Merry Christmas 2022

I love Christmas letters!

I feel old fashioned but I love writing them and I love reading them. I love recapping the year and remembering the highlights. I've thought a lot about how to do this but for me, I like doing it by each child so here it goes:

Vance and Katelynn live in American Fork and work at Vivint in Provo. Vance had a busy year of outdoor running. Katelynn spent the better part of the year growing a baby. She worked three days a week so she could spend two days a week at home with Olivia. Not only did Olivia turn three in November, but she became a big sister to Parker Lynn who was born on the 23rd. We love this sweet addition and can't wait to meet her in person. 

Marly and Hayden spent the year finishing up Hayden's optometry schooling and rotations in Oregon and then Lake Havasu and are currently in Utah before heading to Idaho. It was fun having them close for a while and spending time with them and their cute boys. James turned four in July and Alex turned one in April. They are a Lego-loving, minimalist, traveling family this year and I'm sure they are ready to settle down soon. Marly read 50 books this year!

Drew and Kaycee had a "quiet" year. Drew finished his Masters's degree in the spring. Brooks turned two in May and Adalynn turned one in September. Drew started working part-time for a restoration company in addition to his AT Still job and goes full-time with them in January. Kaycee finally got her letter of acceptance for nursing school and starts in January. Life is about to get busy for them. 

Skylar and Abby had a HUGE year. They both competed in Track and Field at SVU to finish out their senior year. Abby accepted a scholarship to run at Lenoir-Rhyne University and get her Master's Degree so they moved to Hickory NC in the summer. Skylar is working as an insurance adjustor and they are adjusting to life in a new state. Maybe someday they will live on the same side of the country as the rest of their families. 

Katy has competed several times as a professional bodybuilder. We are so proud of her dedication to her sport. She is building her online personal training business and is working very hard to improve her certifications. She recently moved back to Juneau, Alaska, and loves her new life of wilderness exploring. 

Tawny and Kelsi recently celebrated their one year anniversary together although they dated when they were in high school too. Kelsi graduated this year and they both started school at Chandler-Gilbert Community College. They worked long hours earlier in the year at Mcdonald's and then at Noodles and Co. before taking the month of December off to regroup and decide what to do next for employment. 

Anny is very much into art and friends and Stranger Things (the t.v. show, ha ha). She spends lots of time with her friends just hanging out. She's the president of the drama club at school and very active in the Student Council as well. 

Derek finished his football season and is about to get started on basketball season. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, he did not get a full tryout for football at school and did not make the team but can now focus on basketball. He is currently the deacon's quorum president. He is about to be a teenager on the 26th. 

Joey and Ryker joined our family back in September and will be with us for the foreseeable future. We are smitten and can't see our lives without them now. They came to us quite unexpectedly and someday their story will be made public but for now, it will suffice to say that they were sent to us by angels and I don't know who is being blessed more, them or us. 

They have distinct personalities that we are still getting to know. Joey is 10 (11 in January ) and very much into sports and Legos. He loves basketball and football and wants to be cool like Derek. He doesn't enjoy reading but wants to be obedient so he reads with Ryker and Stacy each night. 

Ryker is a darling 9-year-old who wants to be loved. He struggles with academics and loves all things Pokemon and Legos. He makes friends easily and you can find him running around the neighborhood with all the kids. 

I never thought at this point in my life that our family would be growing, but here we are. We are trying to follow the commandments to minister to those that are in need, but I feel like we are being ministered to more than we are ministering. 

Ben had a huge year of change as he was let go as the men's basketball coach at Combs. It's so hard not to take it personally after all he gave in the 15 or so years he was there. He resigned from teaching at the middle school too. It was a rough spring and summer, trying to regain a sense of purpose. He started Grad Solutions and the timing was actually perfect. He started as a JV assistant football and basketball coach at Queen Creek and that was a blessing as well so he could coach Derek's football team again. 

Stacy continued at her job at Grad Solutions and having Ben work with her has been AMAZING. They both work from home and the flexibility has been a witness to God's hand in all things. It was only a few weeks later that we found out that Joey and Ryker needed a home and were able to take them. I'm not sure we would have been able to, had circumstances been otherwise. Stacy continues to find relief from the headaches that plague her 2-4 times per day but tries to find joy in being a grandma, track coach, teacher, primary teacher, friend, and employee. 

Life has its challenges. When we look toward our Savior to help carry out burdens, those trials can seem lighter, even for a time, while we pick ourselves up and move forward. When we focus on the good, the reason we are here on the earth, things can be put into perspective don't have to seem so bad or hard. 

May we try to remember that Christ is the reason for the Season. May we each strive to have our own personal relationship with Him, not only through the Christmas holiday but throughout the entire year.