I quit blogging. I just didn't put in the effort to make it happen. I rationalized that I didn't need to share what's happening in our family with the whole world, even if only a few people knew my blog existed. Life keeps happening with things that I think I will remember but I am sure I really won't. So here I am, revisiting blogging in an attempt to remember those things and be reminded of "the many ways I have seen the Lord relentlessly pursue us with His wonderful love!"
What are we up to in February of 2026? Here is a little run down for each of us.
Glen is in his third year as principal of Fort Herriman Middle school. He enjoys the middle school and appreciates the good faculty and staff he gets to work with. The students are mostly wonderful but he doesn't always agree with their parents. He thrives on schedule and routine. He likes waking up early to exercise and walk. He has fully embraced Chat GPT, it's probably his BF. He is one of the adult Sunday school teachers in our ward teaching the Come Follow Me lesson on the 1st Sunday of the month.
Lilly is enjoying a gap semester after earning her associate's degree in humanities in December. She is a shift lead at Starbucks and is working on getting buff. She's looking at EMT jobs. The Fire Science Academy at UVU is probably in her future. She lives in American Fork with two roommates and loves the step up from student housing. She loves playing D and D with her friends.
Lucy is in Virginia, attending Southern Virginia University, and loves it. She is enjoying the off season semester and is glad she has at least one team mate in each of her classes. That is making them more bearable. She is finding out all the ways the athletic trainers like to torture help the off season athletes improve. She is working on campus, helping with athletic events. She seems to be doing well and having fun, as she always does.
Daryl is halfway through his 9th-grade year. He does not like to be categorized as a "smart kid" but hangs out with a bunch of them. He is full of beans most of the time. He is really good at pushing his sister's buttons, but also good at helping them out. He is playing the trombone in the band, but thinks this will be his last year. There are too many other classes he wants to take in high school. He likes working in the garage, making wooden spoons, spatulas, and other things. He is going to try field events and maybe run in track and field this spring.
Ruth is halfway through 7th grade. It's not as bad as she thought it would be, though she is often frustrated with the choices her peers make. She really likes school and doesn't know why everyone doesn't. She loves running but not competing in track meets unless it's a relay. She has started making little felt chickens when I make her get off her Chromebook. She is working on reading 100 books this year.
Beth is making it through 4th grade. She likes school but thinks it would be better without math. She is taking an art class and loves that. She thinks she wants to play basketball or lacrosse. She has found the fun of riding her older sister's bikes that they have left at home. She loves clothes and make-up. She just helped pay for new cowboy boots for herself and wears them all the time. She is looking forward to raising a lamb for 4-H this summer.
I just finished my second block of school at Ensign College. The current plan is to get a medical assistant certificate and an associate's degree in science. I usually work one day a week for Dorothy, my great aunt, as an elderly personal assistant. I take her to doctors' appointments, run errands, and most importantly, to get her Diet Coke from McDonald's on the days she needs me. I work on quilts about one day a week. The year mark of being the YW president in my ward, just past which keeps things interesting.
Aside from what we are all doing, there have been some really great things and some really hard things that have happened in the last week or so.
One of the hardest things is that Taylor Edwards, who grew up in the ward and Glen went through YM with, died by suicide two weeks ago. His parents still live in our ward and we are praying for them and the rest of their family. He was just younger than Glen.
The other really hard thing is Luke and Jaimie Williams' baby died just a week or so before he was suppose to be born. Luke is one of Glen's teachers. He is also Kaia and Kaden's cousin on Kenda's side. Jaimie, was one of my beehives when I was in young women's when we were first married. Her mom lives in our ward still. They have been hoping and praying for this baby for so many years. It's so heartbreaking
On the opposite side of that, the best thing was that on Tuesday, Olivia Rose Smith was born to Ali and Derek. She is perfect and a miracle.
We got to have Xander, their 16-month-old little boy, sleep over on Wednesday night. It's so fun seeing my kids interact with their little cousin.
I passed my three block classes that ended this week. It's been a lot. I have definitely had extra help from family and friends as well as heavenly.
Glen and I went on a date to Riverton High school's production of Murder on the Orient Express. The kids in it did a great job.
One more miracle is that one of my young women crashed while snowboarding this week and broke her neck. She is in a neck brace but not paralyzed.
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