September has been a sweet month!
We have enjoyed settling into our routines and jumping back into some of our usual fall activities.
Here are our highlights.
Christian turned 12 this month! To celebrate I took him and his friends to see the Imagine Dragons Concert in Dallas. We had such a memorable time and really enjoyed the music!
The kids also had a great time at the hotel swimming and playing video games in the car!
Texas waffle - Ignore the flipped orientation. Haha!
Later in the month we also had friends over for games, a movie, and a Tri-force Zelda cake.
Christian has also resumed recreational soccer. He has been the MVP. I love to see his determination and leadership!
Christian has been enjoying school, especially learning percussion. He is always coming up with a new rhythm or song!
We have also continued to work on his piano lessons and practice.
Sheri, meanwhile, has been busy with dance, band, church, and friends. Football season and marching band season are in full swing.
Sheri leads the first part of the marching show, then trades places with the senior drum major and performs a solo later in the show.
Meanwhile, Sterling finished his MTC time in Provo and flew to Brazil! He has had a great experience so far and we love to hear from him! We relish his phone calls and updates each week!
He loved attending the temple with his district.
As well as serving and learning Portuguese and how to teach the gospel.
Here they were having a funeral for English and thereafter only spoke Portuguese as much as possible.
He flew to Brazil September 17th-18th. He didn't get much sleep on the way.
But was happy to see his friend from Texas, Duke Blazer who will be in the same mission.
So far, I hear he is eating well and has plenty of access to clean water which makes my mother heart happy.
He asked me if he could buy a new guitar so that he can learn to play while on his mission. I am only too happy to oblige him since I love to hear him make music!
Here Sterling is with his mission president and his wife.
Thank goodness for modern technology which allows us to be in five separate places and still connect!
We surely miss Sterling but are so happy he is having a good experience!
Meanwhile Eve started her junior year at BYU. She is taking organic chemistry, cellular biology, a humanities class, a geology course, and a religion class- about The Family: A Proclamation to the World. She also continues to work in her science lab and has been learning and preparing for this year's Luau.
She loves her ward,
and decorating her apartment after going to the farmer's market!
She is grateful for sweet roommates who help her when she needs it most and make weekends a lot of fun!
She loves old friends that are fun to reconnect with,
and new friends that she can dance with (at the Luau rehearsals).
Finally she was able to go to World of Dance which was amazing! She especially loved seeing Ellie in the Folk Dance numbers. (Ellie is engaged to Eve's cousin, Jonah Smith)
She is having a fabulous semester! She continues learning more about herself and navigating challenges with greater confidence and success! We love to see her thriving!
Here is what Matt and I have been up to.
Matt has been working a lot and hiring new management for the facility his company is building in Richmond, Utah. He flew to Iowa for a work conference and drove to Wyoming to see the BYU game with his brother, mother, and my dad.
He and I drove to Waco for the BYU vs Baylor football game.
It was a great game and we enjoyed seeing Regan, Matt's best friend growing up.
In September I helped support and gather reports for the 9/11 Day of Service for both Amarillo Stakes. With 15 participating units we had a total of 21 projects with approximately 319 volunteers and 543 hours of service performed. Projects included city clean ups, food/clothing/diaper drives, a blood drive with Coffee Memorial, making blankets for the Ronald McDonald House, serving at the Salvation Army, and working with Habitat for Humanity to name a few.
I got to donate blood - my favorite way to serve!
I was also able to help with the youth Bi-stake Fall Festival. This was a fun event with games, pumpkin decorating, pie eating contests, cupcake walk, gaga ball, dinner, and a dance. I made a LOT of chili, cornbread, and cookies. I love to watch the kids have fun.
I also got to can pickles,
and harvest carrots, and other goodies from the garden-
-cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelon, lettuce, and peppers.
I also had time for a few projects like financial planning and hanging new family photos.
I start a running training program to get better endurance and strength,
and went hiking with my friend, Melissa to Palo Duro Canyon.
We are surrounded by beauty thanks to Matt and of course God's creations!
September is one of my favorite months! We certainly have felt blessed! We are grateful for safety, health, learning, the beautiful earth, music, friends, loving relationships, technology, fun times, and of course, the gospel of Jesus Christ which gives us peace each day!
