Theo

Theo in Blake's shirt

Bentley's Party

Lydia got to go to Bentley's Taylor Swift party.

Friendship

Muffin's With Mom

For Muffin's With Mom we went to Super Donut before school! Lydia was just getting over strep throat and came home with me.

Blake's SD Project

Hidden Notes and Kindness

My favorite thing! From Blake

I clean-

ed it B-dog

Ford Seat Covers

They look so good!! Trent is so excited!

Lydia's Robot

Made it with Dane just for fun!! She had been wanting to make a robot for weeks.

Blake's Writing

About Austin Simmons

Becker Business

Speaking some memories into my phone on May 1 and continuing to May 2, 2018. It may not be written perfectly but at least it’s on paper :-)

Josh was called to teach seminary in February. It has been very good to get him into the Scriptures. Before he was called I was praying that we would know whatever he was called to do was right and that the Lord wanted him to do it. Although seminary would not have been his first choice, after he was called it felt right. We had a big discussion about callings that are glamorous or you are seen of men. Truth is those don’t matter, we have to draw near to the Lord and lose this desire to be praised of men. What a wonderful thing to have a calling that requires you to have need of the Spirit. Josh is even watching his movie rentals more closely. 

 

I was called to be primary president April 15. Bret Bowman texted me on my birthday to see if Josh and I could meet with the bishop Sunday at one. When I first glanced at the text on my birthday I thought I was just on a group text with the Bowman’s and didn’t think anything of it :-) when I read it I got a little bit nervous then was able to let it go the rest of the day. Sunday Josh and I met with the bishop after church. Truth is I am ready for this, since about February I have been feeling a need for something else. When the Bishop extended the call to me Josh was so kind about my service, I believe this is how it is supposed to be. Supporting each other with love. I know the only reason I can serve is because he is working hard for the family which frees up time for me not working. I really appreciate that and that he loves the Lord. I felt nervous about picking the counselors. I started to pray about it that week and my parents arrived on Thursday 4-19. We had some car problems between Sunday and Thursday, it felt a little hectic. Allison and I went to the temple Thursday.  Once we changed I saw on my phone that the CC Mason school nurse had called me. Josh had to check Lydia out at 11 AM because she had a fever of 103. This broke my heart because I love getting the kids from school when they are sick and everything inside me wants to be with them. I felt very anxious to get home. But I also had an amazing calmness about me that Josh is her dad and deserves to have this with her. She needs to be close to him. I was grateful he picked her up and left work and was fine with me being at the temple. Lydia told me later that he carried her from the nurses office to the car, she loved it. It was a wonderful thing for the two of them. He is so wonderful. It was a good thing to help me to grow. When I got home I stayed with Lydia and Josh picked up the boys. On the drive Home from the temple I learned a lot from Allison about how much homosexuality there is today. I know that is a sign of the times I just did not realize we were this far into it. Kids are day to day switching their preferences, it is crazy like nothing from my childhood. It is mind blowing to me.  

Last week josh’s truck had some problems, the ABA light came on and he took it to Klingemann . Turns out his tire was hanging on by a thread. Incredibly dangerous, great blessing that he took it in that morning. I feel like the Lord is so mindful of us we just have to recognize that constantly. It really is a great miracle. I desire so greatly for the kids to learn this at a younger age than I did. We are in the last days and they need to be strong. Between social media, homosexuality, pornography etc. etc. these kids are in a crazy world. It is so small and simple the way satan leads us along. Social media looks so innocent from the outside, when I got on Trent‘s Instagram over a year ago and started to look the more I looked something did not feel right. I knew it was not healthy for my mind to be looking in such great detail at peoples lives most of which was not truth. All these addictive games and social connections are making our brains so preoccupied we are not listening for simple promptings. It is so scary raising kids in these times, we need to be dedicated and deliberate. It is hard when they want to fit in etc. but I believe there is a way to manage all of it. Our land really helps with this because the kids love shooting hoops and shooting in the soccer goals and riding the bikes.

