YAY FOR BRIAN!!!

I am so excited for Brian!!! I think I wrote a few weeks back about a basketball private league team that he tried out for and made the team, but it was $1300 and we ended up saying no. He was so upset that day...well...yesterday was a GREAT day!!!

There have been basketball tryouts at the jr high for the past week. And anyone who reads this blog knows that Brian is happiest with a ball in his hands, but especially a basketball! There are two teams..the A and B teams, the A team usually being the better players. The coaches are from the high school, and basically this is like a prep for possibly playing in high school.

Brian has felt a lot of stress this week with try outs. Usually he lets us go and watch him play, but not this time, not even once! I think he didn't want us to make him more nervous because he already felt so much stress and pressure from himself. Any way...tryouts were done on Thursday and the results were posted yesterday!

Yay for Brian!!!! He made the A team with some of him best friends!! He is so psyched!!!  And we are so happy for him! I must admit it, I have missed watching him and the boys play. I'm looking forward to busy schedules and basketball practices and games!

Congratulations Brian!

We told him if he made the team that we would get him new basketball shoes. This is what he has been dreaming of at night, and now he has a pair of them... Nike Zoom Hyperdunk 2011! Thank goodness the store had a size 12! What the heck...who has a foot that big???  Brian does!



So, let the season begin...and let's play ball!

CHANGES AND GROWING PAINS

There is so much going on in our lives right now and all I do is think, ponder, and also a lot of praying.

There have been a lot of changes going on around here lately and sometimes it is hard to take it all in. One of the changes that I am most thankful for is our family and how we are changing and becoming better and growing and trying. Giovanni has changed and grown so much since Robert left on his mission. I have always been thankful for him and the type of man that he is..but he is becoming something even greater now. I see it in him. I feel it in our home. And I am so thankful!

Brian is growing and changing too. It is hard to believe that he is 13 and in Jr high. I look at pictures of him from 2 years ago and he seems like he was just a little boy back then and now here he is, looking at me eye to eye...in fact, I think that that he has finally passed me, the one thing he has been hoping for! Silly boy!  Jr High isn't always everything that he or we thought it would be. It comes with good and bad. He comes home from school telling me about kids in the hallways, names that he is called, swear words that are spoken and aimed at him, and drama....so much drama. I forgot about the drama. It is a lot for a kid to deal with on a daily basis. I don't know if I could do it. But I know that Brian can...and sad to say...he has to. For now, that is his life. Robert has written to him several times about how it really does get better...to just make it through Jr high and then people calm down and others seem to find themselves. Kids grow up and life is better. I'm thankful that Robert is there to help Brian through it. He may be far away,. but he is still here, ever present.

I am trying to change as well. Some days it is easy to see my progress and other days I feel like I am struggling just to keep up! There is so much that I need to work one. I need to remember the words that a very wise mission president said to me many years ago..."are you doing your best, for today? forget about yesterday, and even tomorrow...but for today is it your best? that is all the lord requires of you". Thank you Presidente Conforte! I have applied those words to my life on more than one occasion. As a mother, wife, daughter, member of the church, employee, etc. It has helped me to gain perspective.

Change and growing are hard. Especially when you are use to life being a certain way...not that it is a bad life, just one that you know you can improve upon. We sometimes hear the comment that we didn't do something with Robert...why are we doing it now. Our reply is the same every time..because we have learned from our mistakes and want to do things better with you.

A dear friend called yesterday when she heard about the flooding in Italy in the area where Robert is currently serving. He son is in the same mission, but about a year or so behind Robert. She had genuine concern for my son and for me. As we talked I mentioned how I couldn't wait for Robert to come home so that I could just hug him. She began to cry and I did too...however...at the same time my comment to her was this....I now understand how are loving Father in Heaven must feel. He sends us off to be on our own. To learn and grow and experience life. And he gives each one of the the opportunity to grow. He wouldn't want us anywhere else, doing anything else..but he is still sad to see us go and leave his presence. But...he knows that it is for a short time and then we will be home again, with him.

