Happy Easter Indeed

 

From ChurchofJesusChrist.org
The linked video speaks of a coming day.
I think that coming day can be any day we turn to Christ.

Easter Monday is not widely celebrated in the United States, or even in all of Christianity. Yet I feel today to share some of the things I’ve been learning over the past week about our Savior, Jesus Christ, and His original Holy Week.

Two great commandments

At his last meal, as Jesus began to feel the heaviness of the atonement that would commence that night, he washed his apostles’ feet and taught them, as a new commandment, to love one another. (John 13:4-5 & 34) This was a message he had been preaching as the second of the two great commandments, to love God completely, and to love each other. (Mark 12:28-34 illustrates nicely how the commandment to love supersedes the law of Moses.) This year I’m seeing how Christ felt about his Father. He loves our Heavenly Father completely and he knows Him perfectly. That Jesus was willing to suffer at the hands of the Jews and the Romans, and at the hands of all the rest of us who will enter into an atonement relationship with him where his perfect empathy lets him experience all our suffering with us—that he is willing to do that so he can take us back to Father says a lot about how much he loves our Father in Heaven. Jesus looks forward to the reunion he prepares for each of us who will come. (See also 3 Nephi 17:15-20 in which the multitude hears and sees Jesus pray to the Father for them, and he and they are filled with joy.)

Jesus forsaken

In John 16:32, at the last supper, Jesus prophesied that his disciples would scatter in his hour of need, “every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.” In light of how much Jesus trusts and loves the Father, I think his most difficult moment in that holy week must have been on the cross. As prophesied, his disciples had scattered, betrayed or denied him, leaving him in a very lonely place to experience his greatest agony. He had always communed with his Father, but then, in what must have been an unforeseen and shocking moment, the Father also withdraws. Matthew and Mark recorded Christ’s lament: Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34) He had willed his body to live through the soul-wrenching pains of Gethsemne all the way to the cross until the ninth hour. But when the Father withdrew, abandoning Jesus in that misery, it was more than Christ could bear. He cried in anguish and released his body unto death.

Jesus had never sinned, and so he had never been spiritually separated from the Father. He knows that the Father is always present for His children. Like the prodigal son, we too often shut the Father out as we turn away to pursue our own lusts. But Jesus never turned away, so the Father was always there. And yet, I think he knew in that moment of loneliness that it was also necessary. When we turn away from God, we often misunderstand the situation completely and wonder why God has forsaken us. To be in atonement with us, to have perfect compassion and empathy, Christ needed to know how it felt to be separated from the Father.

Original grace

The more I study Jesus’ condescension and sacrifice, which enable the everlasting atonement, the more I believe that my former understanding is incorrect. There is a prominent theory of atonement known as penal substitution. I won’t go more into it than to quickly summarize that this theory says Christ reconciles us to the Father by substituting himself in the place of the sinner and taking our punishment upon himself. The more I study scripture the less that explanation resonates with me. Last year I twice read a book by Adam Miller titled Original Grace, which posits that punishment is not necessary to appease the demands of justice or the enactment of mercy. (I highly recommend that book if you want to consider other ways that Christ’s atonement works.) Regardless of feeling good about original grace, there is an oft-quoted scripture passage that didn’t make sense to me…until yesterday’s Easter Sunday. 

It’s in Doctrine and Covenants 19:10-20; here are five verses at the crux of how I think the atonement is misinterpreted:

15 Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.

16 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;

17 But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;

18 Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—

19 Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men. 

That passage lines up nicely with the penal substitution theory of atonement, at least from one perspective. But what if suffering isn’t required by justice? And what if Jesus’ work for us is based in his love for the Father and his desire to take us back to our Heavenly Parents?

Yesterday, my celebrations of Easter Sunday gave me new eyes for this scripture. I write the following with no intent to blaspheme, and I hope you won’t consider it heresy. This post is not an invitation to debate. I welcome other ideas, if you want to kindly share those, but I’m only in a place of discovery right now and am not interested in arguing any point.

Here’s how I might rewrite the passage to explain my increasing understanding:

15 Therefore, I ask you as powerfully as I can to please repent—repent, lest the words of my mouth, and my process of bringing about justice for your victims fall on you like smiting, condemning blows, and when you realize and internalize all the pain you’ve created for yourself and others, your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.

