Looking Back on 2020

There's not much going on today at our home for New Years Eve, but we spent a little time reading memories of parties from years past - 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013. We're still going skiing tomorrow, and that's a tradition that will be fun to keep. Hopefully next year things will be back to normal? Come on 2021, be good to us. Actually, I've spent some time looking back at 2020, and there has been so much to be grateful for! We were able to get Family Pictures taken in April with all of us! 

When Joseph left for his mission in 2018, we were pretty sure Ethan would be gone before Joseph returned, so we didn't think an opportunity like this would happen for years - but since Joseph came home from his mission early, we were gifted an entire month at home together, and that was a month of life that was basically school and extracurricular activity free, with all of our children. We loved it! 

All our little ducks lined up in a row. 

Here are some of the highlights of the past year for our family -

January - Joseph turns 20, Peter turns 1, Daniel potty trained, Ethan scored 243 in bowling, Lily advances in the school science fair.

February - We've been married 21 years, Owen stitches, Mozart Group with Mel, Peter can walk, Ethan accepted to BYU!

March - There's a run on TP, Abi goes to Texas. Ethan receives his mission call, Corey to Texas, earthquake, Joseph comes home from his mission early, 

April - A month at home together! Ethan creates a mocumentary of our family in quarantine: "The House", My birthday, Family pictures before Joseph and Ethan leave

May - Melodie's mission call to Brazil, Joseph and Ethan to California, Ethan graduates high school, we have a new kitchen table and three triple bunk beds

June - Daniel gets staples in his head, camping at Pineview, Corey's birthday, Lily turns 11, Wesley is 15, 

July - Ethan gets his wisdom teeth out, Natalie is 7, Owen is 5, Uintahs, Ethan begins his mission, Park City Wride reunion, all together agaiin for a few days in Park City

August - Bear Lake, Hyrum is 17, Melodie and Ethan go to the temple, Ethan leaves for Missouri, Owen starts kindergarten, 

September - Abi turns 13, Sophi turns 9, Daniel is 4, We visit the Salt Flats and the Great Salt Lake for the first time!

October - Melodie leaves for Indiana, mountain biking, Trick or treating

November - Getting everyone tested for covid, Sophi miraculously is able to get another test, Drive to Las Vegas, Flight to Hawaii, wonderful family vacation in Hawaii: Pearl Harbor, surfing, Bishop Museum. 

December - Joseph tested positive for covid, we're in family isolaion, Melodie turns 20, Christmas Eve Skiing, Merry Christmas, Peter is done nursing, we're not expecting, and Hyrum gets wisdom teeth out.

Family time at the beginning of quarantine in April above, and still having fun together at the end of April

Our first day in Hawaii in November -

It was a hard year that tested us in some ways, but also great year. Personal trials have been real for everyone, but if we let them, these experiences can humble us, refine us, teach us, and bless us. Those thoughts come from President Howard W. Hunter in one of my all time favorite talks "An Anchor To The Souls Of Men": 

"I hope you won’t believe all the world’s difficulties have been wedged into your decade, or that things have never been worse than they are for you personally, or that they will never get better. I reassure you that things have been worse and they will always get better. They always do—especially when we live and love the gospel of Jesus Christ and give it a chance to flourish in our lives.

"Contrary to what some might say, you have every reason in this world to be happy and to be optimistic and to be confident. Every generation since time began has had some things to overcome and some problems to work out. Furthermore, every individual person has a particular set of challenges which sometimes seem to be earmarked for us individually. We understood that in our premortal existence.

"When these experiences humble us and refine us and teach us and bless us, they can be powerful instruments in the hands of God to make us better people, to make us more grateful, more loving, and more considerate of other people in their own times of difficulty.

Yes, we all have difficult moments, individually and collectively, but even in the most severe of times, anciently or in modern times, those problems and prophecies were never intended to do anything but bless the righteous and help those who are less righteous move toward repentance."