Pocatello Temple

 It's time for the open house for the new Pocatello Temple, and we got some of the passes (it's free, and you should go if you live anywhere close!)

We drove up Friday after school. Look at the beautiful sunset from Joe and Sarah's porch.

These cousins love to play together. 

This guy loves to take selfies with babies and I love to see them show up in the camera roll. 

Saturday morning we went over to our tour. The temple is larger than I realized. It is absolutely beautiful inside and out. These kids were very reverent and respectful as we walked through. I wanted to be able to tell them things about the different rooms, but had to do it quietly and briefly.  

There was a protestor outside with a sign greeting the crowds coming off the shuttle buses, and it made Andrew upset. We talked about freedom of speech and freedom of religion. I told him he could contrast the feelings he felt from the sign the man was carrying, compared to the peaceful beautiful inside of the temple and the promises made inside. 

Inside, there were paintings and pictures of Christ everywhere. And in the main front area is an original Minerva Teichert painting, called Not Alone. Joe talked to the kids about the story of Mary Fielding Smith and her faith.

Here is a copy I found online.

Here is what Andrew drew the next day in Church.

Mary Fielding Smith is painted with angels behind her, helping her on the journey. We sometimes may not see God's help in our lives, but it is there.

Deardeuffs unite

 My brother Joe in Springville invited us down for a day celebrating his daughter Kaylee and her baptism.  My parents and my sister Emily and her girls made the drive from Missouri.

My brother Joe (3 of 12)  is on the bottom left my brother Peter (6 of 12)  lives in Utah and is on the top left, Emily (8 of 12)  is in the middle back row.

My dad's beard shocked us a little when he walked in. I knew he had been growing a pandemic beard, but in person it is quite impressive!

Sisters ten years apart.

Deardeuff cousins

Kaylee's little brother Owen didn't make it over for that picture, so JB took a selfie.

Emily brought new Chiefs gear from Kansas City. It's all over their stores there, and Max and Ben are big fans.

Then we went over to the Provo Rec Center to swim. What a fun place! Here is Millie really mad that JB was calling me smokin hot and wanting to take my picture, instead of taking her up and down the slides.

James has gotten so much braver in the water. I am really pleased.

On Sunday, we had everyone over to our house. Here the crazy goofy uncles are playing horse with Max and Ben and cracking them up.

The girl cousins completely tore apart Millie's room and loved every minute together.

I sent a picture of the food to my other siblings in our group chat channel. It was incredible. JB smoked a brisket all night, Peter smoked some mac and cheese and his wife Mindy brought great salads, Joe's wife Susan made amazing desserts, and I think my kids loved Rachel's chips more than anything though (I didn't get a picture of Rachel with the siblings on Sunday! She's number 9 of 12).

We can't wait to see our Missouri family again. 

Max the driver

Max got his driver license in August! He worked hard to get practice hours and be really careful behind the wheel. During his driver's ed class, he would often tell me when I did a rolling stop or cut the corner on a left turn. He liked to see if he could drive me to any errands.

We were all excited about his new license, until I called USAA to add him to the car insurance. Woof, our bill more than doubled. And that is even with the good grades discount. If he stays safe for a year, our rate comes down.

But such is life. And once the insurance kicked in, he took his first solo drive.

He mainly drives to golf practice after school at the golf course a few neighborhoods away. But I think once or twice he has also driven to go get food. Because he is a very hungry tall teenager all the time.

Our stake president told a story in Stake Conference about having a teen driver, and how he sometimes walks outside to go somewhere and his car is not there but no one told him..  Well, the other day I drove somewhere and Max texted me upset that I had taken the car and hadn't told him. I laughed a lot.

This is fun! 

School starts

Our last baby had her first day of kindergarten! And the others were all excited to go back and see friends.

Here are their first day pictures taken by JB.

Max is a junior and on the golf team this fall and in two AP classes

Ben is in 8th grade and a Student Body Officer and ELP/honors classes

Andrew is in 5th grade and has Ben's former teacher

James is in 3rd grade and has Andrew's former teacher

And Millie in kindergarten and has Andrew and James's former teacher!

They changed the school start times in our district. High school starts an hour later, at 8:45, and Max has plenty of time to get out the door. But for bussing purposes, that moved middle school earlier. Ben leaves our house around 7:30. Elementary School now starts at 8:45 as well, instead of 8:25. 

These three will eventually walk together to and from school. It's at  the end of our street.

But for a while we have been walking back and forth with them until they get the hang of the bell schedule and Millie getting in the right spot.

I'm grateful that I am still working from home and that I have time in-between my radio stories to do her hair in the mornings.

I was ready to drive them back to Granite District, but the superintendent promised in July that our district would not be like an island again this year and would follow the other districts around us. We thought new state laws would protect us, as well.  

But then two days before school started, the Salt Lake City Mayor broke the state law to enact some severe restrictions on our kids again. And no one stopped her. Masks required for all K-12, even if they are vaccinated teens, even if little kids need to be able to see faces to learn and develop properly and are at extremely low risk from this virus.  Tall plastic barrier-type-jail-cells around each desk, when many months ago those were proven to be unnecessary and even counter-productive. Canceled sporting events at the drop of a hat, when no other district is doing similar things. (At least they said they have better indoor ventilation this time, which is actually quite effective.) I've also been really worried that they'll try to shut down our schools again.

I was extremely angry and sad for many days. I still am sometimes, a week into the school year. I'm extremely burned out at work, I had a lot of PTSD from last year, and a lot of hopes for my children that their experience this time could be so much more like their cousins just a few miles away.  The first day of school for Canyons District for example was a week before ours, and I was assigned to do live shots there. I saw my niece Emily come up smiling and happy to see all her friends smiling. The feeling is so very different in Salt Lake City.  It's paranoia and fear. 

I can keep trusting in God that this will all get better. I have new coping techniques from a therapist to help me recognize what I can control, and what I can't control about all of these situations. I know my children can be ok with the love and support and calm manner we portray in our home.  

In the scriptures we hear God say, "This will be but for a moment."  He also said, "For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."