Hello everybody,
Another good and busy week. Gran is on her way to Meridian with Jocie, Janie, Jim, and Jennifer, to attend Uncle John's wife, Annie's United States Citizenship ceremony tomorrow, in Nampa. They'll stay at Hessing's tonight and be home tomorrow night. I think they're having supper tonight with Hessing's and Weaver's. Thanks to both families for making them all feel welcome.
Stephen, you must be busy with work and mission preparations. Please keep us informed on how it's all going for you. This is very exciting for us all!
Dad's knee is healing well; the two incisions are looking good, and we can remove the stitches in a few days. There has been very little swelling and he says "no pain." It's the best surgery result he's had on that knee!
Yesterday, Gran and I went to Lexi Christensen's bridal shower. She and Jordan Hanks are getting married next month. Then last night, we had Keaton Prisbrey over for dinner. He is back for one more year at BYU-I; he's studying Construction Management. He is Doug and Samantha's second son. He has a limited knowledge of firearms, but is eager to learn, so he and Dad had lots to talk about (see photo). He had done an internship in Minnesota last year and really enjoyed spending time with Sam, Nat, and the kids.
Grandma got moved into Homestead Assisted Living in Rexburg (building 2, room 12), on Wednesday. Reneta had let the other siblings know that it was getting too hard to have her at her house. I'm so glad that Reneta recognized when she had reached her limit. I think Grandma will do fine there and it's more centrally located so more of the kids can see her regularly.
Dad taught Gospel Doctrine today, for the first time and he gave such a wonderful lesson. He's good at getting discussion from the group and everyone enjoyed the lesson, I could tell.
I spoke with the High Councilman, Russ Rubert, in our Ward today and will give the same talk 3 more times over the next year. They're having the presidencies of all the Stake Auxiliaries speak with the High Councilmen, this year. The RS secretary, Teri Thomas, had told me when we were first put in, two years ago, "I don't pray, and I don't talk." Well, in two years time she has started giving the prayer and thought in our presidency meetings, and even said prayers and once conducted the meeting when we did the 5th Sunday RS/Priesthood at the Homestead in St. Anthony. But I was pretty sure she would draw the line at speaking in a Sacrament meeting. But she did it! She spoke in Parker 1st Ward today, along with High Councilman, Nick Orme. I'm just so proud of her, that she has been willing to do things she said she couldn't and wouldn't.
In Stake Conference last week, Cindy Miller (wife of Lee), from the Rexburg Temple presidency said "there's no comfort in the growth zone, and there's no growth in the comfort zone." It's so true; we're each here to grow, stretch, learn, progress, and sometimes it is definitely not comfortable!
Thank you, Aimee, for the email. I did start this little email group, but it makes me so happy when others write! Please feel free, any and all.
Love,
Mom/Johanna/Nana
Hi guys!
Mom, it sounds like there is a lot going on there! I'm so excited for Annie. It's wonderful that so many can go be with her.
Thanks for letting us know about Grandma. I am glad that Reneta did not try to do more than she could. Is it possible to call Grandma there?
And I'm so excited for Dad's knee! That is wonderful!!!
And Nick Orme is a High Councilman?!? That's great!
Our week has been fairly full as well. Ellen, Naomi, and Noah started piano lessons again this week. Naomi and Spencer started karate on Thursday. They both really enjoyed it. It is a class for families so there are people of all ages there. I joined in as well! I might try to go occasionally, but just can't commit to going all the time. Luckily, I don't have to! I can go whenever I want. Thursday night used to be cub scout night as well, but they recently moved cub scouts to Wednesday nights at 7 so it is the same as mutual. I love it!!!
This week was our ward's turn to help with Family Promise, so on Tuesday evening James and I had dinner at the Presbyterian Church with the families in the program. Then on Thursday night James spent the night there with another brother in the ward. I'm thinking I've told you about Family Promise before, so I won't explain it all, but if I haven't and you want to know, I'm happy to tell you!
Annie, Naomi, and I each entered two of our pictures into the fair on Wednesday. We went on Friday after school to see how we did. Naomi had a blue ribbon on each, Annie had a blue and a red, and I had a red on each of mine. We'll go pick them up tomorrow. I'll attach the pictures we entered, just so you can see. The first two, the bridge and the foxgloves, are Naomi's. The second two, the dandelion and the wood, are Annie's. And the last two, the building and the tulips (both from Arlington), are mine.
