Back to School

We have been off to a great start these first couple of days of school. These pictures aren't the best the boys have ever taken. The last thing they wanted to do that morning was take a dumb picture!

The boys handled going back to school really well. The older ones just acted like it was another day, but I was really worried about Ashton because he would pray at night and he would pray for him to find friends and to not get lost and know where he was going on the first day of school (this was his prayers for the three days prior to starting!). I was praying for him, too! I didn't realize how scared he was to start in a new school (6th grade) and I just wanted it to go good for him. We walked the halls of the school for an hour and a half two days before it started. We went to his bus stop and mapped it out and how long it would take and just made sure he knew where he was going and what he was doing. He has to have it all mapped out and planned out so that there is no error, or little chance of error. I think he is afraid of failing or something. I think the thought of getting in the wrong class horrified him. Well, he was the first one to leave. He had to walk to the bus stop all by himself. He had his schedule and map at quick reference and he was off. I was waiting for him to get home and he bounds into the house and says "I had a GREAT day!". After that, I knew the others were good, too. Sure enough, they all had a great first day.

Dallen got a really good teacher and he was SO happy that one of his best friends is in his class this year. Dallen's teacher asked about Dallen (at the open house the night before) and I told him that Dallen was a talker and it usually got him in trouble. Instead of being concerned, he said, "I will think about how I can channel that quality". What teacher says that? Calvin had this teacher four years ago, when we first moved here, and Calvin loved his class and I loved helping in the class, too. It's exciting to see the people that are placed in their lives to help them become the young men they are to be!

Dallen is my only one left in Elementary school. That is really weird for me! He's in 4th Grade this year. He is still learning Spanish and the teacher he has is actually the teacher Scott and I took a Spanish class from. He is an excellent teacher!

Calvin (8th), Derrek (10th), Alec (9th) were trying to leave before I got their "first day" photo...they still got their way, though! You wouldn't know it, but Alec got his braces off this last week. Derrek didn't and he was upset. He even had a couple of tears squeak out at the Ortho because he was upset!

Ashton went into 6th grade...he's in the school all by himself. No brothers to help him through it! He has had help, though, from Derrek, Alec, and Calvin. They gave him some good (?) advice on teachers and the in's & out's of the school.

Other news this week...I still get to be in Young Womens! I am 1st counselor. I am so happy. I was really struggling with not being able to do anything with the Young Women. I also struggled with where I might go because I like to be in the "action". I love to serve and work hard in a calling. It's been hard to watch Scott be able to be in the thick of it and I have had to just sit back and watch and I couldn't help, other than "I'm here for you". So, I am glad to know what I will be doing for the next little while. I am more than happy to be the support and give the big worries to another sister!

Scott is doing good for his first week as Bishop. He has pretty much been gone all week. Today was nice to finally see and meet people that we are now in a ward with. There are a lot of great people. There is one couple that knew my parents when we lived in Brea, California. As soon as I saw her, I remembered her face. I don't think I ever connected her name to her face, but I remembered her face and I remember the name. Anyway, small world! I don't think she knew me that well when I was little, but I was only there from age 5 to 11. Scott has been on a spiritual high and he has great people all around him. Their first night they met, it was really late and so I decided to stay up and wait for him. At midnight I sent him a text and said "you know...I've heard the Holy Ghost goes to bed after midnight". He then said "We're done!". But, other than that, it hasn't been too bad. He has a sense of humor (as most of you know) that makes people feel at ease and I feel that was how it was today.