5th grade Service Project

In 5th grade the students at our school have the option of doing the Great American program where they have to memorize all 50 states and capitals, learn the national anthem, memorize the preamble to the constitution and a bunch of other things I can't remember.  They have a few optional projects to choose from like memorizing the Gettysburg Address (Grace did that last week smarty pants girl) and then they need to complete 3 hours of service.  The twins did a diaper drive for refugees and today we got to drop off the diapers at the Utah Refugee Connection warehouse.

I can't imagine what it would be like to take my children and have to flee my home and go to a different country with very few belongings and where so many things were foreign to me. Language, culture, customs, food etc... 

I am so grateful for organizations like the Utah refugee connection and others like it (Lifting Hands International is another good one) that help people in need and make it so accessible for families like mine to help serve even in a small way. 

Such a great reminder to me and hopefully to my kiddos, that we are so incredibly fortunate and that as followers of Jesus Christ, the best way we can follow Him is by serving others. Service projects like this are so great, but I heard something a few weeks ago in a church meeting that I've been thinking about a lot lately.  

In the parable about the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan served the person who was right in his path.  Sometimes the greatest service we can do is for people who are right in our path while we are going about our normal routines.  Everyone we meet is going through something...even if you can't see it. I've been thinking about that a lot lately and am trying to work on serving those right in front of me; at the store, library, school, church etc... and at home. It's a work in progress for sure but I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve.

I am SUPER grateful for these amazing twins who have been such a source of light and joy in my life for almost 11 YEARS!!!! 

How is that even possible?

 

Christmas Card 2024

Chad: (middle-aged) survived a mediocre BYU football season...but they are in the Big 12 so at least there's that. He continues to love mountain biking, skiing, Traeger-ing (we love that too), our dog Rosie, Mary, and the kids...not necessarily in that order.

Mary: (slightly less middle-aged) nothing major to report, but let's be honest...she's making all the things noted above and below happen. She is happy to be back volunteering for the elementary school choir and is loving the last year of having all her kids under one roof before they start to leave the nest (insert cry face emoji here).

Jack: (18) busy mountain biking, college applying, cello + piano playing, soon to be ski bumming but STILL senior year class attending (right Jack?!!) He is also a much loved "high school helper" at the elementary school and the word on the playground is that he's the coolest kid in the 5th grade.

Marian: (16) had a great season on the mountain bike team, worked at Handel's Ice Cream (yum), and earned her driver's license!!!!!! We haven't really seen her since, but caught a glimpse of her singing in the school choir and heard she is doing lots of service through the Draper Youth Council.

Lucy: (13) also had a great mountain bike season! She loves our dog Rosie, baking, playing guitar, and skiing.

Grant: (11+1 minute) competed on the summer swim team, started mountain biking, beat every single member of our family in chess, and read approximately five bajillion books.

Grace: (11) crushed it on the soccer field this season and although her wardrobe suggests she is a BYU student-athlete, she also excels at baking, reading, piano playing, and movie making. Her latest film about BYU football was a huge success and earned a 99.9% on the Pughmeter.

Wishing you a Christmas filled with the joy of family, friends, and love. May this season remind you of the greatest gift of all—hope born in a manger, bringing light to our lives. Merry Christmas!