Robert's Graduation from 8th Grade

We are so proud of Robert's accomplishments as he has attended North Oldham Middle School.  Not only has he excelled in his academics; earning All A's  in 6th grade, in 7th and in 8th grade, but he also participated in the NOMS Cross Country team for three years, NOMS Soccer team three years and the NOMS track team this past year.  He improved every year that he participated in CC and Track, helping his CC team come in 1st place in the state meet, and placing 3rd for his team.  Outside of school, he also accomplished the rank of Eagle Scout while still in middle school.  He's made wonderful friends, developed his character and morals into the fine young man that he is today.  

The hard thing to believe is that he will officially be starting high school in August.  I just can't get my head to comprehend and process this.  He is ready no doubt - taking accelerated classes in middle school and working very hard.  He is just my youngest, and too petite to be entering the halls of the big kids in high school.  Robert barely passed 90 pounds this year.  Luckily, he has the smarts and the maturity to set my nerves at peace.

He will do great, as he has for the past three years!

Congratulations Robert on a great three years at North Oldham Middle School.  Your parents are so proud of you and all of your choices.  You are terrific!!

Robert with his mom - I'm so proud of you!

Robert with one of his best friends, Ryan Danehy

Robert, Blake Reitnauer and Ben Carper
boys from soccer

Robert with Max Miller and Ben O'Brien
Max and Ben run with Robert, and do scouts with him

Boys from the NOMS soccer team

After the graduation ceremony the students went back to their classes while I and several other volunteers put on the 8th grade lunch and field day.  Robert was with a great group of friends and had a blast on his last day of middle school!

State Cup in Bowling Green

We have three games in the state cup and hopefully 4 (championship).  However, it is over memorial weekend, and we are missing a few key players.

Conner went to the A team, Tenton is out injured - so that's a top scorer and a top defender.  Robert and Betsy drove down Saturday morning for Robert's 10 AM game.  We unfortunately are playing Robert's old team.  I would love to beat them, but I doubt it - it should be close, but without Tenton it might be difficult.  Well, it was awful... Javanon beat us 4-0.  They did a great job of anticipating the pass and they were very aggressive.

After our game Robert and I drove to Rough River lake to spend the weekend with Aaron and his family (what we could of it).  We boated and had a great time.  We had to leave the next day by 3:00 for his 6:00 game.

At 6:00 we played another very competitive team:  SKY 99.  It was another game just like the last one  We lost to SKY 4-1.  Our one goal was scored by Hayden from a free kick.  It gave us hope, but we just didn't have the defense.

Robert and Betsy drove home that night because Robert's last game isn't until 6:00 pm on Monday.  We are playing LSA.  We've played LSA three times and won every time.  Somehow, I don't have a good feeling about this.  It seems like our heads are down and we can't shake it.

Today Mark took Robert - they headed down.  He gave Robert a big pep talk.  He tried his best but the team still lost 4-2.
At least we scored on them twice.  It was better.  One of their goals was very controversial.

Terrible weekend for the team

Trent in the hospital

Rough River Lake trip with the Greens

Robert often goes down to "the Lake" with the Greens.  They have a house on Rough River Lake - the got it about 4 years ago and it has been a source of family vacation and joy for them.  

This weekend they invited Robert to go to the lake with them, but it also fell on Memorial Weekend - which, this year, happens to also be the State Cup championship for Robert's Soccer team in Bowling Green, KY.  They were so nice - they offered for us to stay there instead of staying in Bowling Green.  It was only 1 - 1 1/2 hours drive away, so we were thrilled to take them up on their offer.  Robert's games were very spread out - 10:00 on Saturday and then not until 5:00 the next day.  

As soon as we arrived at the lake on Saturday they were ready to spoil us on the lake.  Harley and Alex took Robert on a Jet Ski ride.  On the way back - awe!!!!  Robert's driving.  How cool is that.  Harley said he had a lot of learning to do ...

Robert driving the Jet Ski

Wow - look at them go

After a short time - while Maureen and I unloaded the food and fun stuff for the boat, Harley put the Jet Ski away and we took the boat out.  SUPER FUN!!!

