Scoville Family Newsletter 2008

This year has been an eventful one on many fronts for our family, and although there have been trials, the greatest of which was the loss of Phil’s dad in May, we’ve been wonderfully blessed.

We started the New Year with the birth of Henry Rodger in February. Oscar gave shouts of joy when he was born, while Lily asked, “Where’s my girl baby?” Though we may have gotten off to a rough start, Henry is a favorite with all of us. As we go to press, Henry has begun crawling and talking, sort of. (“Was that ‘doggie’? I think he’s saying ‘doggie!’”)

Lily is three and what we fondly call sweet and sour. She enjoys playing with friends, attending preschool and her BYU dance class, and all things pink and princess. She hates doing all the work, as in, “Mom, why do I have to do all the work?”

Oscar(5) started kindergarten this year, and though it was hard switching schools, has acclimated very well, and is very proud of all the new things he’s learning, like how penguins live at the South Pole, but Santa Claus lives at the North Pole. Oscar loves coloring and anything Star Wars.

For the past two years, Phil has been completing his PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy at Brigham Young University. A perk that came with finishing his course work last April was his internship, employment with Outback Therapeutic Expeditions, a wilderness therapy program for troubled youth. The job suits Phil because he gets to be out of doors, which he loves, but mostly because he’s just an overgrown teenager himself. Phil also enjoys a part-time job doing therapy with foster kids.

Marlene tries to take time to breathe between shuttling kids everywhere they need to go, trying out new recipes, blogging, reading, writing and cleaning three bathrooms.

Because we felt a new baby and a new job weren’t enough changes for one year, we decided to also buy our first home. Though leaving our close-knit neighborhood in Provo was difficult, there are so many things we love about our new home and neighborhood in Orem, maybe most of which is a much bigger house and yard, complete with fruit trees and a large garden.

And what would a new house be without a dog? Maisie, a 6-year-old miniature schnauzer, joined our family right before Christmas.

We hope that this letter finds you happy and well. We love the Lord and are grateful for the Savior’s love and guidance for us in our lives.

With love,

Phil, Marlene, Oscar, Lily, and Henry Scoville

Scoville Christmas Newsletter 2008