McCoy Scholarship Award Night

McCoy with his favorite principal

McCoy has truly thrived in academics this year. He applied to Arizona’s “Big Three” universities—ASU, NAU, and the University of Arizona—and received scholarships to all three! One of his proudest accomplishments was earning the Ming K. Jeang, M.D. Prize for having the highest ACT score in the 2025 graduating class at THS. It’s been so rewarding to see his dedication pay off, especially after the countless hours he’s spent studying in the library!

On top of his regular high school coursework, McCoy also enrolled in our local community college’s graphic design program, completing it and earning his certificate before even graduating from high school. Great work, McCoy!

And because I can’t resist a good photo op, I made him take pictures with my two favorite classical busts—you know, the ones that seem to show up at every high school around here. He humored me and posed for the photos; I am sure Washington and Lincoln appreciate the inclusion.

Flashing the bling!

This was award night was near May 4th

 

Family Update: 2025

L to R: McCoy, Quinton, Rhiannon, Declan, Tia, Zaynzley, Archer & Eddy

It’s hard to believe it’s been four years since my last update in 2025. Time really does fly—and in our case, it’s brought a whirlwind of change, growth, and some pretty big milestones.

Quinton has moved to the big city and is enjoying pursuing his interests and hobbies.

Declan graduated from high school, completed a two-year mission in the Mexico Cancún Mission, and recently married his high school sweetheart, Tia. Watching him take those big steps into adulthood has been both surreal and heartwarming.

McCoy is right behind him, wrapping up his senior year and getting ready to graduate next week. It feels like just yesterday we were helping him learn to ride a bike—now he’s ready to take on the world.

Archer is finishing his freshman year of high school, and Zaynzley has officially survived the rollercoaster that is 7th grade (drama and all!).

On the professional front, Eddy is back in the classroom, teaching junior high social studies. And as for me, I’ve taken on a brand-new challenge—teaching high school special education for the first time ever. The best part? We’re both at the same school, which has made this new chapter even more meaningful.

The past few years haven’t been without their ups and downs, but each twist and turn has brought opportunities to grow, learn, and support each other. Life is rarely predictable, but that’s part of what makes it beautiful.

Thanks for following along with our journey. Here’s to embracing change, celebrating progress, and finding joy in the everyday.