April was packed FULL of events! There is a lot to record. Here we go!
We started April by heading to Colorado for Christian's up dose appointment. He successfully moved up to 1 teaspoon and will stay there for 6 months until his next food challenge. I feel so grateful that he has tolerated the treatment so well! Christian then stayed with Annie's family while Sheri and I flew to California to get her senior photos taken. Matt met us there as he was working in California that week. We are grateful he has airline points to pay for our travels as well as hotel and car rental points!
Check out this Easter bunny we met in the airport!
Sheri and I went to see her friend, Landon play tennis that day and then we met up with Matt and stayed with Emma and Brookes who so kindly let us stay with them! We loved catching up with them!
Cute Roscoe
The next day we enjoyed talking with Brookes while we did Sheri's hair and makeup and finalized her wardrobe. Then we headed to Carmel-by-the-Sea. It was a lovely day, perfect for window shopping and eating at little cafes.
We met up with Emma and Brookes for dinner and then met Wendy, our photographer and had a fun time getting different settings for Sheri's photos. I will include all her photos in another post. Here is one for a preview.
We caught the last bits of day light and then headed to the hotel to be close to the airport for an early flight out the next morning back to Colorado.
Sheri sure loves California and the ocean. I'm grateful we could have Wendy take photos. She helped me feel confident that we could capture Sheri at this special time in her life! Wendy did an incredible job on the photos!
The next day we flew back, watched General Conference, made salad, organized Easter eggs and headed to Catherine's house for an Easter dinner and egg hunt. It was so special and fun to be with my family! We loved watching all the kids hunt!
We are so blessed to have these times together!
A big thanks to Catherine for hosting Easter festivities, Annie for taking great care of Christian while we were gone, and my parents for letting us stay at their home again!
This weekend we also received an offer on our home in Amarillo! We were thrilled and after some negotiation went under contract! (In a little over a week! - A miracle) What a huge blessing! The rest of the month included inspections, and prepping for movers as the buyers wanted to be in my April 30th!
Meanwhile, life stayed busy with track, band, dance and school events.
Sheri qualified for finals at regionals in her 100m hurdles. Here is a video.
I'm so proud of Christian and Sheri for how hard they have worked this season!
Christian was honored at his final concert for making the All Region Symphonic Band, earning the highest marks at Solo and Ensemble and earning the Outstanding Percussionist award.
Here he is playing at his percussion concert. It is such fun to hear him play!
The Scientist, by Coldplay
In this piece he challenged himself to try double mallet hand holds!
On another evening he was also inducted in the National Junior Honor Society.
Sheri was also honored to receive her National Honor's Society stole for graduation.
Sheri had her final dance show, Timesteps. (She will also have a recital in May)
This was a fun show with music highlighting events over the decades.
She has made so many happy memories and friends over the years!
(Here she is with Mataya, her partner for senior assassin -which has made life a bit more fun.)
The following week Sheri had her final band concert. Unfortunately Matt and I were not able to attend because we were with Eve, but Sheri was honored as a Texas Music Scholar - (Must be recommended by a TMEA active member and 1. Maintain an overall "A" average for the entire school year, 2. Be an active member in band and participate in all scheduled events, 3. Audition for TMEA or ATSSB and perform a UIL Prescribed Music List class 1 solo for competition or public performance, 4. Participate in at least 2 concert events, 5. Consistently exhibit behavior that brings honor and respect to her organization or school.) Sheri has done all this in outstanding ways!
In preparation for this concert Sheri asked if she could pick the music for and conduct for one of the band's concert pieces. She was able to do so and requested a medley from the musical Wicked. Christian was able to record it for us. It is a bit rough, but here it is. :)
We are so proud of all her hard work, dedication, and leadership!
We were grateful that Sister Duncan, the Vests, and the Moncivais families came to support her.
Band has been a wonderful place for growth and community for Sheri!
Meanwhile Matt and I flew to Utah for Eve's graduation from BYU! Wow, what an accomplishment! We are so happy for her and proud of her!
The music and messages were incredible and it was cool to hear from Elder Soares during the commencement. It is definitely worth looking up and listening to!
She's finished!
