Reina's Confirmation

 

Reina was confirmed at our church on Sunday.  She's had a different confirmation experience than most.  She started the process during the Covid shutdown, had a lot of zoom classes, then in-person classes and finally confirmation.  We are proud of her and can't believe that she's growing up so fast.  To wrap up their classes, each confirmand was asked to write a statement of faith.  Here's Reina's (sharing with her permission). 

My faith statement, what God means to me.

                To me, God is faith, God is someone that will always be by you in sadness, anger, fear, grief in any emotional state you might be in. God is a friend, a friend you know is there, a friend that you can talk to, a friend you can trust. He understands you, understands when your angry, sad he understands you always. God knows when your hurt, he knows what you’re feeling and is always with you when you are in pain.

God wants me to live my life with no fear, he wants me to be always happy, sadly he can’t always control that, so when I am suffering he wants me to know that he is always by my side no matter what I am going through.

To those who struggle to believe in God, he isn’t mad, he understands, and he is there to lead you through every step until you find the mindset to believe in him, and if you still don’t, he is always there never mad, never sad, he will love you always. He forgives your sins; he accepts your apologies without any doubt because he knows you love him, and he loves you.

When you are under God’s wings you will never fear death you will never fear pain or grief because you know he is always there for you. Joshua 1:9 “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be that dismayed, for the lord thy god is with thee wheresoever you go.” The verse from the bible is exactly what I’m trying to say.

September

We are in the whirlwind of school, sports, dance, work, gardening, hunting and everything else that can be accomplished in the month of September.  The kids are settling into their schedules.  Glenn and I count down the days until the weekend.  We have a lot of football happening at this house - much to Reina's dismay but she's being a good sport about it.  Will is playing JV and Varsity.  On Friday he got his first varsity start against Laramie and it was very exciting.  These pictures are out of order but here are a few memorable moments:  

Will sacked the quarterback on 4th down and this picture would be less blurry if I hadn't been simultaneously screaming and taking photos.  

Will's first start - he's #28.  He actually got the first defensive tackle of the game but that picture did not turn out at all.  

#28 under the lights.  

Reina's dance season has started and she had to get fitted for new pointe shoes today.  Thanks to technology we were able to do a fitting virtually so she put on her dance clothes and we went down to the basement/gym/taxidermy room and zoomed with a store in Colorado.  I'm so amazed at what she can do in those shoes - look at that balance!  I don't think she inherited that from my side of the family.  

All is well.  Stay tuned for more football/dance/hunting/gardening/pet pictures.  

First Day of School

Yesterday was the first day of school for 10th grade and 8th grade.  And yes, I got a little teary-eyed.  It feels like they are slipping through my fingers but that's a lament for another day.  I couldn't get a group shot because Will is taking 0 hour weights which is a fancy way of saying that he takes a class in the wee hours of the morning and it's weight lifting.  He leaves the house before I'm fully conscious but I rallied to get his picture.  

He's growing his hair out along with the majority of the teen boys in society.  The 80s are back!  

Reina goes to school at a slightly more acceptable hour so we snapped a few photos in the sun and with a cat as an ankle accessory.  

 It's only been two days but the school year is off to a good start.  Will travels with the football team to Sheridan tomorrow and Reina has a slumber party on Saturday.  Whoever agreed to hosting a slumber party on the first weekend after school started was obviously not thinking clearly LUCY.  

Fourth of July

I logged on to write a big post about all of our August happenings but then I saw that I had this one waiting in the draft folder so let's wrap up the Fourth of July!  On August 13!  We headed over to The Fry Farm for bbq and fireworks.  July 4 was a Monday this year so both Glenn and I had to work the next day which is a really boring way to say that we left before the really big fireworks started.  It was a cooler evening and we had fun sitting outside watching the cousins race around.  

Mixed doubles for whatever this game was.

Those are foam swords which I feel like I should mention because this picture makes it look like they are swinging broom handles at each other.  Which they probably have.... just not at a time when I could capture it photographically.  

The cutest 6 yr old in all of Wyoming showing us his box of Pop-Its.

Girl cousins and watermelon mustaches.  

 

Football in June?

Will's had the opportunity to play 7 v 7 football this summer.  He traveled with the high school team to Denver, Boulder and Fort Collins a few times to play.  Glenn, Pop-pop and I took turns going along to watch. What a cool experience!  He played linebacker mostly, a few shots at offense too.  The regular season starts practice in four weeks and we are ready!  

Shirts vs skins (Will) 

Defending the receiver 

This one is a little harder for me - that's Will on the field at Colo State.  Great opportunity but ew.

With that yucky logo in the back but look at the position on defense!  

 

Dance fever

Last month, Reina had her dance recital.  She danced in pointe, ballet, hip hop and hoop.  Both pointe and hoop were new classes for her this year.  I didn't get a picture of her hip hop performance and I could kick myself because it was super fun.  

Reina had her own fan club at the recital. 

Look at my girl on pointe!  This is so much harder than it looks.  She's been working on this since September and has made awesome progress.  

Ballet time.  This was her favorite costume.  

Hoop!  I was blown away by this dance.  Reina made it all look so effortless. 

 Reina isn't sure what dance classes she'll sign up for in the fall.  She talks about wanting more time to do clubs and activities at school, but she also loves dance.  We'll see what she decides.  Reina we just love watching you have fun.  

June

Well that was fast.  June started with the end of the school year and now we are one month into summer 2022 and we have a dance recital, baseball games, 7 v 7 football, a garden, and lots and lots of family togetherness to show for it.  

I'll have to post photos later but Reina had her dance recital at the beginning of the month and it was so much fun to watch her dance.  This year she had pointe, ballet, hip hop and hoop.  Her favorite dance was Hoop and I don't have a favorite because I think she's brilliant at all of them.  Reina has her first big babysitting job this summer.  She babysits an energetic 5 year old boy two days a week and she's discovering all of the joy that is the 5 year old brain.  She's also in charge of making dinner at our house once a week.  One week, she ordered pizza all by herself and this week she made frozen potstickers and potato salad.  We appreciate her enthusiasm and I'm just noticing that maybe she only can serve food that starts with a P?  

Will is playing on two baseball teams and working out with the football team.  He's also practicing driving and napping.  Well, he's not practicing napping, he's an expert.  For his turn at making dinner, he (with Glenn's help) grilled steaks and asparagus and learned to make mashed potatoes.  

Glenn and I are both busy at work.  Glenn's had to travel some and I had a trip to Nebraska earlier in the month.  I'll have more pictures to post on the holiday weekend. If I can take a break from my napping.