So here's an update on those who are living here a
t home (and news
from those kids who live close-by).
DeAnna, 28 and Amy, 22, live close by but we don't see them
unless Dad-Paul is home and the Vette is available.
Actually, DeAnna is r
unning a Club-house for the mentally ill, in Logan which our Charity supports. She is the liaison for University officials, judges and heads of organizations nationally and throughout Utah. Her job keeps her busy almost 24/7 as sh
e often has to deal with emotional issues and even suicide threats from the clubhous
e clientele, as they struggle to survive their mental disabilities. She is doing so great though and we are proud of h
er. PHOTO:
DeAnna holding Elyn, Heidi's baby in July this last year.
Amy has been doing great work there at the clubhouse and also
works full time there. She has been helping just where the people have needed her and we are also very pleased at the service she is rendering. PHOTO: Amy holding Katie's baby, Ariana, this last fall.Casey, 22, who has
been working for the last year at Direct Financial Solutions as a syst
ems administrator. He has also recently been accepted at BYU-I to begin this September to begin his education, at least to
start, in a computer-related field. He lives in Logan on his own and visits when his hunger for good food and conversation overwhelms his pride of making it all on his own. We enjoy his visits as his younger sisters don't often get their daily teasing in without him around!
Camilla, 20, has surprised us all recently as she announced that she was going on a mission in October! She has been at Utah State for two years, and has completed her generals and pre-requisites for her Elementary Education program, which she will now continue in about two years, upon her return.
We are thrilled she has made this choice and know that she will be an excellent missionary, whether she is called here in the states or abroad. She currently lives in River Heights about 2 miles from here but will move back home for a couple months before her mission. She is so much fun to be around and has become very independent lately and focuses on her school and good physical fitness.
Stephanie, 18, is persevering through what she thinks is her LONGEST semester of her life as a senior at Mountain Crest High School. She is co-attending the local technology college of Bridgerland, having completed two years of Fashion Merchandising in High School and will continue the Adult program throughout this summer. She will attend winter semester with a half-tuition scholarship to Dixie College
in St. George, to get her general education credits. She will model in the 4th fashion show at Bridgerland on April 3rd along with Savannah who will walk the ramp for the first time this year --Wahoo! Steph has taken on a new hobby of making sweet treats and gourmet meals for us-- something I had no clue she even knew how to do before she was desperate enough for something good to eat at our house.
Steph and Christy pictured here are in front of the Mediterranean Sea in Tel-Aviv, Israel last summer.
Which brings us to Savannah, 15 and a half.
When you are this age, every day counts toward the BIG day when you can suddenly DRIVE and DATE (not that the latter is ever not a big let-down..) but at least she can feel like a real adult behind the steering wheel. I am loving that I will soon have one more errand runner in the family, although the thought of driving with her for 40 hours scares the living daylight out of me! That is how parents get OLD... driving with unlicensed teens. Savannah now goes to school half day at Mountain Crest and the other half day she sleeps in front of her BYU home-school subjects (uh.. I mean, she does her BYU home-school). She is really enjoying spending more time at home and also having a little social life to round out her day. --Don't ask my why anyone would want to spend another DAY in high school if they had the choice??!! She loves pointing out the list of undesirable ingredients in Stephanie's cooking, then promptly devouring them!
Savannah has grown up so much (physically as well as emotionally and mentally) it is hard to believe! She has been voted the MOST favorite aunt of all the grandkids and no one tries to beat her in that position. She is a GREAT masseuse and has found that to be a successful bartering point- massages for clothes, massages for borrowing Steph's clothes, massages for mom to drive with her... oh well.. it works!
Christy, THE BIG EIGHT, has informed me that SHE is vying for the "Favorite Aunt"
position and she is neck and neck so far with Savannah. She has recently made a huge step from childhood to being accountable for her life as she has been baptized. She has also made a huge leap into teenager-hood. In a recent slide-show made for her primary, each child was highlighted and they got to list their three favorite activities. Most of the kids listed typical "kids-type" things but Christy listed "sleeping" as one of her top three favorites. That proves it! She also listed "friends" which also proves it! She will invite 2-3 friends over each day and organizes things like bands. I saw a note she had written, apparently for the newspaper, which said something like "Help!--- Band has no drummer (and no drums either)." Christy is definitely NOT on the health food kick her sisters are on as she has banned all fruits and vegetables from her life except for apples. I recently attended a parent teacher's conference where I got a glowing report from both math and reading teachers! But the funniest thing they said was that they think Christy dresses fashionably! I wondered if she secretly changed her clothes after she left each day but I guess the sweet women can appreciate the red/hot pink and orange combos. 
