1.25.15

It’s funny how a thought or idea can come to mind and it is something that you think about for some time. As most of you know, I teach preschool. We do a letter of the week for our theme and then I pick things starting with that letter to emphasize the letter. I’ve been doing this for a few years now and usually have the same ideas to pick from. This year for the letter “N” I thought of something a little different. I thought it would be fun to talk about their names. I asked all the parents to tell me how they got their names. This was so fun. I have loved hearing about all the different ways people get their names. So, this has been on my mind all week. I’ve been asking everyone, How did you get your name or how did you come up with that name for your child? The most common answers have been: something we just liked or named after a relative or someone that was looked up to and loved.

The 2 most original stories are: 

Layla Virgo in our ward and my preschool class, her parents took a list of their favorite names to the hospital. They said when she was born, she just didn’t look like any of the names, so they didn’t know what to do. A day or so after she was born, the dad went out to get some pizza and the song “Layla” by Eric Clapton was playing on the radio and he was like, that’s it.. so he went home and told his wife, and she said, you’re right, that’s it,so that is how she got her name.

The other one that had me laughing was Elder Bing in our ward, his name is Grady. He said his parents were going to name him, Baxter, but it kind of sounded like a bad word if said wrong. (I had to have someone explain it to me.. I didn’t get it at first.. ) Their other son was named Tucker, which can sound like a swear word sometimes, so they didn’t want to be bad parents.. so they decided to name him something different. hahaha  They heard the name Grady from someone saying it on the street in L.A. !! And liked it and named him that. He said he has only met or known of one other Grady.

Where did you get your name? I love hearing all the stories!

I got my name from my dad- his name is Don and my middle name is the same as my moms Kay. Donna Kay. Melissa Kay got her name from my best friend and roommate in college, her name is Shelly Melissa. She got to meet her namesake a couple of years ago. (Another interesting thing I heard was people being named after college or good friends, but never having met them before). And obviously her middle name Kay after me and her grandma. Keagan was a name I had heard only once before and I really liked it. It means little and fiery.. but I didn’t know that until after we named him. It fit for the first 12 years or so of his life. He can still be pretty fiery. His middle name is James after my gpa. Ray is named after his 2 grandpas on both sides.

All this thinking about names had me thinking about names... What do we do with our names? What will we be known for? I remember a story, but couldn’t find it yet about one of the Smith prophets (I think) who had a dream and was asked how he will live up to his name. Also it makes me think of it being said about Joseph Smith, his name will be known for good and evil. Also it made me think about taking on the Name of Christ. (That could be a whole other topic and discussion) I looked up in the topical guide name and read several things about it. One said, And I called him by name..  I think it is pretty wonderful that our Heavenly Father knows us and knows our names. It makes me think of the advice the mission president here gave us and that I took to heart., (obviously I’m paraphrasing) Get to know your missionaries, pray for them, pray for them individually and by name, you will grow to love them when you do this and it will make the work go better and easier. I know this is true. Every day I pray for our missionaries by name, the ones in our ward and the ones serving from our ward and the others I know personally. I have grown to love all of the ones that have served in our ward, that often times I pray for them, too, and the ones that have gone home. It has been a great blessing in my life to have so many to pray for and so many to love!

Last night we got to take Elder Bing and Elder Pyne to the temple for new convert baptisms. They just had a convert baptism a few weeks ago and she went to the temple for baptisms. It was fun to be able to spend time with the Elders and visit with them. Elder Pyne is serving in Silverdale now and we got to meet him in Tacoma and pick him up and leave Bings companion with Pynes companion. The temple is beautiful at night! (Well.. anytime) I got to go do iniatories. It is one of my favorite things to do in the temple! The words are so beautiful. It made me smile so much when one of the sisters was really getting into her words.. she was using her hands for emphasis and using her voice.. is the best I can describe it.

I had time to wait for the Elders to get done with the baptisms and was sitting in the waiting room for a while. I love people watching. What a great place to people watch! Everyone is so smiley and happy! I was there long enough to see several of the temple workers come out and meet up with their spouses, that was very sweet, too.

One of my favorite stories from being in the temple was one time I was in the dressing room and some older lady came up to me and said something like, You have the most beautiful smile and then kissed me on the cheek. First, it made me day... year.. but where else could you have something like that happen to you - a complete stranger coming up to you and kissing you on the cheek and not be weirder out by it .. and it be normal and nice.

 Elder Pyne and Elder Bing

 1.24.15 

Seattle Temple

1.18.15

I’ve been doing all my paper work for quite a while now to be a para educator sub at the schools. Well, I finally got it all done and signed up and started! I’ve had 3 different jobs so far. Last week I worked at Olympic View Elementary and helped in the kindergarten class all day. I loved it. It was my favorite. The kids were good and it is close to my preschoolers ages. In fact, I was surprised to see one of my “old” preschoolers in the class, I had him for 2 years, so that was fun!

