Dear Tate,

 Dear Tate,

Oh my kiddo.  My first baby.  My little lispy encyclopedia.  You're a teenager now.  And I gotta say, I kind of love it.  It makes my heart hurt if I ever slip and think about how few years we have left with you before you are grown, but I'm really loving 12 and 13 year old you.  You are kind, dedicated, responsible, helpful and you're conscious of those around you in new ways this year.  Tate, you're a stud.  

This year has been a good year.  COVID has been a beast this year. Shutting things down, forcing quarantines or virtual school and travel restrictions in phases but we hope there's a light at the end of the tunnel.  

We had a fun year of travel.  For spring break we escaped to Sri Lanka and stayed in a little jungle beach resort in our own little cozy family bungalow just steps from the beach with the biggest waves we've seen yet.  It was incredible.  Plenty of bugs and critters and a huge monitor lizard that lived beneath our bungalow but the waves were huge and the food was so yummy and we all got some feet and leg massages from the masseuse on site.  You and Finn could have played in the waves all day every day.  And we just about did.  We'd get beat up in the waves, debating whether to jump over, duck under or just stand and get smashed, then we'd take a break for lunch and head to the bungalow for an hour or two before more beach time and then dinner.  It was glorious.  We took a couple of day trips to Udawalawe and Kandy which meant a lot of hours in the car but we had some fun audiobooks that made the drives bearable.  

Last summer was very full as we made a ton of stops.  We started in Denver, made a quick trip so South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore and get your dad and I our drivers licenses.  Then we visited the Larsons in Kentucky for just a day, drove to visit Kenzie and Trevan and their kids in Virginia for a day which was far too short.  We got to meet your new baby cousin, Marlee and she was just the cutest little squish there ever was.  You love babies and you loved holding your new cousin and playing with Tucker all day.  

Next we drove to DC and Nana and Grandpa came with us to explore for a few days.  I've been wanting to do some US history stops during our summers for years and we finally felt like your guys were old enough this year to remember and to learn.  I loved those days in DC. We woke up for morning runs, walked for miles all over the city seeing museums and monuments and historical sites.  We ate delicious food and you guys were such troopers.  

After DC we drove to Gettysburg where we met up with Adam and Cami and their kids for a quick tour of the battlefield and then a day in Philadelphia.  It was again, too short, but so cool to see those places in person.  You had done your presentation on the Civil War and it was cool to have a some places to file with those facts you'd learned.  

We spent our last week in the US in New Hampshire which is always a highlight of the summer.  Swimming in lakes, hiking and eating such delicious food.  We all went together to a Red Sox game and I don't think you knew to expect what a powerful experience a game at Fenway can be. You, Finn, Glenn and Uncle Brendaen ended up finding seats down at the front and you sang, "Sweet Caroline", ate all the snacks and cheered with the crowd for the whole game.  You loved it which delighted your dad.  It's such an amazing place to see a baseball game and it was really fun to do as a whole family.

Our last trip of the year was to France with Carson and Mallo.  A new strain of COVID was wreaking havoc on our travel plans so we had to fly into Germany and drive to France where cases were a little lower at the time.  We stopped in Luxembourg for just a day and then to Paris.  We spent two days at Disneyland and two wandering Paris and seeing markets and museums.  We ate a ton of French bread and pastries.  We soaked in the Christmas lights and decorations.  And you, Finn and I rode all the roller coasters multiple times with Carson and Mallo while Glenn hung with the girls and rode smaller rides that they were tall enough for.  Tate, you are so fun to travel with.  You're getting to be more enthusiastic about the fun and unique stuff we see and it's really nice to see you openly appreciate our adventures together.  After Paris we drove to La Bresse for a few days to ski and also take a day trip to Colmar and Strasbourg.  You took to skiing so well and had a great time in your morning lessons and then taking off up the mountain with us in the afternoons.  It was a magical time in the snow.  All you wanted to do was find some powder and have a snowball fight and luckily we got in a few.

Last year during your 6th grade spring your dad started hosting pick up baseball games and then they turned into a short make-shift season.  You played on the team with Finn and your dad as the coach and you liked it.  Sports are not your favorite thing but you tried and had a good attitude which was not the way you used to deal with sports so it was a huge improvement.  In the fall baseball was more organized and we were allowed to officially have a season so you played on the Falcons team again and it was so great.  I loved going to your games every Thursday night and watching you swing your bat as your jauntily walked to the plate.  You didn't always make contact with the ball but you got a lot of walks and a few base hits and you were just happy to be there no matter what happened.  Getting you to stay focused on the game and cheer for your teammates while you were in the dugout was another matter as you would be happy to talk D&D with Reece and Conor every spare second you had.  It was a great season and so fun to see you enjoy the game.  

