Fall Is Here

No, not a post about nice fall leaves, chilling weather and a break from oppressive heat - because we are not getting any of that.  It is hot and humid and not going anywhere soon.

But fall does bring cross country and soccer back to the Pearson home.  I have not been able to make it to one of Kelsey's meets yet - I have been burning the candle at both ends with work and kids and life. 

However, Sophie's school hosted their first meet on Friday so the coach needed all the parents to help.  So, I did manage to get myself there and take a few pictures of her.

Sophie is coming across the finish line - can you see her looking up to see her time?  She placed second in a field of 103 runners.  She does not like the picture, but I do.

Kelsey had a friend whose dad was at their meet (happening at the same time as Sophie's meet), and then brought a couple of them over to see the end of the WillowWood meet.  It made for a cute picture of my two running girls.

Kelsey did well at her meet and improved her time.  She won't tell me any more than that, so we will leave it at that.

Kelsey, Merritt, Rachel and Natalie goofing off after the meet.  After this they all came to our house to spend the night - and then four more friends came over.  I think they just sat around, talked and ate.  Since most of them had just run in a meet, I guess it was deserved.

The next morning brought more soccer.  This was a picture from last week - one of the moms on the team takes pictures for us and sends them out.  This was a cool header.

And as she gets older, the physicality of soccer gets worse.

As you can see she gives it out as well as taking it.

That is it from Pearson central.  Soccer, cross country sweating, school and work.  Next week - my baby girls turns 16.  Am I ready for it?

My Mother - By Kelsey Pearson

This is what Kelsey thinks of me.  She drew it during Sacrament Meeting on Sunday.

Not sure what to think - what I really think is she needs to be old enough not to color during Sunday Services.  Is that too much to ask?  And when did I get brown hair?

Hump Day

Ryan before his mission - photo by Sarah Jones.

I can't believe it, but we have made it to hump day - the one year mark of Ryan's mission!  I can't believe he has been gone one year. 

I had a mother of another missionary in our ward ask me when it gets easier - and it made me realize it has become easier.  I told her 7-9 months - that was when it started getting easier for me. 

It has been an interesting year - an amazing year in many respects but also a hard year.  Amazing when I read his letters.  When I hear him bear his testimony - when he says things about how reading scriptures at home really helped him love the Book of Mormon (and we are hardly the poster family for good scripture reading).  When he says he is fasting for an area to increase work, and that he and his companion are going to skip lunch to work harder.  When he asks me to pray for him to get along with his companion....  All of those things make the other things worth it.  And then there are these kinds of pictures that really make it all worth it.

Being a mother is interesting.  You carry this child for nine months - and that is the easy part.  You are responsible for their well being - physical, mental, spiritual - the whole thing.  You are their whole world for a brief moment in time.  Then they grow up - and need you more than ever.  You guide, love, make peanut butter sandwiches and watch them grow.  Then you are supposed to just let them go - all the day in and day out stuff is just supposed to stop and you are supposed to let them go and become their own person.  Just like that (well not really just like that because they do start to pull away as teens, but as I stated I think they need you more during those years)...

In some ways the mission makes that easier - he is gone.  You have NO control over what is happening.  You don't even know if they are a good missionary, or a screw up missionary.  You can't be there to help them when they are down, guide them when they are wrong, and participate in their joys.  They are off in a strange land, or Ogden Utah, and they grow on their own.  Since you can't be there, you have to let it go.  You also have to rely on the Lord more than you have before.  So with their growth comes your growth...

All in all, I think the next year will be better than the first - I don't cry about it very often anymore.  I still miss him, but it is getting easier

Regardless of how old he is, I will always remember this sweet little boy.....

My firstborn and only son will always be that sweet little boy with cute dimples and pockets full of rocks!

If It Is Labor Day

we are playing soccer - well really just Sophie is playing soccer, the rest of us are watching....

Thank you Lynley for taking the pictures and posting them.  They played four games, tied two and won two - but that was not quite enough to get them in the finals...  so we got to come home on Sunday. 

Eric and I were playing tag team with the kids - I went to Austin with Soph on Friday, and he held down the fort at home with the others.  He came in on Sunday morning, and if they had stayed to play more I would have come home and he would have stayed.  Kelsey was wonderful and stayed home with the twins and the dog on Sunday - she even took the twins to church (thank you Kenningtons for getting them there). 

We also got to see the Gray's new house - it was wonderful.  So nice to keep in touch with old friends.  Thanks for having us.

Now, back to real life - homework, games, meets, church and trying to keep everyone fed and clothed.