Pictures

We finally had a few hours where we were all home together in the light.  It was fading fast, but we got a few pictures taken. Not great ones, and Leah is going to do some editing for us.  But we got some. 

Dave wanted a picture of Cora and her car, which is named Morgan.  Poor Morgan has been through a lot and she keeps bring Cora safely to us.  Leah is very excited to have the car back as it is not a stick shift and Dave is excited since it has cruise control.  I guess everyone loves Morgan.

It was fun to take Cora to the temple.  She took her endowments out the end of November and then we turned right back around and went the next day. She has gone each week since with Dave and really enjoys it. 

Leah asked if she was still going to get lifted up to put the star on.  We said 'of course, it is tradition'.  I really don't like our star, but my kids love the story of how when we were first married, we didn't have much and I bought a cheap star at the dollar store. So even though it is kind of ugly they always want to keep it because it is what we have always had.

Basketball is going great for the kids.  Blake as had only got one game so far.  They played well and won.  He is really liking it.  Misses his old team, but he is enjoying playing with his friends.  We got him some new-to-him basketball shoes and he is most anxious to try them out.  Leah's season has been going well also. (Dave and Blake having fun after one of Leah's games)

First game they took her off starting line up and switched the position she has played for the last 6 years.  She was devastated.  But it only took one game and she is back to doing jump ball and starting.  They have her play all positions except point guard.  She is not a strong dribbler, but is trying.  She has always played post and in the house.  So wing is kinda throwing her.  She does well tho.  Leah was very excited to have friends come and watch a few of her games.  The girls showed up to the game she played amazing, 

and the boys to a horrible game.  She was a bit embarrassed, but so excited that they had come.

We are almost ready for Christmas.  Cora has got her travel itinerary today and leaves Jan 2.  We are working hard to make sure everything is ready and checked off the list.  She is getting her talk ready and wishing for snow. The kids are practicing their song and wrapping up school with test and concerts all this week.  It is coming fast.

I hope everyone has a merry and safe Christmas.

Counting our Blessings

Its been a rough year.  A really really rough year.  And every time we think we might be OK again we get another knock.  Despite lives everyday knocks that we regularly weather through, there have been some big ones.  End of January Dave lost his job.  This was a huge shock to us.  We were blessed that he found good employment a few weeks later, but at a significant wage decease.  As he was looking for work, I started to look around some also.  But we both feel that I am not supposed to go back to work yet.  So we have made many adjustments to our life style and have given up much, but have been further blessed that so far we have been able to stay on top of things and within our budget.  Then in June my mom had a brain tumor removed.  What we thought was going to be a 4 day hospital stay ended up being a 4 month rehab stay before she came home.  She is doing well, but still has a ways to go. I enjoyed all the days I got to spend with her in the rehab center, just talking and being with her.  But since she was there we missed going out to my parents house during the summer. Leah seems to just keep getting knocked, battered and bruised, by people that should have been her supporters.  Every time she turns around she has to fight to keep what is hers and what she has worked to achieve.  When they should have been working with her.   The question she asked me a few days ago is very well worded.  "Why do some people get to swoop in last minute and stroll merrily along on the path that I have dug and worked to build and paved for two and a half years?"  I don't know sweetie, it hurts me to see you have to go through this.  But she does have some fantastic friends that love and truly support her.  Now my parents are moving.  You take advantage of things that you think are going to be constant your whole life and it really throws you when they change.  The pressure to be out has set my mom back a bit and is not good for her brain to make all the decisions she has to make.  They are coming to terms with it and have started looking at some things that will be nice about the move.  But I will miss it.  The farm was what made me who I am.  Because it was sudden and my mom was not there last summer, we didn't get one last First of July with the beef and 8 minute parade.  We didn't get one last bridge jump or one last lazy summer sitting in the soft grass and chatting. Just to name a very small portion of what I will miss.  I am glad that my kids are old enough to always remember these things.  I will never go back. For a few years I have seen this jar on Pinterest.  You keep it up for the year and on New Year's Eve you read all the papers that have been added through out the year.  At the beginning of 2018 I finally decided to do it.  I thought it might peter out Mayish, but it hasn't.

I now feel that I was inspired to do it this year.  Even though it was a tough one, we have seen amazing blessings and good times.  All three of our kids had fantastic jobs this year.  Cora can  pay for her own mission, (she is not sure about school after, but we keep being told that the Lord blesses His missionaries,  fingers crossed) which is great since Dave and I can't help her anymore.  Leah has been able to start saving for school and still get herself some clothes that she needed. Dave has work.  Cora will be serving a mission.  Our kids are healthy and doing well in school.  They have good friends and love sports and do well at them.  They are funny and a  joy to be around.  We are really looking forward to taking out all these papers and remembering our wonderful times this year.  And to remember all the things we have been blessed with.