Happy 21st Aubree Rae!

Aubree is solid. She is forgiving and tries really hard to assume the best about others.  She has begun nursing school this week and will find a way to manage her time.  She readily helps people and wants to ease the burdens of those around her.  She is an integral part of our family and makes life better. 

Facts about Aubree by Aubree:

I love the temple.

My favorite thing to do is visit National Parks.

I love learning about other people's passions..

I currently want to be when I grow up: Nurse

My favorite color is green.

My favorite show is Parks & Rec.

My favorite activity is hiking.

My favorite boy is Jesus.

I am really good at ...I don't know, dude. 

My best friend is Jesus.

I want to vacation to Greece or Italy. 

My favorite ice cream is ...

My wish is to help others. 

My hero is Jesus.

My favorite thing to do with your friends is listen and also do something active (run, work-out, hot girl walk...)

My favorite holiday is Christmas or the 4th of July.

My favorite person in the whole world is Jesus.

My favorite song(s) is ....

My favorite restaurant is Jersey Mike's or Chipotle. 

My favorite foods are a nice sandwich or chicken & rice. 

If I had $1000 I would buy all my books for school. 

First day of nursing school 

 

Boston Trip part 1

 A few months ago Ginny purchased ball game tickets in Boston to attend with one of her co-workers. However, the co-worker was unable to attend, so she asked to make it a girls trip. Aubree wasn’t able to come because it’s her first full week of school but I didn’t want Ginny coming along, so here I am. We left early Saturday morning and arrived in Boston about 3:00pm. We walked a little that evening and had dinner. Sunday, we got up and explored Cambridge (home of Harvard University), attended church, attempted to walk temple grounds (gates were locked, boo), and then explored Beacon Hill and Boston Commons, a public park.  I was bummed temple grounds were closed but the time with Ginny has been good. At church, we sang Amazing Grace with bag pipes. The song always reminds me of my Mamaw and Papaw.  The words to it are beautiful. At the park in Boston, there’s an old historically cemetery and hardly any names on the grave stones/markets, it made he very sad for the people and I thought of Mr. John and after my dad passes, he may not be remembered.  Everyone deserves to be loved and remembered. As we walked around the park, Ginny and I re-enacted statues to send to Aubree which generated lots of laughs  I want this trip to become a pleasant memory for the both of us. 

Ginny has been working in Knoxville the past city old weeks and my Sunday dinners have been much quieter as she typically invites people to join us. I’ve told Aubree to do the same but she’s more reluctant or just doesn’t. 

Will is starting to mature some. His Boyce is changing abc he seems to be a little less temperamental. The other day he was just randomly laying in the yard and as I peaked out the window, I couldn’t help but think how much I love him. 

Jake was able to give the three younger kids Father’s blessing before school this year. He gives the most beautiful blessings. You can feel his love and the love of Heavenly Father when he gives them. I’m still in awe that I’ve been blessed with such a phenomenal husband. I am hoping the school year is better with Will and that he takes more ownership for his work and does it well. I worry greatly for him. I do feel that more regular temple attendance and my asking Heavenly Father to allow my Mamaw and Papaw to be with me have helped me become more patient with him and not raise my voice. However, I do get sad many days thinking I have failed him and hurt his self-confidence. It also makes me sad that I’m not sure he wants to serve a mission or can. I question his desire because he’s been told about his hygiene and doctors have told him how to fix other issues (insulin resistant (just last month) and night issued by multiple doctors) but he seems to brush it off. Sometimes I think he’s trying but when reminded, he still does it goes to fast food and tried to hide it from us. How I wish I was better for him or knew better ways to encourage. 

Slacking

 I am slacking oh so much about staying current. School has started back with Christopher in the tenth grade, Will is in twelfth grade, and Aubree had started nursing school at UTHSC.  The girls have been attending the Young Single Adult branch together. Naturally, I’m biased but I think they are the two best things there.  Aubree began last month working at the temple and loves it. She has began dating this boy but in the process one of her closest friends who liked him started saying untrue things about her to others. It breaks our hearts to see her hurt. We are learning to be kind, even when sometimes you just want to call it out and tell others the gossip being spread is inaccurate  we are really trying to show love. 

The second weekend of August, my sisters, mom, and I met in Nashville for the day. We did a session at the temple, had lunch, and then shopping (we giggled because our shopping choices were Sam’s Club and Costco). 

Home from Georgia

Georgia was nice and we made it home safely. We spent a couple hours one afternoon tubing on the Chatahoochie River.  I think the kids enjoyed it and we all had a few laughs watching one another get stuck.  After Georgia Jake has spent most of his time working on building his shed.  It is getting closer to being done and looks so nice. 

After getting back from our trip, Aubree's closest friend told her she needed space and has been talking ill of here.  This stemmed from a boy liking Aubree a touch more and telling the friend.  Aubree has refrained from saying anything negative about the person, although she has not been treated well by her and others as a result. Aubree is very hurt and will not even defend herself or correct when people tell her what they have hear about her "stealing her best friend's guy".  What people have not been told is they guy asked Aubree twice in front of the friend and the friend asked him after.  Of course, there are other details but they are not as important.   As a momma, it hurts my heart. She came home the other night in tears after a church event because it was obvious she was purposefully excluding Aubree and trying to hurt her.  Aubree had n ill feelings but was more hurt that an eight year friendship could mean so little. In addition to that, the mother is one of my dearest friends and has also shut me out and actively avoids me or activities I am at.  Yesterday, Ginny called the friend and was so very kind.  She expressed that initially she wanted to call and just lay it all out but said a prayer before and tried to check in on her and come from a place of curiosity.   Ginny expressed they did not have to be friends but talking badly of another is not the right approach and that if she he by mad at anyone, it is the guy, not Aubree. She also said that she still loves her and wants to be there because bring in your young adult years is often lonely. She also told her that one day a guy will want her for her and she will be the top choice.  As I listened to her recap the conversation and reflected on how Aubree has handled it, I felt humbled by the example of unconditional love and trying to be peacemakers they were being.  Jake and I have really raised some good kids.

 The boys both attended FSY this year.  Christopher loved it but Will did not enjoy it as much this year.  I want the kids to have opportunities to grow and learn spiritually and connect with people with their same beliefs.  As much as we try to have scripture and prayer daily with them, I do know the influence of friends and peers is great at this age.  Aubree began working in the temple of July 17th and was so happy and Christopher got his patriarchal blessing on July 20th. 

 And it is nuts to think that Jake started back to work today.  I was sad to not being going back with him

 

 

 

 

Helen GA with the family

We are spending 5 days in Helen GA with Jake's parents and his sister Sarah's family.  His parents spent 2 nights with us before the trip so one of the kids could ride to GA with them. It was so nice to have both sets of grandparents at church with our family. 

Thus far evenings have been spent visiting and playing games. Laughter has filled the evenings. It has been nice to pray as a large family and hear Papa share a short message one night. I hope my children always know we tried to have scripture and prayer daily. We walked around town today for a touch.