Luke starts school, May and Lincoln come over, lunch with California San Diego Mission sisters, BYU Education Week...

Luke started school this week.  He is a Jr. this year-can you believe it?  He has Amy's old seminary teacher this year and I heard Brother Van Dyke also has a child with special needs so this will be perfect for Luke.  He had a good first week.

Brian, Chloe and Amy took Luke up to the American Fork Canyon to roast s'mores and star bursts.  Luke had a blast!

Grandma Choate had another good week.  She is excited about the oil and all.  Glad she has exciting things going on and of course lots of family around her all the time!

 Rick finished his training at Tsunami (Japanese Restaurant) and will start working this week.  He needed black dress pants and so we rounded up a couple of pair.  May and Lincoln are pretty much over their colds. Kelsee is making Totoro Halloween costumes for the family and May will be, MAY.  Can't wait to see them!

Amy finished up her dental appointment this week and her passport came.  Now she just needs to have an interview with President Raines next week and she will be finished with her application which can be submitted on September 12th.  

Everything is falling into place!

Tim and I had a truly memorable time at Education Week.  We had our schedule all worked out and ran from class to class to class.  They were all outstanding: "Be an Example of a Believer of Jesus Christ" by Randall Wright.  He challenged us to constantly be changing our life for the better. "Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12.  He challenged us to support good movies, and to set a good example for our kids.  He said we can put things behind us and Matt 5:16, "let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  People are watching us. "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers" . Ephesians 4:29.

Then we attended a class on taking your special needs child to church, taught by a Bishop who has 7 kids, one of which has severe special needs. It was so tender and your dad and I were deeply touched by the experiences he shared.  He said that just as parents of special needs children have to overcome their fears, so do your ward and community members need time to overcome their fears.  He said as we educate, we are educating the fear out and the love in. Acknowledge that it takes time.

The next class was on what married couples can do to enrich their marriage by Douglas Brinley.  He quoted President Hinckley who said that "The most important decision of life is your eternal companion."  he said what do happily married couples do? 1) . Kneel as a couple in prayer 2 times a day 2) Read scriptures/Ensign/books separately and together, 3) Temple attendance, including sealings, 4) Intimacy 5) Family Home Evening.. Basically he said to live the gospel and be anxiously concerned for the comfort and well-being of your spouse.  This eliminates selfishness, pride and apathy.

The next class was called, "Prosperous Planning Partners."  He talked about how having a will and a living trust in place was a great planning and organizational tool for your life.  Planning gives improved emotional health, strengthens self-esteem and social identity, improved problem solving, decreased depression and anxiety, better skills for coping with transitions such as retirement and bereavement.  He talked about the value of writing personal letters to heirs. Kids who know more about their family narrative do better than the kids who don't.  They are more emotionally grounded.

The next class was on "Songs inspired by the scriptures," and it was taught by Janice Kapp Perry, Her son Steven Perry and daughter Lynn Christofferson.  Man alive, it was one beautiful song after another!  They talked about how we need to be growing positive living water within us.  Children of God hunger for light and truth, only living water of Jesus christ can fill spiritual hunger and can quench our thirst and sustain us.  Living water will give us power beyond our own.  Treasure the words of Christ.

Then we went to "Planning for Retirement," by Brian Sudweeks.  He talked about the importance of planning early (NOW) and then following the plan.  He talked about LIFE IS GOOD! Pay tithing, invest wisely consistent with risk, prioritize spouse, family, and giving service, enjoy the journey and give back, invest in your family and yourself for education and missions, Save 20 percent of everything you make for retirement, get out and stay out of debt, organize yourself, know your vision, goals and plans, operate on a budget (and get very good at it), do good, be good, and get better.  He gave a lot of good tips such as moving your traditional IRA over to a Roth IRA while you are on a mission and your taxes are low.  Then you won't have to pay taxes on a Roth.  Anyway, we have a copy of his presentation.  There was alot to ponder! 

As usual, we have had several humming bird visitors this summer and I love sitting on the porch swing and watching them fly around the shrubbery.  We live in a beautiful world!!!