Too Quickly

Life is just going by TOO QUICKLY!

P.E.R.I.O.D.

I feel like I am constantly playing catch up on this blog. Our lives are busy, but that shouldn't make a difference. I'll be better with it again NEXT year.

Amazingly, I have finished my first semester at UCA. I have enjoyed it and learned a lot. I feel like I am barely breathing at times and at other times I feel SO at home! People tell me it takes a little while to settle in. And I know that they are right.

My kids are far surpassing me in settling in. While I LOVE what I do, I am amazed at their adeptness to their new surroundings. It takes a little while, but I think they are doing so wonderful. Here's a little heads up on EACH one of them.

Jordan: On Nov 22 Jordan turned 17. I can't really imagine just HOW that happened....wasn't it just YESTERDAY I was in Nashville with a tiny little baby to bring home? He's NOT so tiny now, but his smile still puts a flutter in my heart.

Lately Jordan has really astounded me with just how mature he has become! Yes, at this age we all sometimes lose their minds a bit, and that is true of Jordan also. However, this move has really put him in a place to grow. It hurt for awhile, as all growth does, but he has made some pretty wise decisions...at least I think they are wise. He has decided to spend MORE time studying and less time at football. So, he quit after they returned from Thanksgiving break! It was something he thought about and we discussed for the entire season! I let HIM make the decision (which was Hard for both of us). But in the end I think he is happy with his decision. There is a LOT more to life than football....which for me is hard to believe he was able to make that connection at 17. At that age sports were ALL I knew! I learned a lot of life lessons, and still do, from my sports. No doubt HE has learned (and will continue to learn from them). I'm just so proud of him for making this decision....for praying about it, pondering, and making the decision according to what he felt and thought was best for him today AND in the future. Welcome to the world, Jordan!

Spencer: Cross country ended and now Spencer isn't doing any sports. That gives him time to piddle around in his workshop on ALL the knives he makes. I really can't believe he is SO good at it. This boy continues to amaze me. Any time you find him on his phone it is watching youtube videos of how to create this or that. Sadly, I don't have a picture to post of his latest and greatest! He is also in the band at the Jr High. He plays the tenor sax and enjoys it. Yesterday Scott and I both commented on just how much this boy is growing up into a respectable young man. Ha! He is STILL a young kid who loves to move and get into trouble....he can hardly sit still for a minute at a time. Being busy is his middle name, I think. But yesterday, instead of sleeping in, he got himself up and in the shower for the Regional Band competition. I love that boy! He still touches my heart when I see the excitement in his eyes when he's out in nature or up in a tree.

 

He continues to grow taller. The other day we were out buying shoes and he told me he needed new shoes. I started looking in the size 10 section. He laughed and told me he now wears a size 11 to 11.5! Seriously? WHEN did THAT happen? This morning he slipped his feet into some shoes Jordan had left out. "They fit perfectly!" he said. Looking at his hands today in Sacrament Meeting I can only imagine...they are getting bigger and more manly looking. WHERE did my LITTLE boy go? You know the one...the one running and jumping around? Well, THAT boy is still here...he's just BIGGER!

Kelsey: I think Kelsey is the one who has adapted the easiest. It is no wonder....she is social and makes friends easily. Going to the first football game, we walked in and people called out "Hi Kelsey! Hi Kelsey!" This really doesn't surprise me! Now she has many friends at school, on her sports teams, and at church. She has become the one that all the little children flock to....as always! She will never cease to amaze me!

She is now playing basketball. She is on a Greenbrier league team as well as a travel team that plays tournaments. Yesterday was the first tournament Kelsey played in. I LOVE to watch her play. She has some fundamental improvements to make, but is SO fluid out there on the court. It makes me smile to watch her. She did GREAT in all 3 games. They won all of them and took first! The last game she really came out and scored 13 pts.

Cody: He remains my Bubby! He did really well for awhile, but recently has been a little sad about the friendship scene. Braden Kiser was the BEST friend he has EVER had. They played day in and day out and ALWAYS got along. They were very literally two peas in a pod! In fact, they still text or facetime quite often. Instead of JUST talking they play together. I love it! He hasn't found a friend like that here....hopefully YET! But I love his love for me. He still is small enough to snuggle with me and genuinely want me around! Of course, I am not so good at the PS3....but that is ok. It has been fun to watch the relationship he is forming with Jordan. With Jordan's decision to quit I think Jordan felt a great weight lift and he became happier. Cody and Jordan play quite often now. It is just fun to watch him grown up. I don't have a pic of him playing with the boys, or playing the PS3.

But recently we all went to Wooly Hollow State Park to hike around. Jordan, Spencer, and I went one day then we brought the whole family the next day. We had a blast...here are some of the pics.

I LOVE being in nature....and I LOVE when my family is there with me.

Ok...change of topic....after looking at what seems like a MILLION houses...we have bought one! It scares me to death! I am queen of buyer's remorse....but I think it will be good. I'm leaning on Scott's feelings here. Not my usual Mode of Operation, but a good time to start I suppose. Maybe I'm more of a control freak than I thought. We move in on Jan 9 or 12. Stay tuned for pics at that time. Until then....we will be decorating our rental just enough to know it IS Christmas and we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.