she has had a wonderful childhood and she is sentimental as she thinks about moving onto junior high next year.  She is so full of personality and anytime she performs, it shines through.  Clarissa is a wonderful performer.

Zachary is at the perfect age for Christmas.  His reaction to his gift that Santa brought was wonderful and priceless.  It is so fun to watch his wonder and amazement throughout the "most wonderful time of the year".  Zachary has been a wonderful addition to our family. I am trying to really enjoy these moments more as I realize that my children seem to grow faster and faster.

My "moment of joy" was when Nat called on Skype and I was able to see his face and hear his voice for the first time in months.  I am so grateful that he is serving a mission and doing so well.  However, I am really excited to have him come home this year -which will most likely be "the most wonderful time of year" THIS year :)

Grateful

Well, better late than never.  Here is my post for November.  One more and I will have accomplished my goal for the year, although I am limping towards the finish line! Here are some "notes" from November- I have a lot to be grateful for...

Nathanael has now been serving his mission for 16 months.  He was transferred from Codegua to a city called Talca.  Instead of being closer to the Andes mountains, he is now closer to the coast.  He actually was able to do a couple of divisions a couple of weeks ago where he saw the ocean.  His second companion on one of his divisions was another Elder Lloyd.  They were known as "Los Elderes Lloyd".  This other young man pulled out his fan chart (family tree) and they found that they are actually distant cousins.  Their great-grandfathers were brothers.  This young man is also from Idaho where our Lloyds are from.  One interesting note, Nat told us that this other Elder Lloyd's first name is Nathan.  So far, Nathanael seems to really be enjoying this new area.  I am so grateful that he is serving a mission.  I am grateful that he is happy and doing well both physically and emotionally.  I am grateful for the growth that I have seen in him.  I am grateful for his wonderful example.

I am grateful that Lindsay continues to do well in her schooling and other activities.  She had several choir sectionals this month getting ready for a Madrigal Feast that the high school does in December.  She is the section leader and has made some new friends having that responsibility.  Lindsay also went to the "Cheapskates" dance this last month.  It is a dance in which the dance is ice skating and it was an "Eighties" theme.  She originally was not going to go but there was a young man that she knew that really wanted to go and he was a bit shy.  She asked him and they had a really good time.  I am grateful that she was kind and took the opportunity to get to know a good guy a bit better.  She also went with Ethan and I to the last "Hunger Games" movie.  I am grateful to have shared that experience with her.  It was fun to hang out with my teenagers.  I am grateful that Lindsay is willing to learn and accept the rules of our home, even when it seems that Travis and I are the strictest parents on earth.  I am grateful that she accepts responsibility for her choices because it shows me that she is really maturing into a wonderful young adult.

Ethan was busy this month participating in a soccer camp at the high school.  He also has been playing futsal as well.  I am grateful for the friends that he has chosen.  They are such great young men.  I don't worry about what he is doing when he is with them.  I had the opportunity to do a "mother-son" date with him.  We call them "days off" at our house.  Anyway, he chose to go see the "Peanuts" movie-which I loved.  I especially loved the fact that he laughed all the way through it because he could relate.  We then went to dinner at Five Guys and finished at Game Stop where he purchased a used game.  I am so grateful that I got to spend that time with him.  I am grateful that he is such a well-mannered and kind young man.  I am grateful that he enjoys spending time with me.

Clarissa was able to participate in the Western Regional Oireachtas this year with a group performing the "High Cauld Cap".  She had made a mistake at the Feis the month before which caused the others in her group to make mistakes.  She had felt really bad and so she was extremely nervous for this competition.  The girls practiced several times before they went on stage and their costumes and hair had to be just right.  We were all praying that Clarissa would do her best and feel calm and peace and remember the dance.  The group did so well!  Clarissa did great- she was awesome!  I am so grateful that she  worked hard and that she was able to do her best even when she was so worried.  I am grateful that she was able to prove to herself that she can overcome her fears.

