CONFERENCE WEEKEND (October 1st - 4th) - This
weekend started with volleyball games in Blackfoot and Pocatello. I
wasn't able to make it down to them and neither was Jed because Kasen
had basketball games in Rexburg. So Ava rode the bus down and back. I
loved riding the bus with the teams to games, but apparently everyone's
parents drive them to and from games. I think it's weird. Luckily
there were a few girls that rode the bus and Ava got to hang out with
them in between games. Her and a teammate walked to get food and then
ate in the empty and dark gym waiting for their games. Ava said it was
very fun. Ava is definitely wanting and leaning into more
independence.
This weekend we decided to take the kids to a little farm on the west
side of Idaho Falls. Sydnee recommended it and knows the people that
run it. She said they are a family they met in Gooding and actually
started a charter school on the farm. They started the farm as a way
for their grandkids to earn money. They are doing a good job because it
was packed with people and had lots of fun activities for fall. The
kids rode in barrels that were connected like a train, pulled by a
four-wheeler, and made to look like steers around the farm. The was a
big slide, a mini golf putting hole, giant corn kernel pits, bouncy
houses, pony riding, football toss, campfires, teeter-totters,
tug-of-war, two giant corn mazes, and of course the pumpkin patch. The
kids got to pick out their own pumpkins to bring home and we had so much
fun! This place reminded us of so many places we have been in Chicago,
Kentucky, and Boise.
WEEK 1 (October 5th - 10th) - Ava started a new
online program called MAP. It stands for Mentoring Accountability
Program. She joined some kids that also attend her Habits for a
Successful Life class. 4 of them are siblings and their parents are the
ones that created the courses and 4 are other kids living in different
parts of the United States. It is lead by a young adult guy who was
mentored by Mr. Denning for about 14 years whose name is Devon. Ava has
really enjoyed it so far. They have talked a lot about setting goals
and making plans and then following through on them. One of Ava's goals
was to get better at henna. I wasn't too crazy about this goal because
I'm not too crazy about Ava drawing all over people's bodies because
I'm not a fan of tattoos. But I thought I'd let her experiment with it
and decide for herself. Turns out Ava was pretty good at it and
decorated mine, Kinsley's, and Kasen's hands during conference. I did
talk to her about whether it was something she should continue to spend
time researching and pursuing. Ultimately she realized that it wasn't
which I was glad she came to the conclusion to. However, I was
impressed with her natural ability. Ava is one of those people that
just seems to be good at everything she tries. I finally took Dallin to
get his haircut this week. It was just getting
way too long! He loved every minute of it, especially the shampooing
part. He giggled and giggled when he got his hair washed. He has
gotten into trying gymnastics moves because Kinsley has been practicing
them. She has to learn how to do a cartwheel for one of her dances and
so Dallin decided he needs to learn too. His cartwheels are more like
blur flashes through the air though. Thanks to all of Kasen's football
practices he has gotten what he calls an 8-pack. He is extremely proud
of his abs and loves to show anyone that will pay attention at "ripped"
he is.
Harvest
dinners continue. We are on the home stretch though and since they are
now working up in Ririe and not Osgood we are boxing up at Sydnee's
house now. It has been a lot of fun and I'm glad to spend the time with
my siblings. But I'm also exhausted!
A
few months ago one of my friends from Boise commented on a post I had
put on the internet about what I should do to celebrate my 40th
birthday. She said for her 40th birthday she did 40 random acts of
service. This idea just really struck me and I decided that is what I
wanted to do for my 40th birthday. I was having a lot of bad feelings
about turning 40 but once I shifted my thoughts away from me and started
thinking about making my 40th birthday more about gratitude that I've
lived for 40 years it seemed fun and exciting. So I made a list of 40
service ideas and started chipping away at them this month. Instead of
getting paid to do harvest dinners I decided to count that time towards
my 40 acts of service to my parents and the workers on the farm. I
started looking on JustServe.org for more ideas. I found an opportunity
to paint fire hydrants in Rexburg. I called and got us scheduled to do
it one Saturday. It was a windy day but it was so fun to intentionally
spend our time doing something together in a service oriented way. It
didn't even take that long either.
