Sawyer Benjamin

Sawyer Benjamin is 7 and will be 8 at the end of the summer. He is finishing his 2nd grade year.

Sawyer hasn't hit his major growth spurt yet but he has outgrown everything at this point. He enjoys school and he has read 300 books for the school year. He is smart for his age.

He is working towards his Wolf Badge right now in Cubscouts. He loves his troop and his den leader. He loves Lego's and building things with wood and using the tools that he got for his birthday last year. He loves playing video games and is a comic book fan.

He will be going into football this Fall.

Piper Shannon

Piper Shannon is 10 years-old and is finishing her 4th grade year. She will start Middle School this Fall.

Piper is also tall, like her big sister. She is beautiful and has big, beautiful blue eyes. She has an infectious laugh. She is a dedicated student and her teacher says that she is a joy to have in the class.

Piper is not one to give up. She struggled when she started cheerleading this year and we thought that she might want to give up but she didn't and she wants to do it again this next year. She loves to run and received several ribbons at the track meet this year.

She is learning to cook and she loves to play outside with her friends after school. Basketball and boys are the new hobbies. She also enjoys doing crafts.

Ashley Marie

Ashley Marie is finishing up her Sophomore year at Perry High School. I can't believe she will be a Junior next year. She is also going to be 16 this year, and driving. Ugh. Why do they grow up so fast.

Ashley is tall like I was at this age. And if you don't mind me saying so, she is a very beautiful young lady. She is also very intelligent. This year she took Algebra 3, Pre-AP English, Spanish 2, Earth Science, Biology, American History, and Band. She plays the French Horn and has done so since the 5th grade. She has made the Mat Maid's, the girls who help with the wrestling team; and is trying out to be a Drum Major for next year.

She loves to read, sing, and cook. She helps look after her brother and sister when mom & dad need her to. She loves the Lord and has almost completed her Young Women's Medallion. She is looking forward to attending Youth Conference in Nauvoo this summer. She will also be in her 4th year of Girl's Camp.

She is already planning for college and is currently considering going to the Air Force Academy.

Well Here We Are

Who would have thought that I ever would have returned to the south? Not me. But here we are and here we will stay.

We moved to Perry, Oklahoma in May 2007, "the leap of faith", as we call it. After lots of prayer and fasting we decided that we were going to move out here. No jobs lined up, no home to live in, nothing. I came out early in March to find a job and a place to live. Loren stayed in Utah until the lease was up on the apartment.

I was staying with my parents, who now live in Ralston, and I commuted everyday for a month to try and find a job. I found a job working as one of the Assistant Managers for the local Braum's. I was working the evening shift and it was pretty decent money. I then found us a place to rent and I cleaned and painted the place on my days off.

Loren and the kids left Utah in May. It was a very happy reunion. I never want to be separated from them for that long ever again.

Loren was able to find a job working for Ditch Witch working in their warehouse. This is no where near the field he was trained in but it is a great company, with great benefits and pay.

I began to realize that working evenings wasn't conducive to a happy home life, so I found a job that I thought would be easier for the family. I started working at Perry Carnegie Library.

It was a great job. I worked there for 7 months and had a good time working with books and the children in the children's area of the library. Linda Branson was my boss in the children's department and she was a joy to work with. Unfortunately, we are trying to get into a home of our own and part-time employment just wasn't going to get us there. So . . .

I am now the administrative assistant for the CEO of Perry Memorial Hospital. I am working full-time, 8 to5, Monday through Friday. I LOVE my job!!! I Love the people I work with!!!

So Here We Are, and Here We Stay.