I have the opportunity to help in Zachary's class once a week during center time.  I am grateful to be able to see him interact a bit at school.  He is growing so much in so many ways.  He also was able to do the family Turkey Bowl as well.  I am grateful that he loves to do things with his Dad.  I am grateful that they have a really good relationship already.  I am grateful that he likes to snuggle with me when he has gotten up really early.  He became ill this month for a couple of days and I am grateful that he got over it quickly and that he was so appreciative of anything I did for him to take care of him.  It was very sweet.

My "moment of joy" this month was just after Clarissa had competed and she knew that she had done well.  Her team did not place- but I am so grateful that she was able to realize that she can accomplish things even when she is nervous.

It has been kind of a stressful month for me and I became ill over Thanksgiving weekend.  However, I am grateful for medication and for the long weekend that I was able to rest and recover.  I am grateful for each of my children and the people that they are becoming.

Trick-or-Treat

So yes.  I am getting worse and worse at posting at the beginning of the month.  However, I am still hoping to accomplish my goal of posting at least once a month this year.  Better late than never.  So here are the "noteworthy" events from the Lloyd home in the month of October...

Nathanael has now been a missionary for 15 months.  For me, the time seems to be going really fast and I am already thinking that he will be home for all the holidays next year :)  The people of Chile like to celebrate a few American holidays including Halloween.  He and his companion bought candy to hand out to the kids.  He said that a lot of the parents took pictures of them handing candy to the children.  I guess it seemed funny to them to watch missionaries handing out candy.  He said that they ended up running out of candy because they had so many trick-or-treaters.  The "tricky" thing for him this last month has been trying to find members who are less active and getting them to come back to church.  In the end, it was a "treat" to have a few of them come back to church after many months of inactivity.  His e-mails sounded as if there were some small miracles occurring last month.  It is such a "treat" to have Nathanael serving a mission and watch him grow in so many ways.

October was "tricky" for Lindsay to try to keep up with so many activities.  She had a lot going on this last month.  She participated in a choir concert in which she performed with both the Chamber choir and A' cappella choir.  Between them both, she learned and sang seven pieces.  She also was invited to Homecoming again this year.  She was asked by a good friend and so she was not really nervous. She seemed to have a really good time.  The day date was simple and appropriate and it was fun to help her get ready for Homecoming for her Senior year.  Finally, she recently earned her Honor Bee for Young Womens.  She needed to complete 40 hours of service, read the Book of Mormon again, and help another young woman with her goals towards Personal Progress.  When the Bishop asked her what the most difficult thing was, he wondered if it was reading The Book of Mormon- to which she replied that that was the easiest one.  She has developed a habit of studying her scriptures every day.  For her, the most difficult thing was remembering to write down her service hours.  Because she earned her Honor Bee, Lindsay was asked to speak in their Young Women of Excellence evening.  She bore her testimony and it was truly a "treat" to hear her testify of the things that she knows to be true.  She doesn't bear it often and so it was a touching experience to listen to what she had to say.  For Halloween, she decided to be the "Queen of Broken Hearts".  She wanted to be a bit unique.  We took a normal "Queen of Hearts" costume and turned all the hearts into broken hearts and then we crimped and teased her hair and made her make-up messy.  She was pleased with the result.  It was a "treat" to see her participate in all those activities this last month.

Ethan also had a busy October.  His choir also put on a concert and it was a "tricky" night as there was also dance and a soccer game.  Travis and I ended up showing up to watch the concert at different times with me leaving in the middle to go get Clarissa from dance.  However, I was able to make it just in time to see him perform and it is always a "treat" to watch him sing.  He has gotten a lot of his buddies to join choir and sing with him and it is a "treat" to see him and his friends enjoy music and sports together.  Ethan's soccer team had a goal to make it to division one and it was "tricky" to win the toughest teams on the road.  One game in particular, the referees did not show up and so they played a scrimmage but it was not official.  It had to be rescheduled and ended up being the last game of the season.  They both were playing for first place in their division.  All the hard work that Travis and the boys put in and a bit of luck paid off.  They won first place and are now in division one.  Ethan chose to be a Gladiator for Halloween. His costume looked cool and it has been a "treat" to watch him continue to develop his talents.

