Dear Finn,
Wow what a year! I can't believe you're nine. This year of COVID both flew by and never seemed to end. I had many moments of surprise at how you're growing and learning and changing when your church shoes that you haven't worn for 6 months suddenly didn't fit. Or you suddenly know how to spell words and are gaining more confidence and less frustration in school. Those moments are surprising this year because so much seems to be at a stand still, a holding pattern, a wait and see. But through it all, the time still passes and you still grow and change and become more of who you are going to be. It's been so encouraging to watch you this last year, Finn. You are an incredible boy.
We celebrated your 8th birthday in Austria with our friends the Weitzels. Then Christmas at home and the start of another school trimester in Dhahran. You started another season of baseball playing with your friends with your dad as your coach. So excited for the season. Taryn and Kenna were playing for the first time last spring and you were so excited to show them the ropes. Then February came around and we heard whisperings of a new virus. We thought everyone was over-reacting. That it was just a flu bug and it would play itself out without much impact on our lives. Then March came and we very quickly realized that things could shift overnight. We made a prayerful decision to move our tickets to the US up so we could make it to Mallory's wedding. We left on March 10th thinking that Dad would join us in a couple of weeks for the wedding and then we'd all go home together. We were wrong. Two days after we arrived the borders closed to Saudi Arabia. No one in or out. We kept praying and hoping but that three weeks turned into four months of separation from our lives here in Saudi and from Glenn. The best dad in the world.
I'm so glad that we were able to celebrate your Auntie Mallo's wedding. It was such a special day and it was really wonderful that you were able to be present for the wedding of your favorite Auntie as you wouldn't have been if COVID hadn't closed the temples and changed everything. You met Uncle Carson for the first time at Nana's house and he immediately jumped into 007 with you and Tate and absolutely won you over. We had so much fun with Mallo and Carson especially while we were stuck in Utah and having so much time to spend with the family was an unusual gift for us. Living abroad means just a week or so of time with family each year but being able to see people we love once a week or even more frequently was awesome. And eased the loneliness so much. You had a special connection too with cousin Tucker. He adored you and would babble back and forth with you and save his best smiles for you. Your siblings were so jealous of his attention to your connection with him. But it was pretty sweet. You've always had that easy, magnetic way with little kids. They're drawn to you and you just love them so much.
We spent a month living at the Dibb's home in American Fork. All four of you slept in the same bedroom which made bedtime a little bit complicated. But I think you also secretly loved the closeness during such an uncertain time. Then we moved to the Bourne's house in Lehi. It was much bigger and had a huge yard in a fun neighborhood. We went on lots of hikes, walks, played on the trampoline, practiced piano and did chores. We tried so hard to find fun things to do outside while the world was shutting down. We were very lucky to be so close to AF canyon and always have that outside time available to us when everything else was gone. You became an awesome hiker, pushing yourself and complaining very little. We had facetime calls and scriptures with Glenn every day around lunch time before he went to bed. Your poor dad was SO lonely and bored sitting at home all alone. Much of the time we were separated Saudi was on full lock down without him being able to even go to the grocery store without an appointment. It wasn't enough time with him, but at least we got to see his face. And occasionally he'd be able to help you with school work if I was helping another kiddo.
We started virtual school right after we arrived and continued every day until the end of June. Having school on Sundays was a little bit of a bummer and you just did not love sitting in front of an ipad for a few hours every day. But you did it. We'd do math worksheets, write stories, watch videos and then take pictures of all of your work every day and send it in to your teacher, Ms. Lynch. Mr. Cager was your second grade teacher until he took another job within the company and Ms. Lynch took over the class for him ONE WEEK before they shut down the school and transitioned to virtual. She did a great job. But man, that was a lot to cope with all at once!
