Big Willies do Orlando 2024 Day 1

Our flights were delayed and we made it to our villa around 1:30am. Friday morning we slept in, Aaron made a grocery run, then we hit the awesome pool with slides and splash pad. Quincy was happy to have a DJ bumping good music, Sloane and I won the hula hoop challenge, Esme and Sloane did a craft, Corbin and Soren played ping pong and pool. We came back to the room for ice cream and glorious vacation naps. We went to Disney Springs for dinner. We ate dinner at Chicken Guy (soooo good), and a volcano dessert at rainforest cafe. We were on the roof of the Coca Cola building in time for an incredible drone light show. So cool. Sloane was nervous about the lightening in the distance (hence the sad face) but everyone else had a blast! 

Quincy Speaks in Church

Quincy gave a talk in church on Sunday. Her prompt was “How do you find shelter in the Lord?” She told me she wanted to do this independently, and brushed me off with “Mom I’ve got it.” anytime I reminded her she had this responsibility coming up with a nudge to work on it. She pondered the topic all week and intermittently made some insightful comments in conversations we had that exposed the constant turning of the gears in her brain. 

On Friday after work, she holed up in her room and buckled down to write, and emerged a few hours later saying “it’s not polished but my thoughts are organized now. I’m going to bed, I’ll finish it tomorrow after work.” 

She left at 5:30am, worked an 8 hour shift, and then drove straight from work over to Beaver Lake to meet Henson B, Luke D, Luke C, and Ella D, and Luke C’s girlfriend fir their last hour of tubing. They were having so much fun that they stayed out for 4 hours, then they went to Andy’s custard, and then Q ended up having a bonfire and playing MarioKart until 11 at Henson’s. 

Anyway, I admit I thought Quincy was unwise to save her talk preparation for the very last minute, but I clearly did not need to worry. Here’s what she wrote. I think her testimony is so beautiful. 

Hi! I’m Quincy, I’m 17, and I usually sit right back there with my family on that loud row. 

I recently started a new job as a CNA in an Assisted Living Facility. In this field of Healthcare, it is standard practice to place a timeline on recovery for residents who are in rehabilitation. There are many factors that lead to this, including insurance and financial limitations, but the goal is to push people along and ultimately when the resident has reached their progress deadline, they are released from the facility regardless of their physical or mental state. It is frustrating for me to watch someone who is struggling and still very dependent on assisted care be sent off on their own without support. I worry about them and wonder how they will make it at home when I know there are basic things they cannot do independently yet.    

As I’m headed into my senior year of high school, I’m entering a place in between being very dependent on my parents and learning to navigate parts of life on my own. I’m building my own testimony, learning about my strengths and weaknesses, developing my talents, and making a lot of really big decisions about my future. 

There are so many resources available to guide me in this process, but fear and pride sometimes creep in and complicate things. I think we all have a natural tendency to create limitations for ourselves and abandon the help right in front of us, so we try to go out on our own and end up like the residents leaving rehab before they are fully prepared to be on their own.  

As members of the Church, we have the gift of the Holy Ghost. His presence in our life provides us with guiding personal revelation, companionship, love, comfort, counsel, and a deeper relationship with our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Fortunately, there is no timeline on Jesus’ love for us. He does not launch us out  to do impossible things or send us before we are ready. He meets us where we are and walks beside us. We are not kicked out if we are not progressing at a certain pace, and the enabling power of His Atonement is infinite. It never runs out and it never expires. I am learning that I can continuously rely on the Lord when I don’t know what to do and He will send help. 

One experience that has been an impactful resource for me is my Patriarchal Blessing. I received my Patriarchal blessing 6 months ago and on my own account I can testify of the power of this blessing. I will never forget how strong the Spirit was in the room, and the blessing offered specific counsel directly to me about my future, my strengths, and my purpose. 

God asks us to do a lot of things that require courage.

