Even looking back at May gives me butterflies because we were gearing up for the move. But important stuff was still happening all around and we were soaking it up!
I love the piano. I love hearing my kids play the piano and I love the teachers that they have had. I know I have gushed about my friend Lisa before but she really, truly is an angel. She did so much more than teach piano each week as she sat next to my girls. I hope they remember her example and how they felt being around her - her talents of the musical and spiritual variety are endless and I am so grateful to have been blessed by her.
Hazel was one that she helped tremendously as she was already dealing with some pretty severe anxiety issues during these years. Her first recital was a total "no go". When it was her turn she simply couldn't bring herself to go up so Lisa lovingly sat beside her at the piano when the concert was over and people were visiting. She sat and encouraged her to play in that room full of people - doing the best that she could that night. So the fact that she was able to help Hazel to this night was miraculous and beautiful. She worked around Hazel's fears and strengths and wouldn't you know it, the girl got up and played and did amazingly well.
Her buns were a nod to Princess Leia since she was playing a piece from Star Wars.
Hazel impressed us even further that evening by tying for first place in numbers of hours practiced/logged. Lisa always has an elaborate incentive program with a theme that keeps the kids engaged and interested. That year was an olympic theme. Go team Mozart!
These posts seem rather heavily Hazel laden but for good reason - this girl had a lot that she was working towards that last year in Texas, and made a lot of strides in accomplishing them. The long awaited horse show! We desperately wanted Hazel to have the chance to compete before leaving Texas. Can I just say I don't understand how people can do this? You seriously have to be a millionaire. It's a good thing we moved when we did because there is no way we could have kept this up. But we were willing to do anything to allow her this chance. It's difficult because most of the shows take place over a Sunday and can sometimes be very far away for her particular discipline but her instructor found us a Saturday slot nearby and signed her up.
She was nervous but so excited and ready. We were super nervous. Her amazing primary teachers came to support her and the family was there cheering her on. She was first into the ring and did amazing!! Beauty spooked when the music blared and it got her a little off course at the start. Being her first experience out there, Hazel was completely unaware that her horse was going at too fast a clip and Kerry Ann pulled her out after one turn around the arena. I was devastated. Hazel was very upset because she didn't understand what was happening or why Kerry pulled her. But Kerry Ann was anxious that Beauty would act up and Hazel is just so inexperienced she wasn't willing to take that chance. Hazel really was amazing. I am sad we didn't get to see how she measured up in her class because I think she would have done extremely well.
Kerry Ann was able to get her into another class - it was for kids much younger and a very simple instructor led sit and walk. But it allowed Hazel the chance to go back in again and have, hopefully, a little closure on her first show experience. They all got blue ribbons :)
One of my favorite things in our old house was our board of Thanks. It hung in a prominent place in the kitchen and people coming and going could add notes whenever they wanted. Along the bottom were papers from a Family Home Evening we did where we passed around sheets with each family member's name on them and wrote what they are good at and what we love about them.
It was a daily, happy reminder of all the things we have to be thankful for.
And this is one of my most favorite pictures ever taken of Ezra - it's not hard to see why. Look at his tiny little tooth. [heart swelling, right here.]
Then we sold our house. Big sigh of relief but also very sad.
Abby had a birthday and we celebrated by skipping school and going shopping. Every once in a while it's OK to be completely irresponsible, responsibly of course. And Abby joined Hazel in horseback lessons for the last month that we were in Texas. She was another natural on horseback.
Those dimples!
This was the first of three trips to Magnolia Market in Waco in the weeks before leaving Texas. It is that cool, and pretty, and fun...and the food trucks are worth it all on their own.
Plus I got to go with amazing people each time. These three women are pillars of faith and example and I love that I can go to them with things on my mind, a heavy or a happy heart and they will console, uplift, encourage and lighten.
