Preston Goes to the Temple

Preston did baptisms in the Draper Temple for the first time today. Mike works at the temple every Thursday morning. He has done this for years. I remember when Jorja turned 12. Mike wanted her to do baptisms for the first time when he was working because all of his friends were there. His friends are all a lot older than him, so it makes me laugh. I love that he does this though. Anyway, Jorja, Preston and I headed to the temple early this morning. We got there about 5:50 and the place was packed! Oh boy. Once they started letting the kids in, the new temple president and his wife came out to shake the kids hands. When they got to Preston they said, "You must be Preston. I heard this is your first time here. Thank you so much for coming." and other things along those lines. I thought that was really cool. We did the confirmations first, then waited to be baptized. Mike baptized Jorja first. She stood on the side in her towel while she watched Preston get baptized. He was so dang adorable! Mike and Preston met Jorja and I in the hallway and walked us out. I was a failure and completely forgot to get a picture of the kids outside of the temple! Ahhhh!!!!! I was totally planning on it, but got distracted with Mike. When he met Jorja in the hallway he wanted to tell her his idea for her campaign next year. Jorja likes campaigns where she can dress up at school easily and campaigns that have a lot of puns. The first year she was a race car driver. The second year she dressed as a card dealer. Mike told her this year she could dress as a farmer. Then he started rattling off pun after pun. We were in the temple and laughing so hard! I can't remember all of them, but some of them were: Jorja won't quack under pressure. Jorja doesn't horse around. Keep Alta on track....tor. Preston added Jorja won't bail on you. The funniest thing was Mike's explanation as he was talking about them. I can't even do it justice so I won't even try, but we were crying from laughing so hard. So, that is why I forgot to get a picture of Preston in front of the temple. It's hard to be a good mom for your last child! I did make Jorja and Preston take a picture before they got out of their church clothes. Well, I made Preston put his shirt back on. He was thrilled with me. He loves me anyway though. I'm lucky!

Preston

 Preston & Jorja

One of my brothers sent this picture of a cereal that is coming out in December. They said it looked like something I would like. I sent the picture to Jorja in snapchat. Apparently she opened it in seminary and started laughing like crazy. Riley took her phone and replied to me that her phone was being a distraction. Whoops.

Jorja stayed after school in math to get some extra help for her test tomorrow. Too bad her teacher wasn't able to help her, the place was packed and she ended up leaving after thirty minutes with no help. She doesn't like not having Stockton around to help her anymore. I picked up Jorja and Traven after school. He wanted to come over to see the ducks. I was planning on taking Preston to diving, but I didn't want to leave when Traven was here. I just didn't feel good about that. Preston also came home a little hurt from pe. They are doing a lacrosse unit and he HATES it. He hates pe too. Maybe that will make him enjoy musical theater more next semester? (Preston didn't sign up for that and wasn't thrilled when he saw it, but I'm guessing he'll like it better than pe.) Anyway, we skipped diving today. I dropped Traven off at his house on the way to take Jorja to work.

Traven & Jorja

The ducks are getting way too big for the cage we have them in. We are nervous about putting them outside because they don't have their feathers yet. It is not working how we have them now though. Mike went and bought an extra heater, so tomorrow we are going to try and have them outside. I sent this picture to Jorja while she was at work.

Quacky Chan & Kiki

 Jorja sent me this back.

 Preston loves his duck too.

 Jorja & Kiki

Another problem we have with the ducks is their claws are too sharp. No one is affected by this more that Jorja. Probably because she is picking them up constantly. There is this app at school where people can report others who they think are suicidal. Jorja was reported when she was in middle school. The counselors pulled her out of class and talked to her before they talked to me. I was livid. I'm still mad when I think about it. Jorja had bruises from sliding in softball and someone said she was cutting herself. Jorja doesn't even have her ears pierced because she is so scared. If she was going to do self harm, that is not the way she would do it. I am still so mad about how the entire situation was handled. They made Jorja feel like she had done something wrong. She was nervous when they called her down. As soon as she walked into the office they made her hold out her arms to be examined. Ridiculous. Jorja was humiliated. Anyway, I wonder what would happen if she was reported now. Her arms look more like she has been cutting herself than they did the first time. I was there when these scratches happened, but yikes!

Jorja's arm

 Preston & Quacky Chan, Jorja & Kiki

 Jorja and her two favorite things. Kiki and her phone.

Mike has spent a lot of time figuring out duck diapers. I think he has a pattern now that will work. The ducks are growing so dang fast that they keep growing out of them! The kids love being able to cuddle them though.

Preston & Quacky Chan

 Jorja and Kiki and Quacky Chan FaceTiming Stockton trying to get help with math.

Jorja was so stressed when she went to bed. She was in tears. She is worried about her test tomorrow and says she doesn't understand anything. I was frustrated because why did she wait this long if she didn't understand it? I know she has gone before school several days, but still....math is something that you can't get behind in. Her job takes up so much time now that she needs to be more diligent about her homework. I hate that Jorja tells herself she isn't smart. She is. She just needs to not compare herself with Stockton when it comes to math. He was in a league of his own, and that's okay. I ended up sleeping with Jorja in the guest bed. She will be okay, she is just overwhelmed right now.