You loved the science sections of virtual school when you were able to go outside with your sisters to examine plants or find soil samples. Your favorite little adventure together was once we moved to the Bourne's house and their porch was covered with snails, you and your sisters would spend hours gathering them and "racing" them across the sidewalk. And you loved tinker Tuesday. It was basically a day to watch a few videos about a type of project, and then build or craft something. I wish that I had more supplies or more energy to help you on those days because you absolutely loved trying to make something work and were so bugged if your lego man glider didn't glide the way you wanted it to from the second story balcony.
Another highlight of our time in the states was our weekly facetime DnD games with the Weitzels and your dad on Saturday mornings. It was so nice of Mr. Paul to coordinated that for us so you could see your friends and play together with your dad. You've grown to really love DnD this year and I think those weekly games were a huge contributing factor. You get really into the adventures and once came into me in tears "I lost my mace!" You apparently didn't have a high enough roll and accidentally threw your mace into lava and it was gone. But Mr. Paul noticed the trauma and you ended up acquiring a cimeter in the same game so everything was fine again.
We went to a few appointments as things opened up more to try to get some testing for you to see if what was going on would be diagnosed as Dyslexia or Dysgraphia. But the offices either were booked out for several months, or didn't have any testing for those specific issues so we left empty handed.
We tried to make the time apart fun and you were so much help. Making lunches, doing chores, helping your sisters, trying to cheer me up. You had your sad days like the rest of us. Days when you'd wake up and say to me through tears, "Mom, I don't know what's wrong but I just don't feel like I can be happy today." I get that buddy. It was hard. We had a couple little weekend getaways in Park City. One in the Arnold's house and one in a rental with Mallo, Carson, Nana, Grandpa, Kenzie, Trevan and Tucker over the fourth of July. That was a fun last hurrah as little did we know we got a phone call on the 5th and Glenn had found us a way home. The company was getting some employees through from Dubai and we were the first family to get spots on those flights because your dad had been pushing and working so hard to get us home. We finally made it home on July 7th. It was a great day. Airports were practically closed. All the shops were closed, we wore masks on the whole trip. The travel day was long and lots of waiting and worry. But you kids were so excited to be going home it was a magical day. No complaining. No crying. Just so happy and excited to be finally going home. We got to quarantine for two weeks and it was the best two weeks of the year. No school, no schedule, just movie nights, games, reading and playing and being together. Glenn bought a new Nintendo Switch while we were away and you and Tate were ecstatic to have new games to play together when we got home.
You were baptized on August 14th in our little backyard pool. We had planned your baptism for the day before Auntie Mallo's wedding but then when Glenn couldn't make it to the states that was obviously not happening. It was not at all what I imagined your baptism being like, but after such a long wait, it was so perfect. We had the Larsons and the Weitzels in the room and Mallo and Carson, Nana and Grandpa, Kenzie and Trevan and Gregor and Amy on zoom with us from around the world. You asked Nana and Mallo to give the talks and they were so perfect. It was small, filled with the spirit, and all about you. I am so proud of you Finn. You are full of fun and energy and busyness. But you're also so tender and you feel the spirit so strongly. You said that night that when you were confirmed you felt the spirit stronger than you ever had before in your life. It makes my momma heart so happy to know that you can recognize so clearly when the spirit is speaking to you. I hope you always seek it out and know how crucial it's presence is in your life.
We took a weekend trip to Riyadh in September with the family which was really fun. We listened to audio books and watched movies on the drive. We went up in Kingdom Tower and visited chop chop square and ate some yummy food. It was a healing adventure for our family that was initially filled with a lot of anxiety in an uncertain world and after a traumatic last travel experience.
When school started it was virtual for three months. Your teacher, Mr. Hjeresen is so perfect for you and works so hard to find ways to connect and check on you. He's called a few times to encourage or offer suggestions and his greatest piece of advice is to just be patient with this year. That 3rd grade is often a turning point for kids who are frustrated with writing and he often sees a huge increase in stamina and ability during this year. You had google meets every hour with your class and you seemed engaged and happy to be there and then you'd have some assignments to work on in between the meets. You'd finish all of your school work by lunch and just have practicing, chores and exercise during the afternoons. Overall you took pretty well to virtual school but you were SO excited when classes started in person in November. You're a social little being and you'd really missed being in a classroom with classmates and a teacher in person. We moved to a hybrid schedule and had your specials classes in the morning and then went to school with half of your class in-person in the afternoons four days a week with Tuesdays remaining a Tinker Tuesday. You were SO excited to be in the classroom again and weren't discouraged by the extra restrictions one bit.