October has been a big month for Clarissa.  She has been working really hard in Irish dance.  The Utah State Feis (Irish dance competition) was in October.  She is competing in Novice and Prizewinner levels now and it is a lot harder and "trickier" to place.  She also has  been going to extra practices to prepare for the Western Region Oireachtas coming to Salt Lake for the very first time.  She is in a group of 8 girls that dance the "high cauld cap".  The girls competed in the Utah State Feis to get some experience performing it together and poor Clarissa was so nervous that she made a couple of mistakes.  It kind of threw the group "off" and others started making mistakes.  Clarissa was very disappointed and felt really bad.  She cried all the way home.  She felt that she had let her group down.  The next day was "tricky" because she had to compete with her solo dances and she was extremely anxious because of what had happened the night before.  However, she did very well and was able to place in a couple of dances-including one first place.  It was a "treat" to see her overcome her disappointment and anxiety and perform her best.  Clarissa decided to be a "masquerade ball attendee".  Many people associated her costume with Christine from "Phantom of the Opera"-  I can totally see that with her!  Clarissa is a "treat" to have in our home because of her goodness and desire to do what is right and do her best.

Zachary has had a great time in October.  He played soccer with his best friends and was coached by his Dad.  It was somewhat "tricky" during the season because we had to reschedule a few of his games because Travis could not be coaching two teams at the same time.  However, it all worked out and it was a "treat" to watch Zachary score some goals this season and understand the game better while "goofing" with his friends as well :)  Zachary also could not wait for Halloween.  He was so excited!  I was able to help with his Halloween class party.  Zac was "Captain Rex"  from "Star Wars".  There was another little girl who was a clone trooper in his class.  They happened to be put in the same group for the activities.  He would carry her mask with his and set them down so they would not get ruined.  He took very good care of the masks.  The little girl then took his hand and they held hands while waiting for their turns playing the games.  It was very cute.  It has been a "treat" to see Zachary's growth in so many areas.  He is thriving in school and is making new friends.  It is a "treat" to see him become more independent.

My "moment of joy" this last month was at the Utah State Feis.  In the competition, there are soft-shoe dances and hard-shoe dances.  The hard shoes can be slippery and during one of the hard-shoe dance competitions, a girl in Clarissa's group for the solo dance competitions, slipped and fell during her dance.  The judges allowed the young lady to do it again by herself (usually three go at a time).  After she finished, the audience all clapped for her in support.  I noticed that not one of the girls she was competing against clapped for her except Clarissa.  I am sure the other girls were not sure what they were supposed to do, however, Clarissa spontaneously clapped for her because she was so happy for her to perform again and do so well.  Managing these kids can be a "trick" but I am so grateful for all the "treats" that I get from being their mother.

Sensational September

Yes.  I know.  This post is even later than last month, however, I am determined to accomplish my goal of posting once a month for this year.  So.  Better late than never.  Here are some "sensational" and "noteworthy" events from the month of September...

Nathanael celebrated his one year anniversary in Chile and a week later Chile celebrated their Independence Day.  Nat dressed up as a huaso (Chilean cowboy) for an Independence Day celebration in his area.  He looks "sensational" in the pictures!  That week Chile also experienced an earthquake that registered 8.5 on the richter scale.  Nathanael's area is closer to the Andes mountains and the areas that were most affected were near the coast.  His mission president had e-mailed us that night to let us know what had happened and assured us that he felt all the missionaries were safe and that he would e-mail us again in the morning after all the missionaries had been accounted for.  Sure enough, all were safe and well.  Nat said that he didn't realize that the earthquake was that big but that it lasted longer than most (earthquakes are a common experience in Chile).  He is very happy and seems to be enjoying his mission.

Lindsay was "sensational" in a couple of choir concerts this month.  She participated in a patriotic concert honoring those who lost their lives on September 11th.  Then, later in the month, she performed in the annual Disney concert to raise money to help with costs of going on tour.  Lindsay and one of her close friends performed, "Let's Get Together".  They sang, danced, and acted "sensationally".  It was fun to see Lindsay perform so well.  Their act really looked polished.  The only thing that she felt bad about was not being able to find her cap sleeve shirt that she wears under this dress.  She was still very modest and found a cardigan later to wear in the numbers at the end.  Lindsay Kaye also celebrated her 18th birthday -which was also her "golden birthday".  She had friends and grandparents over to celebrate and I am so grateful that she is my daughter.  She is kind, sensitive, intelligent, talented, and beautiful-inside and out.  Lindsay is truly "sensational".  She also went to the Sadie Hawkins dance and had a great time with her friends.  She is trying to work hard but also have a "sensational" Senior year.

