I am reflecting on the events that have happened in our family this past year. Beginning in January we started the New Year off in a new home and a new city. In my wildest imagination I did not think I would ever move from the home that we had begun to fix up. I loved the house and the ward we were in and could have stayed there for the rest of my life. There were other plans for us. Kristen was able to get a good job at Maleluca as a designer and we felt so blessed about that. I began the long process of becoming a substitute teacher.
There is a good story to that. I went in to apply on January 21st and on the 22nd the ESD posted a note that they were no longer hiring substitute teachers. I was perplexed so I called them and found that I had just applied under the wire and my application was good. It took them a while to get my fingerprints processed. I found that my finger prints have worn off and so they had to send them back and forth a couple times before I could finally begin working in May. I love my job and find it enjoyable to have a new adventure every day.
In March we were called to be temple workers. I was called to be a Gospel Doctrine teacher also. This takes up many hours of research as I prepare my lessons. I loved teaching about the Old Testament this year and found new insight into the many books, history and culture. I also love working in the temple. I miss teaching Seminary but find that I have been able to substitute sometimes. I love being creative in preparing the Seminary lessons and have a good time working with the youth.
During the month of April there were new adjustments as I learned about the area we now live in. Kent came to visit for a few days when Kerry drove to Utah to pick up a new table for us and buy a table for his Dad. He and Kerry had a good visit. We also were preparing for a big trip to see Italy during the summer and were getting exciting for our missionary daughter to come home. Another wonderful event we were looking forward to was the birth of our first grandson Sawyer.
May and June went by quickly as I substituted at several buildings in the area. The first part of July I flew to Connecticutt to help move Cherie and Keith, spend time with Lily, and help with everything when Cherie gave birth. I had a lot of fun even though it was really really hot in Connecticutt. We moved the week that Cherie was due to deliver and found that she was a little bit past the time she expected the baby to come. The night he was born we took a long walk and pulled weeds in her flower garden. It did the trick and she had Sawyer that night. I would have never known she was in labor she was so calm!!!!
We met Kerry at the airport at the end of the month and I flew with him to Italy. The highlight of the trip was being with Jenessa and meeting the people she taught. I wish I had done that with all my children now. It was such a treat. Italy was a fantastic place to go and Kerry had done his homework in planning the trip. Kudos to Kerry for making the trip fantastic. When we flew home we met Cherie, Keith, Lily, and Sawyer at the New York Kennedy airport and were able to visit.
The rest of August saw Jenessa and I taking several trips. We went to visit with Joslyn and took a trip to Forks, La Push, and the Olympic National Park. The highlight was the park. That is a do not miss because of the beauty of the lakes and forests. We stopped to get a hamburger and a lavender shake in Forks. A few days later Bryce came and we moved Jenessa to Rexburg to finish her last semester of school.
September I began working at the schools and worked on finishing some quilts. I made a butterfly quilt and an quilt depicting the outdoors in the Northwest. I love going to quilt shops and during the summer Kerry and I went to a resort up across the border from Canada. While he was in meetings I took the car and went quilt shop hopping for quilt blocks. I finished the quilt in November.
The highlight of November was when Jonathan and Janilee came to visit for Thanksgiving. The day they got here a big snowstorm hit. All their plans to go to the coast were ruined but we were thankful to visit with them one more day. I loved the blueberry pie and cranberry sauce that they made for Thanksgiving. I loved having them more than anything.
The highlight of December was when Jenessa graduated from BYU-Idaho. She came in 3rd in her class as cum laude with a 3.94 gpa and received the Newell K. Whitney award. Four professors had to vote for her to receive it from her department. What an honor. We dropped by and visited with Jonathan and Janilee on our way back. And Christmas was the best when I had Kristen and Bryce come a few days before and Kent came too. I loved visiting with Kent and watching him beat almost all the levels of Mario. It was great to go to church with my children also. I hope next year is as eventful as this with great things happening in the family.
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