On November 3rd I voted in the General Election for President of the United States. The major-party candidates were President Donald Trump, Republican, and Joe Biden, Democrat. As I exited the cafeteria, a voting volunteer asked me to state my name. I don’t remember having to do this before and it caused an emotional response of gratitude for the right to vote.
And for the right as a woman to vote.
And gratitude for the constitution and for this one nation under God.
There’s no comma. Barb Ott (now Barb Clark) taught me to always remember to never pause between the words ‘nation’ and ‘under God’ in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Right now, our country is observing and experiencing suppression of freedom of speech and censorship, voter fraud, rioting, political division like we've never seen before. The nation is very divided and definitely not all 'under God'.
I was glad Tom went across the street with Matthew to vote at the local High School, Rocky Mountain, for his first time ever. I was juggling work and meetings, so I went earlier in the day. Another first for Matt was his first BYU car rally for the Cougar football team playing here in Boise. We grabbed our flag and lined up along the street to honk, wave, and cheer as the team drove past in busses to the game.
We all went to the car rally as a family, but Tom has also been intentionally spending a lot of alone time with Matthew before he leaves on his mission, which I fully support especially when he spends that time doing things that I am uneasy with like car racing and Krav Maga.
Matt worked at a car dealership over the past few months to save money to pay for his mission. The experience he gained was remarkable and unforgettable.
According to Matt:
“I just calculated this...
The shoes I’m wearing right now have touched the pedals of $15 million+ worth of cars!
My shoes feel so expensive now!”
During the last week of work, a co-worker driving in a local stock car race offered him free tickets to the race, so Tom and Matt went together and I had a peaceful night at home taking a bath and reading books.
Tom also went with Matt for his green belt pre-test in Krav Maga on November 5th. (Three + hours of hard work!) The owner of the Krav Maga gym has scheduled a special test just for Matt before he leaves on his mission since Matt will miss the next scheduled test in Feb. 2021.
Tom also went with Matt for his green belt pre-test in Krav Maga on November 5th. (Three + hours of hard work!) The owner of the Krav Maga gym has scheduled a special test just for Matt before he leaves on his mission since Matt will miss the next scheduled test in Feb. 2021.
Linda and Less Wilson (Tom's mom and step-dad) and Dylan Curtis (Jacob's son - age 15) came to visit Matthew before he leaves. It snowed, so Travis is pitching snowballs for Dylan to hit with the snow shovel. The two had a lot of fun together.
Linda, Les, and Dylan were here during Travis's orange belt test on Saturday, November 7th, and while Tom stayed for the whole test, we all caught the last 30 min or so.
The orange belt test is four hours + long. For a healthy person, this is grueling. For a type 1 diabetic, these tests can kill.
Watching Travis work hard for something, stay committed even when he doesn't think he has the energy or physical capability to actually finish is a testament to his character. I am in awe. He's truly remarkable.
The ceremony for receiving the belt was on Thursday, November 12th. Travis's friends Sam Richardson and Trey Anderson came to watch too.
If you are related and also train at the Krav Maga gym, it's the tradition that you can come finish tying the belt as part of the ceremony, so Tom and Matt finished tying Travis's orange belt. (Beau, the owner of the gym, is on the left in the pic below.)
Yesterday, a woman I know from church made a comment meant to make fun of children who are homeschooled. The comment was in response to Travis not knowing what 'going to State' means for a High School sports team, which clearly only happens to individuals who are homeschooled I guess.
I wasn't offended. She meant no harm and was trying to be funny. Instead, the comment reminded me why we decided to home school in the first place. Knowing what 'going to State' means is not significant to the foundational principles our family stands on.
But what Matt and Travis are learning at Krav Maga is significant. They are learning more than fighting techniques. They are learning about God, Family, Country, respect, endurance, and good moral character to name a few.
They are learning there's no pause between 'nation' and 'under God'.
They are learning God is good.
And I know this nation was built by His mighty hand. During this divided time, I hope I always remember to never forget Him.
