Remember, Remember the Rest of September

 The last few days of September soon departing, let us record the epic events of the last thirty days!

Abdiel's own football career may rival BYU's in its  dominance this September. This awesome stripping of the ball from an offensive player followed by a run back for a touchdown may top the charts simply because it was caught on camera, but he also scored two touchdowns yesterday ("The fact that you've scored three touchdowns this season when you're an offensive lineman, Abdiel..." Justin marveled) and has too many tackles for loss and quarterback sacks to count. Justin has been a stalwart attendee; the rest of us have been lucky to make it to the fourth quarter. 

Part of the reason for that has been Elinor's soccer career, which often meets at the exact same time but far, far away. She has scored at several of her games and done a fantastic job at goalie. The day of Abdiel's game-winning touchdown, Elinor scored a goal and prevented any scores when she was playing keeper, so Justin took the whole family out for Sonic shakes to celebrate. (Miriam and I excepted.) So glad we learned about half price kids' shakes! So proud of our budding little athletes!

Attending BYU football games in the box with Dad and dinners in the same company has filled a happy chunk of the big kids' social calendar.

Abdiel got to meet Elder Uchtdorf and sit with his daughter during dinner; Katharine ate dinner with and watched Justin introduce Richard Bushman; and Elisabeth played guest at a Wheatley dinner Elders Christofferson and Cook also attended. The speaker being a rabbi, BYU's starting quarterback Jake Retzlaff was also present. Now that Elisabeth hobnobs with other BYU freshmen, she was apprised that this was actually the most exciting person of the evening. Miriam is skeptical of that.

Katharine joined the Orem City Youth Council this month. Get ready to par-tay.

Gabriel, Miriam, and Lia have pretty consistently been taking a nap together between one and two. Katharine wishes she did.

Gabriel hosted Miriam at her first park. Northridge apparently took out all its sand and put in woodchips (effusive tears from Gabriel) and completely revamped its playground equipment (many cheers on that!)

Gabriel also heartily rejoices when his besties Gwyn and Elinor come home from school at 3 pm Monday to Thursday, and at 12 on Fridays.

Miriam doesn't quite love headbands as much as Lia does. It's an acquired taste.

Atop the super van watching Abdiel's football game and eating lunch. Except it turned out that was a different Timpanogos football team than Abdiel's. Schade.

Miriam has begun smiling at her own name! It's adorable!

And she wears us out.

Cheering on Elinor at soccer.

Miriam turned one month old!

And Justin has heroically taken Gwyn to Salt Lake every Sunday in September to rehearse for the General Conference choir while Lia has just as heroically held down the fort. Abdiel and Gabriel accompanied during the first rehearsal back in August. Turns out one can get only so much entertainment from riding up and down escalators, even when one happens to be either a twelve year old or three year old boy. We didn’t do that again. 

Elisabeth moved out, but she has stuck around enough to do some very helpful driving, like Gwyn to Salt Lake rehearsal when Justin had some high council duties or Katharine to cello when Lia needed to sleep, not wrangle two kids in a car for an hour. We’ve been so grateful for much help from many quarters!

For anyone looking, Gwyn tells us she will be three rows from the top and five seats in on the farthest right section during the Saturday afternoon session. Go Gwyn!