~We spent this last year watching our girls grow like the Iowa corn. We enjoyed many simple pleasures. We visited the zoo and the family museum all year round. And got caught up in a few sports: spring & fall soccer and summer softball (still learning!).
~In the spring, we took a trip up to visit Richard’s aunt and uncle, Janice and Paul Day in Rochester, MN. Along the way Richard showed us some areas of his mission in northern Iowa and we were able to stop and play some baseball at the Field of Dreams.
~During the summer break, we drove to visit our families and friends in Utah, to enjoy all their hugs, love and bar-b-qs!
~Then this fall we took a trip down to visit friends in Kentucky and we were able to stop and visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library. One word… AMAZING!!!
~We are so grateful to know that Families Can Be Together Forever… not just “til death do you part”. So we started a project with the girls of visiting temples, every chance we get, all around the country. We love showing them that through the temple, anyone can have an Eternal Family, wherever they live. Of course there is Nauvoo, IL (which is the temple we visit monthly). We were also able to visit the temples in Mt. Timp, Salt Lake City, Draper, & Oquirrh Mt. UT, Winter Quarters NB, St. Louis MO, and Nashville TN.
~This year was a really exciting one for Sarah. She fell in love with playing forward in soccer and is still trying to decide how she feels about softball. She started 3rd grade and is doing great in school. Sarah turned 8 years old and made the decision to be baptized. It was a wonderful and beautiful day for our whole family. We were lucky enough to have Grandma Patty, Aunt Michelle, and Grandma Joy & Grandpa Lynn come into town for that special day. A week after her birthday she had her appendix taken out and hung out at the hospital for 5 days after as her body was fighting to get better. She plays the piano everyday and wishes she could play more! She was a Monarch Butterfly for Halloween and won both costume contests she entered! And just a week ago she got her first pair of glasses. Pink with Diamonds! Gotta love it!!!
~Rachel’s year started out with a bang with a Dinosaur 6th Birthday Party, where she received her dream gift, Spike, the huge remote-controlled dinosaur. First grade has been wonderful for Rachel! She is really learning the joys of reading! She has been listening to her sister read for 3 years and now it’s her turn. She always surprises us how much she can read. And math is something that comes so naturally to her! Her love for soccer comes in playing defender. She likes to watch the game and run up to defend the goalie. For Halloween Rachel was a Cavegirl Riding on a Dinosaur, her dream costume! She won “Most Creative Costume” and she was so excited about it! And now that we have snow on the ground, she is outside all the time and comes in covered in snow!
~This year Emma has grown up so much! Her 4th birthday celebrated her favorite color… PINK! She wears pink (and a skirt, for that matter) every single day, if she can. Her summer was full of swimming, coloring, and cheering on the sidelines of her sisters’ soccer games. Emma waited with baited breath for the first day of preschool and it finally came in September. She LOVES it and wishes she could go every day! She was writing her first name before school started and she loves to copy words all around her! For Halloween she was her favorite character, Minnie Mouse! She begged every day to wear her costume. When she finally got to wear it, she was beaming so sweetly, she won “The Cutest Costume”!!! Sweet, funny little Emma!
~Richard is over halfway through his doctorate (D.C.) program at Palmer College of Chiropractic. It has been a great year! His trimesters have varied from 29 credit hours up to 35 credit hours. He works really hard and made the Dean’s List! This year in school he focused on chiropractic techniques, applying his anatomy and physiology studies, and working with patients. Richard is preparing to begin work in the clinic in March, where he will be adjusting actual patients! So awesome! In his “free time” he coached Sarah’s softball team. And has been working with Becky on their photography business and has really enjoyed mastering the camera and lenses and Photoshop. At church he is teaching Elder’s Quorum and rescuing Becky in Primary (hahaha!).
~This year has been a busy one for Becky (of course). The three girls have been keeping her busy and on her toes. Balancing their schoolwork, their lunches, the dentist and doctor appts, piano lessons, playdates, reading time, play time, and family time is a big job. But somehow she manages to get it all done (usually!). After her ankle injury, she had to hit the gym a little less, but she is glad to be back. Having a healthy family is a whole family project. Also, Becky has been working hard to grow her photography business, with a lot of success! She loves being able to make family picture day a little better for other people! Serving as the Primary President is very humbling and helps Becky stretch and grow. A LOT!!!
~We celebrated our 10th anniversary this year! We took a trip into Chicago, saw the musical “Wicked” and stayed in a great hotel! Ordering room service for the first time was a blast! Being married to your best friend forever is amazing!
~As we look over this last year, and the last 10 years of our marriage, the things that we are grateful for are still the same from year to year. We are so grateful for our warm home and a good education, our beautiful family and wonderful friends, and, above all else, we are so grateful for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. For his birth, life and death for each of us. Christ came to Earth because He loves each one of us!!!
Merry Christmas and a Joyful New Year!
Love,
Richard, Becky, Sarah, Rachel, and Emma
