Summer goes by so quickly!
In No Particular Order
Category: Fatherhood
Tim’s graduation ceremony photos
Zoom! On every level, this is the word that describes our time with Tim, not just the virtual classes during the pandemic. He’s one of our Austin babies, and from the start, he has surprised us with how ready he is to move forward in life.
Like old times
Mark and Tim won’t be required to wear masks at school next week. Someday these masks will seem distant, and our boys have had to wear them the most, as they attended school in person 4 days a week during the school year.
Richard and I enjoyed Mark’s first and only in-person band concert since 2019. He plays the trumpet as a freshman in an audition band. We couldn’t choose a favorite piece they played, we enjoyed them all. We have been allowed to go to many events at the high school this month, and aside from the masks on our faces, it is just like old times. It’s an encouraging sign of better days to be able to walk into the high school and cheer for our kids again.
A trip to Goblin Valley
Happy 12th Birthday to the Blog
Here we are on Easter. There is Richard who spent the day preparing food in his smoker, wearing one of his many blood donation shirts. I rushed into the day without thinking about doing my hair (typical), but tried to set the table beautifully and have a clean kitchen. Mark wears his favorite color and will go on to eat more than anyone sitting at this table. Tim teases us with the BYU shirt and remains mysterious about his plans for the future. I’ll add that he is so strong from his landscaping work. I notice that Daniel is wearing a new version of the teal and white shirt he loved and wore all through high school and his mission. He’s almost finished with his first year at BYU, and his friend, the lovely McKenna joins us at the table. Paige is effortlessly elegant and happy, and has spent the last year since graduating from BYU settling into working as a freelance illustrator. And there is handsome, hardworking, and smart Michael, who changed jobs this year and is enjoying more sleep (even in April… he’s an accountant).
The blog is less about our children than it used to be, but they remain the ones who occupy our thoughts and conversations. They are still the focus of our energy and time, and when they linger at Sunday dinner as they did this week, I can draw from that happiness for a long time.
Some of you have read this blog from the beginning. There are 1,919 posts in the archives. I owe you a diploma or something, not that I have anything figured out except perhaps how to muster a tiny bit of faith. To each reader, whether you have read for years or months, I send my love to you.
The words you speak become the house you live in. -Hafiz
This borrowed wisdom is what I have for today. ♥️
Ski day
On Fridays, classes are not held and the boys work on homework and have opportunities to meet with teachers online. This means they are finished with school really early. Richard took Mark on the first ski runs of 2021 last Friday. He called it an extended P.E. day.
December Snapshots
Eagles
There are some things for which we should just leap for joy. (Tim did a leap picture, too, but I promised not to share it. But trust me, it’s adorable.)
Payson Lakes
While I was in California, Richard took the kids (minus Daniel) camping at Payson Lakes. He took our small popup trailer and a tent, and cooked a nice Dutch oven dinner for everyone. I’ve always thought that Richard knows how to make the most of every opportunity. He has done things like this for the kids their whole lives.