Ethan has had a "sensational" start to his soccer season and is doing really well in school.  He is such a good example of hard work and giving his best even under trying circumstances.  Ethan helped run the concessions stand at a BYU game earlier in the month.  Travis is in charge and it was the night of the Sadie Hawkins dance. We desperately needed people to help.  BYU allows those that are 14 years and older work the stand.  He had just played a tough soccer game and quickly changed and came with Travis and I early. Travis and I had responsibilities that required that we be there early and stay late.  It was an extremely late game and sometime during the night, his pants ripped right in front-thankfully he was wearing an apron that covered the large hole :)  After the cleaning had been done and all the others had gone home, Ethan and I were waiting for Travis to settle.  It was 2:30 am and Ethan laid down next to me on a bench and fell asleep.  He never once complained even though he had every reason to!  He just laughed and said that he has a good story about falling asleep on a bench at the BYU stadium at 2:30 am with ripped pants.


Clarissa has been practicing a lot for the Irish dance Oirachtas coming in November.  I know that after all the practice and work that they have put in to perfecting the dance that they will be "sensational".  She is also working very hard in school and goes in for extra help when needed.  She is not afraid to be humble and ask what she needs to do to improve her assignments or tests that she feels she needs to redo. Clarissa is a "sensational" student.


Zachary is having a "sensational" time in Kindergarten.  He is excited to wake up and get ready for school and always has a huge grin when I go to pick him up.  I am grateful that he is having a positive learning experience.  He also has a little crush on a girl with long blonde hair and is very concerned with what he wears to school to impress her.  He wants to be "stylish".  One day, he told me that he wanted to wear a black shirt because I had told him that he looked good in black.  He picked out a black t-shirt and some dark jeans.  I put a black, blue, white, and gray plaid shirt around him and told him not to button it up.  He exclaimed, "Oh!  This is something Lindsay would do!"  The next day, he tried to put a button down church shirt over a jersey to be "stylish" and was very upset when I told him that it did not look good.  He insisted that it was a good style and we had a difficult time getting to school that morning.  Well, later he had Lindsay help him put some outfits together that looked good to impress this little girl.  What am I going to do?  He is only 5!!  He is also improving greatly in soccer and has been able to score a few goals this year.  Zac is having a "sensational" time with his team because they are his friends and he also has his dad coaching.


My "moment of joy" this month was when a woman in church leaned over to me after sacrament meeting and told me how much she enjoyed watching my children.  She could tell that they really loved each other by the way they treated each other.  I had not really thought about it before but my children get along really well.  They are not just siblings, but great friends and very close.  They cheer for each other and try to help each other when it is needed.    I feel that I have "sensational" kids and I am so very grateful for each one of them and the things that I have learned from each of them.

Currently

I know that I am a bit late on my post this month- I was doing so well.  Better late than never!  Here are the noteworthy events going on "currently" in the Lloyd home....

Elder Nat is "currently" serving in a rural town called Codegua.  One of the highlights this last month was a woman in the branch getting baptized.  He wanted to do something special for the occasion and so he asked for the recipe and made my family's lemon cookie recipe.  These cookies are one of his favorites "currently".  He felt that the baptism went really well even though there were so many things that seemed to be going wrong leading up to the ordinance.  He felt so grateful that she persevered and did get baptized.  He doesn't write a lot each week but he seems very happy and has a positive attitude even when things go wrong.  For example, his tire on his bicycle blew up and then his companion's bike completely broke and is not fixable-so they are "currently" waiting for new bikes.

Lindsay is "currently" a Senior in high school this year.  Some of her "current" classes are ASL 4, A' cappella, and Chamber choir.  She also is "currently" the president of the new ASL club.  They held their first official activity today and she felt that it went well.  They met during lunch and had donuts and played signing games.  She is "currently"  enjoying these classes and seems to have an exciting year ahead.

