Christmas 2008

Merry Christmas! December 2008

What an exciting year this has been in our family! The biggest news is that we (meaning Stephen) are back in school. We sold our cute little home in August and moved to Provo, UT so that Stephen could attend Brigham Young University to get an MBA. It’s a lot different here in Provo than at home in Portland, but we like it, and are very happy. We have been very blessed, and I attribute it to the fact that we are in the right place right now. The Lord has truly blessed us.

Stephen is loving being back in school. He does nothing but schoolwork, and is gone much more now than when he was at Nike. He’s doing great in his classes (no surprise there…) and considering a Ph.D. program when he is finished here (April 2010). That’s 4 additional years, in case you were wondering. A couple of months ago he accepted perhaps his favorite church calling ever: stake choir director. He has had so much fun looking for music to sing!

I don’t know if I’ve ever been so relaxed and happy, which isn’t what I was expecting with how much I have to do now that Stephen is always studying. I stopped teaching piano lessons at the beginning of the summer, and decided not to pick it up after the move. I’m homeschooling the kids, and getting my own great education as well. I LOVE having my kids around. I also still run – I finished my 2nd half marathon in June – and have started practicing the piano again. This is a great time of life for me.

Elise turned 6 in June, and loves to help, learn and dance. She is always singing and dancing around the house. She is excited to have me teach her piano lessons – I told her that when she can read well enough to read my handwriting I’ll teach her, and that has been great motivation for her! The boys love it when she reads to them. She is a great little peacemaker, and very sensitive to the feelings of others. She ran her first race this autumn – a 1-mile race in 10:04! Holy cow! She also loves books – we have read all sorts, from “Winnie-the-Pooh” to “A Christmas Carol” to the “Little House on the Prairie” books.

Mason is a persistent, intelligent, creative, energetic 4½ year old. This child LOVES machines. I can always tell where he is by following his paper trail. He is constantly creating machines out of anything he can find (“MOM! Don’t throw that milk carton away – I can use it in a machine!”) He draws anything he sees, be it our Brita water pitcher (the brand is only important so that you know it is a type of machine) or “The Big Stink” (a factory in Albany). Mason is also a very good boy – he is always climbing on my lap and telling me that he loves me (“Just like the prophet told us to do, right Mommy?”)

Sammy is 2½, and personifies joy. He is such a happy boy, and always remembers to say “thank you”. He likes things to be correct, for example, when he started talking a couple of months ago he spoke in complete sentences, and if he stumbles over a word he will have me repeat it to him over and over, and he will practice saying it until he gets it to his satisfaction. Sammy loves trains, tractors (especially excavators) and books. We read lots of books about heavy machinery!

We hope you have seen the Lord’s hand in your life this year as we have. Have a wonderful Christmas season!

Much love,

Stephen, Claire, Elise, Mason & Sammy