16 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they and you might not suffer if they and you would repent by turning to me and accepting my grace and healing at my hand;

17 But anyone who will not repent and come into relationship with me, anyone who decides to shoulder the consequences of their actions on their own, will suffer even as I;

18 Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—that’s how impossibly difficult to bear is the hurt that you’ve created willfully or ignorantly.

19 Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men--unto you, if only you will turn to me and let me empathize and love you and teach you how to love one another, and thus relieve your suffering.

I don’t claim my understanding to be whole yet, but I do think the connotation I’ve typed in agrees with the Lord’s original wording in the scripture passage.

This shift in my understanding came as I thought about how I’ve experienced relief in suffering. In almost every instance when I’m feeling despondent, it is alleviated when someone I love meets me in that place, demonstrates that they understand my pain or at least why I’m in pain, and then stays with me through it. Having experienced all of it, Jesus Christ knows how to offer that relief from my suffering. The circumstances may not change, but He bears it with me, and it is no longer painful to me. 

To me, that is a great message of hope! Christ experienced all types of sorrow that mankind could ever experience. I believe that His atonement enables Him to continue to experience our lives with us. He knows our sorrows, and he knows how to perfectly succor us in our sorrows, hurts, guilt, and pain. (Alma 7:11-13) His pleading with us is that we turn to him in repentance, accept his guidance through the Holy Ghost, and let Him heal us and all those we’ve hurt, let Him unify us in love, and let Him take us back to our Heavenly Home.

Happy Easter indeed.

Winning - Part 2

Our children were raised with the expectation that by September 1 following their 18th birthdays, they would move out of our house and take that big step into adulthood. Accordingly, in April of their senior year, Gwen and Alessandro signed contracts for housing next to Utah Valley University. Gwen had a scholarship and Ale was still on track to graduate high school and attend college for FAFSA free, so the location made sense. However, when I learned they each had committed to pay a monthly rent almost equal to my mortgage payment, Kent and I rethought our expectations. Gwen was making some money doing tattoos, but she wasn't sure what she wanted to study in college. Ale had given up on my budgeting lessons and some short-lived fast food jobs and instead depended on side hustles to bring in extra income--when he wanted it. I worried that their rent obligations would bury them. We decided to offer less expensive rent at home, and they were content to stay. 

When fall semester rolled around, Gwen still didn't have a strong leaning toward any particular major. She was staying busy with her growing business, and quite enjoyed the daily interactions with clients. Along with her inking line work, Gwen has a gift for making people feel comfortable and heard. After attending one day of classes at UVU, she decided to drop college and stick with the work she was enjoying. Between having a mom who has done bookkeeping professionally, a dad who is a small business coach, and a best friend who was showing his gift for coaching and marketing, she was already set to get all the education she would need for her business.

Ale dove head first into classes and quickly learned that with his sleep habits, getting to campus by a certain time was not going to work. He reworked his schedule to take only online classes, and started to pick up a variety of digital editing and marketing jobs, mostly for friends but also for a local landscaping business that wanted a presence on social media. 

Ink by Gwen studio

With Ale's help, Gwen's business began to boom last winter. It was clear that she could support herself, and he was on his way too. We liked having Gwen and Ale around--especially #5, who had an unfounded fear of being the last kid at home with Mom and Dad--so I wondered when and how to nudge them from our nest. For Gwen, the quick answer was to first help her professionalize her business. With tax season last spring, Gwen learned the advantages of separating business income and expenses from her personal ones, and with a rent push from me, it took her only a few days to find a new studio location in Orem. She got to work furnishing and styling the place to her aesthetic and created a really cozy, beautiful space for her and her clients to enjoy.

Alessandro was thriving in the classes that were specific to his digital marketing major, and was passing the rest of them. It was a good sign. He continued to feed his mind with podcasts, books (he started a self-help book club), and other projects where he could learn the topics that most interested him. We offered both kids young adults a rent discount for any month in which they did some sort of mental health therapy and at least two weekly reviews with me. Ale took advantage of this, but, as with all things, he did it his way. Rather than traditional therapy, he found a mentor to help him with affirmations and added in reflective time for himself to write in a journal and/or take a solo walk outside. For someone who spends most of his hours in front of a computer screen, usually with a friend or two or five hanging around in the background, quiet alone time was therapeutic.