Ethan is "currently" a ninth grader.  He is also "currently" playing soccer and his team so far has started well by winning their first two games.  Ethan is also not very happy in some respects as he "currently" is wearing braces (round 2).  He will have them on for about 18 months and then he will be done with braces for good.  He is "currently" very busy with school and soccer and will soon be working on his Eagle scout project.

Clarissa is "currently" a sixth grader this year.  She is also "currently" enjoying being 11 years old as she celebrated her birthday this last month.  Because she turned 11, we had to do a Harry Potter birthday party.  It is a tradition in our family.  We had the girls come and get "sorted" into different houses.  We then had the "wand choose the wizard" and then went downstairs for transfiguration (Charades), and Defense against the Dark Arts (Harry Potter werewolves game), and then Quidditch and then finished with Potions (making butterbeer).  The girls had a blast!  We were so grateful for my sister-in-law who let us borrow the cool things that she made.  Clarissa felt like it was one of her best birthday parties she has ever had.  She "currently" is working hard to get everything done everyday and be responsible.

Zachary is "currently" in Kindergarten.  He is loving feeling like a big kid because he gets to go to school with the other big kids.  I can't believe that my baby is in Kindergarten.  I will admit that one of us shed some tears that day-I will let you guess who ;)  He is also "currently" playing soccer again this year and is on a team with all of his friends being coached by his Dad.  Needless to say, he "currently" loves soccer.

Well, this month has been difficult.  At the beginning of the month, we found out that Travis has been let go from his "current" employer due to some restructuring.  He has been working for this company for 20 years.  All month long, I have been thinking of a talk given by a distant relative, Elder Hugh B. Brown, about a "currant bush".

"  I was living up in Canada.  I had purchased a farm.  It was run-down.  I went out one morning and saw a currant bush.  It had grown up over six feet high.  It was going all to wood.  There were no blossoms and no currants.  I was raised on a fruit farm in Salt Lake before we went to Canada, and I knew what ought to happen to that currant bush.  So I got some pruning shears and went after it, and I cut it down, and pruned it, and clipped it back until there was nothing left but a little clump of stumps.  It was just coming daylight, and I thought I saw on top of each of these little stumps what appeared to be a tear, and I thought the currant bush was crying.  I was kind of simpleminded (and I haven't entirely gotten over it), and I looked at it, and smiled, and said, "What are you crying about?"  You know, I thought I heard that currant bush talk.  And I thought I heard it say this:  "How could you do this to me?  I was making such wonderful growth.  I was almost as big as the shade tree and the fruit tree that are inside the fence, and now you have cut me down.  Every plant in the garden will look down on me, because I didn't make what I should have made.  How could you do this to me?  I thought you were the gardener here."  That's what I thought I heard the currant bush say, and I thought it so much that I answered.  I said, "Look, little currant bush, I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be.  I didn't intend you to be a fruit tree or a shade tree.  I want you to be a currant bush, and some day, little currant bush, when you are laden with fruit, you are going to say, 'Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut me down, for caring enough about me to hurt me.  Thank you, Mr. Gardener."

Time passed.  Years passed, and I found myself in England.  I was in command of a cavalry unit in the Canadian Army.  I had made rather rapid progress as far as promotions are concerned, and I held the rank of field officer in the British Canadian Army.  And I was proud of my position.  And there was an opportunity for me to become a general.  I had taken all the examinations.  I had the seniority.  There was just one man between me and that which for ten years I had hoped to get, the office of general in the British Army.  I swelled up with pride.  And this one man became a casualty, and I received a telegram from London.  It said:  "Be in my office tomorrow morning at 10:00," signed by General Turner in charge of all Canadian forces.  I called in my valet, my personal servant.  I told him to polish my buttons, to brush my hat and my boots, and to make me look like a general because that is what I was going to be.  He did the best he could with what he had to work on, and I went up to London.  I walked smartly into the office of the General, and I saluted him smartly, and he gave me the same kind of a salute a senior officer usually gives-a sort of "Get out of the way, worm!"  He said, "Sit down, Brown."  Then he said, "I'm sorry I cannot make the appointment.  You are entitled to it.  You have passed all the examinations.  You have the seniority.  You've been a good officer, but I can't make the appointment.  You are to return to Canada and become a training officer and a transport officer.  Someone else will be made a general."  That for which I had been hoping and praying for ten years suddenly slipped out of my fingers.