Share the gospel, surrender bad habits, be patient, apologize, forgive, take on new responsibilities, share talents, speak in church, love difficult people, give your all in a church calling, serve a mission, learn a new skill, and say a lot of goodbyes. I am not a super brave person. I’d like to say that I am but the reality is: I am not. In order to do brave things we need to feel safe and secure. Overs the past year, I have had people in my life help me push me past self-made limitations and overcome some great fears. 

For me, safety and security came through friends who coaxed me onto a roller coaster, jump off their lake house roof, submit an audition video for orchestra, and board the super sketchy elevator ride up into the observation tower. Doing each of these brave things was empowering and helped helped me build confidence that I can do other scary things. I have come a long way in the fact that I now trust the Lord to lead me on the right path and help me fill the measures of my potential. 

I am entering a stage of independence, but I know I do not have to do anything alone. 

Jesus Christ is our stable friend who never leaves us. He has empowered me through debilitating trials, sadness, loneliness, and anxiety I never thought I could overcome. Through trusting in the Lord, inviting the Spirit, seeking guidance from my parents, receiving my patriarchal blessing, repenting and striving again and again to be my best self, I have found the shelter and peace that come through Jesus Christ and His gospel. 

In Alma 26, Ammon talks about the blessings of being faithful to the Lord. Our labors do not go to waste. One of my favorite parts of this scripture is “the Lord will raise them up at the last day.”

I believe the scriptures are true. 

I feel peace when I attend the temple. 

I believe families can be eternal. 

I feel love when I let go of pride and fear and trust the Lord to fix things that are broken.  

I know Jesus Christ is my Savior. I trust God’s plans for me and I know the Savior will help me do God’s will.

My Sunday school teachers shared this quote by Ezra Taft Benson, with our class last week. I’m going to read it because it summarizes how I feel about the blessings that come from living the Gospel. It says, “Men and women who turn their lives over to God will find out that he can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour our peace. Whoever will lose his life in God will find he has eternal life.” 

I testify that turning my will over to God has fortified my confidence. He sheltered me with solace when I was grieving and courage to do and say brave things. He raised up friends in a time of need and He quickened my mind so I can become what he wants me to be. He will guide me to the work He is preparing for me to do.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Camp Wild 2024

Camp Wild looks a little different now that our teens are older and most of the families we used to do canp wild with have other families that they do most of their summer activities with, and the older children have grown up and left home. I’m hopeful we’ll have a day at the waterslide with the OG crew, but for now, the triplets are asking for camp wild and I realized yesterday that I could call a fun day camp wild and they’re excited for it. 

We started with donuts, then took care of Grammy’s garden, then gymnastics, dinner at slim chickens, and inside out 2 with the Saumweber ladies. We made calzones and swam with them the other night. Any time with the “Saumis” is a party! Our kids line up really well. Another day we played with my cousin Mattie’s family and their new puppy. Another day we were invited to join a group of metfield friends for chair soccer and games at the church. The kids love all of it! Winning! Happy Summer! 

Corbin at fsy

Corbin attended Fay with the Bentonville stake. He had “the funnest week ever” and some powerful spiritual experiences. Here he is pictured with his company. He was supposed to room with Adam Keogh but ended up being a random add on to a group of 17-18 year olds. He said it was fun to be with older kids, especially his roommate, a fairly recent convert and his grad who is waiting on a mission call. 

My people

Corbin is home after a week at fsy and we had a minute where everyone was at home at the same time (except for Reese who is doing great in LA! We miss her so much). I was stretching my back out on the floor and was joined by my shadow, Q, and then the little girls wanted in, then best of course, then Corbin started steamrolling us, then aaron and Soren had to complete the selfie. It’s cheesy and I don’t care. I love these weirdos. Even when they are up in my face breathing my air. 

Soren is the Outstanding Citizen

It’s not every day you open your door on your first day of summer break and all of your middle school teachers are at your house. Soren was awarded the outstanding citizen award  for his team, and since the last week of school was cancelled due to tornado damage, they delivered the honor to him at home. We love Mr Schoeller (who also taught Reese), Ms Dozier (who also taught Reese, Quincy, and Corbin), and Ms Withrow! Mr Hipp, the principal, is Soren’s little bestie. I’m so happy that Soren’s kind disposition was recognized, he really is an outstanding citizen. 

