The day has arrived.....

ownership of Clearfield High School has officially transfered to Jena.  For years, whever we drove past Clearfield, Jena would say "  There is "fill in the blank....Jessica's, Scott's, Ben's, and Tosha's... school."  Whichever of her siblings were currently attending that school would be identified.  It has been Tosha's school for a long time.  However a couple of days ago, we drove past the high school and Jena said, "That's my school."  It is true.  Jena is now a sophmore and officially in HER high school.  She has been so excited to finally be there where her brothers and sisters went.  Her first week went great for her and we are all looking forward to a good year.

Packing for the first day of school

Out the door at 6:40 to catch the high school bus.

Then Friday was her first State Special Olympics Golf Tournment.  It was a beautiful day down in Salt Lake.  She complete in skills which meant that she hit 5 shots of a wood, an iron, long and short putts, and two different types of wedge shots.  She has a good time, but she insisted that she go to school at 7 so she wouldn't miss the "Welcome" Assembly and then she wanted to head right back so she wouldn't miss any more class time than she had to.  Now golf is over and she is involved with basketball and swimming for Special Olympics.  It is just a great program both for the skills and fitness and the social opportunities.

Jena is a part of the North Golf Team for golf
which is a combination of a number of different teams in our area.

She is official!

Blue bag and clubs, of course.

Friends from her Comets Team
Hyatt and Jena above
Curtis and Jena below

Putting skills

Driving  (and not with car)

Chipping

Enjoying the day and the event with Dad (and Mom)

Ben has been in his apartment for five weeks and is managing things well.  He enjoys his own space, but also enjoys coming to visit us as well.  Jena really misses him but is adjusting as well.

So I really had THE moment---on Thursday I was cleaning up from dinner, Gary was gone and Jena was working on a project so the house was quiet.  And I thought,  "It really seems like just a moment when I was cleaning up with five children filling my house.  How did it go by so fast?"  Now I have talked about these feelings with other people and I had thought from time to time that time really does see to go fast, but this time I thought and felt it deeply and in a very personal way.  I loved those little people and I love them now.  I am grateful that most of the time, I understood time was going fast and I enjoyed being a parent of a growing family of five....but when, where and how did the time go so fast.  Oddly, in my memory, it feels like the five years we waited and sought for children took longer than the past 29 years of having children.  Weird....life and changes.

Speaking of changes, the other news around here is that I was released from my calling in the Primary Presidency.  After serving together for almost 3 1/2 years it was a bittersweet day today.  Changes are a part of the gospel and of life.  I am so grateful for the chance I had to serve in the Primary and with these wonderful ladies and all of our teachers and Scout leaders.  As I was being released, the counselor thanked me for my service particular in Scouting.  That grabbed my heart as I had been focused on missing the kids and the Sunday meetings.  I had forgotten about Scouting.  That will also be a loss.  I am sure that my Scouting days are not over.  So I currently don't have a calling and as we have Stake Conference next week and the Brigham City Temple dedication the following week, it will be 3 weeks until I could be sustained in another calling so a break.  However as you know, for me the sooner I know what I will be asked to do the better---I am a planner afterall.

And time marches forward................