July 19, 2011

Grant's News


This week Grant has been working almost every day. It is his last week
working for Applebee's and they are squeezing every last possible
shift out of him. Sunday will be his last shift and he is greatly
excited to start looking for a new job and to get his sleep schedule
to a sane place. He has been closing the store, getting home from
Wisconsin Rapids around 2 am, and not falling asleep until every one
else is waking up. This coming week he is excited to restart his
summer tradition of reading "Gone With the Wind".

The International Haws Family

First of all a very happy father's day to all of the father's or future father's and anyone else who needs to feel congratulated.

After a busy week I am back in PA.


My time in Brazil was enjoyable. We were able to take care of Derick's US passport and certificate of birth abroad as well as the Brazilian passports for Renata, Felipe, Lucas and Derick.


During our week Lucas suffer a full week of school. He was alone as Derick had more appointments that kept him out for part of the week and Felipe was off as the state employed school teachers are on strike. (Lucas studies in a municipal school and there was no strike, not yet at least.)


I loved to see how well during is doing on the skateboard. It has become his favorite pass-time. We spent some time at the skate park together.


In the end I think that it was hard for Derick to see me leave again. I still can't shake the image from my mind of him sitting on the curb watching as the bus left the station holding back the tears which would soon follow.


This week I have the challenges to start immigration document and hope to have Renata and the boys here in late July.


Love,
Jeff

The Haws Family of Wisconsin

This week has brought some pretty strange weather to Wisconsin but the coming week promises to even stranger. I have enjoyed riding my bike to work most days. Logan and I rode the marsh loop on Saturday. There were many interesting sights including a beaver that swam within 10 yards of us. Logan and I did the rock climbing wall on Saturday afternoon. That was great fun. Logan has been a huge help around the yard.

Emily has had more work hours this week. With soccer over for the year she is now beginning to take a closer look at colleges. She will be going with the youth to Nauvoo this week.

Lanette's first full week of school was last week. She enjoys her teachers and it is a good stimulus for her to get her day started each morning. She enjoyed Friday/Saturday with the Elmhorst.

Mom has been doing things around the house to keep us all going strong. She hasn't been sleeping well lately. I think her hips are hurting again. How I wish I could give her the gift of a good night sleep and a day free of pain.

I have continued to enjoy my garden, putting up a fence around my future orchard and other tinkerings. Work has been really challenging which is fantastic. I have had a lot of fun watching soccer, going on bike rides and enjoying the blessings of life.

Today we had a wonderful stake conference. The general authority was Elder Ian S. Ardern. He was from New Zealand. We all loved his accent was even more important was his message. His theme was similar to a recent message from Elder Eyring. I have that available. I will insert it here.

"As the challenges around us increase we must commit to do more to qualify for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Casual prayer won't be enough, reading a few verses of the scriptures won't be enough. Doing the minimum of what the Lord asks of us won't be enough. Hoping that we will have the Atonement work in our lives and that we will perhaps sometimes feel the influence of the Hopy Ghost won't be enough, and one great burst of efforts won't be enough. Only a steady, ever-increasing effort will allow the Lord to take us to higher ground."

President Henry B. Erying

The Lane's of Virginia

This week Julie was studying for her midterm test that kept on getting pushed back until she finally she got to take it on Friday.
Monday we went Mini-golfing for FHE. That was fun. It has been a while since either of us went golfing. It is relatively cheap for those that are coming out here soon. $11 for two of us and 18 holes.
Tuesday we did studying for the midterm-test, which was that evening rescheduled for Friday as the proctor was sick.
Wednesday we went in to the doctors. Everything was showing healthy. Including the glucose blood test, and the baby dancing on the ultrasound, moving hands and feet with a strongly beating heart. The best news is that the baby now has a 5% chance of loss instead of the 50% of loss rate. If we can make it to the 4th it will go down to 2%!
Thursday we went to CiCi's and buckled down on our studies while consuming a variety slices.Oh Cici's we love you!
Friday, Julie took her test. She thinks she did well. We went to lunch to celebrate. We later went to a Tri-ward event. We brought the swords, it was a parents and kids favorite.
Saturday was a nice low key day of studying relaxing and maternity clothes shopping; which was desperately needed since she already is starting to pop like she is a month or two farther along. We can't wait till the announcement day, July 4th. We are making tshirts to announce it at the stake breakfast. Jeff wants one that says "food storage" while Julie will make one that says something like" bump" both being centered on the belly.

Father's day has been relatively easy going as well. Jeff got a variety of little gifts that he was excited to get! We normally read the bumper stickers on cars and so Julie got him a "I love my husband" car magnet not thinking of the implications if he put it on the car when he drives it all the time. He does not want to give the wrong impression to anyone. So we are going to try and fix that issue.


Hopefully we put some smiles on your face.Thanks esp to Mom for all the phone calls about the How-I-do-this-stuff!


The Haws Family of Colorado


This week has felt like a long week. Andy had made it to Georgia and was staying quite busy; I have not heard from him for a few days but I believe that he has already left to Afghanistan or is in Afghanistan. Friday I took Haley and Kayla to the library to get their prizes for the summer reading program. They were pretty excited that they were able to pick out a book that they did not have to return. On Saturday I took Haley and Kayla to Home Depot (so I thought), I drove up, got them out of the car, and went inside and asked if they were doing an activity today. They told me that theirs is next week. I looked around and realized that we were in Lowes…it is quite sad that Andy has only been gone a week and I have already lost my sense of direction and where things are! So I ended up driving them 5 miles down the road to Home Depot so they were able to make their little tool boxes. They turned out great.


The Jackson's of Alberquerque

Stacie and Kevin continued to enjoy their summer courses. Kevin aced his Latin midterm and Stacie learned to sew a pocket & a zipper. On Thursday they were excited to sign off on a contract for a house that they will be renting. They look forward to moving into the new home next month. Pictures will hopefully come soon. On Friday Kevin and Stacie joined their friends Nick, Jeramie, and Clare for a game of golf. Well, Kevin, Nick and Jeramie played while Stacie and Clare drove around the golf carts. Kevin won with flying colors. Afterwards they grabbed a bite to eat at a restaurant special to Albuquerque called Twisters. Kevin ordered a whole burrito and the waitress said, "You don't want a whole burrito. I've never seen anyone eat a whole one." Of course that meant that Kevin and his friends had to race to finish the whole burrito. Kevin won, but left with a pretty bad stomach ache.


On Saturday Kevin went out with his friend Nick to a place called "The Glass Palace." It is where the old dump used to be located and the only materials left that didn't get burned are mountains of glass bottles. Meanwhile, Stacie ran errands and searched around for more sewing supplies. In the evening they stayed up and watched "39 Steps", an old Alfred Hitchock thriller.


Today they were happy to celebrate Father's Day and talk to both of their great dads. Happy Father's Day!