Random Update

Jumble got her uniform on Monday and she tried it on so I could check it for alterations and so we could take some shots of her. It fit perfectly--yeah! No sewing for me to do. If only getting her to practice her music was going as easily. She is doing pretty well at the marching and feels like she almost has it down, which is pretty impressive given that she has only been practicing with the band for 2 1/2 weeks. It has been a very intensive 2 1/2 weeks, though.

Boomer (our dog) escaped on Sunday as we were all leaving to visit family and Jumble ended up chasing him all over the neighborhood. The rest of us were getting into the car when he slipped by us, so once we were all in, we went to try to find them both. We finally gave up and came home to wait for Jumble to return. Thankfully, she was already here and had Boomer with her. But she was quite upset because Boomer had encountered some unfriendly dogs and one of them had bitten him. Boomer hightailed it home all on his own after that! But Jumble was pretty shaken up--she was worried about Boomer and she had been scared that the dogs were going to bite her as well. Thankfully that didn't happen. Boomer was bleeding quite a bit but it wasn't really too deep of a bite. He is still moving slower than usual (the bite was on the inside of his upper thigh) but he seems to be healing without complications. Jumble said that while she was looking for Boomer she was praying that she could find him and that he wouldn't get hit by a car. I was surprised that she cared so much. She usually doesn't have too many kind words for that animal. It's good to know she cares about some things deep down inside when she doesn't ever act like it. We can hope the same is true of several other unnamed persons that she knows! :)

Jumble started seminary and loves it and says she wishes she could have seminary every day (Her school is on an A Day-B Day schedule. She has eight classes and alternates--taking four one day and four the next.) We can't even say how grateful we are to be in the world of released time rather than early morning seminary! We are grateful that she loves it and know that it will do great things for her testimony.

Minnie and Jet both started soccer this week. Niles is coaching Jet's team. Minnie got lucky and landed on the same team as her cousin, Emily. So that will be fun! Niles reports that Minnie almost scored a goal at her game on Saturday. Jet's team is frustrating us a little bit. Four of the eleven teammates failed to show up for the game. Six positions to fill on the field means that the seven players who came had to play almost the whole game. They were troopers, though, and did a good job. Jet got close to scoring a goal as well. Another frustration was that the team mom said she would assign someone for half-time fruit and another for after-game treat but then she and her son were some of those missing in action and no one that was there had been given either assignment. I ended up running to the store for the treat and missed half the game. Hopefully this won't be the pattern all season! It was warm on Saturday and many of the families commented on the heat. The boys did get pretty warm running around--but it wasn't as hot as the first few games of the season in Arizona (in October) typically are. A soccer game at noon on August 23rd! No way would this be possible in Arizona. The kids would all literally die of heatstroke! Atom is having a hard time with the fact that he can't play, too. At practice and pre-game warm-ups he was right there doing everything along with the other boys. On Saturday morning when he saw Minnie and Jet in their soccer clothes he said, "Need soccer shirt too!" Thankfully, he was happy with Jet's old shirt and shorts from a former season. He wasn't happy when I told him he couldn't play in the game. With only seven players, too bad we couldn't use him! He is so anxious to play but I'm afraid that day isn't coming soon. He probably won't even be old enough to play next fall, since he doesn't turn five until November. Poor little guy!

This week I opened up savings accounts for the kids. They were given a little bag of stuff which included a little bank for each of them. Atom's is shaped like an elephant. I was surprised that he even realized it was a bank. He was fully aware and immediately started saying, "Need money!" So I gave him all my spare change. That satisfied him for a few seconds. Then he started following me around, carrying the bank, and saying, "Need more money! Need more money!" Welcome to one of the realities of life, Atom. Get used to it.