School 2015-16

Our first and only year with all children in the same school, at the same time.

Prairie Hills Elementary School 

2015-16

And they are off.  The best teachers in my book, will have some pretty great Ravsten kids to teach this year.  Alex has Mrs. Clouse. Triston has Mrs. Montoya. Ethan has Mrs. Klancke and Kedzie has Ms. Martinez for math and social studies/science and Mrs. Tong for reading and writing. 

It's going to be a great year.  The kids are already in the swing of things.  I'm simply working to adjust to the quiet environment that surrounds me after ten years of non-stop chatter.  I will find my purpose and I start volunteering in classrooms this week.  I do need people to survive!

Another school year begins. Best wishes my little friends.  Make good friends and good choices.  Learn and grow and enjoy the moments.  Know that your parents are so proud of the people you are becoming.  Go. Fight. Win.

  

Besties continue each year.  I'm so grateful for consistent wonderful kids and their families to support my children and my family.  Matthew with Triston and Alex.  Lindie with Kedzie and Jackson and Jada with Ethan.  Good friends are the best thing. 

Here's an entry I typed up that I want to keep forever.  I'm not posting it to boast. I'm posting to remember that I have seen the tender mercies that Heavenly Father has given me over the last month. I'm truly loved by Him and recognize His hand in all things.

Aug 19, 2015 
Back to school. 

I've had a feeling the last 24 hours that we are being so abundantly blessed. My kids got the teachers I wanted for them. They had a great first day of school. They had priesthood blessings last night and I was told great things about Triston today. In addition, it seems like everything is going to work out for Ethan and soccer. My Heavenly Father loves me. He's proud of me. He is blessing me and watching over me. And the same goes for my children and my husband. They are loved and blessed and watched over as well. 

Travis is a worthy priesthood holder and gave five amazing blessings last night, the night before school. Each child is so unique and each blessing was unique. Including one for me. 

Ethan's was incredible. He is a leader and an example. He has a great job on this earth. He will be a friend to many and will do well in school. 

Kedzie's mind will be open and she will learn. She will befriend the friendless and love everyone around her. 

Alex will have a great year in school and has been gifted intellectually. He also has a gift for music and should continue his piano. 

Triston will learn a great deal this year. Heavenly Father is aware of him and he was meant to come to our home. 

I was reminded of how much Heavenly Father loves me and admonished to never forget it, basically! I feel the sweet spirit of love and comfort as we were all blessed with words from above. 

Additionally, Triston is making an impact already at school, for good. After school Mrs. Montoya came over to say what a great day he had and how he is "just like Ethan," helpful and kind. She said that she hugged him all day because he was being so helpful. He picked up crayons and helped anyone he could. It made my heart burst. 

In addition to that, I got a phone call from Mrs. Saenz this evening. She said that she was nervous about this new class because Ethans class last year was so amazing. She was taking her new class down by 1st grade so they would have a sense of where their room was located and they stopped near the bathrooms. Out walked Triston with a smile on his face, waving at Mrs. Saenz and calling her name. She said it was that moment that she realized everything would be okay this year! She asked if she could hug him and he said yes! She's so proud of him and of us for taking him into our family. I was honored by her call. 

I've been worried about Triston and this new year. Hoping he could keep his anger in check and follow the rules and be appropriate. Well, I think I don't need to worry any longer. He is blessing the lives of others by simply being present. I'm so proud of him and so grateful for him. What a gift I was given by these two women today. 

Jill said something this morning that touched me as well. She said that she likes to be around me because I'm so positive. I did break it to her that I'm not that positive all the time! Ask Travis! Anyway, she said that good things are happening, because I have a positive energy and good energy comes back to me. I certainly hope that's true and know that I do everything in my power to make things work out the best for me, but I'm learning that it's all in the Lords hands. He'll take care of everything after I do my part. 

As I hear from these teachers and friends and then think back on summer of service (I blogged about it today, so it was on my mind) and the people that participate with my family, I realize that good things are happening. Travis reminded me of my patriarchal blessing that said I will do good for the community in which I live. There are more non-LDS people involved in my life outside of church on Sunday, than members. More non members in SOS, clearly no member teachers, two of my three closest friends aren't LDS. I'm letting the light of Christ shine through me, through my children, through SOS; I'm making a difference and it makes me so grateful and so happy. And I'm following through with promises given to me from my Heavenly Father years ago. What a gift to have this insight. I'm so grateful and I'm truly blessed. 

That's it for my deep thoughts tonight. I'm grateful for the love of a kind and wonderful Heavenly Father and for the life and atonement of my Savior Jesus Christ. I'm grateful for a worthy husband and our incredibly gifted and talented children. I'm grateful things are going well and pray that it will continue; knowing that challenges will come. 

Love, Emily