One of the kids took these pictures. I'm not sure how we are even breathing but they made me laugh so I included these.
WEEK 2 (October 11th - 17th) - I
think this might be a first for me as a mom to do something festive
with pumpkins before the night before Halloween. I can't remember one
time in my childhood ever painting pumpkins or carving pumpkins. So
it's not really something I think about as a Halloween activity. I did
find some little pumpkin decorating kits in the dollar spot so I got two
for the homeschool kids. Kinsley's was a black cat and Dallin's was a
lion.
Kasen
had his last football game this week. He played really good and it was
even freezing. Jake, Megan, and Jagger came up to watch him which was
super nice of them and made Kasen feel pretty awesome. They also came
up and helped us gather up all the cows at Humphrey. We were missing a
few calves and I know one for sure was in the neighbor's field but we
had to get them on the truck before it left.
Earlier in the week Jed got a message from our new stake president
that he would like to talk to him. Jed was pretty nervous about it but
just brushed it off as no big deal. However, it was a big deal because
what Jed didn't tell me was about three weeks earlier he had a dream
where someone shook his hand and called him Bishop. He woke up after
because it seemed so real. He couldn't sleep the rest of the night and
just kept telling himself there was no way that could happen. Two weeks
later we got a special zoom link for the organization of our new
stake. The stake would be known as the Rigby Idaho Holbrooke Stake.
Jed's middle name is Holbrooke so that really started to make him
sweat. During the announcement of the new stake they identified the new
ward boundaries. Two new wards were created and lots of wards were
changed. Our new ward was the Rigby 21st ward. 21 was Jed's basketball
number and the number he has used in every username/password/special
keycode/etc. since high school. It is also Kinsley's birthday. Our new
ward also didn't have a bishop - so with what Jed had already
experienced he was a nervous wreck. After they announced our ward
boundaries Jed wanted to go drive around and see what it included. He
was so anxious to do that I was a little suspicious on what was going
through his head. Then the voicemail came Thursday night and Friday
morning Jed called our new stake president - Trevor Neville - back. Jed
and I were invited to come to the stake center the next morning at
10am. I think Jed was quite certain what was to come and I had a gut
feeling, but Jed still never said a word about his dream. The next
morning Kinsley took a picture of us before we left just in case it
turned out to be something to remember. When we got there we went to
separate rooms - me with the 1st and 2nd counselor and Jed with the
stake president. They said, "Oh this is not too intense we just have a
few questions for you... how do receive revelation? how do you honor
your covenants, what is your marriage like, etc?" It was far from
casual! I shared how I felt our whole lives were a testament to
listening to revelation and about how often our plans had changed
because of direction we felt like came to prayer. The Spirit was strong
and I shed a few tears. They told me a little about themselves and
then we all went in to the stake presidents office with Jed. I could
tell Jed had been emotional as well. The stake president started with
telling us that he felt aware that we knew why we were there and then he
extended Jed the call to be the bishop of our new ward. He told us
that no one in the stake presidency knew who Jed Erickson was but that
his name kept coming back and coming back and so when they prayed about
it it was unanimously felt that Jed was the person the Lord wanted as
the bishop. President Neville said that he felt a strong impression to
share with Jed that the Spirit bore testimony that Jed was a "Man of
God"
& "You are worthy to do this". He also told me that he felt
impressed to share that "Heavenly Father & the Lord are very aware
of you" He also said that this calling wouldn't be happening to Jed if
it wasn't for me. This last statement really touched me so much and I
felt God's love just wrap around me like I was getting a big hug and
infinite acknowledgment for the efforts I put in that no one sees. It
was the most amazing feeling. I know that I got a small glimpse of what
it will feel like to be worthy and prepared when the day comes to be
with my Heavenly Father and Savior again. I am not there yet, but like I
was being told you are on the right path and what you will feel later
on will be a million times better if you keep going. It was such a
special experience. It was only after we left that Jed told me about
his dream. He said it just seemed strange to say it out loud.
