You are 17 going on 18

 

Dear Nathan,

I will never forget you humming through the dictionary as a toddler....hmmmmmmmm hmmmmmmmmmm, page by page, your calculating large numbers in your head and people thinking you should be on a TV show because you were a genius... (too bad public school ruined you. :) ) You playing adorable little Winthrop in The Music Man, and you didn't even have to fake a lisp because you were really missing your two front teeth! Your singing has improved 10 fold since then. You started to play the bass even though it was 4 times bigger than you. Your ability to pick up a puzzle piece and place it in the right spot first time, every time, still drives me crazy. And one day I'll beat at Boggle....well, probably not. 

You are without question one of the biggest nerds I know. I think you even proclaimed it yourself along with one of your Facebook statuses-"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." -Albert Einstein 

You're my sweet little brother...(most of the time).

Always excited for school....

...and always excited for an adventure. 

(even if it means driving to Beaver with me in the middle of the night.. *cough cough*)

You're too talented and nobody knows what to do with you. When you would sit down at that piano and your little hands and brain were just busy at work...I was jealous every time.I'm being serious though, you've got to pick the piano back up! It'll get the girls every time. No joke.

You were so cute with that massive bass and your little body. 

 You're always there to make us laugh-you do it to me. You make me laugh all the time and I love you for it.

You can be anyone you want to be, from Mickey....

...to a cowboy....

...to Davy Crockett...

...but I like you just as yourself. (Can anyone say 'sappy' please?)...although you do make a pretty handsome cowboy-just sayin'.

 I think we're the luckiest family to have you as our little brother. All of us knew we didn't want another girl. We wanted our baby brother and thank goodness we got him!

But really,  how did you get it so good to have 3 awesome older sisters?! :) 

You used to be so short and cute,

and then something happened,

and you grew,

and grew....(and hopefully you'll keep growing...at least another inch or two, or until you get your mission call-but I hope the spiritual growth will continue forever!)


Even though I don't know much about tennis,

  I think you're one of the best,

  and definitely cutest out on the court.

I have yet to meet a kid that can sing harmony like you can. If you remember correctly, I did have to bribe you with a Happy Hour-Sonic run to be able to record this video. You and your root beer. haha Can I take you to Sonic when I get home? I'll even pay. :) ...but only if you'll sing with me. :)

 You were always so excited to go to scout camp, even though you usually came home with some sort of broken bone or other injury. haha I think you've broken more bones than the three of us girls put together.

 But I'm proud of all the work you did put into the Scouting Program. (I must admit I don't know much about that either, other than it's a lot of work.)...

 ...and you did it! You got your Eagle!

I love it when you get a little emotional and you try not to let anyone see. I think it's the cutest thing ever.

 I know mom and dad are proud of you and everything you've done. And grandma and grandpa too!

I am sad that I have missed so much of the 6 years of your life with being away
at school and my mission and all those things, but I have loved the times that I
have gotten to see you sing and play and perform. You truly are brilliant, I mean really, who gets a 5 on the AP Calculus test at 16 years old and acts like it's no big deal. I barely made it through Pre-Calculus. ha Each of my siblings gets more smart and more talented...you're lucky you're last. I am so excited to see you start your freshman year at BYU and see all the great things you'll do there!

I know that mom would be there if she could,
 at every moment to hold your shoulder and make
sure you're doing what's right. Only because she
loves you so much.

Thank you for supporting me in everything I do, even if it means traveling across the country to see me in Nauvoo, or not hating me for coming to Mexico and missing your high school graduation and your birthday for the 3rd year in a row.

 It's been fun to watch you and your friends grow up. You're not kids anymore though-you have jobs, girls friends, mission calls, high school diplomas, college acceptance letters, etc,etc but I'm happy that you were blessed with good friends!









 Even if I can't get you a physical birthday present right now, like a tennis racket or another frisbee, what do you want from Mexico? I'll bring ya something great!

 I think you're already an old man, but I hope that you'll always be a kid at heart...

