SAM--8 on Jan 12
Yes, Sam is the man. I can't believe what a cool guy he is. He loved having so many family members there to support him at his baptism. Even though he got sick and wasn't able to taste the amazing pizza birthday cakes his Aunt Vanessa made, he said the great thing about that day really was getting baptized. Natalie said that's something she loves most about him--he really thinks about the details of the gospel.
Right now, Sam is in his second season of basketball since moving to Kansas and has decided it is his favorite sport so far. His reasoning is simple: "You don't get as sweaty because you play in an air conditioned place. In soccer, you're always sweaty." I'm with you on that one, Sam. Other extracurricular activities include piano lessons and Cub Scouts.
Probably my favorite things to learn about Sam were his qualities as a creator. Any time there is anything lying around, he'll just make something with it. One example Natalie shared was a house that he made out of clementine peels after they ate them for a snack, complete with a roof and door! For her birthday, he made her a pencil holder. Another project was completed on the sly with Ethan as his accomplice. They stayed up late one night, snuck out Natalie's sewing box and made a table runner for Natalie's bedside table!! And the one that totally blew me away: Mia's Ariel doll was understandably a little underdressed for Strength of Youth standards and so Sam decided to make her a modest dress. He sewed on a button, made arm holes, the whole nine yards. As someone who is married to a man like this, I can appreciate the gift that you have, Sam. Keep it up!!! Creating is one of the most effective ways to find joy in this life :).
Thanks for all the joy you bring to our family! We love you, Sam!!!
PAPA STAN--66 on Jan 22
Happy 66 to our perfectly wonderful patriarch! Here is a peek into his life as a husband, father, grandfather, and member of the Seventy.
With all nine 'psychos' raised and out the door, I wondered what he loves most about being an empty-nester. "
Being an empty-nester!" was his immediate response. He remarked how fun it is just being with Mom, with the freedom to go for a walk, get a sandwich, go grocery shopping or swimming (Mom and Dad's current daily exercise) without having to worry about anyone else. In a word: "relaxing." "It's like being newlyweds and doing everything fun together." He and Mom also enjoy the freedom to be able to attend baptisms, blessings and other quick trips to each of our families' activities now that they are not juggling a "family" schedule at home.
Dad's favorite aspects of his calling: "It's wonderful to be associated with the brethren. It's wonderful to be guided by the Spirit so often--at Stake Conferences.. in
everything we have to do we have to be guided by the Spirit. It's nice to be able to have an impact. Someone will say, 'You really helped me...'"
I asked if there were any parts he didn't like or any parts that were especially challenging. The first one is the uncertainty of not knowing where they will be, how long they will be there, etc. "Uncertainty is contrary to my preferred lifestyle" of having everything planned and in order. He cited the fact that he had the end of his mission planned before it even started :). The other part that he mentioned is that, in many of the situations he is faced with, "you really just
don't know what to do and until the revelation and answers come, it's scary, challenging, frustrating or whatever else you want to call it.... BUT IT ALWAYS COMES. It's like what President Monson says. He says he doesn't worry because it's the
Lord's work. He lets the Lord worry about it."
In his spare time, you can usually find Dad reading a book or listening to one on CD. Currently, he is enjoying
The Guardian, by Gerald Lund, (on CD) and
The Savior in Kirtland, by Karl Anderson. The first was a birthday present and his interest in the second was sparked by a "really interesting" assignment he had in Kirtland, Ohio. One morning, before doing some "rescuing" with the stake president, they went to see some of the historical sites now owned by the RLDS Church. They took with them one Karl Anderson, resident expert on Church history in Kirtland. As they went through the visit of the Kirtland temple, the RLDS guides would share their information and then turn the time over to Brother Anderson for his insights and perspective. Over the years, he had forged a lot of friendships with everyone in Kirtland--RLDS and LDS alike. Dad found it so interesting that he discovered both books written by this Church scholar:
Joseph's Kirtland and his current read,
The Savior in Kirtland, which discusses all the manifestations, revelations and teachings of Christ in Kirtland. This "Christology of Kirtland" was actually 'commissioned' by Neal A. Maxwell before his death. Inspired by the book, Dad said he looked through the Doctrine and Covenants and found that the majority of sections were actually received there in Kirtland. It was an "
incredibly formative time in Church history. You figure that Joseph Smith arrived there in January of 1831 and the Church was only organized a few months before that."
But as much as Dad loves reading, when he has free time, the top of Dad's favorite-things-to-do list is being with us! :) He talked about how much he enjoyed Christmas with everyone, his birthday lunch on Monday, Sam and Caitie's baptisms, all the baby blessings and other visits. When I asked what else he would want us all to know, he said, "I want them to know that they are the love of my life! I find great joy in my family." He told me about a man he was talking with who didn't want to marry or go through the hassle of children. "It's true, children are a lot of work. But they become your best friends. It's so fun to be with my children now! They're so great to talk to, and to do things with." He stressed to me, though, how important it is to enjoy each season in its time. We (the nine psychos ;) won't be able to enjoy where he and Mom are now if we don't put in the effort where
we are now.
How thankful I am for you, Dad! Your example and counsel have blessed me all my life--from "sing as you work and your work will be play" to "if it's worth doing, it's worth doing well", "it's great to be in business with the Lord" and "you're just as good as anyone else, but no better" and the list goes on. Thank you for being such a steady and constant force for good wherever you are. We love you, Papa Stan! Parabens! :)
NATALIE--Jan 24
Oh, Natalie, where do we start? Maybe with this picture of you and I having too much fun at someone else's expense.
With four children, she's not able to spend as much time packing and loading trailers as she would like. Now, instead, Natalie enjoys listening to a good book. Her latest reads include The Entitlement Trap, the scriptures, the Ensign, and The Help. Her current musical project is really trying to learn to play the guitar. On her own, she is memorizing chords and using them to make wonderful memories with her kids. She'll take the guitar up to sing them to sleep or lay out on the grass with them on warm days. That is still one of her favorite memories from their time in Dallas. Enjoying their backyard one day, Ethan asked, "Can you go get that guitar thing and sing?" Often she will form the chord and Ethan will do the strumming. Tackling one Primary song a month, she's on her way!
Their amazing kitchen renovation is done (see her blog) and so I asked what projects were next on the list. She wants to let Matt recover for a little while, so they'll do some low-key stuff like painting bedrooms and planting sunflowers (their new state flower) in their back yard.
At church, she is the first counselor in the Relief Society. Since all of her time in their Dallas ward was spent in Primary callings, this has been a huge gear shift for Natalie. She realizes how much she really loved serving with children. But this has been a great way to get to know people in a new ward and she has really come to understand President Uchtdorf's "lift where you stand" concept. It doesn't matter where you serve or what you're doing, as long as you do your part.
Life in Kansas is everything she prayed it would be. She appreciates the simplicity of life there. Dallas was so busy, so much traffic, so much intensity. She says, "This chapter of my life is so fun! To have Mia and Kate home during the day, the boys growing, learning and progressing, and Matt home every night. He is just awesome and it's so fun to be with him more. Our family happiness is so complete now." Fulfilling. That is the word she used again and again as we talked.
I know we all are so happy for your happiness, Nat. You deserve every wonderful, fun and fulfilling moment. Happy 25th! ;)
Kevin was going to take some more individual shots of Eden and Hope, but I tripped and sprained my ankle pretty badly. The photo shoot was over and he had to use his super strength to carry his clumsy wife up the hill, then clean up, pack up and load up all of our things by himself. I sat on the couch, icing and elevating said sprain, feeling guilty and useless, and thankful to be married to a true superhero. 