Your dad has been taking you out to play baseball every Saturday morning and it's the highlight of your week. Sometimes your siblings come and sometimes friends from your baseball team show up. We're still not allowed to have any kind of sports or activities so you're missing organized sports but luckily you have a wonderful daddy who can spend time helping you progress and have fun playing sports.
We were praying in every prayer this fall that the country would stay open and allow us to leave to visit Grandpa Arthur over the winter break and it happened! We were able to leave on November 30th and get home on December 18th and then Saudi shut the borders for two weeks on December 21st! You had the most wonderful trip. You loved being in New Hampshire and were constantly asking questions like, "Mom, could I live here when I grow up?" "How much money do I have to make to live in New Hampshire?" It was different this year as we didn't stay with Gregor and Amy in their home. We stayed in Patty's home, a teacher at Proctor who was out of town which meant our family time was different and limited. But we were able to see them. You snuggled with Grandpa in his recliner. Played catch with Uncle Ian. Had talks with Uncle Gregor, and played with the puppies and cousins. Your favorite day was probably the day we went skiing. We were lucky to get in a few runs when the lifts finally opened in the afternoon in Waterville Valley. It was beautiful and so cold and the cold didn't bother you one bit. You were all in on whatever errands or adventures we came up with and you were grateful and happy to just be in New Hampshire and all together.
We surprised you on our last day in New Hampshire and told you guys we had a trip to Disney World for the last part of our trip in the states. You were such a gem the whole week. Saying thank you after every ride and every treat and every meal. So grateful and just overflowing with joy at being in Disney World together. We felt really safe there with all the precautions Disney put in place and with slightly lighter crowds and a good game plan every day we had a lot of success getting all the rides in that we wanted to without feeling super stressed. Your favorite rides were the rides that were big and fast and you started to balk a bit at the little kid rides, convinced that they held no thrill for you anymore now that you've tasted the speed of the big coasters. You loved space mountain, the new Avatar ride (and you and Tate stayed up in our hotel room watching the movie for a few days with your dad and I so we could show you the backstory), test track, expedition Everest, and of course the new star wars rides, especially Rise of the Resistance. You were an absolute joy to be around in Disney World and your attitude affected your siblings and parents so much. You were quick to put your arm around the shoulder of your sisters if they were nervous and to tell them what the ride was like so they wouldn't be afraid. Or to distract them if they were feeling tired and grumpy. You were a leader in positivity and gratitude and man was it wonderful. You still claim that Disneyland Paris is your favorite but maybe only slightly. We spent a day at Universal Studios as well and there were a couple of big coasters that you passed on but the ones you rode you loved. Very little fear and so much fun in your soul, little boy.
We've spent a LOT of time in our home with our family this year. SO much time. You and Tate have become even closer this year because you've always had each other. Scheming about a new fan-fiction story that you want to write together, a DnD campaign or move you want to try, building legos, or playing or talking about playing video games. You're such good buddies and it's been a gift of this year of very little outside of the home, that you and he get along so well. And that you are such a wonderful older brother to your sisters. They adore you and you are always willing to read them a story, play a game with them or engage in a wrestling match.
Finny, this was a year for the books. It was so hard and so great too. You were a trooper in all the best ways this year. You're a marvel and an example to me. I love your infectious giggle. I adore your goofy facial expressions. I appreciate and can't live without your positivity and the way your natural disposition to look for the good brightens our home and our family. Thank you for being you, my boy. I just can't believe you've been my boy for 9 years. Where did they go?!
You are a gift to me and to our family, Finny. I love you so so much.
The world is yours, Finn.
Love,
Mom
