Week 46

Sep 22, 2025

Dear Gracie,

Hmm--it seems like there's not as much to write about this week.  Let me think...  (Also, Bella won't get out of this chair--she grabs on with her claws when I try to pick her up.  So I'm perched on the edge of the chair, and it's not comfortable.  But that's enough excuses for today.)

Scott and Kaitlyn are settling into their new apartment and ward.  They're both working at the air conditioning department on campus and working hard in school.  Scott started a capstone project, in which his team will be developing a camera to trace the model rockets that go up really high really fast, to help them not get lost when you can't see them anymore (and sometimes explode).  He's applying to lots of places for work/internships for next year.  Kaitlyn was assigned to help teach in a second grade classroom.  She's in the Nebo school district, which is where I did my student teaching, too (and where they just moved).  The end is in sight for both of them!  They're pretty awesome.

Emma started classes on Monday.  She went to BYU-I's Freshman Orientation with one of her roommates, since she missed hers last year, and was part of the big picture on the field.  She says the weather is really nice, and she's having lots of fun going to discos/parties, the ropes course, her new ward, and yes, classes.  My sister Jenny is her piano teacher!  Oh, she and her roommates pulled their mattresses out into their living room and had a sleepover this weekend.  She's pretty awesome.

Caytie has taken on some hard classes, but so far she's managing well.  She's also doing yoga, which is teaching her how to relax.   She's also working at the air conditioning department, sometimes at the desk for Kaitlyn and sometimes in the field for/with Scott, and babysitting a couple hours on Fridays.  Kaitlyn is teaching her how to shop for clothes, and Caytie is teaching Maggie how to shop for food.  Roommate situation is still going well.  She's doing lots of walking and says that fall is now her favorite season.  (Being next to the mountains is a big factor in that!)  She's pretty awesome.

Tessa was inducted into the National Honors Society this week.  With her dyslexia, it's always impressive to me when she wants to add hard things to her plate.  It doesn't slow her down much.  Her AP Pre-Calculus and AP US History and AP Chemistry classes are hard, and I can't help her with much except history, so she calls Caytie sometimes for help.  She still really likes her AP Language class and art classes.  Band takes so much time, but she miraculously finds time for everything else, too.  She's the music coordinator for seminary, which means she chooses the hymn for the day and someone to play it (often herself or her teacher).  She's pretty awesome.

Benson's tennis coach is encouraging him to enter tournaments outside of school to get better, but his weekends for the foreseeable future are filled with band, so tennis will have to wait.  He's also been working on some scout projects to earn his Life rank, which would mean he can begin an Eagle project.  It's not stuff he enjoys doing (coordinating, emailing, and talking with adults), but it's got to be done, and he has a very encouraging dad.  He and Tessa went to their first drumline competitions on Saturday (two in one day!).  I was able to go to the first one to watch, and as always, I think they were spectacular.  He's still keeping up with his classes at school, and says they're now coding in his STEM class, which he likes to do.  He's pretty awesome.

Dad has been home for a long stretch, which has been so great!  Work here is still keeping him busy enough with different management things and projects, and every day is different.  He's been practicing his viola for a choir number for Stake Conference.  He plays disc golf whenever he can (like Saturday morning, when he drove to Eisenhower State Park to play with Jason Baker and his family who were camping there).  He helped the Stake Primary Activity for Girls by doing the orienteering course he did for the boys in the spring on Saturday afternoon.  He took Friday off to take care of me (see next paragraph...) and that evening, as we were all about to go to bed, we heard a thump and scratch on our front door, and he bravely went outside to find a mourning dove on the porch--and a cat not far away.  He picked up the dove and carried it to the back yard, where we hope it was able to recover enough to fly away.  He's pretty awesome.