Ale also legitimized his business, Exclomedia. He went through a collection of different clients, coaching and building their online brands. Some he got burned by (there's a millionaire influencer out there who still hasn't paid him). Some weren't disciplined enough to put in their own consistent effort, which an online presence demands. All of them were his teachers. And he was a quick learner. Kent invited him to a couple networking events with business owners, and Ale ate it all up. (Plus, his angels showed up there as well as in other ways, but that goes beyond the scope of this post.)

Over the summer, they both took initiative in new ways, and I knew they were outgrowing us. Ale opted in to summer classes, which is a big deal for someone who had to drag himself to high school. Gwen had her first solo airline flight, treating herself with a spontaneous weekend trip to California to meet up with Ale and other friends there. In July she began car shopping, weighing the cost and reliability of various models. With his eyes on a future new car and investment property, Ale signed up for a credit card, and (thankfully) let me scare him into managing it well. (When I explained all the ways that creditors milk their customers, he said, "[Dang], I should start a credit card company!") I knew it was time to cut the proverbial apron strings. Utah rents weren't coming down, but they each could now afford to live on their own. I congratulated Gwen and Ale on their progress over the past year and told them September 1 marked their move-out requirement. 

Excited to be driving their stuff away from my house!

Within a matter of days, they found an apartment with three private rooms to share with a third roommate, their friend Kamille who also lived with us for a few weeks last winter. The place came unfurnished, but they were ready to take it on and they each went to work designing their spaces. Ale bought new computer equipment and created the perfect work-and-study-from-home office/bedroom suite. Gwen's space is serene, the perfect place to rest after spending all day chatting with people. She set up a meal subscription to ensure she eats healthy food. Ale keeps up at the gym. They each are competing with me for the highest credit score. (I have the advantage of time in my 830+ score, but they are hot on my tail.) And this week, when her poor hand-me-down, 23-year-old Mazda wouldn't start, Gwen finally let it go and bought herself a Tesla. (They took me for a spin that first night, and I said, "Gwen, you finally have air conditioning!" She answered with a delighted realization, "And a stereo!" Simple pleasures.)

It's not that young adulthood is proving to be easy. When they come over for weekly dinner, it's good to hear that they each deal with the difficulties of life that we all do: doctor appointments, car maintenance, landlord issues, etc. The gift for all of us is that I no longer feel the need to help or advise them. I'm happy to give it if they want it, and I like it when they ask, but they are proving through grit and good attitudes that they've got this!

Winning - Part 1

When #5 was born, I felt certain that our family was complete. And for 15 years it was. Adding sons-in-law has been a wonderful and different type of expansion, but I didn't expect to be raising any other young adults. It turns out that God had different thoughts about this.

senior, sophomore, senior

When Gwen (#4) was a junior in high school, she introduced me to some new friends she'd met at school, Alessandro and Nick. Their friend groups overlapped some, and we saw the two of them with increasing regularity that spring. Around the end of junior year, Ale learned that his family would be moving out of state. Gwen was devastated, and she reported that he was quite depressed about the change too. Ale had done considerable personal work on himself that year, and he wanted to keep his Utah residency, finish high school in Provo, and then attend UVU. I remember talking with Gwen about this new friend moving and feeling surprised at how sad she was because they hadn't known each other long. But I was even more surprised when the Spirit put a very clear thought in my mind: "Invite Ale to live with you." I talked it over with Kent. Neither of us knew Ale all that well, but Kent was willing to follow this direction I'd received from God. Gwen remembers coming up with this same solution, but I suggested it to her before she asked me. And so Alessandro came into our household in July 2021.

The first few months had some really fun and enjoyable moments, but overall they were pretty rough for all of us. I was excited to parent Ale the way I'd parented my other kids. We would do weekly reviews and I'd coach him in academic success, budgeting, goal setting, and anything he wanted to talk about. He seemed willing to try my ways, but a lot of resistance showed up too. Change is hard, and I was asking for a lot of change.