It is the same thing being a missionary mom (or parent in general). You wouldn't want your son, or daughter doing anything else. You know that the experience will help them to grow and learn and become a better person. You know that what they are doing is important, but you still can't wait to have them home again. I think I have learned to understand just a bit better how our Heavenly Father feels and also his love for each one of us.

So...for now, I'm trying and doing the best that I can for today. But I sure am thankful for tomorrow so I can try again..because I know that it is going to take more than one day.

FALL COLORS

This past weekend we drove up Provo Canyon to see the beautiful fall colors. I love going up there and seeing the red, orange, and yellow leaves with a few evergreen trees. I must admit that I think of my mother a lot on these rides! She loved the colors changing.

I have to admit that when we got into the van for our car ride I really hadn't planned on getting out at all...we were going to drive up and back down. But once we arrived Gio and Brian wanted to get out and streatch...so they made me get out too... (Not one of my better pictures)

But I am glad that we went. One of the neat things that happened there was that the animal recovery was there to release a few birds back into the wild. Actually...not just any birds...2 hawks and 1 Eagle. It was such a neat experience to be there and see the release of these animals back into nature. It was a very moving and emotional experience.

They also had a few other birds and owls up there, just to show people. It was so neat to see such beautiful creatures up so close.

It was a great afternoon ride! Thanks to Gio and Brian for the small things they do to make me happy.

HOW LONG IS 2 YEARS?

Man on Man!!! How long is two years? It sure is a long time..

For those of you who don't know...

It is 24 months

110 weeks

730 days!

and a lot of hours and seconds too!

I've been counting down to March 9, 2012

for a very long time...

actually since March 3, 2010

You see...that is the day that my dear sweet son

Robert

left to serve his mission.

As of today he has......

drum roll please.....

144 days!!!

Yes, only 144 days...

then he will be home!

And he is doing fantastic on his mission!

I would never, ever, ever  want him to come home early,

but...

I sure am ready for him to come home.

I miss him.

His father misses him.

His little (well, not so little anymore) brother misses him!

We all miss him!

But we are so proud of him!!

And we wouldn't want him anywhere else,

or doing anything else.

This is what he was doing on Saturday night...

 

We are so happy for Victor and his choice to be baptized.

We have been praying for him every night for several weeks now.

(thank you Fabrizio Gianelli for the photo!)

This is why we are so willing to let our son leave for two long years.

He is sharing his testimony with other people.

Do you see that smile on his face?

Can you just feel his joy and happiness?

I sure can!

If you want to know what else Robert has bee up

then you should go here.

He just sent us 350+ pictures....

It was hard to know which ones to post...

but we hope you enjoy them.

And in the mean time...

I will go back to counting!

(Thank goodness for the app on my phone, that counts for me!)

FINALLY!

I am still having issues with Picasa...maybe I'm not meant to use it. I can't find my pictures that I've downloaded...and the ones that I have found I can't upload to the blog. So, for now I give up. I just don't have time for it. To many other things to do. Also I feel bad because I just let the blog sit here because I'm frustrated with the photos. So I'm back to doing it the old way. I want our family in Italy and friends who live far away, and even the ones close by to see and know what we are up to. So, here I am, fianlly!

Sorry that some of the following pictures are such poor quality. I don't walk aroumd with my camera all the time,  and so I tend to use my phone camera a lot...and there were a few days when that was even having problems and so I had to use Brian's camera on his phone...so the quality isn't the best, but you'll get the idea.

Brian turned 13 about 3 weeks ago, and his dear friends had a surprise party for him. They are all
BYU fans, but knowing that Bri loves the Utes, they had a "Red" party for him, and asked me if I would get at UofU cake for the occassion! They had a fun time just hanging out eating, laughing, talkimng, and playing night games. (The picture of the "gang" did not turn out at all! I'm so sad!)