On Monday, I went to Horizons elementary school. It was fun, but not as fun as the other one. It was a little crazy because I was moving from class room to class room and I do not know my way around that school! Then on Wed, I went to NTHS! That was... different! I was given a schedule and had to walk in between classes like all the other kids. Good thing my classes weren’t too far away from each other. Let’s just say it was... interesting and I learned and observed a lot. There was a lot of swearing, couples and cell phones. I told this to my kids and they were like, yah...  I’m sorry you guys had to go thru that high school thing..

Monday was my birthday! It was a fun day for a few reasons. One of the best things about facebook is having a birthday. I had lots of wishes – texts, and phone calls with kind thoughts. I got to read lots of missionary letters on Monday, too. Bro. Shoop made me a nice steak dinner. We’re not big on getting each other big gifts. (I would rather pick out my own “stuff”) but we do like to make sure that meals are fixed and dishes are done for the person, and that is the best gift ever for me. Later in the week, a friend spoiled me and took me out to lunch and we got pedicures. That is one of the pictures, me and Sandy Falter. I’ve been blessed to have such good friends for many years! And today is Bro. Shoop’s bday. It is fun having our bdays close together. We’re excited because tomorrow is a holiday and we can sleep in and we’ll go out to lunch for our bdays.

Well, you’ve probably heard.. it has been crazy Seahawks crazy around here as they were playing today for a chance to go to the Superbowl AGAIN!! We are huge fans at our house. One of the pics is of Melissa in her gear. I also watch a couple of kids sometimes and they are CRAZY fans!! The little boy, Cruz is 3 and one of the pictures is of his haircut!! Did I say crazy enough?! haha

Last week we went to Jason’s baptism. His family has been super supportive of him! His mom sent ME a thank you card for supporting him! What a great family he has! I was thinking, I don’t think YOU(his mom) realize, I should be thanking you for supporting him! Amazing! Wouldn’t that be wonderful to have that kind of support when someone gets baptized and is the only member of their family! Maybe someday he won’t be the only one... (the picture is the thank you card she sent me)

As I have mentioned before, we have been blessed to have so many wonderful missionaries serve in our ward and have grown close to many of them. Adam Chichoski lives in Provo now – going to UVU and Stewart Kearney lives close also. They were companions in our ward. They got together and sent me a text with their picture. Then they came and picked up Melissa and the 3 hung out for a while. Melissa said she had so much fun with those 2. (The picture of Melissa and the 2 “boys”)

I know, sorry, I haven’t told you about the pictures in any particular order, but the last one black and white is me and my friend Katrina. She posted it to facebook for my bday. It was the year after I graduated from high school... Yes, I rocked the 80s hair.

Today was the first of our ward conferences of the year for my stake calling. Today’s was Lacey 1st ward. It’s kind of funny, the past year our stake goes in order.. so Lacey 1, then 2, and so on. As the stake primary, we did the sharing time. We talked about the Savior - sacrament and mostly how we should be acting and what kinds of things we can think about. Luckily, it went well. It really is a fun calling. I get to go to other wards, hear their bishop and our stake president talk. One of my favorite things is that we always sustain the prophet and apostles. What a blessing!

I hope everyone is doing well! We pray for you!

Love you!

Sis. Shoop

1.11.15

This week was a busy and exhausting week. We were spoiled with sleeping in and not doing much. Monday was a harsh awaking to reality! But it was a good week, too! The picture that is purple is what made my week! As Missionaries, I’m sure you know the importance and love of “snail” mail. Below is what I posted on Facebook about it.

I got this card in the mail today with no signature or return address that says, "Thank you for all you do. I hope you have a great day. Know that you are loved by many."
It made my day..week. .year! I'll save it! Thanks to whoever did this! Now time to figure out something to pay it forward!

Isn’t that awesome! I was really touched by this and then even more grateful and feeling blessed that I knew of a few people who it could have been!

I know.. I’m on Facebook too much... but anyways.. on Friday I saw that Adam Chichoski posted a picture of the Portland temple. I was confused since Melissa was just visiting with him since he just came to Provo to go to UVU in January. So, between several messages, I figured out that he came for his cousins wedding and was there. We were going to Eugene and were planning on stopping in Portland for a couple of hours, so we made arrangements to see him and go out to lunch with him. So fun and so unexpected! (Adam Chichoski served in our ward as a missionary last year & last Christmas ‘12 – the elders had spent all day with us. He went home this past summer to Vegas.)

