Een Editorial: 2016

The Eens: What an exciting year for the Een Family! We were all together (for the first time in forever) and had an EENchanted Christmas, taking the whole family to visit Disneyland and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We have enjoyed many different musical and theatrical performances this year. All of us have contributed to Family History and took some of our ancestor’s names with us to more than a dozen different temples in Utah, California, Hawaii, and Nevada.

Kim: Kim was singing to the strains of Jim Croce’s “I Got a Name” when a renewing his driver’s license led to the discovery that Kim’s birth certificate was for an “Unnamed Male.” With Alayna to vouch for his identity to a notary and a document submitted to the State of Utah, all was remedied. Kim was called as the High Priest Group Leader in our ward and has given valuable service to the church and community in that capacity. He continues to teach auto-mechanics and manages our increasing fleet of cars.  

Miriam: Miriam had a pretty lame summer. Her recent call to the Young Women’s organization led her to Girl’s Camp where a stumble on uneven terrain while cleaning led to a broken fibula, minor surgery, and a knee-scooter for the rest of the summer. She and David enjoyed another year of singing back-up with Andrea Bocelli as part of the Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society. She had a blast in May, taking Eliza and Alayna on a “Welcome Home” trip to several California Temples, beaches, and a performance of Newsies. Miriam heads the effort to make hand-stitched baby quilts for each new addition to her extended family, continuing the maternal family tradition.

Aria, Spencer, and Kimberly: Still in Hawaii while Spencer puts the finishing touches on his degree in Psychology, the Orrs are keeping busy with the family’s vacation rental business. Aria continues to work in the BYU-H online department and is expecting a little girl this spring. Kimberly loves her Aunts, Uncle, and Grandparents (and affixes the name “Alayna” to several of them to the elation of Alayna and the chagrin of others). She thoroughly enjoyed meeting Mickey and Minnie Mouse in Disneyland as well as her favorite Princess, Moana.  

Alayna: Alayna returned from her mission to Spain in late April! She has loved going to the weddings and homecomings of mission friends and companions. The continued contact with Spanish members and friends has been a great blessing in her life. Alayna spent another summer lifeguarding and teaching swimming lessons and returned to BYU in the Fall with the best roommate imaginable— her sister, Eliza. With another semester under her belt, she is half-way done with her Bachelor’s in English and is excited to add a minor in Editing.  She enjoys the extra prestige (and theme song!) of sharing a name with the new Disney (Channel) Princess, “Elena of Avalor.” Alayna loves spending time with her adorable niece and is ready to rejuvenate the #futurebabyalayna campaign with Aria’s new arrival.

Eliza: Eliza is thrilled to have her right-hand-(wo)man back as she and Alayna tackle their undergraduate degrees at BYU. During the summer she returned to the pool with the unique challenge of coaching the dive team—though she’d never dived competitively before. She sported some funky-shaped bruises as evidence of her diving efforts and was an over-all success. She is the cook, the chauffer, the teacher, mechanic to our car (Gideon), jar-opener and all-around domestic master of her college dorm. Eliza is a member of the BYU Women’s Chorus and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to sing with such big names as Gladys Knight and Peter Hollens. Eliza recently declared a minor in music.

David: This year has been a monumental one for our man. He turned 16, went on dates, attended two formal dances, received his driver’s license (look out, world!), became an Eagle Scout, and passed up Michael Jordan in height (6’7 ½” and counting!). David started an a capella group at his high school in addition his school, district, and community choirs. David participated in the Nevada Honor production of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” which was one of five selected to perform at the International Thespian Festival in Nebraska this summer. David lettered in Swimming and was a Water Polo coach and swim instructor during the summer. He and Eliza were selected to represent the City of Las Vegas in the Southern Nevada Lifeguard Games and totally crushed it working as a team for their spinal event!   

Melissa: Melissa turned 12, joined Young Women’s, and went to Girl’s Camp! Melissa advanced to the Southern Nevada Regional Science Fair with her aquaponics project. She is developing her great musical talent and participated in an organ festival and a weeklong summer orchestra program playing the cello. Melissa outdid herself this summer, joining ALL of the available aquatic programs (synchro, diving, water polo, and competitive swim team). In November, Melissa became the first Een to complete the NaNoWriMo challenge (write 10,000 words of a novel in the month of November) and is always thinking of new stories to tell.