Then he went into the other room to answer the telephone, and I took a soldier's privilege of looking on his desk.  I saw my personal history sheet.  Right across the bottom of it in bold, block-type letters was written, "THIS MAN IS A MORMON."  We were not very well liked in those days.  When I saw that, I knew why I had not been appointed.  I already held the highest rank of any Mormon in the British Army.  He came back and said, "That's all, Brown."  I saluted  him again, but not quite as smartly.  I saluted out of duty and went out.  I got on the train and started back to my town, 120 miles away, with a broken heart, with bitterness in my soul.  And every click of the wheels on the rails seemed to say, "You are a failure.  You will be called a coward when you get home.  You raised all those Mormon boys to join the army, then you sneak off home."  I knew what I was going to get, and when I got to my tent, I was so bitter that I threw my cap and my saddle brown belt on the cot.  I clinched my fists and I shook them at heaven.  I said, "How could you do this to me, God?  I have done everything I could do to measure up.  There is nothing that I could have done-that I should have done-that I haven't done.  How could you do this to me?"  I was as bitter as gall.

And then I heard a voice, and I recognized the tone of this voice.  It was my own voice, and the voice said, "I am the gardener here.  I know what I want you to do."  The bitterness went out of my soul, and I fell on my knees by the cot to ask forgiveness for my ungratefulness and my bitterness.  While kneeling there I hear a song being sung in and adjoining tent.  A number of Mormon boys met regularly every Tuesday night.  I usually met with them.  We would sit on the floor and have a Mutual Improvement Association.  As I was Kneeling there, praying for forgiveness, I heard their voices singing:

"It my not be on the mountain height
Or over the stormy sea:
It may not be at the battle's front
My Lord will have need of me;
But if, by a still, small voice He calls
To paths that I do not know,
I'll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in thine:
I'll go where you want me to go."

I arose from my knees a humble man.  And now, almost fifty years later, I look up to Him and say, "Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for cutting me down, for loving me enough to hurt me."


I don't know what the future holds for our family.  I am nervous because of the unknown, but I also know that somehow, things will work out.  I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for us and our children and that things will work out for our good.


My "moment of  joy" was when Travis and I went to dinner to one of our favorite restaurants to "celebrate" a new chapter in our lives.  I felt at peace being with him and I know that this trial can help us to grow even closer.

Cathy

*The school pics were from my Facebook post of , "Coming to a school near you!!!"  You get the picture.  Anyway, there will be drama, action, mystery, and romance etc.  That is why the kids are holding different objects.  Also, I will try to get a birthday picture of Clarissa posted soon :)

'Round and 'Round

We have had kind of a busy summer here at the Lloyd home.  I personally have been in eight different states in the last few weeks.  Here are some "noteable" happenings from this last month....

Nathanael was recently transferred to a new area.  He is in a town named Codegua.  It is quite rural and it is also a very large area.  He and his new companion have been given bicycles to get around.  He told us that at first he he was very sore because it had been a while since he has ridden a bike.  One experience that he told me about happened this last week.  He and his companion had ridden a bus to teach some people about 30 minutes away.  (The wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round...)  However, they did not know how they were going to get back to their apartment when a man offered them a ride. They were able to have a great conversation with him and he wants them to come back and teach him this week.  Nathanael also just completed his first year on his mission.  He was a great young man when he left, and yet, I have seen a more amazing young man emerge as he has learned to love the Chilean people he serves.

Lindsay went with me, Clarissa, and my parents to a family reunion in Minnesota.  We drove there and so we were able to stop on the way there and back at some neat places.  On the way to Minnesota, we stopped at Winter Quarters and took a quick tour in the visitor center and then went to the cemetery nearby.  It felt as if we were on sacred ground.  Both my girls mentioned how the atmosphere "felt like home".  It was a wonderful reminder of my heritage and I was touched by the sacrifices of my ancestors and the other early saints.  We took 2 days to drive to Minnesota going through several states to get there. (The wheels on the car go 'round and 'round...)  The family reunion was a great experience as we got to catch up with some relatives and get to know others better.  We had a lot of time to relax and enjoy the little town nearby.  It was also a treat to have some time with just my girls and we had some meaningful discussions about important things in life.