Afterward we went out to Ericksons house and then down to a basketball
game. It was hard not to tell anyone for a whole week. Our kids kept
saying they thought Jed would be the new bishop since he had an
interview with the stake president and Jed just kept telling them he was
called to be the stake librarian.
WEEK 3 (October 18th - 24th) - Kasen
got another haircut and decided to keep the skullet going strong. I
finished all my application work for VIPkid the first weekend of the
month and passed! Now I'm just waiting for my background check to clear
and I'll be ready to teach English in the mornings.
We have had the most amazing sunrises this week! Pretty soon with daylight savings it will be dark in the mornings.The service list continues! We've really been knocking out the
projects and I'm trying to do as many as I can with the kids. I think
one of the biggest blessings that's come my way is the discomfort of
getting out of my comfort zone and making phone calls or sending emails
to arrange the service opportunities. I had a wonderful conversation
with the caretaker of the Pioneer Cemetery where my Foster relatives are
buried one afternoon trying to arrange a service opportunity there for
us. He knew my in-laws and my Foster relatives. He even told me some
stories about my parents in high school. That has been fun to talk to
people again. And of course, watching my kids serve has been wonderful.
My
40th birthday was on a Friday this year. Jed brought home 40 roses and
giant balloons. The roses were amazing. They smelled so fantastic.
He also brought home 4 varieties of cheesecake. He definitely knows my
favorite things.
Malorie
made me a cake and it just so happened that Syd's family was coming up
from Utah so they delivered it to me. It was the best cake I've ever
eaten. It was a banana maple cake. It tasted like banana bread with a
maple frosting. It was divine. On
my birthday we went out to breakfast and while out finished a few more
service projects. Then later we had family time. Kasen made me this
weaved craft and Kinsley and Dallin wrote me poems and drew pictures.
It was a wonderful day and turning 40 turned out to be a joy. I hope I
live for another 40 years and then another 40 years after that! 
Saturday
morning we told our kids two big pieces of information. 1 - We told
them Dad had been called to be the new bishop of our ward. 2 - We told
them we were going to Hawaii in a month to visit Grandma and Grandpa.
WEEK 4 (October 25th - 31st) - Sunday
Jed's name was announced in church as the new bishop of our ward.
Since everyone is still wearing masks I'm sure no one knew who he was!!
This past week Jed has spent so much time praying about who his
counselors and executive secretary would be. There is not one calling
in our ward so he has been working so hard to know the Lord's will for
every member of our ward. The fact that he knows not a sould besides
the 5 families that came with us from the Rudy ward just makes it that
much more challenging. However, his counselor all accepted and so today
those callings along with the Elder's quorum president were announced.
All of Jed's siblings and spouses (aside from Jason/Gini, Kirk, and
Treena) were there. It was a crazy Sunday because Jace also had his
farewell today. We drove down to listen to half of that meeting and
then raced back for our meeting. It was really special for John to
advance Jed to a High Priest. I really wish I would have taken a
picture of Jed with his parents afterward. Everyone was trying to get
back down to Firth so I didn't want to make a big scene but I regret
that. Jed was given a big box of keys to the building that he had to
sort through - I guess he was given multiple keys today! We went and
checked out his new office. At this time bishops usually serve for
about 5 years. It will be so interesting to see what the picture of Jed
and our kids will look like when he gets released. (If it's 5 yrs Ava
will be 20, Kasen 17, Kinsley 15, and Dallin 9 - Kinsley will be Ava's
age and Dallin will be Kinsley's age!)
This last week of October was full of Jed locked away in meetings trying
to figure out callings and auxillaries, the kids and I finishing our
last few service projects, playing and some school trick or treating.
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