Thank you to Megan and Anne who planned the party, and all of Brian's friends who came! It was great!

The other exciting thing is a two in one combo! Brian had to get "reading" glasses. He only needs them for close up work, just to bring the images up sharper and clearer. I was a bit worried about glasses and braces at the same time. But if anyone could pull it off, it would be Brian. However....we then realized that his glasses would arrive about the time that he would be getting his braces off.



Brian then tried to convince me that "skinny jeans" are cool...so we went jeans shopping....

I sure wish that I could pull off looking that good in skinny jeans, but I guess I would need to be skinny first! Oh well...needless to say, they were way too skinny, so we compromised and he got some really straight legged jeans.

Brain and a friend tried out for a super league basketball team a few weeks back. I really didn't think that he would have a chance of making the team, because they take boys from all over and make two teams, the "black" or A team, then a lower team. There were over 30 boys that tried out. I have to admit that we were shocked when we got the call that he had made the team!!! WOW! Way to go Brian! But we weren't very informed when he and Kache tried out. We thought the cost would be around $500 or so...but when it came down to it, it was a lot more!!! $1,300 dollars and a 9 month commitment, practices and conditining 2x a week and games. The other problem being that Brian wants to play for the jr high team, hoping to play in high school.  Giovanni and I really talked about it and talked with Brian...and after some tears, etc. it was decided that Brian wouldn't play on the team. It took him about a day to realize that it was okay....and also the fact that his friend decided not to play either.

Brian likes track and soccer too and I just think that it is better to be able to do what you want to do and not be locked in to something that might stop you from trying something else. He is really good at track and field and has discovered that he likes it...so, it will be fun to see what path he will follow.

Basketball try outs at the jr high start on Monday! Good luck Brian...do your best and you'll be great! Because you are great!! It all works out the way that it should. So whatever happens...it's all good!

We love you son! You are the best! Thank you for being you!!! 



THE LORD'S TENDER MERCIES

As many of you know, I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Today was Fast and Testimony meeting in our congregation. This is where members of the church have the opportunity to stand and bear their individual testimony about the gospel. It is an open forum to whom ever is prompted by the spirit to stand and express their feelings.

Today there was a boy who is Brian's age. His name is Peter. I must tell you that the testimony that Peter bore today was the sweetest and simplest of testimonies, but what an amazing spirit. And what a strong testimony for a young boy. He spoke of the Holy Ghost, and he has felt that companionship and prompting more than once in his life. He also told of an experience that happened to him and how if he hadn't followed that prompting that he received that he may not be here today to share the experience. It was simple and sweet, yet so profound.

In Relief Society, which is the woman's meeting that we hold the lesson was about promptings of the spirit. In coincided perfectly with Peter's testimony.

It really was a wonderful day. This afternoon was spend at home with Gio and Brian watching a moving and making pizza. In the middle of all of this we received a message on facebook from one of Robert's friends, Alli. She is in Italy doing study abroad for the semester. She had the opportunity to see Robert in church today. Here is what she wrote:

you raised an AMAZING son. we were able to go to church with Robert Bona today and he interpreted for us and bore an amazing testimony. i couldn't have been more proud of him and all of my missionary friends :) I'll post pictures and write you a longer story later.

There are no words to express how I felt when I read that message. I couldn't even finish reading it out loud to Gio. I got a lump in my throat  and tears began to stream down my face. I was so proud of my son in that moment. I can't wait to see pictures and read all about it. Robert will be home in 5 months, and today in church I was thinking a lot about him. I am so proud of that boy!

And now Brian just came in the door telling me that he just had his interview with our Bishop to get his recommend to go to the temple and do baptisms for the dead. He and his dad are going in the morning.

How could I not be so proud of these two boys! Giovanni and I have been given the opportunity to raise them, and I am so thankful that the Lord "loaned" them to us for a short time.

I love you Robert and Brian, and I am thankful to be your mother!