2012 Riley Update

Happy New Year! We hope you've had a merry Christmas and wonderful year. Here’s our update for 2012:

 

LYRAD spent 6 months (May-Nov.) deployed in "an undisclosed location in the middle east" enduring 110-degree days and sandstorms. He manned the clinic 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, helping with important medical crises such as removing pieces of sand from soldiers’ eyes. Before the deployment, Lyrad enjoyed delivering babies and teaching residents at Eglin AFB.

I (ALICIA) spent a lot of time Skyping the middle east this year. I also ran my first 10K, learned to bake with flax seed, motivated the teenagers (or at least tried), studied French, read Charles Dickens books (see "Alicia R" on Goodreads.com), cheered for my children, and helped get a missionary ready to go.

ISAAC finished up his first year at BYU with an Economics major and road trips with friends to Las Vegas, camping in southern Utah, and Disneyland. While in Florida all summer, he worked at Whataburger, played soccer at the park, helped with Hurricane Isaac flood clean-up in New Orleans, coached Josh’s soccer team, and perfected his southern drawl until he entered the Provo (UT) MTC on Oct. 10. He spent 10 weeks studying the Gospel and practicing Russian, then flew to Donetsk, Ukraine on Dec. 18. ( for photos and details and to write to him: http://elderrileyinukraine.blogspot.com/ )

ELIZA and MADI are enjoying their senior year with Leadership, 5 AP classes, 5:50 a.m. seminary, running the Invisible Children Club, applying for colleges, and (after giving up all animal products) baking amazing vegan meals.

ELIZA ran cross country, raced hurdles for track, plays soccer, and produces the school newsletter. Though she enjoyed being the only vegan working at Dairy Queen all summer, Eliza much prefers teaching her 3 violin students now.

MADI (who just turned 18) kept busy this year with high school diving, tennis, weightlifting team, piano playing, piano students, and a job at Hollister. During the summer, Madi spent 8 weeks as a farm hand with cousins in Utah, 1 week at BYU Diving Camp, and enjoyed frequent visits to our beautiful white sandy beaches.

Freshman RACHEL’s highlight of the year was spending a week in New York to play flute with marching band in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. She also enjoyed her 1st dances this year, 1st EFY (in Tampa), 1st Youth Conference (at Troy University), Girl’s “Camp” (in cabins with AC), guitar, and softball.

JOSH (a 6th grader in middle school) plays trombone and ragtime piano, and sings tenor in the Boys’ Choir at school. He loves holding his pet rabbit Sophie, diving in the mud as soccer goalkeeper, and flying, breaking & fixing his remote control helicopters.

Best wishes to all of you! Love, Lyrad, Alicia, Isaac, Eliza, Madi, Rachel and Josh Riley