Laura and Robert have had a difficult year. It is hard for me to imagine what being married and separated for a year must be like. Not only separated but with your spouse in harm's way off at war. I don't think I can ever really understand the stress of that. Somehow our generation of family members got lottery numbers in the high 300's during the Viet Nam War. Not even my cousins served. My father served five years in WWII and Robert has been our first family member to go to war since. I guess if you live long enough you get to experience a little of everything.
I know it was hard on the entire family, his parents, his siblings, us and most of all of course Laura and Spencer and Ross. I know it was also very hard on Robert to be away. But we are so incredibly proud of his service and for the sacrifices that he and Laura and the boys made on a daily basis for the liberties we are all enjoying at this very minute. We are so impressed with Robert's tremendous faith, bravery and sense of duty and allegiance to our country. And we pray for the families and military personnel still there. Your eyes are opened to understanding all the more once you have "been there."
We have known of his deployment and that it was coming for years and it is a huge relief to have it over now. To have him home safe and sound and doing very well is the best thing to have happened to us this year. We are extremely grateful to our Father in Heaven for his protection.
Laura did an absolutely amazing job of holding everything together while Robert was in Afghanistan. She worked herself to the bone day and night serving her boys and many others. She was taking care of their home and property which was a big chore, working tirelessly for the church and the school, she did it all and then some. We have never been more proud of her and that is going some because she has done some incredible things in her lifetime.
Ross and Spencer had these picture taken by their mom for their Christmas card last year. That means I get to use them this year. :-) They were a whole series of really cute spontaneous shots of the kids just horsing around together as only boys can do. And there was mom right down there on the grass with them getting in tight for the shots. Her only props...a hat for Ross and a scarf for Spencer and too very handsome young men.
Ross is 10 and in the fifth grade. He did a lot of fun things this year. Both he and Spencer are enjoying their second year in their school and enjoying the familiarity of their setting, their friends, and the way things roll in RI. This is a unique experience for them and lots of military kids that move a lot. With Robert's new assignment they should be in RI another 3 plus years. This is fantastic, grounding for them and welcomed.
Ross enjoyed karate along with his brother this past school year and has taken piano lessons. He has learned a lot and is very persistent in his practicing. Laura had a Christmas sing along every Sunday night in RI last December and Ross performed at the ones we attended. He did a great job and what a fun evening for all. Such a simple thing that brought the spirit of Christmas and good cheer to many. Ross played on the school basketball team and learned lots of new skills in hopes of beating Gramma at HORSE. He was more than surprised when I beat him three in a row at Christmas time last year, but that was short-lived. I am sure he has bypassed me long ago now. Ross is competitive. He loves to win.
The boys were in a Christmas program at school last year that we were able to attend. They have a marvelous school and lots of wonderful enrichment for them there. Ross is a media man, he loves the computer and is a terrific student and writer. He is working on a film idea and writing the screen play for it. He is happy in fifth grade and with his friends. Ross is funny. He has been a funny guy since he was born. We love him and his quick wit and also his devotion to the Gospel and making good choices. Ross is very loving and a snuggle bug. His affectionate nature is very endearing. The boys have been allowed to get a cat this year. They are very happy about that. Military life has made that difficult in the past but staying in one place for five years, well...that is different. Dad and Mom are not fond of animals in the house but they have a good compromise going as they have a walk out basement and their little Russian Blue kitty, Renyie, is allowed in the basement.
Spencer is 13 and enjoying 8th grade this year. Spence is such a super good guy, so considerate of others and has a tender heart and many friends. Spencer is also a deep thinker and one who wants to change the world with his inventions. He has channeled his Uncle Chris on more than one occasion and enjoyed attending one of his classes At BYU a few months ago when he traveled with Robert to visit his grandparents in Utah. Spencer has become quite interested in finance and won the Wall Street Investing contest at school. He was pretty excited about that and I noticed after he won he started writing his name with a dollar sign for the S like this '$pencer." Good one, Spence! He enjoys quiet time at home reading, and relaxing and doing his own thing. He is not a fan of the busy work of homework but is a great student and super smart. Spencer loves cooking and he and Grampa made some mean Italian meat balls for Christmas last year. He really got into that...we all did it was fun. Laura had several guests over for Christmas dinner and it was a lovely Christmas in New England.
Spence enjoyed some fun summer camps with his brother this year, did some surfing, and played basketball until Hurricane Sandy destroyed their basketball standard as she blew by! He also participated in track at school for a few months. Both he and Ross had a lot of fun on Grampa's tractor when they came out here in August. Spencer really had some fun with Piper and Connor at the family reunion. The cousins all seem so compatible and that is a source of great joy for all of the adults in our family, especially Grampa and me. He and Connor really liked the swimmers and divers at the Olympics and did their own version of synchronized diving which someone caught on video. Very funny and they were quite good actually.
Spencer has some very good friends at church and is loving the Young Men's Program. When Robert first returned he worked in Young Men's for a few weeks then he got called to the Bishopric. I am sure Spencer misses him like Connor misses Chris in scouting. Lots of new boys have been baptized into their quorum. He is preparing now to serve a mission in just a few years. It is hard to imagine how quickly time is flying by.
Good Brothers
Both of the boys struggled with missing their Dad. He is their #1 hero and it was hard being separated for what seemed to them like forever. We all know how much slower a year goes when you are growing up. They did pretty well considering the upheaval of that. We are very proud of them for trying hard to fill in for Daddy while he was gone while still being kids. Not an easy task. They helped their mom as best they could and that was a good thing. And they helped each other. And their community helped them and somehow they survived it.
Robert did get to come home in June for two weeks and during that time they had a wonderful reunion and traveled to New Hampshire for a fun filled "boy vacation" as Laura describes it. They did rock climbing, horseback riding, hiking, shooting, camping and spelunking. They also visited amusement parks and spent lots of days at the beach and the pools. Sorry Laura, you must be in need of a girl's vacation. Let's get it on the calendar. You need a rest and you deserve one.
The Happiest Time Ever!!!
Robert is home and both of them are looking pretty happy.
What a relief! May they live happily ever after together forever!
They too are celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary
this year on December 27th.
{And yes, you counted right~
three weddings in four months in 1997}
JOY TO THE WORLD!
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