At first we loaded the boys into the tube - They had a blast!  Harley likes to give them a ride for their lives.

Look at them fly

Robert in the middle

Rough River is a huge lake that is a dammed up river ... so it's in the shape of swollen rivers leading into a bigger river (which is what it is). :)  After driving them around for a nice long time, we stopped at the cliffs to do some jumping.  Robert loved it - I always worry a little.

Ready ... Set ...

Go!

After a great day on the lake, Maureen and I go in to prepare dinner (I go back and forth helping Harley bring in things from the boat ride, and helping her).  They are amazing hosts - I had to hunt to find things to do to be helpful.  While we cleaned up and prepared for dinner the boys went outside to play soccer (go figure).

They also play cards and chess inside.

And Corn Hoe outside.

The next day we are back on the boat again.  

First on the water is Harley - he finally has a chance to waterski.  He's very good

Second is Robert on the Wake Board

Then Aaron on the Wake Board

And Alex - way to go!!!

 And finally some tubing for some fun!

Third Week for Jessica

Kumusta Pamilya ko!

 

Mahal kita! I love you all soooo much and you all are such good examples to me. It sounds like life is wonderful in the great state of Kentucky, as per ususal, and summer has begun! I can't believe that Devon has graduated from High School and will be going to BYU in the fall!!! It seriously feels not that long ago that I was right there... crazy how much the time flies. Speaking of- Robert goes to High School next year??? Ya I don't think so.  He's my baby bro! He can't go to High School! Uhh I feel so old now haha. I heard Marissa totally rocked the State track meet as well as her AP tests/ finals which doesn't surprise me one bit. She's pretty much perfect in every way haha. Shout out to my sibs- You guys are so amazing and I love you all so much!! Seriously so proud of you! Oh and try not to have too much fun or grow while i'm gone haha :)

 

So this week at the MTC has been awesome!! I really feel settled in here and feel like I know what's going on and can help out my new girls that have just come into the MTC. Being a sister training leader is hard work, but SO much fun! Everynight I get to go around to each girls room and just sit down and talk to them about their lives and be their friend. We have a couple girls who have come a long way from home and are in culture shock, struggle with learning Tagalog, or are homesick, or miss their boyfriends or dog or whatever the case and it feel so great to be able to help them and comfort them and talk them through it because I know they can do it and I know that the Lord knows they can do it. He has helped me SO much since I've been here it's honestly just incredible. I don't think I've ever prayed so hard in my life or for so many times a day, but I can truly feel the love of my heavenly father for me when I pray and the blessings of being a missionary in my life. Guys the gospel is just so good! It brings so much joy and happiness into people's lives including mine and I just want to share it with everyone I know! I just want everyone to feel as happy as I do :) Earlier this week when we were teaching our investiagtor I bore my testimony to him of the truthfulness of the gospel and that If he prayed sincerely and with faith to his father in heaven, he would know with assurity that the gospel is true and that once he knew that, he would want to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized and feel of God's love for him. At that moment I felt so much love for this person and knew that God loves him and eac and every one of us. He really is in the details of our lives and cares about our individual wants and needs. It was super cool because I didn't even know I could say all that in 100% Tagalog until I said it, but the Lord helped me and made it possible. You could just feel the spirit so strong in the room and when the Rizolito looked back at me he said that he knew it was true because he could feel it in his heart and he wants to be baptized and have the Gospel in his life.  We were all so happy and I can't wait to go to the Philippines in 2 1/2 weeks and be able to teach the people there and make them feel of God's love for them.

 

I love you all so much!!!!!! I seriously have the BEST family in the whole wide world and I'm glad I'm stuck with you all forever :) Mahal kita friends and family, you all have made me a better person and I wouldn't be who I am today without you. Your examples and friendship mean so much to me and I LOVE hearing from you while i'm here because I miss you and love you! Keep being wonderful and be happy- because there is just so much to be happy about :) Mom, I love how you end all of your dear elders with "every day is a new day :)" It's so true. We can all start over everyday and try to be better than the day before and choose to be happy :)

 

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Mahal kita!

