1 September 2013. Where did summer go?

How is it possible that summer is over and school is starting?

First, a note..

on August 17th, Elliot Smith, Timm's daughter, had her birthday.  In my last post, I accidentally attached her to her aunt Kelli.  I knew better, but somehow blew it.

I make mistakes on a semi regular basis.  And when I do, you gentle readers so kindly let me know what really happened/or the correct information.  Everyone is so nice about it and so complimentary about the family newsletter.  Thanks to all of you.  And when I blow it, keep letting me know so I can get it right next time. :)

Thoughts for this week-

Two things define you. 

 1- Your patience when you have nothing, and 

2- your attitude when you have everything.

"It's been the delight of my life to find God far more common-sense and practical than any human I know. The only time I ever find my dealings with God less than clear-cut is when I'm not being honest with Him. The fuzziness is always on my side, not his."
-from the book "Christy" by Catherine Marshall

EVENTS
2 Troy Peterson (Boston's) 2007
9 Severin Nelson
12 Rob Thomas
13 Friday... I just love Friday the 13th!  so I thought I would mention it. :)
14 Elder Liam Smith 1992


MISSIONARY UPDATES
Robbie's mission report in his ward was great.  He did such a good job, talking about how missionary work strengthens families.  Then, the next week, he joined Rob and they drive to Utah for Robbie to start college.  So you wont hear mission updates about Robbie any more.  But maybe he will send some new updates....

Cameron writes, This week was fun. We had some good lessons and we got to attend a
Catholic Mass on Saturday. It was a very interesting experience for me, and
I think I learned a lot about how the Catholic faith works, and their beliefs. Some of it was a little odd to me though, but it was good.
I am getting along with my new companion super well and things are good here.

Easton writes, The ward here is great! They are all extremely nice and welcoming and happy and its great. We have been fed very well this week and it has been great to be in the members homes. There is a different feeling in homes where the Spirit is an invited and welcome guest. It is such a breath of fresh air to us as missionaries and I always love it.  He adds, I'll leave you with the words of King Benjamin from Mosiah 4:11 And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have ^atasted of his love, and have received a ^bremission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own ^cnothingness, and his ^dgoodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of ^ehumility, ^fcalling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing ^gsteadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel.

I want to highlight "standing ^gsteadfastly in the faith of that which is to come" King Benjamin invites us to remember the blessings that will come and to keep our eyes fixed on our goals. This one verse taught me so much and was exactly what I needed this week. When we focus on why we are serving and who we are serving the other details won't matter. Remember who you are and do good things. :)

Liam writes "For another positive experience we have been teaching a young guy named Kiady. He is super smart. He speaks English and French. We really enjoy teaching him. We have been having great lessons with him and we really think he is beginning to get really interested. This past Saturday we taught him. As we first got there we were just talking with him before we started the lesson. We asked him why he invited the missionaries in at first. He told us that in the beginning he just wanted to see what it was all about. He knows about "Mormons" and had some pretty interesting questions, but as we taught him the Restoration and other things he was super interested. He told us he had been reading in the Book of Mormon and to our surprise he said, "it is converting me. I didn't expect it all. I wasn't planning on learning from you guys for very long, but I think I am getting converted." We had to restrain ourselves at that. We about jumped out of our seats and cheered. What great news! and Finally I just want to end with a quote. "Men and women who turn their lives over to the God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their opportunties, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace." -Ezra Taft Benson

"Men and Women" can be replaced with fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, or elders and sisters. I not only support this quote 100%, but I have also seen it to be true life. I have had deeper joys, expanded vision, a quicker mind, stronger muscles, more opportunities, comfort in my soul, friends risen, and an outpouring of peace. My life is forever changed by giving two years of my life to God. I don't plan on only giving two years, but it is a good start. God can always make our lives better than we can. We will be truly happy if we turn it over to Him.