Ethan had the opportunity to attend a scout camp at Windy Rivers.  He ended up hiking about 40 miles with a 40 pound pack on his back.  He said that it was beautiful but also a lot harder than he expected.  However, he was able to rise up to the task and came home strong.  Ethan was already in good shape- which was a blessing as he was hiking 'round and 'round.  This last month, he also had two soccer tournaments.  The first one was not difficult competition until the final.  His team was playing a team that is a bit of a rival for first place.  The game was intense and the boys really stepped up and played really well.  They were able to win 1-0.  It was a great win and the boys can hold their heads up because not only did they play well- they were good sports.  The second tournament was more difficult as the boys were playing some teams that were a year older.  They did make it to the final again, however, they lost that game but came in second place.  Even though in this tournament they did not take first, they felt really good about the game because they were losing and looked like all was lost.  They rallied and came back at the end and came really close to winning.  They also had most of their starters missing or injured.  Therefore, the team is excited for the new season coming up.  Ethan really "gave it all" this last month and I think has become stronger for it.

As I mentioned before, Clarissa came to Minnesota with me for the family reunion.  She was so excited that she chose Minnesota for her state report in fifth grade.  On the way back, we stopped at Mt. Rushmore.  It was amazing to me that they were able to complete such a large monument  with so many obstacles.  It was a massive undertaking and the result is quite impressive.  We took 3 days driving home.  (The wheels on the car go 'round and 'round...again) Needless to say, we drove a lot in one week.  Clarissa handled it very well and I was so pleased with her and Lindsay and how they behaved on our trip and were helpful and polite.  At the reunion, my aunt had put out a puzzle for everyone to work on throughout the time there.  Clarissa sat down one night and said that she was not very good at puzzles.  Then she found 5 pieces in just a few minutes.  She then helped complete that puzzle and my aunt got out another puzzle that had about 300 pieces-more for kids and Clarissa completed most of it herself.  She found that she really is good at puzzles and that she really likes to do them-just like her Grandpa!  The girls also learned a bit about my Dad that they didn't know.  For example, they found out that he is good at yo-yo tricks.  They also found out that he was in Madrigals in high school which is comparable to the Chamber Singers that Nat was in and that Lindsay will be performing in this year.  Clarissa really enjoyed the trip and experienced a lot of new things-like seeing fireflies!

Well, all the kids have been gone somewhere this summer and Zachary now had the opportunity to go on a trip as well.  Our family went to Yellowstone with my extended family to celebrate my Dad turning 65 this year.  We all stayed in a cabin together and played games, visited, and went to see the sights during the day.  We got to see different geysers-including Old Faithful the first day.  The next day we did a little hike and saw the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and a couple of beautiful waterfalls.  We also saw a couple of bison and some elk.  My kids had a great time with their cousins seeing some amazing wonders of nature.  Zachary also had a great time playing with his cousins in the cabin. Zachary has made some wonderful memories and we had a great time together as a family. I will say that Yellowstone was extremely crowded- but I thought that the kids did really well driving 'round and 'round to the different sites.

I am grateful for the opportunities and experiences that I have had this month.  However, I am so grateful to be home and to enjoy my family.  I am grateful for my husband who has supported me and our children in having these different opportunities.  I hope that my girls find someone like him and that my boys turn out to be as attentive to their kids  as he is to them.  He is a wonderful husband and father as we go 'round and 'round in this life together.

My "moment of joy" this month had to do with Nathanael.  He had just transferred to a new area with a new companion, new surroundings, new people etc.  Adjusting can sometimes be difficult.  As a mother, I was a bit worried about him and how he was handling this change.  When I wrote to him, I asked him how things were going and how he was getting along in his new situation.  He wrote me back and told me that he was completely adjusted and really enjoying learning a lot from his new companion because he is Chilean.  He was so positive and seemed so happy.  I felt an overwhelming feeling of gratitude that he is doing so well.

Cathy