You joined run club with very little encouragement in January last year and you've been running with them twice a week ever since.  Coach Lindsey Law is just incredible.  She's provided this awesome opportunity to run as a group and some expert coaching along the way.  She plans a speed workout every Monday evening and a longer run on Wednesdays.  You've had a really good time and we have been incredibly proud of your dedication and grit.  Running is not easy and you're doing it independently and enjoying it too.  During the summer, Lindsey challenged you guys to run 50 miles and you had it done on the treadmill before we even left for repat.  I don't even care how fast you run.  The fact that moving your body is rewarding to you and you are motivated to do it makes me so proud of you.  You come home from run club sweaty and smiling.  In November some people in the community organized a set of races and you and a couple of your buddies signed up to run the 10K.  Max and Ben are fast runners and they took off and left you which made you a little disappointed but you kept running.  Your dad and I finished the 5K with Finn and the girls and came back to finish with you and you were a little bummed that your buddies didn't run with you but you were also determined and proud of yourself for running farther than you ever had before.  That was a very proud day, Tate.

Your food tastes have expanded a little bit this year and it's been so fun to see you try new things and get excited about good food.  You still love popcorn chicken and mac and cheese but you also love lemon curd, home made pesto and pasta, home made french bread, creme brulee.  Occasionally you'll have a Deacons Quorum activity or a celebration at school where you can bring treats and you always have an idea of something you want to make from scratch.  Buying something is never your first go-to suggestion.  You want to make confetti cookies, caramel popcorn, your own confetti cake for your birthday.  You're so much fun to talk food with and I love seeing you enjoy and geek out about food with me.  It's super fun.

Your first year in the Deacon's quorum was a good one.  You had great friends in there with you.  Particularly Reece Weitzel, Max Arnold, and Ben Weight.  You were very thoughtful and aware about the responsibility of holding the priesthood and you've really tried to live close to the spirit this year.  More than once you've been reading your scriptures at night and come down stairs to tearfully relate to your dad and I a verse you just read and how it touched your heart and you knew it was true.  You've born your testimony in church more frequently than I have and you're always willing to prepare a lesson or an activity.  It's been inspiring to see you take some initiative with your spirituality this year, Tate.

You have some really great friends and we're totally heartbroken that your two best buddies, the ones you fit with so easily, are moving back to the US this year.  Reece and Max.  We're going to miss their families terribly.  They're both such easy matches for ours as they have great kids who get along well with our family and are at ages that line up with us too.  I think I'm going to miss those two boys the most of all because I just love the kind of friends they are to you.  They are the kind of kids I would pick to be your friends.  They don't get in trouble, they don't push boundaries, they have hearts of gold, they are kind and imaginative and fun.  You have a few other buddies who you have clicked with this year in school and hopefully they'll stick around for a little bit.  Emily O'Reilly is a good buddy from school.  We love the O'Reilly family and have connected with them a lot this year as we've overlapped in kids classes and baseball teams.  It will be interesting to see what 8th and 9th grade bring for you as many kids start to test the limits a little more and feel a lot of angst about their independence.  And many of the kids here start to go to boarding school in 8th or 9th grade which will leave fewer kids for you to interact with.  I pray for you to find good friends who can see how incredible you are, Tate.  You are a goof and you are very much still coming into your own and sometimes miss social cues but you are, as of today, so happy to be you.  And it's such a huge blessing at 13 to just be happy being you.  I pray that confidence and satisfaction with everything you are stays with you through the next few years!

Tate, you are an excellent student.  During the height of the pandemic when you were in virtual school full time you absolutely blossomed.  You loved knowing that all of your work and every bit of information was completely in your control and you were so very responsible with your schedule, school work, practicing and chores.  You were nervous that going to school in person again would be overwhelming but you seem to be tackling 7th grade as masterfully as you did 6th.  You read constantly.  Your D&D manuals, novels from the library or novels on Sora on your laptop.  You finish multiple novels each week and love to tell us about the stories with incredible detail.  You have fantastic grades, you rarely have homework and when you do you get on it without any prodding from us.  You always do some of your family economy work or practicing in the mornings before school.  You are always the first one done with Saturday chores and more than happy to fix something if one of your chores needs a little more attention.  You always help when we ask you to empty the dishwasher or take out the trash.  You are responsible with your laptop and internet use.  You watch your little siblings for us when Glenn and I need a date night out.  You try hard to be patient with your little sisters.  You get along famously with your brother.  You're a model oldest son, Tate.  Honestly we couldn't have designed a more helpful, kind, willing boy.