This was the evening that Clark came home after his last Sunday as Bishop. It was both a happy and a sad day. I didn't regret one day of him being Bishop. Our family was blessed and sustained in so many ways and while I know it was very hard to shoulder the burden of many things and many responsibilities, it blessed him also and we were grateful for the opportunity. If you had told either one of us ten years ago, that Clark would someday serve as a Bishop, I think we both would've looked at you like you were insane - in fact, I think we did do that when they extended the call but it was right and it was good. No regrets.
I love the piano. I love hearing my kids play the piano and I love the teachers that they have had. I know I have gushed about my friend Lisa before but she really, truly is an angel. She did so much more than teach piano each week as she sat next to my girls. I hope they remember her example and how they felt being around her - her talents of the musical and spiritual variety are endless and I am so grateful to have been blessed by her.
Hazel was one that she helped tremendously as she was already dealing with some pretty severe anxiety issues during these years. Her first recital was a total "no go". When it was her turn she simply couldn't bring herself to go up so Lisa lovingly sat beside her at the piano when the concert was over and people were visiting. She sat and encouraged her to play in that room full of people - doing the best that she could that night. So the fact that she was able to help Hazel to this night was miraculous and beautiful. She worked around Hazel's fears and strengths and wouldn't you know it, the girl got up and played and did amazingly well.
Her buns were a nod to Princess Leia since she was playing a piece from Star Wars.
All of the girls did amazingly well. I love hearing them play. And I love that even though we have been here in Virginia for over a year and still haven't gotten them into lessons, they all sit and play almost daily, because they truly love it too. 
Hazel impressed us even further that evening by tying for first place in numbers of hours practiced/logged. Lisa always has an elaborate incentive program with a theme that keeps the kids engaged and interested. That year was an olympic theme. Go team Mozart!
These posts seem rather heavily Hazel laden but for good reason - this girl had a lot that she was working towards that last year in Texas, and made a lot of strides in accomplishing them. The long awaited horse show! We desperately wanted Hazel to have the chance to compete before leaving Texas. Can I just say I don't understand how people can do this? You seriously have to be a millionaire. It's a good thing we moved when we did because there is no way we could have kept this up. But we were willing to do anything to allow her this chance. It's difficult because most of the shows take place over a Sunday and can sometimes be very far away for her particular discipline but her instructor found us a Saturday slot nearby and signed her up.
Kerry Ann was able to get her into another class - it was for kids much younger and a very simple instructor led sit and walk. But it allowed Hazel the chance to go back in again and have, hopefully, a little closure on her first show experience. They all got blue ribbons :)
One of my favorite things in our old house was our board of Thanks. It hung in a prominent place in the kitchen and people coming and going could add notes whenever they wanted. Along the bottom were papers from a Family Home Evening we did where we passed around sheets with each family member's name on them and wrote what they are good at and what we love about them.
It was a daily, happy reminder of all the things we have to be thankful for.
Then we sold our house. Big sigh of relief but also very sad.
Abby had a birthday and we celebrated by skipping school and going shopping. Every once in a while it's OK to be completely irresponsible, responsibly of course. And Abby joined Hazel in horseback lessons for the last month that we were in Texas. She was another natural on horseback.
Those dimples!
This was the first of three trips to Magnolia Market in Waco in the weeks before leaving Texas. It is that cool, and pretty, and fun...and the food trucks are worth it all on their own.
Plus I got to go with amazing people each time. These three women are pillars of faith and example and I love that I can go to them with things on my mind, a heavy or a happy heart and they will console, uplift, encourage and lighten.
This was the evening that Clark came home after his last Sunday as Bishop. It was both a happy and a sad day. I didn't regret one day of him being Bishop. Our family was blessed and sustained in so many ways and while I know it was very hard to shoulder the burden of many things and many responsibilities, it blessed him also and we were grateful for the opportunity. If you had told either one of us ten years ago, that Clark would someday serve as a Bishop, I think we both would've looked at you like you were insane - in fact, I think we did do that when they extended the call but it was right and it was good. No regrets.
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