In November, Ale expressed this resistance by saying he didn't want my parenting. He was fine thinking of me as a mentor, but not a mom. That came as a punch in the gut. I'd put some things on hold to step up my mom game for their last school year, and I didn't know any other way of raising kids. To me, the processes of mentoring teens and raising my kids to be successful young adults looked the same, and I was working with Ale the way I worked with the rest of them. Yet he didn't want to be considered part of the family.

The adjustment was tricky for Gwen, too. Until Ale could trust me and Kent, she was the go-between, talking to him and then telling us what how he was doing. Their own friendship was strained as she figured out relationships with her other friends who still wanted her time, which was now mostly given over to Ale.

Kent quickly came to connect with and love Alessandro, but for me it took half a year. When he left to spend the Christmas holidays with his sister, I missed him. And I felt true motherly love for him when he returned. Ale felt that same shift, and the new year marked a change in our relationship. I can't speak for him, but I sensed that he was finally comfortable being part of our household, and no longer considered himself just a boarder.

Looking back at that time two years ago, I think of it as both messy and wonderful. Senior year is already a stressful time, and adding a new family dynamic took intentional work and love. But that work paid off, and eventually we came to consider Ale to be a bonus kid. He doesn't call me "Mom", and there is still a degree of separation, but in some ways we are closer than I am with my other children. Alessandro is a deep thinker, questioner, and feeler. He expresses himself well and when he chooses to share something with me, I trust that it's the truth. Ale is extremely self-motivated, loves learning, and will try all sorts of projects to see how they might stretch and teach him. As he's put good practices in place and honed in on his personal values and morals, he's developed the skill of being a mentor to his peers. More on that in "Winning Part 2".

In the months leading up to Gwen's senior year, when she made some decisions that made me sad for her, I was thrown for a loop. Among other things, her choice to stop attending church or to even identify as Christian was a big one--in my mind. In my 23 years of mothering, I'd thought the gospel and our faith was the greatest thing I could give my children. In prayer, when I asked Heavenly Father how I could still teach Gwen while also respecting her agency, the simple answer came with power into my mind and heart: "Just love her better."

When I realized that Gwen's choices weren't threatening to God, and that she was still Their same beloved daughter, I felt the burden of my own concerns lifted. Kent similarly felt to give more attention to his relationship with Gwen, and we both got better at loving her well. But I still needed to learn that God's way are not our ways.

Alessandro came into our lives around this same time that we were strengthening our relationships with our daughter. As he worked on himself, Ale shared his epiphanies with Gwen and became a coach for her, too. This was another complicated process, partly because I still had much I wanted to teach in her last year with us, and I felt like he was crowding me out. On the other side of it, though, I can seen that Ale had a very positive influence on Gwen. He and his friends liked our nightly family devotionals, and so Gwen started participating in family things more willingly. He showed her that we could stand up to questions about the gospel and our faith, and still be loving and respectful of his beliefs and her disinterest. And Ale came with a crew of new friends who were supportive and positive influences for our daughter.

Senior year was also a time for Gwen to explore what she wanted to become. When she and Ale got some parent-release classes, she pulled him along into our version of home school. She put good effort into our combined study of Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. Gwen filled an internship at A Child's Hope and then at a local flower shop. When she expressed a desire to try her hand at tattooing, Ale bought her a gun and let her practice on him. She explored her interests and healthy habits, worked through some things with a therapist, and by the end of senior year, with Ale's help, she had built a considerable clientele with her tattooing. 

The best part about that unexpected senior year was the acceptance and love that grew in our home. Ale encouraged Gwen to talk to us. I know she didn't open up about everything, but Kent and I have been surprised at how bringing Ale into our home deepened our relationship with Gwen. Heber, too, finally gained a brother who would share clothes, body building techniques, and life advice. Overall, we are all more vulnerable with each other, respectful of each other, and loving. 

As it turns out, God knew what He was doing when He asked us to add Alessandro to our family.

Ale is not a morning person, so we never saw him

at Sunday brunch, but here's a favorite moment.

A Letter for a Heroine's Journey

Dear Andrya,

Andrya built the custom over-the-toilet shelf herself!

Twenty-six years ago I was where you are now--sort of. Though you and I both left home for good at the beginning of a new Fall semester, your entry to adult independence has also been different than mine. Where I turned a metal key in a door handle lock, you waved a FOB. My door opened to a cramped circa-1965 dorm room where I shared a corded phone with my cousin. You entered a full apartment that smells of drywall and primer and set your handheld computer (cell phone) on a newly assembled nightstand in your private bedroom before heading into the en-suite bathroom. 

