The biggest highlight of our January was the 1st. Jake got baptized. It was a great day full of family and friends. We started with a lunch at 1:00pm we had soup and scones. It was delicious. From the photos you can see we had all of the cousins and he was so happy. I am so happy for him. This is the first step to obtaining eternal life with our Father in Heaven, our elder brother Jesus, and our families. I am so grateful for this knowledge that I can be with them for eternity. I love you Jake and I am so proud of you for making the choice to be baptized.
Since Santa brought Kaci ice skates and we live in Utah with weather that accommodates an outdoor rink I decided to make her one. After all how hard could it be right? So it was a little harder than I thought. I would go out several times a day and add water to the spot. As long as it didn't snow I could keep it fairly smooth. However if it snowed it was a rough rink. Kaci didn't seem to mind and just loved being out there. She practiced almost ever day the whole month of January.
January brought on full wrestling schedule. We had a really tough season. We wrestled a lot of older kids and lost most of our matches. I was so proud of Zeak for not quitting and keeping such a winning spirit about him.
We got to have a late night party with Madison and Andrew they made homemade pizza for dinner and watched movies.
Jake loves his goats and is often found playing with them or tying them. Who would have guessed a goat would bring such a big smile.
We had one weekend free in January so we took the kids ice skating. Kaci loved every second of it but was very nervous with all those people skating around her. She wanted to be the only on the ice doing spins and turns. Zeak and Jake caught on pretty fast and loved skating. Wish we had a rink closer we would spend lots of time on the ice.
The end of January brought the end of wrestling yahoo! Our team did awesome taking 3rd. Zeak took one for the team and wrestled up 2 weight groups. He ONLY weighs 138 lbs and her wrestled 165lbs at state. I was very nervous about this but is ended ok. His first match was a kid he has wrestled lots this year. The kid was totally prepared to pin Zeak but to his surprise Zeak gave him a match and only lost by points. Most of the match he wrestled on his back which is hard to do but he fought and didn't get pinned. Zeak ended up placing 3rd at state his last match he pinned in 10 seconds. It was a great note to end the season on. We have seen a lot of improvement this year and he had several young men come and tell him he has improved from last year. It was great to see him work so hard and have his peers recognize it.
You can see January was full of growth and accomplishment. We are ready to get riding again and prepare for March rodeos. Dan and I stayed busy with work and keeping track of the kids.
This Cowboy brings a whole new meaning to the word Cowboy Up! Back in October he was asked by some friends to go to Salt Lake and do a Blue and Gold Banquet for their pack. The theme was on cowboys and 90% of the kids had never met a real cowboy. They wanted him to bring his ropes and explain what his life of a cowboy was like. How scouting helps him as a cowboy and more. So we prepared and planned for this fun opportunity. He called me from school that day telling me he was sick. The good mom I am said you sound fine go back to class and I will pick you up after school. His teacher sent him back to call me telling me he couldn't stay in class. I asked him what he ate and he told me,"orange juice and teddy grahams." I explained that of course he was going to be sick eating that for lunch. He ended up going back to class and when I picked him up I was ready for my mother of the year application. He looked terrible again. I told him he had to go to Salt Lake we didn't have time to cancel. Just before he left he threw up in the bathroom. He threw up several times on the way and on the way home but he managed to wow the kids into total silence for a good 30 mins. Dan helped him and Jenny called several times to let me know how grateful she was and what an awesome job he did. On their way home they hit a huge snow storm which made driving next to impossible. Then they stopped to get a new horse for Zeak to try out. What would normally be an hour and 15 min trip turned into almost 4 hours. Zeak spent the next day home sick and then we rode hard all weekend. The first night on the horse started in tears because he was convinced we were buying this horse to replace the one he lost at Christmas time. If Dan and I questioned anything at all he would burst into tears and say I am just giving up this isn't working. By the third day he decided that the horses we already owned were better than this new one and we could take him back. So with all odds against him from loosing his horses, standing up for who and what he is, and anything else life hands him this cowboy still keeps smiling. He amazes me with his enthusiasm and love of people and life. He keeps learning and growing even though some days feel like all odds are stacked against him. I hope that his excitement for the priesthood stays with him through his teenage years. He is so excited to get the priesthood and is ready to pass the sacrament. I love this cowboy that is turning 12 on Saturday and can't wait to see where his life takes us!
