January got the year off to a great start for our family. Our biggest news is that we are expecting Smith baby #4! We’ve heard the heartbeat twice and everything looks healthy and actually a touch ahead of schedule. The due date in 07.20, but knowing it’ll be a C-section, it’ll be earlier that week…just in time for our anniversary. Happy Anniversary to us! We had two miscarriages in 2011, so we are extremely grateful for our upcoming bundle of joy.
Stockton has not the faintest clue of how life will change. What a sweet little boy, so happy and fun. He has shown a little more attitude lately. He loves his toys from Christmas, playing with his train set, his golf clubs, his cars, etc. all the livelong day. We find it miraculous the way babies learn how to talk—he adds things out of the blue, usually things that melt our hearts. He loves nursery and adores his sisters.
Tayah continues to really enjoy preschool. We went to our first-ever parent-teacher conferences for her and Kadence, with both getting glowing reviews. Tayah’s teacher says she is bright, loves learning, plays well with everyone, and is a wonderful listener. In fact, she was shocked when we told her she doesn’t always listen at home! She’s a budding artist and loves to draw pictures all the time (she and Kadence always have one to run up to me after sacrament meeting).
Kadence too is beloved by her teacher. She’s got this kindergarten thing down pat! She is reading at a near-second-grade level and is mastering a lot of advanced concepts. Her teacher said she is a very sweet, an excellent listener, and that it takes her a bit to warm up sometimes, but gets along with others. She is a voracious reader and loves reading to her sister and brother, now that she can!
Elizabeth is feeling good, just a little more fatigue and a few bouts of nausea. She has phenomenal pregnancies (easy for me to say J). She was released as the Visiting Teaching Leader and called to serve in Primary teaching eight and nine-year olds. She also works with Activity days. So far, so good. She has been our researcher, helping our little family gear up for what has become our annual Disneyland trip, as well as our Smith Family reunion this summer.
All’s well on my end. We have had some sweeping changes within LDS Philanthropies, things that are exciting for the organization. Our team changed a bit and we’re eager to see how things continue to shake out. I am very blessed to do what I do and for the people I get to do it with. My calling keeps me quite busy, but what a blessing to serve. I attended three ward conferences, ward temple nights, gave a talk in another ward, and for the first time I can remember, hit three sacrament meetings in one Sunday. Along with our weekly ward basketball, I’m playing Church ball for the first time in years. It’s been fun, but I saw quickly why I’ve not played for a long time…
Back in December, I was offered an opportunity to help the Deseret News with their Utah Jazz coverage. My duty is to write an instant analysis that appears about 20-30 minutes after each game. It’s been a great experience, although sometimes it’s fun getting things written during the game, especially when it’s close. I still blog for the Utah Jazz website, too. I also had a once-in-a-lifetime experience: the owner of the Utah Jazz, Greg Miller, tweeted me one morning, inviting me to attend the game with him. A few other bloggers and I ate dinner with him and then watched the game from the front row. Amazing!
For more on our baby news and an account of my front row Jazz experience, go to our blog: http://kadenceandtayah.blogspot.com/.
Other January fun: New Year’s party, our belated Christmas celebration with our family, monthly family dinner at Danny and Mary Sue’s/Chinese New Year’s celebration, family night at Trafalga, a UVU basketball game with tickets Kadence got at school, many dinners out, the Smith Family Chuck-A-Rama Birthday party, group date with ward friends.
Have a great February everyone!
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