And now me.  I started mentoring again this week.  I have a new little girl, and she's so sweet.  I look forward to our weekly visits already.  My other big event for the week was that I got a colonoscopy--yay!  I now have 1000% respect for anyone else who has ever had one.  The procedure itself (which was on Friday morning) was not bad at all--they put you out and you have a nice nap, you wake up, and relax for the rest of the day at home.  (Cheers to Dad who was with me throughout it all!)  I was back to normal by the next day.  But the day/night before, when you have to clean out your colon, is pretty miserable.  I was on a liquid diet all day, and then had two large bottles of medicine to drink through the evening, and it took me from 6 pm to 11:30 pm to finish it all, with many trips to the bathroom during and after.  No more details for you--sorry.  I chose to get my colon checked this way (instead of sending in a stool sample) because if everything was good, I wouldn't have to do it again for another ten years, which was motivating for me as I was trying to drink the horrible liquid.  But they found six polyps that had to be removed, so I'll have to do it again in three years.  Not awesome.  I mean, it is awesome that they found the polyps now so they don't develop into cancer--but the cleansing process is not something I will look forward to.  Oh, and all our kids are encouraged to get colonoscopies at age 40 (instead of the recommended age of 45).  So, yay for you!  My body seems to like to grow extra things that need monitoring (moles, cysts, polyps...), but as of now, everything is behaving.  That's awesome!

Have I told you lately that you are awesome?  Because you are!  I'm so blessed to have such amazing children.  Thank you for keeping us updated on your mission.  I know that not every day is awesome, but there is something awesome that can happen every day.

Ha!  Looks like I did find a few things to write about.  We look forward to hearing from you!

Love,

Mom

Extras, Extras!

 Let me pause the weekly narrative to add some pictures that didn't make it into Gracie's letters

We (I) have loved getting the pictures from my bird feeder camera and seeing the regulars return and new friends stop by.  We had a squirrel for a while, but it found somewhere new to go, I guess.

(There are more :) )

Scott and Kaitlyn had a fun summer, with a trip to Hawaii with the McKneelys and another trip to Yellowstone.

They also moved into their new apartment in Mapleton!

Caytie found a soft place to land with them, and they helped her get her apartment set up and shopping done.  Caytie went early to do a week-long babysitting job and then had a fun couple days of Freshman Orientation.

Kaitlyn made sure we got First Day of School pictures!

Caytie also started her job at the air conditioning shop, helping Scott as a tech and Kaitlyn as a receptionist, wherever they need her most.

She also had some fun meeting friends from Texas visiting campus, like Kira Taylor,

Abigail Garcia (shown with Cosmo and Maggie Fowles),

and later Levi Young and Kate Nelson (on the ends), with Emily Reese (Stake friend).

She, Scott, and Kaitlyn enjoyed Roper and Danielson family gatherings, including a back to school dinner hosted by Grandma and Grandpa Danielson, Sunday dinners with various Roper aunts and uncles, and...something at Jeff and Kristen's house.

They also all got ROC passes and attended all the football games!  Rise and shout!

Emma started back at BYU-I a couple weeks after BYU started.  She got to room with her cousin Ruby, who encouraged everyone to get their first day of school outfits ready   Emma's is holding the pillow.

Looking cute, as always!

Our missionaries have been busy, too!  Grandma and Grandpa Roper were able to go to the temple in the Netherlands.  They have found some great people that they serve with in the office.

Unfortunately, Grandpa R was diagnosed with cancerous tumors in his bladder.  He was able to stay in the country to have surgery to remove the tumors, as the outcome was very favorable and would take less time than coming home and getting re-diagnosed with new doctors. 

The surgery was a success, and he only had a couple days of recovery before he was back at the office.  He had to go in every month or so for chemotherapy to be injected directly into his bladder, and so far, that seems to be keeping everything under control.

His brother Kim and Kim's wife Rhonda (and their friends) came to visit them before they went on a cruise.

Our other missionary, Sweet Gracie, has been doing all the good work and learning all the good things.  She also is able to have some fun!  She ate a rose (?),

 baked an "American" apple pie,

and visited a little animal/amusement park.

 

She's in the best place at the best time with some amazing people, like her Mission President, President Franz.  We miss her, though.

Weekly calls are the best.

So are messages from people who love your child.

(Watching General Conference with Lydia)

Ben is very familiar with this plane--especially the pod attached to the bottom.

Tessa had a cooking contest with her young women's class.  They were in two groups and had to make cookies without a recipe!  They report that the cookies were edible :)

Six Flags is always fun, but we were sad to hear they'd be removing the pirate ship ride.  It was a favorite and a gateway ride to the bigger things.  But they're making room for the new giant Tormenta ride, so it's probably worth the sacrifice.

Caytie told me I should do the Wordle one day.  I suspected I might be able to guess it quickly, and was happily rewarded with this:

Life is good. 💖