Payoffs

Jordan received his admissions letter to BYU-I on Thursday and was accepted! We've all been so anxious for this news. Eighteen years ago, this was the farthest thing from my mind, but it has flown and now the parent payoffs are flowing! Jordan still hasn't received his track assignment, which is a little nerve wracking, because it determines the entirety of your school schedule and can not be decided or changed by you for the duration. They do take into consideration, the dates in which boys will be entering the MTC, but we still aren't sure where that puts Jordan. I guess we'll find out soon.

"March Unplugged" started yesterday. Everyone in the community was encouraged to hold a family planning meeting and commit to the challenge of unplugging all entertainment electronics (t.v.'s, cell phones, computers, radio's etc.) and determine how to apply it to our individual families. I am REALLY looking forward to this month. Our family doesn't watch t.v., but we have decided not to watch any movies, or listen to the radio, or use the computer for any entertainment purposes. We have a selection of music CD's that we can play on the family stereo, but it is limited. The city has put together a calendar of events for every day, some that are family suggestions and some that are community events. Our stake has been heavily encouraged to participate.

On Monday, March 23rd (which is during Spring Break) we are encouraged to hold a family talent show. We thought it would be fun to have an extended family talent show. I think it would be so much fun, especially for the children to perform.

Extracurricular sports are gearing up for the kids. Eden is going out for track this year, which will be her first experience with organized sports, and Jordan is trying to decide whether he wants to fit it in his schedule this season. Mikayla is opting out of the "school organized" route but she and her best friend are organizing their own schedules and will start running together after school the same time as track starts. Neither of them like the pressure to perform and Mikayla doesn't care for some of the athletic ego's at school, but I think they will enjoy what they have decided to do and gain a lot of benefit as well.

Abe has decided to give soccer one more chance. He has played for two previous seasons and didn't have very motivating coaches, and wanted to try baseball this season, but since we had already paid dues for Fall/Spring, I asked if he'd be willing to give it one more go if I got him a great coach. He agreed, and I was able to request he be moved onto a team where I have been impressed with the coach's "team spirit" and positive enthusiasm, so we'll see how that all plays out. I've never pushed my children toward sports, but when Abe was interested last year, we thought it might help him get out of his isolative view of the world and help him see the group picture, but we'll see. Lily and Sophie are just excited that they will be able to play on the school playground during the games.

Fred and I have been successful at almost a month of free (except gas) dates and it has been so much fun. Now that we have decided to achieve this goal together with a reason and goal in mind, my attitude has changed and not using money has become a positive challenge instead of a forced drudgery. With spring weather just around the corner, our options are opening wider and wider; we've even been invited on a group "double" date by Jordan. They want the parents to dress up out of character and browse in Karcher mall while the teenagers have a race to find us. It's a popular youth activity called "Where's Waldo". It's in planning stage and the guys haven't asked dates yet, so we have a little bit of time to come up with believable costumes. We have to "blend" in, but be as unrecognizable as possible.

Jordan opening his admissions letter from BYU-I

Reading it out loud.

Accepted!

Jordan setting the capstones on his Middleton sign.

Getting close to finished on the backside.