 ...and join me and my kids at least every few years at Disneyland! :)

I always know when you and Jenny have been in the car too long together...

because things like this start to happen....

...and they continue to happen...

...and get worse...

...until....yeah. uh, I don't know.

Nathan, I hope you will keep playing--play music (and sing!!!!!), play tennis and frisbee, play in the rain and snow and sun and on the beach and in the mountains. to play=happiness   (could that even be considered equal to a real math equation?-I highly doubt it. ha)

Yup, bottom right corner, that's you. What a cutie head. I can't get over it. haha the more I look at the picture I think you're the only looking at the conductor hahaha, and you have the best posture and vowels. hahaha You kill me kid. Who knew you were such a natural even at 6 years old?!

But also work hard, and then you'll be able to sleep pretty much wherever you want, even if you don't fit on the couches anymore.

You lived the braces phase and I think you even kept your friends through all of it.

I don't even know who this girl is...

It scares me that you can date. yikes...but I guess that's old news now. I still just haven't been home long enough to have it really sink in.

men in black? ...Tanner, did you miss the memo?

But from what I can tell, you and your friends are, well, wanted, in high demand...? Do I sound like an old lady right now? I really don't know how the kids talk these days.

I seriously can't take you seriously in this picture.

ha of course Cezar is dressed as the Mexican.

Do I even want to know?...what is the blue man anyway? (and yes, at this point I am stalking your Facebook, the little there is on there, for these pictures-because like I said, I've pretty much missed the majority of the last 6 years of your life...a good solid year and a half for sure.)

Springville High School Tennis-Nathan, Tanner, Jordan

 I wish I could have seen you sing the lead in Bye Bye Birdie this year, but as you know I was on my mission. Remember how you made me sing over Skype at Christmas because you sang some of your songs from the play. You seriously amaze me. You sing and I don't know where it's coming. It's effortless. Jealous.

I would do anything for shaved ice right now...maybe we'll do that instead of a Sonic run when I get home.

I know Cammy loves you too...and we'll just pretend that other kid in the picture is Jenny hanging out with you... Actually, I know we all love you and are proud of you and it might turn into a highly heated discussion if we tried to figure out who loves you more.

Hobble Creek 9th Ward Seniors 2014

 I am proud of everything you've done in your callings and for the example you've set at church in holding the priesthood and serving others! I pray that you will continue to do the same throughout your life.

I'm so proud of you for graduating from seminary! Onward to institute...(lots of free food. :)  and of course spiritual learning.)

You wouldn't have been a true high school graduate without suffering a sufficient amount of "senioritis"...which I think that you suffered sufficiently.

You're the last to leave the nest...leaving mom and dad, well, empty nesters...except for the fact that a few weeks ago 100% of their children lived there...so maybe they won't be real empty nesters for a while.

Springville High School Graduate 2008

Springville High School Graduate 2010

Springville High School Graduate 2012

...and last but certainly not least, Springville High School Graduate 2014! Congratulations, Nathan!

Your birthday never comes around without me thinking of our Grandma Stapley. I know you didn't know her. She died the day before your 1st birthday. That was 17 years ago, but I will never forgot how I felt that day. I was so sad that my grandma had died. But even at that young age I felt in my heart that I would see her again, a feeling that was reaffirmed by our cousin Devin. He found me crying behind grandpa's big tree in the backyard, but he hugged my little body and told me not to worry and that I would see her again. I believed everything he said even though we were only 6 and 7 years old. I still believe those words he told me. I know we'll see our grandma and grandpa again! I know that whatever happens to our family in this life that because we're sealed in the temple, that everything will work out and we will all be together again someday! They're up there watching over you, and I know they love and are proud of all the good things you're doing.


I love you Nathan and secretly you are my favorite brother! I can't believe how fast you have grown up. I still picture you as my "little" brother. You used to be so cute and I keep asking mom, "what happened to you?" haha I still think you're just a little stud though. I love you! Life has great things that will come to you if you serve the Lord faithfully and work diligently in all things.

Love,

Kjersti