UPDATES AND BLOGS

Me/Carol-We drove down for the UVA/BYU football game.  We were there only a quarter when the stadium shut down with a severe storm/lightening warning.  We all had to evacuate and cram into the concourses surrounding the stadium.  The stadium was packed, so the concourses were insane! After a two hour delay, we were let back in and watched the game in a torrential downpour.  It was, again, INSANE!!

 Bryce and I are soaking wet.  We are telling ourselves, "we are having lots of fun!"

The moment of our final touchdown.  It was such happiness for a little while!

My news is that I put in mission papers to serve a service mission.  I can do it from home, while still working part time, and Bryce working full time.  I will be working with the Pathways program (from BYU-I).  It's purpose to to help folks get a college education who might be missed by the "system"  or didn't finish their degrees, couldn't afford college, etc. You can get an entire bachelors degree at home, while also enjoying some of the mentoring and socialization that makes college so great.  I'm excited.  I will be recruiting, mentoring, etc.

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Cara  We spent a few days up at the cabin in Heber.  It was so fun!  My dad and brother Tyler (along with many others) have remodeled it since last we saw it and it looks amazing!

We had some fun in the water too!  Grandma had some coupons to Cowabunga Bay 

so we spent a day there.  The kids had a blast!!

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Monta  So I just finished my first week of school (last week was without students).  I am happy to report that that it was a great week!  I think things are working out just fine, and I feel really good about my decision to move to High School.  My room is really working out.  It was a rough start, but with the addition of the office, cleaning out and up the place, and moving my own stuff in, the room is feeling really good.  Compared with the other brand-new, straight out of college geography teacher, my room is not so great.  But compared to what some other new teachers got, I've got a winner!  As I've looked around at lots of rooms at Brighton, I really do have a pretty good one!  As I've become more familiar with the layout of the school, I've also realized I have a super  location! 

I had dinner last night with a group of friends from Indian Hills.  And boy am I glad I'm gone!  They had nightmare stories to tell about the new "teaming."  And one of my best friends there has on her team the 3 most nightmare teachers at the school!  I'd kill myself!  And since everyone had to move rooms, I wouldn't be next to my friends anyway.  Good call!!

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Katie (Carol note--this is just two of half a dozen posts.)

Unfortunately, we get a decent amount of crickets in our house. Fortunately, Emmeline is recently really into helping smush them and throw them away. It grossed me out at first that she was doing it, but now I have realized that this is the best gift in the world--a live-in cricket killer with me constantly! She will go get one of her shoes, smush the cricket, go get a tissue, pick up the dead cricket, and throw it away. Niiiice. Today I just started killing the two or three we find every morning, and Emmeline came over and said, "No! Let me get it with a tissue!" And she did. Handy.

Conversations between Katie and 3 year old Emmeline--

Emmeline: I just want to say, I love you!
Me: I love you too! What's that from?
Emmeline: Nothing! It's just from me!     AND

Emmeline: Mom, I forgot to do my homework!
Me: Oh, that's silly.
Emmeline: Is that funny?
Me: Yeah.
Emmeline: Laugh about it!
Me: Ha. Ha ha.

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Natalie (Carol writing this for Natti) Truman was blessed today.  The Barlow family (8 of them anyway) came up for it, so it was a great party here!  We love spending time with Kenny's family.  Allie and Steve also came for the blessing.   Allie had made a beautiful blessing blanket for Truman.  (see pictures)

 Addie ADORES Truman!

 all cute in his white pants, shirt, vest and bow tie!

see Truman Barlow crocheted into the design?  Amazing!

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I would like to kindly point out that week after week, we are getting the same folks who contribute.  Now, I LOVE their contributions.  And I want them to continue!!!  But I would also like contributions from others as well.  The last few letters/entries had a couple of new folks, sending updates and it was perfect! Please take a moment in the next month or so and send me an update and photo.  We all want to hear more!!!

Work hard, study hard, pray hard,

Carol