and in other news...

I have a really random conglomeration of news to discuss!

First and most exciting... my BROTHER is moving down here in the fall!!!!! I am sooooooooooooo beyond excited to have some family in the area. It's funny how alone you can feel when you don't have anyone from your family around. Even super close friends just aren't the same. I love him to death, such a thoughtful, smart, awesome kid... it will be fun to re-bond a little after sort of losing touch with each other through high school, college, etc.

Right before he baptized Mckenzie (July 2006)

All of us at his graduation (June 2007)

Back in the good old days of Lion King (probably only Coy will get that joke) and baths together... lol. :)

Also, I've finished a couple more books and want to critique them. First, I just barely finished "Crispin" by Avi. When I first started reading it, it was a little too medieval for my taste, but not being a quitter, I decided to plow through and finish. I'll let you read the synopsis for the plot details (don't read the whole thing if you don't want the ending spoiled), but all in all, it was just alright until I reached the ending. The themes of loyalty, friendship, thinking out of the box, and freedom run throughout and tie up nicely in the end. I don't know if I'd read it again, but it was worth the read.

I also read "The Tale of Despereaux" by Kate DiCamillo which was absolutely adorable and which I am reading to my 4th graders right now. The narrator's speaks as though he or she is having a conversation with you (Do you know what 'perfidy' means, reader?) And never fails to leave you on the edge of your seat (or at least curious) at the end of each short chapter. My fourth graders love it as well, and always hate to see me close the book when our time is up.

My family (well, the girls and Malcolm anyway) got family portraits taken! I saw them online today and they all turned out awesome. My mom sent me some in the mail and they should get here any day now. I'll finally have a family picture to frame and have at school with me! Yay!

Finally, I gave a talk in sacrament meeting on Sunday, for the first time in ages! I have taught a couple of lessons here and there, born my testimony, and taught a gazillion elementary school lessons, but flown underneath the sacrament meeting speaker radar all this time. My topic was "Exercising faith in following the spirit," and it actually went over quite well. I've posted the bulk of it below for anyone who is interested.