Merry Christmas 2024!

 Merry Christmas loved ones, near and far! A brief synopsis of what’s going on in our family:

Andrew continues to live at home as he works through his medical struggles. He is still managing to do some schooling virtually and is in the process of transferring to Arizona State where he will have more options to complete his classes and degree virtually. We’re excited for him! He is a big help with his younger brothers and we love having him around!

Chandler and Rachel (and James, almost 2, and Livvy, 1) have just moved into their own home, just 5 minutes away! We love having them close by, in the ward, and making visits here as often as possible. Chandler graduated in April in Mechanical Engineering and is working for StageRight as an engineer and programmer. Rachel does graphic design and marketing for Shauna Edwards in the little spare time that she has while kids are sleeping. They both serve in the Primary in our ward. We are so glad to have them so close!

Jordan is also living with us for a while, and we love having him around! He continues to cut hair at Great Clips, and at our house too when we can schedule it! He continues to develop his musical skills on the piano and is always so willing to help us out in a pinch, with giving rides, babysitting, and making his brother’s day with something fun.

Seth completed his mission in the Arizona Flagstaff mission this past summer and returned home in July!. He is in the full swing of moving onto the next steps of life: dating, earning money, continuing to get fit, and going to school (BYU-Idaho) - probably in that order of priority! He is studying Web Development Design, and minoring in Piano Pedagogy. His piano skills are amazing! We loved having him around this summer - his entrepreneurial spirit was contagious as he and his brothers started a car washing business together.

Michael has just returned from his first semester at BYU-Idaho, and we are anxiously awaiting his mission call that should arrive any day! He will leave sometime after mid-January and we can’t wait to see where he’s going. Like Seth, Michael ended his first college semester with perfect grades. He loves to cook and game with friends in his spare time. Oh, and date, too! We’re excited to enjoy his culinary skills until he takes off for two years!

Bentley is acing his first year of high school. He is getting A’s in all his classes (honors too!) and continues to play the cello in a local orchestra (Cedar Haven Orchestra). He’s learning virtually at home and uses his spare time to continue his piano skills, work on e-sports skills, and come up with silly ways to make his family laugh. We are so proud of all the best efforts that Bentley puts in all on his own. He’s getting up every morning and leaving by 5:40 all by himself to get to early morning seminary. We can’t wait to see what this young man becomes!

Clayton is in his last year of elementary school and is a stellar student. His work is always neat and he has an artistic penchant as well. Like his brothers before him, he’s very bright and talented in the STEM areas. He is also moving along on the piano with great skill and we love to hear him play. Clayton is a great uncle to his nephew and niece and both of them have a special smile just for their Uncle Clayton. Clayton unfortunately had a pretty bad arm fracture near the end of the summer that has required some surgeries, but we are glad to be at the end of that and grateful it is healing well.

Joseph is our entertainer and kind-hearted outgoing boy. He is unafraid to talk to anyone, and though Mom’s heart skips a beat when he goes to say something, her mind is almost always put at ease by the kind and good words that come forth. Earlier this year, he was asking why he wasn’t able to give talks in church like his older brothers. I explained that he had to be 12 years old; he thought that was totally unfair! But when I told him that he could share his testimony on any fast Sunday, well…he has taken to that. He bears his testimony every fast Sunday and let me tell you - that is anxiety for this mom. She never knows what he’s going to say till he says it! But it has always been either very sweet, or quite entertaining!

Sherie continues to enjoy holding down the fort at home - doing chess club at
the school, teaching piano and cello lessons, and serving at church as 1st counselor in the Relief Society Presidency. This has been a tough year in many ways, and she has only felt closer to her Savior Jesus Christ through all of it.

Greg continues to serve in the Stake Presidency. His position at Optum was dissolved earlier this year, and he is still searching for employment. The Lord has blessed us abundantly through this trial, and it is so true that we feel closer to our Savior when we are going through trials. We also feel our marriage has been strengthened as we have walked together through this unknown path. 

Our younger children went with us on a cruise earlier in the year before Greg’s job loss. I’m grateful we were able to make those memories together! We didn’t have any other travel as a family other than that. But our family enjoyed all living under the same roof for a couple of months this summer! It was actually the first time this has ever happened for us (Joseph was born after the older ones were already leaving home). Chandler and Rachel and their little ones were living with us till they found a home, Seth came home from his mission, and Jordan came back home. Let me tell you, those weeks were the best stay-cation we’ve ever had! So many laughs and good memories together. 

We love you all so much, and want to share with you the love we have for our Savior, Jesus Christ. He is not only the reason for this season, He is the always the reason for joy, hope, and peace!

Love,

Greg, Sherie, Andrew, Chandler (and Rachel, James, Livvy), Jordan,

Seth, Michael, Bentley, Clayton and Joseph