Finally...a schedule!

Summer is always hard because we, at our house, tend to fall out of a schedule and then days turn into weeks and then you start feeling unproductive and sluggish...well, not anymore :). Here is a picture of the kids on their 3rd day of school. I kept forgetting to take their picture the first two days. Let me set up the week for you...

Monday, we went and did a last summer "hurrah" with Heidi, Kathie, Rachel, & Rebecca at Peter Piper Pizza (where we always go). They have the lunch buffet, which I am pretty sure I score on that!

Tuesday, it was down to business day since school started on Wednesday. We went and grabbed Alec and Calvin's schedules and walked around their school to make sure they knew where to go. As I was walking around, I had an overwhelming feeling of gratitude because I have been feeling anxious and frustrated because I haven't been able to get a job, yet also praying that the Lord will help me make my family come first. I had a quiet thought as we were walking around of "aren't you glad you don't have a job yet so that you can do this with them?". I almost broke into tears because I was SO grateful. This school is huge (3,300 students this year!) and I CANNOT imagine telling them that they had to drive there and pick up their schedules and figure all this out on their own. It was overwhelming to me, and I have experience with this kind of stuff, but to them, it would have almost felt impossible. I asked Calvin and Alec if they were grateful that I didn't have a job yet, so that I could walk around with them and Calvin said "I would have never forgiven you"...and at that time, I know that would have definitely been something he would have a hard time getting over. I was so grateful that I could be there. As we were walking around, Ashton said, "I just realized I'm coming here next year!"...yeah, it was big! After the high school, we headed over to Ashton's school and while we were driving, I got a call from Dallen's school asking if he had gotten his 6th grade shots...um NO! And why were they telling me this the day before school?!? UGH! She said Dallen had to have them that day or he couldn't start school the next day without them! Mind you, this call came at 12:30 in the afternoon...the shot clinic is only open so long and knowing it was the day before school, there was probably going to be a long line. So, I took Ashton around his school. We accidentally got locked out and had to go to the beginning and start all over. He got it enough to start the next day. He said he has managed to get lost a couple of times, but really, compared to the high school, this was a cake walk! We then headed over to the shot clinic and got there about 15 minutes before it opened back up and so we hadn't eaten yet and decided to go eat. We got back and the parking lot was packed! So, in line we waited...it took about an hour, but Dallen was legal to go! We then were able to do a little school shopping. We were VERY grateful because Calvin and Alec have both grown...again and are out of their size 12 shoes into size 13. Ashton and Dallen had no shorts/pants because they too have grown since the end of school in May! So, we were very grateful that we had a little cash that we could do that for them. All I was praying for was that I could afford to buy them paper and pencils that they needed. Instead we were blessed with a little extra that we could buy shoes and shorts that they needed. Then later that night, Scott gave them Father's Blessings. He kept telling Calvin in his blessing that it will be hard for the first couple of weeks and if he used his humor and saw the good in people, he would soon have friends and it will become easier for him. Well, the second day, he was able to use his humor...as only Calvin can. He was walking to his next class and a kid flipped him off and Calvin said "You're cool" and the kid said "shut-up" and then under his breath Calvin said "I wanna be just like you". I thought it was funny and instead of getting offended, he just took it and laughed about it as he was telling me the story. He's a gem :)

The first day of school was great for Dallen and Ashton. They both made several friends and Ashton rode the bus and had friends to sit by on the bus. Dallen's teacher cannot seem to be able to pronounce his name correctly. It's pretty funny because people act like they have never heard that name here...they call him Dillon or Dallas. His teacher calls him "Daylan". She was very nice, though, and sent an e-mail to see how Dallen was doing and adjusting and that she was going to try to get his name right. Alec and Calvin came home the first day ready to head back to St. George. We were going to get in line, after school, to change their schedules, but the line was long and they didn't want to be there another minute. So, I told them that I would go with them in the morning to work on their schedule. Because of the time when they go to school and the time Dallen and Ashton go to school, I told them I would just go and call them out of class when I get there. Well, I got there and the line was long! I got in line and decided that I would call them out of class when I got a little closer. It took me TWO HOURS until I called them out of class and then it was another hour before we were finally done. There was a girl a couple kids behind me and she said to me "Are you here in line for your kid?" and I said, "yes" and she said "you are seriously an awesome mom! My mom would never do that for me". I was just glad I could do it. I can't imagine them literally missing 3 hours of class just to talk to the counselor...and it counts against their absences! Once we got in, the counselor was AWESOME and totally helped us see what they needed to take and help them set themselves up for the next couple years. The lady we had when we first did the schedules was not helpful at all, and it probably didn't help that Alec and Calvin were goofing around because they were so wound up from the thought of starting at a new school...it was just not a good day...So, we got them all situated and they actually came into the school with extra credit because of the way Utah does their semesters (on the block system) and so they don't have to take 6 classes like everyone else, they are ok taking 5 and release time seminary. This made them happy and the next couple of days have been good.

As for Scott, it isn't official that he in the Mortuary Science program, but he talked to the admissions lady and she said that because all his prerequisites are done, he is for sure in the program. He and four others were the only ones out of the 33 fighting for the last 13 spots to have completed everything to enter the program. Those that finished get first priority, since it is a first come/first serve basis. It has been, seriously, a huge blessing that he has been able to get all his classes. Since last December, little things keep popping up that have helped him accomplish being done before the program started. This last month, even though he was gone all the time, he was able to take one more class, which he needed, because his boss said "I think we'll just work you part-time this month" and Scott thought "now what am I going to do with all this extra time?"...so he looked into taking another class and the one that he needed was offered at the exact time that he needed to take it and there was ONE spot left to fill...and it was his! Seriously, not a coincidence. We are so grateful that we have been constantly watched over. I can't even describe to anyone how it has been. For one, living on Scott's $10/hour job seems almost ludicrous...and would be if we didn't have the Lord watching out for us. On paper, none of it makes sense...blessings all around!

As for Derrek, in St. George, he starts school tomorrow. I am going to try and have them take his first day of school picture :). He will be a Senior. It will be a good year for him, and will go fast...faster than I can stand it. It's hard to have them grow up. I know what's waiting for them and it's hard and scary...but I hope I have trained him so that he is prepared. He also managed to get another part-time job that he thinks will start tomorrow. It is posting packages for this guy and taking them to the UPS store to be shipped. He said that it pays really well. He really needed that boost because he has been really struggling with McDonald's and just wanted a change. I hope it works out for him. Other than that, he sounds like he is doing good. He is such a good kid and is living with a great family. I know he is where he should be right now in his life...even though we miss him dearly. It's the little things like when we were giving the boys Father's Blessings, and Derrek wasn't here to get his...and now he will have to get it from either my dad or Steve (the dad he is living with)(grateful that they honor their Priesthood and are able to do that for Derrek). It's just hard because we selfishly want to be the ones to provide that for him. Oh well...change happens.

Just one last thing, I think is so funny...This is a picture of Dallen with Angel in the pool. Somehow he is able to get her to lie on her back and he holds here there for a long time, floating around the pool. She is as calm as calm can be and just really trusts him to let him do that with her. He definitely has a way with animals...I keep telling him he needs to do something with animals and being outside and then I told him he should be a veterinarian! Who knows!?!