GETTING INTO THE GROOVE

The past 2 1/2 weeks have flown by! I can't believe all that we have done and accomplished since Robert has been home. Things are finally slowing down some, and we are getting into a groove. It still seems surreal to me that Robert is actually home. I still go up to him and give him a hug, a pat on the back or a kiss on the cheek. I think part of the reason I do it is so that I can make sure that he is really here and I'm not dreaming. Silly, I know...but true.

Robert is back in school. He will start in the summer. He is doing a CNA course in April, so that it will be done and taken care of because he really gets busy. He started work this week. He will be working for the parks and rec dept in their youth sports program. I am sure that he will look for something different once we are home from vacation and his course is done. But for now it is flexible and works. It is money! And a good start.

He likes his car. Natural gas is a good way to go! Right now gas prices are around  $3.60 a gallon. I hate to fill up my van. It hurts! But must be done. Gio and Robert only pay $1.49 a gallon for natural gas. What a huge difference. Why aren't there more cars out there like that! And why are they so expensive when you actually find them? Robert is driving at 2001 Cavalier...with only 54,000 miles and looks like new inside. We feel lucky that we found it. Really lucky!

Now the fun starts of getting school "supplies". Robert has decided that for school the best way to go is a MacBook Pro. Because of that he traded in his Android phone (still within the first 14 days, thank goodness!) and got and IPhone. It is a nice phone, but I'm not a fan. I love the flexibility of my Android. Don't know if I'll ever change. Anyway...for now we are learning about Macs...this should be fun. School registration is  in two days...he is only taking a few classes during the summer blocks, but enough to get in the groove. For only going to college for 1 semester, he is a "sophomore" in college! Thank you concurrent enrollment in high school!!!$35 for 1 1/2 yrs of credit! How nice is that!?

Robert decided on nursing, and will go forward from there. I think the will do great and that it is a good choice fore him. He will have a lot of options and opportunities when he is done with school. He is a smart kid and will do well. I really feel like the made the right choice.

He has gone out with friends a few times. He is slowly getting back into the groove of things. I tell him that he is still kind of weird, but that is to be expected. But he's getting there. I think once he has things to do and is busy it will be better for him. Sitting and doing nothing is hard! Especially after 2 years of always being busy. Some of his good friends are home or will be coming home over the next few months and that will help too. It has been fun to see them all be together and to hear them talk about such different things. And also to see him interact with friends from the mission as well. He really has changed.

This last Sunday he reported on his mission in sacrament meeting. All week Giovanni and I were concerned about his talk. We didn't see a lot of outward preparation happening. But he was preparing on the inside. He had written down about 4-5 lines to keep him on track...and I was concerned. He spoke for 15-20 minutes. Told 3 neat stories/experiences that happened on his mission and how they related to the gospel and happiness. I was impressed by his ability to not need a piece of paper in front of him, but that he could just speak. It was obvious that it came from his heart. He did a really good job and I was proud of him. The comment was made by many people that it is obvious that he was a great missionary and loved the people and he loved them. That is so true. We have received so many messages over the past two years from people who have let us know how much our son has meant to them and the difference that he has made in their lives. People that really didn't have to say anything to us, but did. In the end that is what matters most! That Robert was an instrument to help change peoples lives. We all say and do things differently. Not everyone agrees with our "methods"...but the thing that I appreciate the most from Robert is that he is real. What you see is what you get. He loved his mission and his mission loved him.

As for Brian....well...we are in March madness for his basketball league. A few more games over the next few weeks...then the season is done. He is still trying to decide if he wants to play football or not. We are going to have him go to a few basketball camps this summer...and he has told us that in high school he wants to do track. He loves the short distance sprints...and he can be fast, when he wants to be. It will be interesting to see what he decides upon.

He is doing well in school and seems to have great friends. He hangs out with a good bunch of boys, and girls too. They have fun together. I'm glad that some of the drama from last summer and the start of the school year has passed. There will always be drama, that I know...but it doesn't seem to be to intense. I'm glad that he has opened up to finding new friends and not just spending time with the same kids all the time. He is learning to branch out. In school you need to have different groups of friends...and I'm glad that he is finding his way.

It is fun to have the boys back together again. The house is louder now. But fun too! They share clothes, hats, etc...and it is fun to seem them look at one another "eye to eye". Though I'm not sure if Robert likes Brian being almost as tall as him....ha ha!

Gio and I are just sitting back and watching it all happen and loving every minute of it. These two boys are what bring us the most joy and fulfillment in our lives. It is so nice to be all together again!