It’s not just our on-campus housing that differs. You’ve been jumping feet-first into autonomy (and then skinny dipping in it) from your early tweens. Where navigating an airport alone as a forty-something still causes me unease, you’ve already thrice hopped unaccompanied and without phone service around the Americas--hello New York City, Bogota, and Ensenada! Where I feel incapacitated by my single language, you feel free to immerse yourself in any culture to learn it.

I stand in awe of you in many ways. True awe.

It’s also not just your sense of adventure. Your charmed life baffles me too. I know you earned a lot of A’s, but the fact that a pandemic conspired to get you one more semester toward your cumulative 4.0 with almost no work on your part is pretty amazing. Apparently karma thinks you earn A’s in AP Calculus and AP Spanish by making your own prom gown and listening to novels. The universe, it seems, has organized around giving you a four-year, full-ride scholarship with honors discounted housing to boot! 

Notice where her textbook landed!

You pulled together your graduation
in the last week of school.

    

Your teachers, counselors, extended family and friends have filled your childhood education with expectations of college and fears of what may become of those who instead choose entrepreneurship or technical training. Despite their insistent voices, Dad and I thought you might be the child to take that alternative course, to refuse the scholarships and head into the wide world with an online programming job that could support your globetrotting. However, since the path you are taking now is somewhat familiar to me, perhaps I can offer advice as you step out of our home and into adulthood.

First, are you experiencing some hesitation to moving out and on? For someone who doesn’t feel sentimental about leaving home, you’re taking a long time to do it. Your older sisters each moved completely out in a day. You’ve been sleeping at your apartment for nine nights, but you keep coming back. Do your dozens of houseplants that continue to litter our house mean that you’re not quite ready to go? Is it reluctance to let go of childhood, or is eating here part of a game to see how long you can go without buying your first groceries? We’re happy to feed you, but we also want you and your houseplants to feel fully settled in your new space. So roll out that yoga mat, do some sun salutations and shavasana next to the huge window in your new bedroom, and maybe invite a roommate to join you. Accept that space fully as yours. It will be a refuge on the days that are tough, and a place to create memories with your new college family.

Speaking of days that are tough, the years ahead will bring new challenges. Covid19-forced online classes are not ideal. Find ways to engage anyway. Some of your professors will be annoying. Be grateful for the ones who become trusted advisers. Customers of whatever part-time job you take will treat you as an object. See them as people despite their blindness.

We all experience misfortunes through life’s phases. In this one, maybe it will simply be the stresses of academic tests and projects and deadlines. Perhaps society’s “covid new normal” will bring you anxiety, depression, or loneliness. Maybe an illness will beset you or a loved one. Or your belief system and values will be tested and found wanting. Whatever it is, it will be something. That’s one of the guarantees of life. That’s also where you’ll find your best growth.

You are the daughter of a prevention-focused mother and a promotion-focused father. You are more like Dad in this way, but I can tell you that some misfortunes can be avoided through good planning. Figure out your budget, and stick to it. Stay on top of your car’s maintenance and remember to turn off the headlights when you park. Get your flu shot and your rest. And I know you’ve learned that teachers’ deadlines are flexible, but sometimes in college and work, they are not. Plan your time, and don’t let the belief that a deadline can be massaged trip you up once it’s too late to renegotiate.

With that all said, your father would add that there are four types of people in this world. I am in the smart and hard-working quadrant. You and he are in the smart and lazy corner. I don’t understand how people in your corner operate without taking preventive measures in the details of life, but I will acknowledge that it seems to be working for you.

If it doesn’t, though, my best advice is that you have a working relationship with God in place for when the setbacks come. Let Them into your life. Whether that’s taking hikes in our beautiful mountains, meditating in UVU’s Reflection Center, studying scripture alone or with an Institute class or with our family on Sundays, find ways to turn to the Parents who love you better than your dad and I can. Learn how God communicates with you. They will guide you in your finances, relationships, schoolwork...whatever you choose to share with Them. Partner with Christ in the work you pursue, and the Spirit will magnify your efforts.