 

Sister Lowe

First game against Radcliffe

Radcliffe is the highest ranked team in the league right now with us and United right on their heals.  They have one very good player and the rest of the team sends him the ball.  It was a very ugly game - physically pushy.  Robert went up for the ball and someone undercut him.  He fell hard.  He had to go out of the game, but then Coach Pedro let him back into the game.  Coach Pedro said he didn't know his birthday but then it came to him - he was a little concerned, but you know how men are …

Anyway we held the team.  We were 0-0 at half.  Robert started the play where tanner scored in the second half.  1-1.  Then in the last 3 minutes of the game, Simeon scored on a fast play.

Unfortunately we lost 2-1.

Second game against United

What an amazing game.  We lost to United 2-0 last time we played them.  They scored in the first 5 minute and the last 5 minutes.  It was so sad - it was so cold.

Anyway - today we are out for revenge.  Robert started the game.  He did fantastic - making great passes to fellow teammates.  We scored, and then scored again, and again.  It was so exciting.  The first half ended 3-0.  The second half was very intense but scoreless.

Final score! 3-0

Second game against LSA

Win 3-0

Robert started the play of the first goal and had the assist to tanner on the second goal.  Ethan had a header for the third goal.

Track and Field State Runner Up

Amazing!!!  Truly Amazing - the goal of the NOHS girls track team was to try to take 3rd place.  6 years ago we were 14th or so, then 3 years ago we were 4th - big jump - new coach - new approach - excellent results ... that was Jessica's senior year.  That year there were 11 seniors and we lost a huge talent pool, but a new talent pool came in - namely we got Marissa!!  Last year, even without those 11 seniors we took 5th.  It was a little disappointing knowing we had 4th last year but still 5th in the state.  This year our goal was to take 3rd.  We have several amazing athletes, 7 seniors, and athletes in every event.

We took 1st place at Regionals (again) so the fight is on.  Right from the start the team did amazing.  The girls 4x800 team came in 3rd place with a time of 9:58.99.  Interestingly they took 3rd but had a better time than Jessica's teams that took 2nd place with at time of 10:01.16.  They broke the school record.  Then Bri took 2nd in the hurdles ... and the day went on like this.  Haley Oliver took 4th in Pole Vault, Bri took 4th in the Long Jump, Nicole Moeller took 3rd in the 400 and Erin Olsson took 5th.  Erin Edmondson took 4th in the 800 and Ali Hall took 7th with a PR of 2:26.

At 7:50 the 3200 M started.  Marissa got off to a fantastic start.  She is ranked 15th - she has the toughest competition of the whole meet; Gabriella Karas, Paducah Tilman, Grace Whitroth, East Bullitt, Presentation ...  all amazing runners that she faced at the XC State Championship where she finished 13th.  

Great start

Amazing - Marissa in in front of Grace!  Go Marissa!

Right behind Grace - good place

Right here Marissa got trapped on the inside of about 11 runners with 4 in front of her.  She was devastated, but still ran her heart out.   You can see the pack starting to trap her.

Keeping a good pace

Just one more lap to go

Sprinting the finish

Go Marissa

And look at her stride

Passing

Great Job!!!

Marissa took 14th place with a time of 12:07.  It's crazy because a time of 12:11 took 7th place last year.  She did great.  She didn't medal but she is still in the top 15 state fastest distance runners.  She ran against some National Elite runners - Gabbie ran 11:07.

After her race the 4x400 is the last race.  We had a dramatic finish for the girls to take 3rd place.  In a total team effort - the NOHS Girls take 2nd place at STATE.  They are the STATE RUNNER UPS!  It's just so unbelieveable because we didn't even know we could do that.  It's just like 2 years ago when we went from being 14th to 4th place.  AWESOME!!!  AMAZING!!!

Team Photo

STATE RUNNER UPS!

Distance Runners

Katie, Marissa, Makenzie and Kelsey

Marissa is so excited - not only are they state runner ups, but she can lift Makenzie!

Celebrating a VICTORY!