A little Halloween fun with Grandpa "Smee"!

Casey is finally settled into school.  We knew it would be an adjustment.  He has never done well with change.  As a child, moving the furniture especially in his room would lead to total melt down.  I underestimated the difficulty he would have.  We wanted to get a family snowboarding trip in before sending them out to school.  Because of schedules that led to packing 2 bags and putting him on a flight out of Denver to school along with Samantha.  It took about two weeks, a number of phones calls and texts, plus additional calls and texts from Sam and finally the "if you can't be happy come home" talk.  Sam handled the adjustment period beautifully!! I can't believe the patience and self control she showed.  I'm really proud of her.  I'm proud of Casey for being able to label his feelings and express them so well though out this experience.  I love the texts and letters I get from him.  I love watching him grow, especially spiritually.  The relationships with these two are growing and changing.  I'm much more of a sounding board than an instructor.  I only have to ask the questions because they already know the answers.  It's an enjoyable stage so far.  It will be a special time for both of them, one that will strengthen their relationship.  

Victoria gave a talk in primary today.  She didn't have anything written down.  She talked about scriptures bringing people to Christ. She told of her goal to finish the Book of Mormon on her own by the end of the school year.  She is in Alma right now.  She talked about reading the conference issue of the Ensign as a family.  (We read the talks as a family.  Each of us mark things that stand out to us.  After reading, we each share a favorite part we marked.) She then read 5 of her favorite quotes.

"God didn't design us to be sad. He created us to have joy. So if we trust Him, He will help us to notice the good, bright, hopeful things of life."

"Does my life have meaning? Do I believe in God? Do I believe that God knows and loves me? Do I believe that God hears and answers my prayers? Am I truly happy? Are my efforts leading me to the highest spiritual goals and values in life?

"If the Holy Ghost has been prompting you to say "thank you" more often, and you respond to that prompting, then He may feel it's time for you to move on to something more challenging--like learning to say, "I'm sorry; that was my fault."

"God is our loving Heavenly Father.  We are His children...He weeps with us when we suffer and rejoices when we do what is right. He wants to communicate with us, and we can communicate with Him through sincere prayer..."

"And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom;"

I was impressed with the quotes she pulled out.  Each one of them has a personal meaning to her she shared in her talk.  Often I see the weaknesses far to quickly, especially as they bicker.  Right now we are working on creating Zion in our home.  Putting others needs ahead of ours the majority of the time.  That is difficult to do, especially when you are 10, 12, 14 and 16.  There is a unique peace and happiness I desperately want in our home that only comes from having charity in our hearts.  I'm sure we will have glimpses of it here and there.  However, I desire to have it all the time.  I hope we can embrace those gospel truths we talk of so often and put them into action with each other... turning the other cheek, going the second mile, forgiving, giving a soft answer, being humble and meek, longsuffering.  They are so easy to talk of but doing them is difficult and sometimes painful at first.  Eventually, after we choose them for a while, they begin to become a part of us and there is this peace that settles in.  It's amazing.  I love my family and am so glad I have them to work through mortality with.  

Tori and Audrey... dress up.