As a disclaimer, if this sounds like we’ve got our act together, just know there are plenty of hard times and humbling moments. On that note, 2022 has been a wonderful year in many ways.
Michael covers California and Oregon for work. He is happy to be traveling a little less than he has in the past. While he has grown accustomed to video conferencing at home, Ruth has become quite adept at laying on her back and scooting on the ground to avoid being caught on camera in the background as she makes her way to the closet. He coached Grace and Ryan’s soccer teams and has volunteered a lot for the league. Not only did that ensure we could choose the practice field and time but also ensured the kiddos got a great coach. He’s trying his hand at YouTube videos and property management.
Ruth stays busy managing the family calendar and home front. She is still the Primary Music Leader which involves more interpretive dance than she expected. Ryan sings when he feels like it. On Christmas, one 3-year-old was in tears because the second hour of church was cancelled which meant no singing time. This along with getting occasional hugs at church confirms that, whereas Singing Time may not be Ryan’s favorite activity, it’s a hit with some. To balance out the age of those she rubs shoulders with, Ruth enjoys weekly institute with some elderly friends. Otherwise it’s podcasts and lots of cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, getting books at the library, and driving kids around. She also has been teaching the kids manners by playing a game of thumbs up, thumbs down or thumb in between (debatable). Ruth gives a scenario like, “Your mom calls you cutie patoobie. You growl at her.” Then the kids gesture according to the appropriateness of the “hypothetical” behavior.
Jonathan will be 17 in less than two months! When he was a challenging baby, Ruth’s friend comforted her by saying, “I’ve noticed the hard babies are often the smart ones”. She proved prophetic on that account. He is in 6 AP classes which we didn’t know was possible. He enjoyed FSY, a High Adventure Activity to Yosemite and a BYU camp with his cousins this summer. He drives himself everywhere he needs to go (woohoo!), made the Varsity volleyball team, does a home seminary program through our stake, is a member of National Honor Society, and competes in a Cyber Patriots Club at school. When Ruth’s brother, Joseph, needed someone to help him humble his partner at work in a week’s long game of chess, Joseph requested Jonathan as consultant. Eventually, after many back and forth texts in the fierce chess board battle, the partner offered a draw. He finds an hour or two each week to tutor a boy in math and is part of The Temecula Youth Advisory Council. He and James have callings as back-up organists at church. We had a good laugh one Sunday in July when he played Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plain as a prelude song, not realizing it was a Christmas song.
James (14) had a second-grade teacher that told Ruth at parent teacher Conference, “James is limitless. He’ll be able to do whatever he puts the effort into.” Ever since then, Ruth sometimes thinks of him as her “limitless James”. It has been really nice that he has been willing to try new things. He loved his first year of playing water polo on the school team. Now that it is soccer season he is on the school soccer team. James has braces and every so often tries to show his old-school parents how to give high fives the modern way. He enjoyed FSY, a High Adventure canoe trip and a BYU CHIP camp this past summer. He plays piano for early-morning seminary and Ruth is so grateful that he never complains on the early morning drives. He competes on a FTC Robotics Club where his team finished in first place in their first two competitions with their robot that competed against other team. Their robots get points for picking up cones and putting them on sticks.
Grace (12) is easy-to-love, the easiest to parent so far and if we ever are worried about one kid not getting along with a sibling, we have him sit by her. She enjoys piano, soccer, orchestra, friends, library, studying, crafts, making thoughtful cards, Young Women’s, Girls Camp this past summer, Space Camp, a little swim and currently is doing Jiu Jitsu with Ryan. In the next month or two she will finish up a song she has been composing. It is quite beautiful and a delight to see her develop a talent. Her room is currently adorned with about 10-15 paper snowflakes hanging from the ceiling. When Grandma and Grandpa D. stayed in her room during their recent visit, they got the full experience with paper snowflakes kissing their cheeks throughout the room. The snowflakes were strategically hung to hover well above Grace’s head, but that meant more like eye level for Grandma and Grandpa.
Ryan (10) continues to be full of energy and seems happiest when he is active, so we try to always have him in a sport. He is currently being introduced to Jiu Jitsu and 2022 had him enjoying swim, soccer, football and baseball. The last being his favorite, consistent with several generations of Greys. He is progressing with piano, though not nearly as quickly as he can progress in video games. Both Grace and Ryan ride their bikes to and from school which has been a huge help. He makes friends easily and seems to know every kid in the neighborhood, greeting them by name as we pass by. He has become really good at making pancakes, muffins and cookies, and is still working on the clean-up part. He likes to have his feet rubbed before bed. James and Grace also do. The rule is they have to wear clean socks. Ryan loves nothing more than having his family together and we’re pretty fond of him too.
