Just some family highlights....
Aubrie: Kalisi and Ana (her sister) were up here with their family that was in town from Denver last Sunday night to play games and have dessert. They have an awesome family (similar in age to ours and same amount of kids). Their mom is from Tonga and grew up here in Rose Park and guess who her cousins are (like actual close 1st cousins--The Tua'ones from back home). Aubrie went to St George this weekend and stayed at the casita with friends. The weekend started out rough and awkward but sounds like it quickly took shape. She can tell you more about it. She started her rock climbing class which looks so fun and what a great way to learn how to really climb (for free! ;)) Aub is so good at sending us all gospel encouragement, great nuggets of wisdom or just pick me up texts. I know dad and I feel so grateful for it all the time. When Aubrie was up here a weekend or two ago, Blake offered to change her oil on the Corolla. They went to Walmart and got all the supplies together and he was out changing the oil (They pulled the car up onto the curb--which made me nervous) and he was under there in Grandpa Haynies coveralls-you always wore-using his mad skills from taking Automechanics at school. Might be the most useful class any of you has taken (I feel like you and now Blake are really learning so much in it).
Hallie: She had her physical and dental appointments for her mission papers the last 2 weeks and needs to have her wisdom teeth out. After your traumatic experience we are having a surgeon do it this time. LIve and learn I guess. Hopefully you arent scarred for life. She is mowing lawns, nannying and making bread most weeks to earn money and stays busy with that, online school and gym and club volleyball. She is finally done with physical therapy and her shoulder has been feeling really strong. She hangs out with Mark still pretty regularly. He came over the other night and we all talked in the kitchen for like 1.5 hours and now I feel like I know him so much better. She went to St. George with Taryn and her family last weekend and had a blast with all that friend group that is down there going to college. She can tell you more about it. (lots of laying out, pickleball, swimming, learning to DJ on legit equipment etc). Jourdan (Elliots mom) asked us to clean her AirBnbs this last several days and so her and I have gone over there for a few hours every day and cleaned. I love cleaning it is literally so satisfying and then get paid on top of it;) We are trying to earn extra money to do a fun senior trip in June together.
Blake: His life revolves around baseball right now. He has played Varsity sevearl of the last few games as catcher or 2nd base is Zane is pitching. Mostly he plays JV as infield catcher or pitcher. His hitting is in a good place right now. I know there is some ebb and flow to that but he's hitting well right now. They would have him catch ALL the time but he really doesn't want to be the long-term solution for catching. He got all A's last term and I hope that sticks for good. He is totally capable, just needs to take the time to study a little bit every day for each main subject. The most exciting news is he can now drive! Finally got his permit and passed on the first time taking the test. He is very happy to have that.
Clara: Has just grown up so much these last few months. Turning 12 is just a milestone. I love watching her grow up and also its a litle painful for me to see her not be a little girl in so many ways. She and I have ben grinding on puzzles this last week and I love doing them with her. Piano has taken a turn and I feel like she is getting so close to just taking off and being able to play most things. She is diligent with practicing. Her recital piece is from Samson and Delilah and its beautiful. I will send you a video of her playing it on Messenger. Her and Abby just sent out flyers for their dance camp at the beginning of the summer--hopefully she can make some good money doing that. last week they spent several hours choreographing a few dances for it.
Lucas: Yesterday my favorite part of the day I think was when I told him I would help him spring clean his room if he went down with me and stuck with it. Dad says "I will too". And Lucas turns around and sticks out his hand and says "Jensens on three" and then I had to give him lots of kisses and he hated everthing. He is so randomly cute sometimes. Did he stick with me the whole time. No. Did his room finally get spring cleaned. Also no. JK. We did with much complaining. We went and sold all the clothes we took out of their closet lat Kid to Kid ater in the day and he got some summer clothes and some brand new Nikes he is very excited about. Baseball--Dragons is about to start games and we found a USA bat at Play it Again last night. it will be a great season. Im glad dad is finding the time to coach him. 3 cousins getting to play together. Dad says he crushes the ball when he hits and is starting to see improvement in fielding. He told me the other day he doesnt want to play soccer because he already plays his favorite sports--football, baseketball and baseball. HA! Where did I go wrong with soccer??
Dad & Dave are now the owners of Ogden region for DBAT and are looking for locations up there now with a realtor. The next few weeks he is traveling a lot but has been home for 2 weeks straight. I love it! We went to the symphony Friday night with tickets from OC Tanner (we have scored lately--2 nights at the Symphony and Jazz tickets all really good seats) and they had a featured pianist from Russia named Alexander Malofeev. I have NEVER EVER seen someone with such mastery play the piano. It was a different instrument than I have seen. He is on tour here in the US for this whole month. He is 25 and considered one fo the greatest pianists of this generation. I was so glad to have close seats and be seated where we could see his hands playing so well. Unreal.
Well off to church. Hallie and dad are teaching today.
A snippet from studying this week: I have been reading from Mosiah.
Zeniff was overzealous (7:21). that means he went BEYOND was was necessary. And it cost him and those he was with. I just keep thinking about how that applies to me. When do I go beyond what is necessary--thinking I am so awesome for "doing good". Maybe in trying to implement a tradition when its really had its time and its not serving us anymore. Or I have to do the "right" things as a ministering sister, when natural and normal ways are serving us both as is. ETC.
Another pondering from Mosiah is "What is the difference in being loved by the Lord and being favored by the Lord?" It really feels like truth to me that our Heavenly Parents and Savior love us all--unconditionally. ALSO it mentions several times of certain people in the scritupres being "favored" or "highly favored" (1 Ne 17:35-Lord esteems all flesh in one, BUT he that is righteous is favored of God."). I don't know that I have landed in my mind what that means totally, but I do think that when we are trying so hard to have faith and repenting every day, we will naturally have a stronger, closer connection to Heaven and through that we just will feel more joy, have more blessings flow, be forgiven etc. That seems favored.
Anyway, we love you soooooo much!!!