The whole point of existence is to find that the adversity of life shows us how weak and fragile we are--and then, if we face it, it strengthens us. In the university arena, I hope you’ll learn from my mistake. I hope you’ll let go of wanting to prove that you’re a winner at the game of school and instead get to the business of learning. Delve into the knowledge and mentorship available to you at the university, and find what speaks to you. Don’t approach mid-terms and finals with late-night cramming and the least possible work to get the grade you want. Let those tests show you what you’ve learned, and then keep building on that. Discover your gifts, your genius. Develop those to share and improve whatever spheres you influence. You can go through the motions of school, or you can rise above the grades and become a lifelong student, giver, and teacher. We already know you have the brains and the charm. I invite you to bring the work and the curiosity to find out what adulthood has to teach you, what you can offer the world, and who you become in the process.

I can’t wait to see what you do with the life ahead of you! I already feel privileged to have a front-row seat.

Love always,

Mom

A Letter to the Faculty and Staff of Freedom Preparatory Academy

Dear Freedom Preparatory Academy,

As my youngest child finishes eighth grade and moves on to our school district's high school, our family's fifteen years at Freedom Prep Academy come to a close. This is a good opportunity to thank all of you for the parts you have played in helping to raise my five children.

Kassidy, my oldest who is now 21, began second grade at FPA in 2005. She built friendships in elementary school that have lasted through the years, and she still gets together with some of those early friends. Madelyn, now 20, attended Kindergarten through sixth grade and was able to take advanced subjects through the elementary years that set her up well for the gifted program in middle and high schools. Andrya, 18, graduated from high school this week, but got her start working the system in Kindergarten where, we're convinced, she influenced the uniform policy to specify that dresses and pants could not be layered together! Gwen, 16, benefited from a long series of loving teachers through all her years at FPA. And Heber, 14, leaves having tried a wide variety of classes and extracurricular activities through his years.






We were initially attracted to the school for its focus on good nutrition and the excellent curriculum, especially the leveled math learning. The academics, teams, and other events at Freedom Academy have served my children well. As I think about our years with all of you, I realize there are more enriching activities than I can remember--but here are some of the offerings that our family enjoyed:

The 6th-grade etiquette dinner, which morphed into the annual Valentine lunch.

Eagle Service Unit.

Mother-daughter activities in the library (I think they were offered on Saturdays for a while).

Dances for older grades as the first children at the school aged.

Mock trial, which I had so much fun coaching!

Class parties and spirit competitions--crazy hair day was always a favorite!

Required Spanish classes, which introduced Andrya and Madelyn to their now fluency in the language.

Choirs, violin, visual, and other art classes.

Teachers and administrators who practiced Love and Logic. I know showing love in the classroom can be fraught with peril these days, but I appreciate the younger-grade teachers who gave my kids daily hugs, and the upper-grade teachers who gave high expectations and reasonable consequences.

Middle school classes that included robotics and digital media.

Science fairs, creative reports, and math competitions.

Programs such as Hope of America singing, end-of-year celebrations, and the Fourth-Grade Utah presentation (which I loved, but I did get my fill after five rounds.) ;-)

Essay contests and spelling bees.

Ballroom team, then class, and competitions.

Shakespeare Festival and school plays.

Sports, including after-school karate, track and field, cross-country, and Ultimate Frisbee.

As a parent, I've appreciated the administration's listening ear and willingness to try new things. Mrs. Herring and Mr. Ivie always opened time for me to visit when I had a concern or idea, and I love that the board is open to parent input. Some of my personal best memories have come through my volunteer hours, especially in coaching mock trial teams and the student council in the high school's beginning years. I love that the Mexico trips have become a tradition and that new teachers and parents pick up the work it takes to coordinate that each year. I am grateful for the friendships I've made with other parents and staff members.

Many of the teachers and staff who have influenced our family are no longer with the school, but we extend our thanks to all FPA team members past and present. It's been an amazing ride to watch the school grow, evolve, and expand, both in its physical facilities and its approach to teaching and enriching the lives of children. It's a great thing that an increasing number of children and families can be blessed through the Freedom Academy experience as we have been. We are sad to be leaving the Freedom Prep family, but we wish you all many more years of success in helping to form future generations.

With thanks and much love,
Mary and Kent White Family