Sweet Blake Thursday came home from school and a kid named Damien kicked his ball over the fence and the teachers would not let him get it. He cried and cried and cried. Blake tried to calm him down and promised he would bring the child a Nike ball. So Thursday night Josh ran to Academy as he was also getting graphite for the pinewood derby car, and got a Nike ball. Blake wrote a note and taped it to the ball to Damien from Blake. He said Damien loved it. What a sweet boy to want to make Damien OK.

I hope I recorded in my journal how kind Grant was 2 miles Barber this year. He was an answer to Scott and Becky‘s prayers. Even when he was ready to look for a new lunch table, he was willing to give Miles a couple weeks of his time so hopefully Miles could make a connection.(I was going to ask him for days and before I said it he said he would give him a couple weeks) He ended up giving him months. He also bought him lunch when Miles was hungry.

It is so fun as the kids get older. Maddie Cook likes Trent, Addie fort likes Grant, girls at school like Blake. 

Letty Delavega brought her grandson to church name Nathan. His first Sunday there we hooked him up with Trent who took him to Sunday school and teachers quorum. He stuck by Trent side. Trent did not realize he was not a member and treated him with such kindness. The next week Letty was going to run him home and he told her he wanted to stay and went with Trent again. These kids impress me so much every day. It truly is the small things that matter.

The letter I sent to my uncle Jeff after Christmas did not make it. I resent it a couple weeks or a month ago. He was staying with my mom and told her that the timing of the letter was perfect. Had he received it just after Christmas it would not have meant as much as it did right now. He said he opened it read it and cried and cried for hours. I am so grateful heavenly father works through us I really really want to listen and be his tool. I felt funny writing a letter to an adult, but we are all just people. How we feel matters.

Stepping Up

When I found out about everything with Blake‘s teacher Mrs. Masi , (a father was mad about the reenactments she was doing with her class and he pulled his child from her class and said he was going to the board and wanted to take her license.) She was so upset she felt nauseous every day. I felt very strongly I needed to help her, that one positive parent's voice needed to counteract this father. I was very very nervous but knew I needed to have the courage to help her. I met with the principal on April 20 at the end of the school day, my mom (who was in town) ran the kids home for me. Meeting with the principal I realized I needed to stop there and not go to the superintendent. The principal and I had a great talk. Yesterday May 1 I talked with Mrs. Masi in the library. She said she could not thank me enough for meeting with the principal. She said it had a huge affect and the principal met with her and seemed to care more. It was so sweet. I was able to tell her that I prayed before going into my meeting with the principal. I told her I learned a lesson that I needed to go with what I felt. She told me she learned a lesson of how much a parent on the positive side can do, that one voice matters and that sometimes we need to be that voice even if we think it is insignificant. It truly does matter. She believes that me stepping up for her helped the principal to be more invested and help her more.

Becker Business from Spring

After an interaction with Dane, Lydia said, "Mom, I think there is a subtle chance he is flirting with me."

Boundary change meeting January 28th. Announced right before the RS presidency was going to speak. In my talk I discussed unity. At one point I said something about your ward, then looked up and said, "Whatever ward that might be." Everyone laughed, it kind of relieved the elephant in the room. 

Josh teaching seminary is going well. 

I have been told so many times lately about all the girls' parents who want them to marry Grant and Trent.

Grant was in charge of kickball at the stake carnival. April

Blake was hungry after church not wanting to eat what we had, Josh telling him everything we have made, Blake says very sarcastically, "All right people let’s give the Man a hand."

We encouraged Trent to pray about the Varsity period and about joining Centex. He ended up joining and had a great coach who really liked him. He actually enjoyed playing. It was great. 

 

Josh was not on the list as a chaperone for Six Flags with the band, so he followed the bus to Six Flags to support and love Grant:-) AWESOME!!

Lydia said, "Everytime I yawn water drips down my cheeks."