Adam- Continued to enjoy and thrive in his position at Mayo Clinic. In the past month he has transitioned to a new and exciting role developing partnerships to expand the reach of Mayo Clinic. He is very excited about it!
Jill- Graduated her 7th grade student in the spring and retired from homeschooling. ;-) You can read more about her thriving student below. She maintains her position as the Family Legacy Director for Inheritance of Hope and enjoys encouraging and equipping young families facing the loss of a parent through IoH's signature Legacy Retreat. She celebrated her 40th birthday this year with a special trip to Ireland and Scotland with her mom and twin sister!
Liz- Finished her freshman year as an honor roll student and 3-varsity-sport athlete. She keeps very busy with cheerleading, weight-lifting and track and enjoys setting high goals and achieving them. In her spare time she babysits and hangs out with many friends. She is very excited to be an independent driver now and we are excited that she can begin getting herself to and from her many events.
Cael- Played basketball in the winter and volleyball in the fall. It seems like he gets taller every single day and he is very happy when he is outside on a court with a ball and a few friends. He is a great conversationalist and that makes him a favorite among teachers and administrators at school. Thankfully, he also keeps his grades up and makes good choices with friends and activities. He was very thankful to go on a special 13-year-old trip with Adam to Norway over Spring Break. They both had a blast making lifelong memories together!
Gabe- Worked so hard to get caught up to his peers. After enduring 7 surgical procedures in 2016 he was very happy to have a hospital-free year (almost). He had one trip to the ER for a fractured pelvis but it healed well after several weeks on crutches. After much prayer and discussion, Gabriel's wish came true when we enrolled him in public school with Cael. He is working very hard in 8th grade and comes home exhausted but smiling every afternoon. He has a lot of catching up to do but his school is extremely helpful and accommodating and he is making strides everyday. He is also popular among all the kids at school, especially the ladies. That smile! Those muscles! That accent! (insert eye roll here). Gabriel made the most important choice to be baptized this summer at church camp. He had surrendered his life to Christ while in a orphanage in Ghana but this summer he felt like the time was right to make a public profession of that faith in his heart. He was proud to have his cabin leader/Uncle B.J. baptize him.
Grace- Finished 2nd grade strong and has been enjoying her third grade class and teacher. She gets so much special attention at her wonderful elementary school and we feel very thankful and blessed. Every meeting starts out with so many wonderful compliments regarding Grace's kindness, helpfulness, and friendliness. She has many wonderful friends and is well-liked everywhere. She loves to nurture all her younger cousins and neighbors and is happiest when she is playing with dolls and watching cartoons. She also enjoys weekly tennis lessons with some sweet friends in the neighborhood.
Here is a short video of capturing many of the highlights listed above. Enjoy!