Now she gets to go continue making the world a better place and we will be cheering her on!
She celebrated Easter and her 22nd birthday on the same day! She had a picnic with Allison, dyed eggs, and hosted an Easter birthday dinner with her family and roommates.
How fun that Rosanna was able to come!
Later in the month she presented her final capstone project, a new suggested course which the students all felt was highly needed for their field of study.
Here she is before her presentation...
...and during.
Looking cute!
Before her last day of school!
and taking her final exam.
She went to her cousin's baby shower (Luke & Rebecca).
She carpooled to some weddings.
She had lunch with her ministering sister, Andrea.
She had a fun lunch with Camille and the other Smiths who came into town for Women's Conference.
She went with Allison to their graduation Bash!
She made graduation announcements which turned out so beautifully!
and helped with her final Linger Longer in her ward.
After graduation we helped her move to a new apartment.
This is her new back yard!
We are so happy for her and hope she enjoys a nice relaxing summer! She will be working at Cafe Rio as well as for the North Wind group doing conservation work.
After graduation we headed back to Amarillo it was time to sell and give away some last minute things. We were sad that Matt won't have an opportunity to use his tractor anymore and so he decided to sell it. Maybe someday he will get another.
The yard is starting to green up and grow! I had to capture a few more pictures.
Sage and carrots
Grape vines
We also gave our chickens and rabbits to the Porters whom we LOVE!
Matt worked so hard on his greenhouse. It is sad to leave it behind!
Tomatoes, sunflowers, asparagus, cilantro, celery, petunias, and more.
His fruit trees and strawberry patch.
The movers came the last week of April and packed everything up. Meanwhile we moved our essential to an AirBnB in the area so the kids could finish the school year here in Amarillo. The cats, of course, wondered what on earth we were up to and didn't like all the strange men in the house!
When everything was loaded up we were left with plants, cleaners, propane, some tools and a jet ski which Matt loaded into/onto Big Blue to drive down to San Antonio.
He dug up a few plants (a tomato plant, a pomegranate tree, some asparagus, etc.) to bring with us. He is a sucker for his plants but I think it's one more reason he's awesome!
We're sad to leave this great home!
Gratefully, we closed the home in Amarillo the day before our San Antonio home closed so we were only technically homeless for about a day! How is that for miraculous timing? Matt drove down for the closing while I stayed with the kids in the AirBnB. He greeted the movers with our belongings the following few days.
On the other side of the hemisphere, Sterling stays busy sharing the gospel. He keeps his sense of humor and he is enjoying his companion, Elder Santos whom he is training. They are in the new area of Cubatao.
These 4 Elders shown below share the same apartment. They enjoy games and activities together but sometimes it can get messy in the apartment.
Here is what Sterling shared in his update: "I really loved General Conference! For one of the sessions, we had to eat at a restaurant to watch, and we asked the staff if we could put Conference on the TV's. Twice during the solemn assembly, once for the Elders and once for the whole body of the church, we stood up in the middle of the restaurant and raise our hands to sustain Dallin H. Oaks as the prophet of God. I know he speaks with Christ, and although we probably seemed super strange, I am grateful for the opportunity to show my faith without fear. What's true is true, even if you might look a little silly believing or following it. I'm so thankful that God speaks to us through a living prophet."
His highlight of his missionary work this month was hearing that Chung was baptized (whom he taught back in February and who had rejected baptism). God works in mysterious ways, even prompting Sterling to invite him to listen to the Tabernacle Choir when they came to Brazil, where he felt the spirit and initiated his intent to follow the truth. He has also been teaching Vinicius who had been received a witness of the truth for himself.
I am proud of Sterling for giving his heart, might, and mind and strength to God's work. I am proud of how he looks for the good and tries to do his best! He is in the last 1/8 of his mission. It will fly by!
All in all it has been a whirlwind month! From packing, cleaning, and moving to capturing special moments and celebrating milestones and achievements it has been full of highlights!
We feel tremendously blessed! We see God working in our lives to strengthen us, arrange for amazing outcomes, help us through hard moments, and feel great love for each other. I can't imagine doing any of this without His many mercies! Glory to God!
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