Blake: Blake is growing so fast. I am constantly marvelling at how he is a young man now. He is tall and lean and loves working hard. Still loves working side by side with his dad, but is taking on more and more of the big job and doing them by himself. The other day Dave was trying to get his garage cleaned when he got called away. Blake went down and checked the cows for him and did an excellent job of surprising Dave with a very clean garage when he returned. We are going through the whole voice cracks and armpit hair stage. As volleyball wrapped up he was thinking he didn't really want to play basketball this year. I was a little sad, but wasn't going to force him into anything. He wanted to go to one practice and see how it went. He was fired up coming home and could not wait to get back on that court. With his added height and strength I think he is going to be really fun to watch this year. He has improved leaps. He wants to go to the church every night and play. A couple of times ago we scrimmaged, parents against kids, after Dave sat beside me as Blake and Leah were still shooting and commented that we do not need to go easy on them anymore. Dave was barely keeping up to Blake. (They surpassed me a few years ago.) It was fun to see. He had also wanted to try curling this year but they didn't have a coach. Blake is very kind and compassionate to most adults, jokes and plays around with his friends, and I swear nothing brings him more joy than to be a little pill to his sister. He got asked to play Taps for the community Remembrance Day program again. He was not as nervous and had had a lot more time to prepare this year.
Leah: Leah also laid the wreath for our church for the program this year.
Grade 12 classes have not been a walk in the park. She is making it through and really trying to figure out what she needs to do after high school. Since about Grade 7 she had dreamed about being a lab and xray tech. Over the last few weeks as she has prayed about it she said she is not sure it feels right. Which is so sad to her, but not sure if it is worry because her grades aren't high enough for the program or if she really is needed elsewhere??? It is stressing her out a lot. In the meantime she is going to every football and getting together with friends as much as possible.
Her friend group went through a bit of a odd period this summer, she meet some new ones and stayed with some old ones. Just the usual last year shift. She has been going out on a some fun dates and loves to be social. But has also started staying home with us sometimes. The first Friday she stayed home was a little strange for all of us. Hahaha!! It is basketball season. Leah has been dreading and anticipating this month since last February. Basketball is in her blood and she could not imagine not playing, but after last year she knew is was going to be a difficult year. As it turned out only 6 girls signed up. All Grade 10 which made her decision even harder. If she played, they all had to play SR league, if she didn't they could play JR. Which after watching most of them still would have been very tough. But could she really walk away. She decided to give it two practices. She also talked to the Athletics Director at the school and asked if she could help coach Jr High Girls and if she would be able to do a lot of scorekeeping for High School boys and reffing for Jr High teams. She got it all set up and went to the first practice. Then waited and waited for them to let her know when second one would be. Almost two weeks later they announced no team. The decision was made for her. She is partly devastated and partly relieved. And glad that she still gets to be involved somehow. It has been a rough week :/
Cora: Cora loved Lichfield. She has been incredibly blessed with companions that she really gets along with so far. After serving about 5 months in Lichfield she said she began to feel like everyone she contacted she was meeting for someone else. That she was just a step. Sure enough last transfer she got notice she was going to Gloucester. She has had two weeks there and absolutely LOVES it. To be honest she has loved every single part of England. There is no doubt that the Lord knows her and loves her. He knew exactly where she needed to serve her mission. Her new companion is Sister Smedley from Idaho. Almost 11 months in and she still has not had a companion from Utah. She is starting to think it will be cool if she can go her whole mission and not have one from Utah. Cora said Sister Smedley is awesome. She felt like they had decided to be shot out of a cannon together and are on fire. She loves street contacting and has become bold and confident. Dave and I love to watch her as she becomes what we have always seen in her, but she doubted so much in herself. The only problem ,for me, is Gloucester has to many places to visit. :) Over the last couple weeks I have gotten some pictures, a request for a recipe and one letter. Cora said there is so much to see and do on pday in this town we may never hear from her again. Already the have visited Gloucester Cathedral where apparently Harry Potter was filmed. I wouldn't know or care about that but she was excited.
A Beatrix Potter house because she knew I would love that one. Gloucester castle, a victorian market and have plans for the Forest of Dean next week. They meet up with the other set of Gloucester sister sometimes and they have a blast together.
I am so glad her mission is going so well for her. When I see pictures she sends I am truly amazed at the woman she has become. A few weeks ago we celebrated her 20th birthday. She is getting all around England and meeting people and adulting with flair. It is going to fast. She has looked forward to this mission her whole life and I think she would be happy if it never ended.
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