On Friday, Stephen received his visa application packet in the mail. There is so much to do! And it all has to be done by Oct 23rd! It did say that he should receive his visa about 2 weeks before his travel date and that only once in a while do missionaries receive it only one week before their date. If he hasn't received it by a week before, the Stake President will call and let him know of any changes that need to be made. The packet also included his travel itinerary! He is scheduled to fly out of Lewiston on Dec 11th at 5:10am. He'll go from there to Salt Lake, then to Atlanta, then to Sao Paulo where he will land at 8:20am on Dec 12th. That is 23 hours of travel time since Sao Paulo is 4 hours ahead of us. I expect he will meet up with other missionaries on the way, but we'll have to wait and see I guess. And I know I've told some of you, but it's looking like Stephen will have to go to San Francisco to the Brazilian consulate there to get his visa. Depending on the place they are going, we've heard of some missionaries going to Spokane and some to Salt Lake. We've learned that at the very least, San Francisco is the place for Brazil, Chile, and Vanuatu. Stephen also has to go to a Safeway in Spokane to get his Yellow Fever immunization. Ha! It's the only place in this whole area to get one! Crazy!!
It's been a pretty quiet Sunday. Ellen is making scones at the moment and the other kids are watching Swiss Family Robinson.
That's all I can think of for now. I hope you are all well! We love you!!!
Aimee
Mom-
Thanks again for the weekly update from your neck of the woods – always good to hear what is happening. And thanks, Aimee for your update – what an exciting time it must be for you getting ready to send your first born off into the wide wide world – good stuff! We look forward to hearing more mission preparation details.
We are doing pretty well out here in Minnesota! We had a fantastic trip a couple weeks ago to Colorado to spend time with everyone there. I will paste a few pics below from that trip – good times! We appreciate Ben, Lyndsey, Joseph and Dad joining us at the Elmwood Lane building for Bradley’s Priesthood Ordination. We all spent time together after church at Bradley’s (Bishop Gailey) Bishop’s house – mostly ate good food and visited while the kids played. The weather was perfect that weekend. Bishop Gailey has a son Brad’s age, Gib, who has been in a few of Bradley’s classes so far in middle school. They also have four daughters and the three younger ones match up really well with our girls so they had a really good time together. We started our drive back to MN at about 7:45pm Sunday night and drove to Kearney, NE where we got a room. We were back home by mid afternoon on Monday and then the girls first day of school was the following day. Alida actually started school on Thursday the 6th – she is still enrolled in the speech therapy program and goes to school every Tuesday and Thursday.
Natalie has transferred at work from the Lakeville Lifetime location to the Eagan location. The Eagan location is much closer to our house and she is only required to work two shifts per week instead of three like she was working in Lakeville – Natalie is VERY please with the transfer. Natalie has also been substituting vegetable juice for certain meals and has seen some very favorable results. Some weight loss, but mostly changes in overall health. I’ve even had a juice meal or two over the past month – it’s surprising how full and satisfied a serving of raw veggie juice will make you. I think Nat found the juicer machine on FB for like $20 – no large investment required! Any questions on juicing go to Natalie – she is the expert!
Maddie and Macy are both loosing teeth like crazy – the tooth ferry has her work cut out for her at our place! Otherwise they are adjusting to being back in school and getting used to their new classmates and teachers.
I’m still gainfully employed, serving as Ward Clerk, riding single track as much as possible, and generally feeling tremendously blessed!
I guess that’s about it for us – nothing too exciting happening here! Below are some recent pics with commentary.
Love you all – hope you are healthy and happy!
Sam
Macy showing off how many teeth she is missing – she waited until she was in school to pull her most recent tooth. Wanted to get another tooth box from the nurse!
Alida with a proud look after Natalie finished up a batch of juice. Our basement kitchen is the official juice station.
All of us at Mt Evans Summit – it was snowing – Macy wasn’t having it!
Me and Dad at Mt Evans – it was pretty cold up there for September 1st!
Dad taking some awesome pics!
Deck stringers we built sometime last month – the old set had rotted out.
Brad and me during some Highland Ranch singetrack with Ben and Joseph.
The girls on their first day of school – 2018
Getting on the bus – first day of school. Maddie is in the front of the line – Macy refused to be in the picture.
Bambi and causin in our front yard – looking to eat our raspberries no doubt!!
Painting nails and crafting in the street because putting a blanket out on the lawn doesn’t cut it anymore…
Stephen update!
He is on his way to Utah to the Bald Mountain and Pole Creek fires. He has been busy working on mission stuff when possible, so he will be ready to become an Elder as soon as he comes home. He also got his Temple recommend on Sunday so that can happen soon after as well. I'll let you know when. I was most worried about getting his finger prints done for his FBI clearance he needs for his visa. That has to happen asap. He got it done! He, and the rest of the crew, met me at the DMV yesterday on their way out of town. He got his prints done and signed all the necessary forms. Now I can get it all sent in! Huge tender mercy!!! I'll attach a couple pictures of him driving away in his fire truck.
Love again!
Aimee
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