KAI UPDATE

So much has happened in our family over the last few years.

Let's start with Kai. 

I still remember when he was so little, playing soccer and I heard the still, small voice whisper to me, "He is the oldest and he is a leader."

Kai graduated from high school with honors.  He is a hard worker and very self motivated. He was determined to graduate with a 4.0 and accomplished that goal.  

He played soccer, ran track, mountain biked, and was on the tennis team at some point in high school.  County ball and church ball were a huge deal and he bowled weekly with his own shoes and ball. Part of his high school was interrupted with the covid pandemic, which meant online school and quarantine.  what a crazy time.  I realize Kai's high school years seemed to fly by, but I think that's because that crazy time warp of the pandemic which paused life, but time kept moving.  Kai is fun to have around. He has grown so much as an individual the last few years. I hope he is recognizing the amazing set of skills and talents God has blessed him with. He is patient and kindhearted. He is aware of others and has a desire to work hard and do well. He pushes himself to be better and one of my favorite Kai quotes is, "Don't be a beta."

After graduating, Kai worked at Walmart to earn money for his mission. He decided to work there because it paid the most and he could practice his Spanish.  He knew exactly how many shifts he needed to work to earn the exact amount he needed for his mission and that is what he did, not one shift more. 

He was called to serve in Chiclayo, Peru.  He left in October 2023. He seems to like his mission and I love that we get to talk to him weekly. He didn't get his visa so he started his mission in Texas.  He was thrilled to get to Peru.  He spent months in the office as the housing secretary finding and negotiating for the contracts for the missionaries' apartments.  

God's hand

 I have been feeling like I need to record some of the times I have felt God's hand.  

This last year I saw it with Kai. 

Kai is my super competitive child and his high school experience was really affected by covid.

When he was a freshman, he made the soccer team, but after the first game the season was canceled due to Covid and school went online.  What a disappointment and crazy time.  the next couple years were full of masks and restrictions and all of a sudden, Kai was going into his senior year.  Those years were full of a lot of family time and home church and I watched Kai gain confidence. One of my favorite parts about that time was having Kai bless the sacrament in our home. It was such a gift and it was cool having him do that his first time, just for us.  But that time also feels like it was a blur and one big period of time.. Covid. So then, all of a Kai was a senior.  He was excited about county ball and had been working SO hard lifting weights and playing ball and was determined that he was going to win the championship. County ball is a big deal around here.  The night before school started, Dave gave each kid a father's priesthood blessing. 

Kai's blessing stood out to me. He was blessed that he would have success. I held that promise close to my heart because I knew Kai had experienced some disappointments and he had such a determined drive and spirit.

I watched Kai prepare for county ball, and they made it to the semi-finals and Kai's team was not doing great. I saw Kai make up his mind that they were not going to lose this game and he had the best game ever. It was not your average good game, it was unbelievable how well he did. I knew he was being blessed and he knew it too.  So it was interesting and confusing to me that the next game- the Championship game, despite a good effort, Kai's team lost. My mom heart was so sad for him and I went into my closet and was praying asking Heavenly Father why, that this kid had worked so hard and had been promised success. I felt the impression that Kai did experience success- he didn't receive the result that he wanted, but God was aware of him and gave him so many successes.  Friends, wins, help, the list went on in my mind. Then, he tried out for tennis and made the team as a Senior, which is really rare. He was extremely blessed and I know God's hand was in it. 

I watched God keep His promises to Kai.  I watched God's hand in Kai's life and I am so grateful for these experiences. I don't know if Kai felt these connections in his life, but as a mom, I saw them and it was a spiritual experience for me to know that God was watching over Kai.

KAUAI for my birthday

my personal mantra lately has been:

The Savior is never closer to you than when you are 

facing or climbing a mountain with faith.

President Russell M. Nelson

So I wanted to climb a mountain for my birthday.

It was beautiful and hard and it rained the last mile.

When we finished, I read this Psalms:

8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh ^agrass to grow upon the mountains.

The rain makes the the grass grow on our mountains-- so much symbolism!

And we ran into a random store to find a quick breakfast at 7am before the hike

and I found a corndog!

Happy birthday to me!

Dave made sure I got a piece of chocolate cake on my birthday. 

 

family theme-2021

HEFY-2017

Dave and Abe went to Paraguay with a group call HEFY. They were gone for three weeks.  They did a lot of site seeing, built an addition to a school for kids, and met a lot of local members of the church.  I feel like it was a blessing for Abe and I hope he remembers what he felt while he was there.  I feel like I was prompted to have you go.  When I had the thought, the program was full, but I looked on their site and they had one spot open for a parent.  One mom and one dad attend each trip.  I knew the spot would fill and I asked Dave if he would be able to make it work out with his work to go.  He first said it was not possible.  He was already leaving for ten days for our family trip back east and then to turn around 10 days later and leave for another three weeks wasn't very likely.  I kept feeling like they should go and so for four or five days I prayed and asked if Abe was supposed to go on the trip for the position to stay open so Dave could figure out a way to go.  ( The only way for Abe to go was for him to be pulled in by the parents spot)  I finally called Dave and told him how I was feeling and for him to really see if it was a possibility.  He called me a few minutes later and told me they were signed up.  This was a HUGE sacrifice for Dave.  He crammed all his contracted shifts in a ten day period and got home from work, loaded his suitcase with the things I had layed out for the trip and headed, with Abe to the airport.  Abe was not happy about going.  It was a rough week.  I really feel like Satan works hard when you are about to do something important.  They got home yesterday and it sounds like it was a really neat experience.  I think Abe felt some things about people, cultures, himself, and the Book of Mormon.  I'm grateful for the prompting to have him go, I'm grateful for Dave and his willingness to spend the time and money and effort going with Abe.  I hope one day Abe realizes how much his dad cares about him.  This trip is evidence that Dave would do just about anything for him.

Amanda Thripp

(Lucy, Amelie, Max, Viv, Lucas, Kai)

The fan club showed up to watch Vivian in her play.

She got to be the part of Amanda Thripp.

Her first speaking part!

and she got to have a double!

They pretended to throw her across the stage by her braids.

Such a fun part in Matilda.

 

scones and assists

This picture of Abe reminded me of these pics of my dad on his mission to Trinidad with my mom.

My dad knew how to love on people. 

He was interested in them, 

He helped them.

At my dad's funeral, my brother described it as passing our assists.  My dad loved basketball and loved shooting. "Shoot first, shoot second, shoot third" was a common phrase he would say to the grandkids.

But my brother Marty, pointed out my dad's real specialty was assists.  Helping other people score in the game of life. He also told a story about scones and passing out scones. He told the grandkids to decide if they like passing out assists or scones and then to be like their grandpa and get good at it.

Missing him.  

I think he is still passing out assists from the other side. 

 I believe he is still involved and helping.