Time to move on

Well, two days after graduation Kevin and Stacie will be packed up and moving to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Kevin has been accepted into the UNM graduate program for a Master's in English. Stacie just accepted a full time job....with benefits.......with the UNM housing office. She will be supervising student employees. I'm not going to lie.....we are sad to see them move even farther away...but we are so excited for them to start this new adventure in their lives. Good luck with school Kevin.....and Stacie....I know you'll be great at your new job. Stacie's brother Grant that has been living with them is moving back home to Marshfield, Wisconsin. So.....we kind of feel like three of our kids are moving away. We will miss them all. We love you Kevin, Stacie, and Grant. Our love and prayers go with you. I think Carolyn and Brent will miss them the very most. They do everything together.

Happy Birthday Kevin

Wow....do I really have a 24 year old? It just doesn't seem possible. I will never forget the day that bundle of joy with "Pink" hair was placed in my arms. Our parenting adventure began and what a joy it has been. Kevin you have grown into such an amazing man. We love you so much and we are so proud of the person you have become. What a blessing we were given when you arrived into our family. Not only we were blessed....but your sister and brother were so blessed to have you as their older sibling. You have always watched out for them. You are a fabulous son and big brother....and now a terrific husband. You bless each of our lives and we just want to say WE LOVE YOU KEVIN. Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!! Oh....and congrats on your personal best record for the half marathon. You are awesome! What a dedicated runner you have become. Great job!!!!!!!!!!!

A new chapter

Well, I was thinking that as Scott and I headed into the empty nest phase of our lives we would be able to rest and relax after raising kids. Apparently the Lord has a different plan than that. We were are just beginning to enjoy this new chapter in our lives and have the freedom to do whatever we want....whenever we want. As much as we enjoyed cross country meets, dance recitals, and endless baseball games....we really like not having a schedule anymore. Well, this Sunday our lives got a whole lot busier. Scott is the HighPriest group leader so that keeps him hopping.....and I was just called to be the Relief Society President. So.....my quiet carefree days will be changing a bit. I've never been so terrified of a calling in my whole life. The bishop gave me a wonderful blessing when he set me apart. The first thing he blessed me with was the health and strength I would need to do this calling. That was such a comfort to me. I do know that the Lord can sustain us and give us strength that we didn't even now we had. I know that I will have to really rely on my Heavenly Father for guidance in this new calling. I have been blessed with a wonderful presidency that will help not only me but all the sisters in our ward. I have so much to learn from each of these sisters. I am thankful for the opportunity to serve and for the trust that has been placed in me. Keeping busy may turn out to be a realy blessing with Chris gone. Hopefully it will make his time pass much quicker. So here is to the new adventure I'm about to embark on.

Introducing Pete

So, the couple that is renting Grandpa Jackson's has a cat. The cat has decided that it lives here though. It eats here....it plays here.....and it sleeps here....in the dog house....while our dog morgan sleeps outside next to the doghouse because it is always occupied by the cat. I don't know why Morgan is so nice to that cat. He will run off every other animal that steps foot in our yard. It was here so much that Chris decided to name it before he left. So.....here is Pete. He is actually a very fun and frisky cat. He likes to hide in my flower garden and pounce as I walk by. Trying to work out there in the flowers the other day was quite difficult with my little helper. Everytime I would snap off an old limb he would jump at it and want to play. The other day I looked out and saw a beautiful male pheasant in my back yard. A sure sign that spring has arrived to the Columbia Basin. Out the corner of my eye I saw the cat crouched down in the grass. Pete thinks he's a tiger....I'm sure of it. He lept.....and that bird flew off just in the nic of time.....that cat almost had pheasant under glass for dinner.

A couple weeks before that we came home one evening and the cat was sniffing around in the dirt.....Scott came out awhile later and that cat had caught himself a snake....or should I say half a snake.....he had bit it in half. He played with that half for hours....tossing it up in the air and really having a good time. So....Pete is really great at catching snakes.....and sometimes birds.....but I've never yet seen that cat with a mouse....and we live with a pasture in our backyard....there are plenty of them.....That darn Pete.

We finally got a letter.....and with pictures!!!!

Getting dropped off at the MTC. Chris said it was freezing.

It's official. Elder Jackson has his nametag. Now.....if he can just keep track of it. That will be a miracle.

Chris is the district leader. This is his companion Elder Jarmon. He is from Bountiful, UT. That is kind of funny because we just had a missionary here in our ward and we always teased him about being from Bountiful. Chris loves his companion and they are getting along great.

Elder Hickman is from Moses Lake. He and Chris played Highschool baseball together. They both pitched for the Chiefs. Elder Hickman was supposed to fly out last Monday to his mission in Chile....but he has been delayed at the MTC because of the earthquake. His mission was hit the hardest and they can't get flights in there yet. They ended up in the same zone at the MTC.

Chris said he loves it. Not to crazy about the MTC food though. He said he is learning so much. He said that everyone should go on a mission. We are happy to hear that he is doing so well. He is kept very busy with his spanish classes.

How could I forget?

How could I forget? Something else big happened this week. Kevin got his acceptance into the English Masters program at University of New Mexico. He is still waiting on others but now he at least knows that they are headed somewhere. Good luck Kevin and Stacie! You'll both do great no matter where you end up. I'm so proud of you both for working so hard in university.

Wonderful Week

I've had a wonderful week. We finally heard from Elder Jackson on Thurday. It was a very short email but he reports that he is doing well....he loves his companion....and he is working hard. He is in a fast group. After just one week his group is ahead of the group that has been there for three weeks. So....he must be picking his Spanish up quickly. He said the spirit at the MTC is amazing....but he's not to thrilled with the food. He said he is so excited to get to Mexico. Bring on the beans and tortillas.

On Saturday we had the opportunity to go to the temple with one of Chris's very best friends. Tyler has been called to serve in Sao Paulo Brazil and leaves in May. He has been such a blessing in Chris's life. They had so much fun rooming together at college. It is always so great to see these young men grow up and go out and serve the Lord. It was a wonderful day to be in the temple and feel of the spirit there. I got to sit by one of my old laurels. Anne is a returned missionary that served in Italy and she is getting married next month. I love watching these young people grow up. God Bless you Elder Platt as you go out into the mission field.

I have the opportunity to attend sacrament meeting twice a month at the assisted living center. Scott is the high priest group leader and I'm in the relief society presidency so we get to go together. I always return from that meeting with a warm feeling. I am always uplifted by the testimony of the elderly that live there. There is one man that is in his mid 90's and he wheels around in his chair and shuffles his little feet to pass the sacrament to each of us. I always get a little chocked up as I watch him. He can't hear hardly at all anymore....but he sits there week after week....not knowing what is being said....because he knows that is where he is supposed to be. My dear friend Melanie's grandmother is there and she always add such spunk to our meeting. She really likes to tease me and I give it right back to her. There is a non member that comes each week and sits in our meetings. A much younger man that had a stroke a few years ago and is confined to a wheelchair. Then we have Brother Kemper. He got cancer over thirty years ago....and has beat it four times and he has such a strong testimonty of the Savior. I truly love going there and being blessed and spiritually fed by each of them. I'm thankful to Bro. and Sister Willis for assisting in the sacrament meeting each week. Today Scott knelt and blessed the sacrament there and it was so wonderful to see. It has been a wonderful week. I feel like my battery has been charged and I'm ready to take on another week.