Tate, we love you so much.  You make our family more fun, more peaceful, more happy. You've grown into a wonderful young man and I have a feeling teenager-hood is going to suit you just fine.  I love you and admire you and learn so much from you.  I feel very lucky to be your Mom, Tate.  

Happy birthday, Tate-o.

The world is yours,

Mom

Dear Taryn,

 Dear Taryn,

Oh little Miss T, I love you so much.  I just cannot believe that you're 7 years old.  That in one year you'll be old enough to be baptized!  You are a bundle of energy and fun and sass and silliness.  You are so darling and loving and we just adore you.  It's been a full year for you and we're excited to see what the coming year brings for you, little miss.

We had a busy year this year in our family.  Activities after school slowly started becoming available again and with you and Kenna old enough to be more involved we've had very busy evenings.  But it's also been really fun to see you and your siblings develop new talents and grow in new ways.  So I guess we'll put up with being really busy if we get to watch you shine.

We traveled more this year than last year, thankfully.  We had a great spring break trip to Sri Lanka.  We spent a week in a bungalow just off the the beach.  You loved petting the dogs that lived on the property, finding hermit crabs, and trying to spot the huge monitor that lived beneath our bungalow.  You did not love the massive spider that made an appearance in the bathroom one night but you were surprisingly brave and cool with all the little critters and bugs.  You LOVED seeing the huge waves and could have played in them all day every day.  They were the biggest waves we've seen yet as a family and we had to be a little careful with you and your sister.  You'd come out in the water with your dad and I in our arms until we were too tired to hold you and get smashed by the waves and then you'd head back to the beach and play in the waves where you could touch.  You loved collecting shells and building creations in the sand.  We visited an elephant preserve and made a trip up to Kandy to explore.  It was a lot of driving a few days and a lot of time on the beach others.  You were so happy in the car as long as we had an audio book.  You've really grown to love audiobooks this year and prefer to always have one playing, even in the house.

Our summer in the U.S. was busy this year.  We went to Denver then saw Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, then we visited the Larsons in Kentucky for just a day.  Then we drove to Virginia where Kenzie, Trevan and Tucker were spending their summer to meet your new cousin baby Marlee.  She was the cutest little squish and you were absolutely thrilled to have a turn holding her.  You came into your own singing voice this summer and sing loud and proud in your exaggerated operatic voice with plenty of vibrato.  You almost died of happiness when I was holding Marlee and she was fussy but you came over and sang, "Somewhere over the rainbow" to her and she fell asleep. You were beyond proud.  

Next we drove to DC where we spent a very full few days with Nana and Grandpa exploring all the museums and monuments.  We'd done some research projects to prepare and I have been so looking forward to taking you kids to DC and learning about American history.  You did your presentation on the the space program in anticipation of going to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.  We walked miles and miles every day in the hot summer sun but you and your siblings were troopers.  At the end of one long day we found a shallow pool to splash in and you and your sibling had such a great time cooling off and making friends with new kids.  You learned how to cartwheel this year and you cartwheel every moment you can.  It was fun to take pictures and videos of you cartwheeling all over the country this summer.

After DC we went to Pennsylvania to tour Gettysburg with Adam and Cami and their kids.  Then after a quick day in Philadelphia we drove to New Hampshire for the end of our repat.  It was a very full summer with so much driving but you guys were so amazing.  

Our last trip of the year was to France with Mallo and Carson.  With a new strain of COVID on the rise things were starting to shut down left and right but we made it in and made it home just in time.  We spent one day in Luxembourg and then drove to Paris.  We explored museums, spent two days at Disney, and wandered around Paris seeing the sights and stopping frequently for snacks.  After a few days in Paris we went skiing in La Bresse.  Taryn, you have no fear when you have skis strapped to your feet.  It is astounding to me every time we take you skiing how quickly you can pick it up again!  You had lessons a couple of mornings and then you went up the mountain with us for the first time this year in the afternoons.  You were so fearless. You were beyond proud that you were old enough and advanced enough to join the whole family on a few runs.  You just liked to point your skis down the mountain and go.  We tried to convince you that turning to burn off speed and maintain a bit more control was the ticket but you didn't always want to ski that way.  Mallo and I mentioned many times how amazing it was to see you and your sister tackle something that is so unnatural to us with such abandon.  We ended the days so tired and so satisfied.  There's something really filling and exciting about learning something new and getting better at it. 

Taryn you are a pretty good eater for a 6 year old.  You love fruit.  Mango is probably your favorite.  You don't especially care for bananas but you'll eat most any other fruit.  You don't like most vegetables and when they're on your plate you usually ignore them.  We can convince you to eat bell peppers, especially if there's a dip of some kind, and salad if there's a yummy dressing.  Otherwise, you'll pass.  Usually politely so that's a win.  You love pasta with white sauce, pancakes, mac and cheese, and your favorite meal is a quick crock pot chile with cans of veggies, chicken, and cream cheese which you call "cheese chicken chile".  We usually have it at least a couple of times a month because it's helpful to have something done in the crock pot on busy nights and it's a something everyone will eat.  You love to help in the kitchen but you don't have to be present for every step like you used to.  You've got other things to do!