So on to our fun news! We left Sat. morning, had lunch with Chichoski and then made it just in the nick of time for Jason’s baptism. I was sweating it a little. We had also stopped at the outlet stores and our gps told us we were to get there at 4:56 when it started at 5. It was an awesome experience! The room was full with people supporting him! His mom, gma, and brother were able to come also. They are very supportive and his older brother even mentioned that he is going to start looking into our religion. They said they were proud of him! So, that’s pretty awesome! Jason asked to bear his testimony at the end! Who does that?! He is so excited to be a member. It’s really awesome!!

Keagan, Bro. Shoop, and I spent the night in a hotel. That is pretty exciting stuff right there and a treat. They had flat screen tvs which was awesome because we are serious Seahawk fans and the game was on! We sacrificed a little of it for Jason’s baptism. 

Today, Sunday, was good also. We went to the YSA ward!!! hahaha   to see Jason’s confirmation. Of course it was wonderful! We were laughing at being in a ysa ward, though! The bulletin cracked us up, too. On the inside listed the callings, FHE specialist, housing coordinator, it seems like there was some more, too, that I cant remember. And of course, it was sooo quiet in there! No screaming babies. They meet in a institute building near the campus.

Big news, again, for Melissa. I figure at this time of life that happens often. She was all set to go to UVU in provo. She had set up her classes and was getting everything ready. But not everything was falling into place. She was wondering what was going on. Then, she got 2 letters of acceptance to 2 different colleges. Utah state in Logan and University of Utah (I think that is what its called.. ) in SLC. So, she has decided to choose one of them instead. She hasn’t made any choices yet, but will decide soon. She has several pluses and minus for both... so we’ll see. She said she wants to look and see what kind of programs they have to offer, which is better for what she wants to major in. (Sports marketing or marketing). The other good news was that she finally got a job! I laughed so much because she is not a morning person and it starts at 5 or 6 A.M.!!!!! It is at a sandwich shop called Kneaders. She said it is a lot like Panera. She does drive through and fixing smoothies and coffees.

One of the other fun things we did today.. Keagan thought it would be hilarious (and I think so, too) to go around to the different Oregon Ducks signs and Oregon signs and take his picture with them wearing his UW hoodie. oh my goodness.. that kid! oh, and another funny he said today while we were talking to Melissa... He was telling her about competing in DECA this coming week and what category he was going to compete in. He told her and then said, well, If, I were competing in picking up girls.... I could go to Nationals! hahahahahaha And in case you wanted to know.. he’s still texting that girl, Morgan.

The last picture is of our little family with out Miss, with Elder Pyne. He just got transferred to Silverdale. It was kind of funny because he stopped by to say goodbye and the boys in our family had already changed for the evening and I was still in my dress.

I love you all!!! So much! And you’re always in my prayers. Keep up the good works!

Love,

Sis. Shoop

1.4.15

Happy New Year!

It was fun hearing about everyone’s Christmas and talking with your families. From what I’ve heard it was wonderful and hard. Missionary work was good because of the Christmas season of giving and thinking of the Savior, but hard because people weren’t available.

Well, our little ball of energy left us Tuesday. Our home is a lot quieter. Since she left we have just been relaxing, vegging, watching movies and such. I think Keagan and I are in for a rude awaking tomorrow when school starts back up! Although it will be nice to have a schedule again. I think that is one of the great things about being a missionary is having a schedule to follow. I hope Keagan and I aren’t too grumpy... getting up early again! We’ve been sleeping in. At least we have something to look forward to! Next weekend is the baptism of Jason Agtrap! We are so excited to go to it! Eugene Oregon where he goes to school is about a 3.5 hour drive. We will drive down Sat. morning and spend the night and come home Sunday. So that will be a fun adventure!

New Year’s eve was pretty low key for us, too. We went to the Martins and played Apples to Apples disney version with their family while Keagan went to the stake dance. He is still talking/texting to this girl Morgan a lot and he was way excited to go to the dance to see her. He said that he danced with other girls, too. Its fun and funny watching him liking girls and such!

I forgot to mention we had the missionaries over on Christmas day. It was fun to have them, especially since we got to have them for more time. We played apples to apples with them, too. It is fun to get to know them better.

Yesterday I got to go to a couple of baptisms. I think I’ve mentioned it before, but one of the blessings of my stake primary calling is to go to the child of record baptisms. It’s always so great to feel the spirit and see families gathered together! We also had a ward  convert baptism. A woman named Jennifer Past. She has a 4 or 5 year old son that lives with her. I don’t know much about her, but that she has been coming the last couple of weeks. The missionaries I think met her tracting. It was really great and I’m looking forward to getting to know her!

Sorry, not much to write about. My week consisted of saying goodbye to Melissa, watching too much tv and folding laundry.  I don’t think I even have any pictures from this week.

Love ya!

Sis Shoop