Happy New Year!!!
2018 has been quite a year for the Aitchison
family! In fact, 2017 and 2018 were, by far, the hardest years for us...BUT we
have received so many blessings and will continue to see them for years to come
as a result.
For many different reasons (our growing family,
Silas’s health, major Stake changes, and more) Silas was released as the bishop
of our ward in November 2017 after serving faithfully for a little less than
two years. With the help of a wonderful Stake President, he transitioned back
into the Stake High Council where he had been serving for a couple of years
before being called to be the bishop. This was difficult for our family, and
still is sometimes, but due to the release we started taking seriously our thoughts
of selling our townhome. We bought before the downturn and hadn’t had equity
most of the 10 years we lived there but the market had gone up enough during
the fall of 2017. Before long our search for our next home turned into building
a home in an area of Cedar where we had always dreamed about building. We broke
ground in March of 2018, the same month that we sold our townhome. We were
fortunate to have good friends who allowed us to stay in their home (they are
serving a mission in Colorado) between closing on our townhome in May and
moving into our new home in August. We love our new home and the space it has
given us both inside and out. We have half of an acre of land to work and play
with which is exciting and stressful. We love the neighborhood and the ward and
feel like we belong here.
Silas works hard as an Information Security
Officer at a bank here in Cedar. At church he currently serves as the 1st
counselor in the Young Men’s organization and deals directly with the 14 and 15
year olds, which means he is Cleod’s leader along with only one other boy. With
the new changes however, the Teacher’s quorum will grow quite a bit in the next
month or so. When he can, Silas loves to play racquetball and has been starting
to work on our basement which we will be finishing ourselves over the next few
years. He also is committed to lead our family this year in the Come, Follow Me
program where we will be learning more about the New Testament with our kids
along with the curriculum at our church meetings.
I (Robyn) feel grateful to have survived this
year. Haha. But really, after reading something Elder Neal A. Maxwell wrote
about his health problems teaching him to teach with authenticity, I have tried
to use the stressful experiences (like showing a house for 3 months, moving and
building with a newborn and having five other kids) to have more empathy for
others and to be authentic in teaching and speaking. My faith in Jesus Christ
has become more genuine through these experiences, although only after being
faced with some uncertainty. Let’s just say that a few years ago I realized
that believing was a spiritual gift I have received (for which I am very
grateful) and that had seen me through trials in the past. But suddenly it
didn’t feel like enough. But thankfully, assurances and reassurances have come
and there is a great deal of HOPE. On the lighter side, I spend a majority of
my time taking care of Robert and the other kids (who are also helpful with
Robert), caring for our home, driving kids everywhere, trying to get fit again
and doing family history and temple work when I can.
Cleod (14) is continuing to expand his musical
talent, trying new instruments every year. The newest is the Bassoon. He is
taking lessons with a teacher at the University and will hopefully be ready to
audition in March for the advanced high school band as an incoming freshman. He
was also ordained a Teacher in our Church this year and has been attending the
temple to do baptisms for the dead regularly with friends and ward members.
Some of the names of ancestors he found himself. He also loves soccer. He also got his braces off this year.
Ryan turned 12 and is now a Deacon and loves
serving. He is currently in 7th grade and has held a 4.0 GPA through the 1st
and 2nd quarters this school year. Since he was small he has always had talents
in singing and acting and has finally been able to participate in several
children’s musicals put on by a great group here in Cedar. He is excited to do
another play with them this fall, as well as a mini play with some of his siblings
in February. Ryan is a friend magnet and is fun to be around. He has enjoyed
attending the temple with his brother and friends over the last few months.
Grant (10) has had a harder time adjusting to
change but is doing well and making lots of new friends. We decided to have him
attend the elementary school in our new home’s boundaries, making him the only
one of our kids at a school with no siblings. Even though it has been tricky
and he misses his old friends and teachers, and despite what he might say when
he’s having a hard day, Grant is thriving in his new school and has lots and
lots of new friends. I attended a field trip to SUU with him recently (the
picture of the two of us together is from that day) and EVERYONE knew him and
liked him and his teacher enjoys having him in class as well. Grant is good at
sports and loves soccer and football.
Cora (7) is still attending our old elementary
school because she is currently in her second year of Chinese dual immersion.
She does well and really enjoys it! She has even talked about wanting to go on
a mission to China someday. Before school started this year we felt very
strongly that she needed to continue in the program even though we were moving
out of the school boundaries so Robyn drives Cora and Molly to school every
day. Cora turned eight at the end of December and will be baptized in January!
Molly (5) has had an interesting start this
school year. After a few weeks she was invited to join the extended-day class
(we only have half-day Kindergarten in Cedar) to help her catch up to her
grade-level. (Number 5 didn’t get as much “Mom Preschool” as the other kids.)
At first she enjoyed staying at school all day and having lunch and more
recesses but then she missed being home and started to dislike school in
general. Luckily, just as we were going to take her out of the extended-day
program she tested out of it and in January will just attend the normal morning
class. This means an extra trip for Mom but she's excited to have her Molly
home more again. Molly is attending the same school as Cora so that she can
also start in the Chinese program next year as a 1st grader.
Robert is our busy one-year-old. He is happiest
when his siblings are home. Molly being back in the afternoons will be so fun
for him. She loves entertaining him. Robert’s first year of life was busy and
stressful for our family and he wasn’t the easiest baby for us, but we knew he
was supposed to come to us. Robert is smart and mischievous already and will
definitely be spoiled since he has 7 people in the house who run to him
whenever he needs something. Robert especially loves his Dad, kicking balls and
is starting to play with cars.
Despite any challenges we faced during the past
year we feel extremely blessed and we are full of hope and gratitude. We look
forward to facing the challenges of the New Year and to the growth and
opportunities that come as well. May the Lord keep and preserve you and your
loved ones throughout this New Year.
