Dear Sam,

This school year so far has been the hardest on you, and for that, I am sorry.  I know how much you miss your old school and all your friends, and I don't blame you at all.  Every day, little by little, you have enjoyed APA that much more, and I have seen a great change in your academically, which is so great.

We discovered that you hate math class, and that you have a tendency to hurry so fast that you end up getting a lot of answers wrong that you really do know.  We also discovered that you can make friends so easy, and have already made quite a few new ones.  We also discovered that APA has healthy lunches, but they are actually pretty yummy to you, and that the uniform is actually pretty comfy too.

We are now in the middle of the 2nd term of school, and you have just brought home the bi-monthly report card showing that you have all A's!  This is a major improvement from the 1st term, and I am so happy for you.  In talking to your teachers, you are kind and nice to everyone, always on task and very respectful to your teachers, which actually means more to me.  You are a kindhearted kid, and always have been.  I am more proud of your character than I am of your smarts.  They both will get you very far in life.

You  have been taking guitar lessons from Jake Rosenbaum down the street for a couple of months now, and you are starting to play mini songs.  I love to see your desire to play, even though you struggle with it at times.  I know you would much rather be playing video games or playing with friends than lessons, but it makes me happy to see you put forth the effort.  I know if you stick with it, it will bless your life.

I love how you insist on sitting by me in church, and how I have to prod you to sing the hymns with me.  I love how you get the giggles over something silly without fail in Sacrament meeting, and all the many cute pictures of animals that you draw.  I love how your shoelaces are ALWAYS untied, how you hate to see me leave the house, even for a short errand, and how you like to talk to me about everything when I tuck you in.  You are truly a mama's boy, and I hope it never changes.  I love you.

Love, 
Mom

Dear Kids,

 

Here are our beautiful family pictures that were taken in October by Chelsea Searle.  I always look forward to these so much, and treasure how they capture your cute personalities.   Looking through them now, I am struck by how gorgeous my little girl is, and how handsome my boys are.  I am so grateful to be your mama.  I love you.

Love, 

Mom

Dear Keaton,

Not surprisingly, you were very easy-going with the change in schools this year.  You seemed to be content with either school that I put you in, and I was so grateful for your trust.  Not surprisingly either, you are doing remarkably well at APA.  I am your room mom so I know both of your teachers pretty well.  They love you in their class and are very quick to tell me so.  They tell me you are an absolute sweetheart and never give them any problems, which is totally your character.  You have already been moved up a math level, and are loving every minute of school.  I think you look so handsome in your uniform, and I love how you have never complained once about the white shirt and tie every single day.

We were going to have you stop piano and start taking guitar with Sam at the end of the month, but you recently told me that you wanted to stay in piano, and I am secretly very happy about this.  You are doing so well in piano, and I hated to think you would not be progressing in it anymore.  I love the sounds of the piano when you are practicing, and see you get better week by week.

You just earned your Weblos badge in scouts, and it looks like you will be getting your Arrow of Light next month! I can't believe you are almost out of Cub Scouts.. crazy!

You (and Sam) are totally into Minecraft right now, and sometimes that is all I hear you talk about. You are hoping for an Xbox for Christmas so you don't have to play Minecraft on my computer.  I love how you will cover every snack in peanut butter, sneak in to sleep in Jack's bed every night, sing the hymns with me in church every Sunday, and can be caught reading in the big chair without being asked.

You are such a good kid, and I am so very proud of you.  I love you, son.

Love, 
Mom

Dear Kids,

It was a morning that was unexpectedly sweet.  The first day of your fall break, and it was a cold and rainy day.  Rumors had been flying here and there about Angel Moroni being put on top of the temple, but to me they were rumors, and I had a very busy day lined out.  Then I got a text saying that Moroni was spotted down at the temple site and he was going up some time before lunch.  Everything was dropped, layers and layers of warm clothes were put on, and we headed down to join the crowd that was already waiting.  

It was quite freezing for an early October day, and the rain was threatening as we waited those few hours, but all of that melted away as soon as Moroni was lifted high into the air.  The crowd cheered, and it was a deeply moving experience to watch him fly so gracefully up to the top.  Even you children were mesmerized, watching alongside friends and neighbors.

I am quite certain that this was a once-in-a-lifetime event for me and maybe even for you.  How grateful I am that it was fall break.  (Whether or not they had planned it that way, I don't know).  It gave you the opportunity to be there and make an impression on your hearts and minds.

It makes me smile to hear Jack say when we pass by the temple, "Moroni is still on the temple!" as if he thought it was only temporary, and his "I sawed it Mama, I sawed it!" meaning that he remembers seeing him fly up there.  What a great experience for children so little.  Just now as I was watching the video of Moroni being lowered and the crowd singing The Spirit of God, Jack was in the room playing.  When I stopped the video he said, "I love that Moroni song!"  How we blessed we are to have been apart of it, to have such a beautiful temple in our own backyard. 

The last few moments of Moroni being lowered into place.