Kindergarten was a good year for you.  Your teacher, Ms. Ami was a good fit.  She tried hard to make the most of a really challenging year and she loved you.  She loved your spunk and energy and found your personality delightful which, as a parent, was so wonderful.  You were noticeably behind in reading at the end of kindergarten and your dad and I had started to wonder if something was going on in your little brain that made it extra challenging for you.  We did some research and a lot of your challenging moments and the heightened emotions you seem to struggle with sometimes seemed to line up with ADHD symptoms.  We talked to our doctor in CO and she agreed that it sounded like ADHD.  When we got back to Saudi we had a couple of appointments, did more research, and prayed a lot and decided that trying some medication felt like the right step for you right now.  You took it all really well and seemed to understand that every body and every brain is a little different.  You liked the analogy of having a race car brain with bicycle brakes and having some tools and training to strengthen your brakes has helped you enormously not just academically but socially as well.  This year you've been able to remember friends' names from school.  You've been able to relate more details about your school day at lunch and at the end of the day.  You still struggle with big emotions and sometimes you have a hard time controlling those impulses when you're overwhelmed with big feelings but you're doing so much better and trying hard. 

1st grade has been great so far.  Your teacher is Ms. Auchterlonie.  She adores you.  She loves the energy and fun you bring to class.  She gushes about how grateful and helpful you are.  She's seen your huge improvement this year and she knows you and loves you.  We've been so lucky with your teachers, Taryn babe.  We had a parent teacher conference with Ms. Auchterlonie just 6 weeks into the school year and we knew she understood you when she told us how much she loves your "exuberance".  What a perfect term for 6 year old you.  

You've been incredibly lucky, like your brother Finn, to benefit from morning tutoring sessions with Ms. LeNae Boyett.  She is a treasure.  She agreed to meet with you last fall and we talked about some things that we were worried about.  You struggled to remember names and sounds of letters.  Sounding out words was overwhelming and writing was just impossible.  She agreed to work with you every morning for 30 minutes before school and you have loved every single day.  She lets you pick a prize at the end of every work week and you live for those Thursday prize days.  She's helped you in so many ways beyond just reading and writing.  You have more confidence and tolerance for reading and writing when they get hard because you know you can do them now.  It has been a huge blessing in your life to have Ms. LeNae help you get on top of reading and writing and now you love it.  You love reading and you are so proud of your writing from school.  It's been an incredible blessing.  

This year you tried soccer in the fall of your 1st grade year and absolutely loved it.  Your dad coached your team which made you so proud to begin with.  You LOVED running and you were so happy to get right in the mix and get the ball.  I think it's a great sport for little you.  You also started choir with Ms. Kellie this year.  You're in the same choir as Finn and Kenna and I love doing the pick up car pool from choir because you and your buddies come out of choir so happy and singing all the way home.  

You have good little buddies.  When I come to you classroom at school everyone knows you and you seem to get along with everyone.  When it came time to make your birthday list it was really hard to narrow down how many kids from your class you could invite.  You and Kenna chose to have an arts and crafts birthday and had such a good time celebrating and crafting for a couple of hours with your buddies.  Your best buddies are probably Addie Weitzel and Lucette and Clara Arnold. Both of their families are moving back to the US this year so it will be difficult next year without them.  Their families have been so good to us and we'll miss them so much.

You are a good sister and daughter, little one.  You have a lot of energy and enthusiasm.  You aren't afraid to tell someone if they're bothering you, you know your siblings buttons and you occasionally relish in pushing them over and over.  But you also love writing kind notes and drawing pictures for people.  Any time you have treats from a holiday, we find you for the next week writing notes to people you care about and taping pieces of candy to them until all of your candy is gone and you are thrilled with the choice you made.  You could wrestle for half an hour and you can just as easily sit and color a coloring page for half an hour.  You do not love doing chores and sometimes it takes some mentoring and re-checking to get things done the right way but eventually we get there.  You know who you are and you seem to like it. You are strong and determined and any pushing or directing is not usually welcomed.  I love your strength, Taryn.  You have so much confidence and spark.  It's a thing of beauty.  

Taryn, this year has been difficult in new and old ways.  But you've weathered the storm with our family team and we're better for it.  We love you as tight as your hugs and as big as your smile.  You're a treasure to our family, Miss T.  

Happy birthday, little girl.  

The world is yours,

Mom