Corbin is 15

How is this little bestie of mine 15? Corbin brings a lot of excitement into our lives. He is funny, smart, compassionate, clever, hard working, and relentless. For the past several years, I would wrestle Corbin 1-2 times a week and up until a couple weeks ago, he has never pinned me. Suddenly, the man child is freakishly strong and I no longer stand a chance. Even though he has been taller than me for some time now, he is no longer in my same weight class, and I don’t think he realizes that he’s putting in the same effort that he was months ago, but now I’m very much at risk of getting hurt haha no more wrestling, Corbin. He’s growing like a noxious weed, and is currently 5’10”.  He has a new interest in lifting weights, which has been a fun thing to do together. Aaron invested in a smith machine for the garage, and Corbin has also been lifting with Hyrum, Neal, and Brody at Tuckaway pretty regularly this spring. 

His cello skills are improving as well. He took on a book 6 piece, Rondo, for his Camerata audition. Quincy played this piece for her 10th grade spring recital and Chamber audition. He worked hard and learned it in about 5 weeks, made Camerata, and played beautifully at his recital with Sully Shaw and Peyton Thibedaux (10th graders who are both in Camerata this year.) 

Corbin got straight A’s this year in school, and bravely tried out for soccer, track, and basketball at BHS. He did not make any of the teams but he did play boys and girls club ball on the Steezy Boys with several friends. (Tate Gulbransen, Noah Hill, Chase and Landon White, Ryan Mains, Gabe Miller, Neal Ratsachack, Preston Gubler, and Hyrum Johnston, managed by buddies Parker Owen and Ammon Johnston and coached by his seminary teacher Kyle White) they did not win a single game, but gained a huge following and enjoyed the attention of their many female supporters. The Steezy Boys also rallied together the metfield ward youth in an important way. Corbin loved it all and he loves running around town with his boys as often as possible. 

Corbin played cello in church a few times, played 1st chair in Philharmonic Orchestra at BHS, made All Region Orchestra, Honors Orchestra, and 3rd chair in Arkansas Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. 



A month ago, aaron took Corbin and Soren on a dream trip to LA where they saw Lebron play at a Lakers game. They also caught a Kings hockey game, went to the la brea tar pits, the beach, dropped off treats to the mission home to be delivered to Reese, ate at in n out, and hit up other LA highlights, including seeing the LA temple and Hollywood sign. 
For his birthday, he got a Spikeball set and threw the most epic party and teenager has ever had. 

It started with volleyball at memorial park. 35-40 kids pulled up. (Tate G, Ammon J, Hyrum J, Brody S, Noah H, Zoe Z, Charlie C, Calli H, Georgia S, Sydney G, Ariana D, Avery P, Brooklyn, James S, Pfeiffer, Shriya, Rhett, Chase and Landon White, Ada, Lucy, Preston G, Caleb and Roman M, Neal R, and like 10-12 more kids from school that I don’t even know, Quincy had a few friends David S, Zack V, Parker O, Elle R also join the shenanigans). At any given moment, kids were playing soccer, volleyball, spikeball, or just hanging out. Brody brought a Bluetooth speaker and kasey stopped by to hang out while I played DJ.  They had pizza, soda, prime, and cupcakes, and lived their best lives on the last day of school. 

And then the sky cracked open and a heavy downpour and thunderstorm whipped through. The fields flooded instantly, and once the threat of lightning was mostly gone, the 20 or so kids who were still there turned memorial park into a giant slip n slide/ mud wrestling arena. It was the most fun they’ve ever had in their lives, and all of them were still saying so days later. It was truly an unforgettable night of spontaneous fun. Zack Van Swerigen and Sydney Grover made all of Corbin’s wildest dreams come true and surprise dumped an ice cooler on him. Corbin felt kind he’d won the Super Bowl. Everyone was so happy. One friend from orchestra said “I’m not surprised so many kids are here. It’s Corbin. He knows everyone and everyone loves him. He’s the hype of the party.” What a night to remember! 

I sure love this crazy 15 year old.