Houghton Adventures 2015
20451
Charlotte Court, Soulsbyville, CA 95372
* (209) 536-9231 * werooc@gmail.com
We’ve so enjoyed hearing from many of you over the
holidays that we’re inspired to, once again, recap the past year’s happenings
in efforts to keep in touch with friends and family who seem scattered far and
wide!
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In early June, we celebrated having all seven of us together for the
first time in two and a half years with a Houghton “epic adventure”—
biking 430+ miles along the California coast from Oregon to the Golden Gate bridge.
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Who knew what “swole” meant? We are learning new vocabulary from Levi (15 ½) relating to his most
recently acquired activity of “lifting,”
upon which he has embarked in efforts to add width and strength to his lean 6’ 2”
frame. A Sophomore, Levi spends his waking hours eating, learning
(well) in seminary and school, swimming (fast), lifting, eating, playing water
polo, studying, eating, reading, and playing the trumpet at band events. He has also been granted a piece of paper that
he claims allows him to drive. He was
the only Houghton to complete the entire family bike trip. Then he got to spend a week backpacking in
Montana’s Beartooth wilderness with his Dad, uncle, two cousins, 150 million
mosquitos, and a few grizzly bears that left cool tracks and hairballs.
Tess (18) wrapped up her High
School swimming career with a league championship in the 500 free. A month later she graciously accepted the call
to speak as Salutatorian at graduation. After
a summer of lifeguarding, she was the first Houghton to be able to start her
college career (BYU) with a sibling (actually 2), and she seems to be
enthusiastically embracing (and responsibly organizing) all aspects of her
newly independent life. Academically,
Tess surprised us by declaring a major in Computer Science with an emphasis in
Bio-Informatics, and despite some shell shock at the intricacies of coding and
the rigors of college grade curves, she excelled in her first semester, is finding
great mentors in the program, and (much to her dad’s delight) may actually
stick with her major!
As the family reviewed the highs and lows of 2015, the
first regret voiced was “We let Marta go.”
Indeed, we miss Marta (20), who departed in June--a little scared and a lot
excited--to begin an 18-month mission in Mexico City. She had a great training experience in the
Mission Training Center there and so far, she has been blessed to be paired
with native Spanish speaking companions.
She now confidently shares her testimony of Jesus Christ in Espanol. She’s learned to appreciate Mexican culture
(especially ice cream), walk everywhere, and truly love the people she meets. Before departing, Marta finished her second
year at BYU, did a bang-up job as a Resident Assistant in the Freshman dorms, happily
welcomed Luke home, and was a hardy peddler and camp organizer on our biking
adventure,
Luke ( 21) concluded his
two-year service in the England Birmingham Mission with a happy five month
assignment in Wales. Returning home in
April, he amiably acknowledged his status as shortest brother and promptly
dashed off to Utah to see sisters and friends and gain employment as a
Counselor for EFY summer youth conferences, where he wrangled teenagers and
built character (his and theirs) in Texas, Massachusetts, and Utah. Then it was back to BYU in the Fall to
re-enroll in Chemical Engineering studies--gratefully, he remembers more than
he thought he did. Luke is enjoying his
courses and related academic activities (including designing a chemically
powered car for an engineering competition), and he even ekes out time to cater
and host weekly parties at his apartment.
Upon meeting the CEO of a “Customer Service
Experience” company who was giving a keynote address at a BYU event, Eliza (24) introduced herself and
proceeded to procure an internship with
the company, where she spends most of her time as blog manager, soliciting
articles then “rewriting” what experts have submitted for the company’s blog
(fits her perfectly since she was the high school newspaper editor as a
Freshman.) The opportunity has provided
good experience and funding as she continues as a full-time student in Business
Management, expecting to graduate in December 2016 (which makes Mom and Dad
happy). In her spare time, Eliza has taken to running (sometimes with
Tess)—finishing several 5k’s last year.
Mark (still young and good looking after 25 years of marriage), dodged major house projects in favor of spending time on the bike he
bought in college. After the family
ride, which he thought was a practically perfect trip with everyone safe, sore,
and happy, Denise surprised him with a new bike for next year’s adventure! Then he enjoyed a reunion backpack trip with his
brother in gorgeous Montana. Mark also managed
a few lengthy peak bagging trips with Levi, including Tahoe area’s Mount
Houghton. In between his hiking and
biking (and swimming) he continues to serve as Bishop in our congregation and
to endure his 3-hour a day work commute.
Denise (younger by
the day) survived another year with family more dispersed than ever. In addition to “adventure support,” teaching
seminary, coordinating comings and goings, making dinner most nights, biking, outfitting
missionaries and return missionaries, chauffeuring, swimming, and occasionally putting
the household in order, she has rediscovered the joys of travel--making several
expeditions to visit/deposit/retrieve college kids in Utah, and thoroughly enjoying
our 25th anniversary trip to Charleston and Savannah. She managed to have an Amazon package
delivered almost every day in December in preparation for Christmas, the
celebration of which capped a wonderful year, and which delighted us with a beautiful
5” snowfall on Christmas Eve.
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As we reflect on the events of 2015, we are deeply grateful
for God’s blessings, for our good health, and for the faith and love we share
with family and friends. We now look
forward to another year of excitement and adventures, and hope that we can
bless and enrich others’ lives as we have been blessed.
Love, The Houghtons
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| Eliza, Levi, Tess, Mark, Denise, Luke, and Marta |
For
updates on Marta and her mission in Mexico visit: Hermnanahoughton3.blogspot.com
