Jake one month old

First of December this guy was growing and starting to grow a double chin. We were on the lookout for first smiles too. I was still in resting mode. But also working on Christmas ideas. It takes a while to think of gifts and the way I want Christmas to look and feel. 

Looking back I see how he has changed in the month. It's a wrestle in my mind to sit and hold him, but now as we take some time apart I also miss his closeness. It's weird to start taking some independent time after being inseparable for 10 + months. Being a mom is such an entwined experience. To grow another body, to have stewardship over that process which is somewhat dependent on the mother's body composition, eating and exercise choices and even moods. The connection is real as I see him react to me now. And then the utter dependency of infancy is humbling. To be so completely entrusted by God with a precious person ... I'm thankful for added measures of patience and love to grow close to him and desire to care for him. 

We also enjoyed two thanksgiving feasts. Because my hands were mostly full of baby I didn't take as many pictures but I got these. Friday we feasted with Saunders at the church it was so nice to have space to spread out. 

Addie decided to order a dress for her princess experience. She looked lovely all put together. 

She also put up the tree and enlisted the younger crew to help decorate it. I do love the glow of the Christmas tree there is something warming and welcoming about those lights. 

So we finished out the first month with Jake with Thanks and thoughts of Christmas. Its a great time of year. God is so good to our family. 


 

Ring Queen & Baptism

We officially have some plans for 2026. Anna sent us this picture only no explanations were needed. She and her chosen are officially engaged. We are super happy for both of them.                                                                                                                                                                             

Addie performed her royal duties as a member of the christmas parade in ontario. Aliza graciously accompanied her to the morning brekfast. 

We went and watched the parade. 

Ladies of the court.  Queen Lily from Fruitland, Tanna from Ontario, and Addie from Vale

The girls watching I was in the car with Jake. I do love the marching bands how I wish our school offered more music. 

The next day Anna's fiance Joey Martin was baptized by my brother Kevin. This was a well attended very spiritual day. We are thankful for Joey's desire to learn and his effort to prepare for this event and many more in the future. He is golden in so many ways. 

The elders that taught him. Not pictured are the many others whos enjoyed sharing testimonies and discussions with Joey as he learned about the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

What we do most days. Hold and nurse Jake and read some stories to the adamant Andrea. 

While Mark is gone we broke all our rules and affirmations and plowed some ground. Actually this was at the request of the seed scientist who is going to grow seed on this plot next year. The ground required ripping as well. But the under soil turned up nice and melow. 

It's actually really good to see these size of clods as the soil is developing some structure and organic tilth. We've been working to build this ground the three years we have farmed it. 

 Greg and Reed took turns with the plow. It felt almost sinful to break the soil but it is a prime seed pollination spot due to the diverse habitat around it keeping pests at bay due to an abundant predator population. So much has changed in the past 2 months. Radical doesn't quite cover it. We have a new baby, a new son-inlaw, and Mark and John gone. We have loved having Aliza home we have missed her presence so much. She steadies and cheers all in her path. She demands work and responsibility from the children, and she is careful. Each kiddo has such a distinct personality and its so nice to have them back in our mix. We are thankful for the new family unit developing with Anna and Joey and pray for all the happiness and Joy that can be found in family life. 

We are blessed. 

Snaps from this week

A few other things happen around here besides adoring baby Jake. 

Mark sent us the first baptism pictures he had. They commit several to baptism each week but getting to church is hard for a multitude of reasons so maybe half actually happen. Nonetheless each person is important to God and this was a special day!

Back to adoring Jake, check out the cheeks he's been growing. So cute. Aliza spent an evening sharing her mission with a family. What a nice recap of the adventures and blessings she experienced for 18 months. 

John had zone conference and we found these pictures on line of his team building a temple. 

Bruce takes a bit of time to read a story to his brothers. 

Mom is tired perpetually even though I've done considerably less this time after a baby my body is taking longer to recover and so I still rest a lot. I took this picture to show how squishy snuggly Jake is. He is just such a sweet guy to spend so much time with. 

He also cracked a few smiles this week. I have been waiting for this. Aliza got the first ones. We have since seen a few more he especially likes to smile at something away from whos holding him. 

Coloring contests are new at school this year. Millie won again and Alia joined her as a winner. 

Addie had her end of XC awards. This was a hard one. She really enjoyed working with these ladies and learning from them. Each ending of the senior year brings tears to my eyes. One step closer to the end of this chapter of being at home learning. She will do in her next steps and I think excercise will be a big part of her life moving forward. 

Livy is usually gone working but she gets a few minutes with Jake every couple days or so. She still likes to play with the babies Jake isn't quite sure of each style of holder. But I have no doubt he will come to know Livy as fun in the future. 

I am so behind on things needing to be done but life rolls on whether we are under the ball or on the ball. Trying to see the good and be patient. I know we are blessed. 
 

End of football

Reed played his final JV football game in October. They were undefeated. Reed was a super player on both sides of the ball. He has a lot of work ahead of him in the next two years and is looking forward to more football. 

Some pictures from his last game. Number 65 ready to rumble.

He loves to sack the quarterback and did so often. 

Mark got to Africa and these valiant mission leaders met him. His MTC companion was from the Philippines. Mark was a district leader in the MTC. 

I did a lot more of this. 

And Jake grew and grew. His eyes changed from heaven eyes to earth eyes. The transition was hard for him the day it happened he was grouchy and just had to be held the whole day. Thankfully I could. 

Growing a newborn day to day nothing seems to change the hours only pass as day changes to dark and dark to day. It is long. Trying to take enough into my body to make enough to grow his body. Not being able to move and go freely after a few years not doing this has been surprisingly difficult. I'm thankful for one more shot at a baby of my own. I'm thankful he is strong and healthy and calm. I'm thankful the other kids are indepdendent enough to manage. We have been very blessed. And in no time this small as a football son will be playing the game and making his own memories. Life goes very fast. We are blessed to have the journey. 

The gift of hope

Jake has many photographers. It's amazing to think someday those tiny fingers will be large man hands. The human body is incredible.

Andrea goes out with Aliza everyday to water. She is a good helper with any of the older kids projects. 

Millie painted a winter picture one Sunday. We are working to make Sundays more productive as our year of early church comes to a close. 

Jake is starting to round out on his face sporting a more square look. We search for any sign of chub on these new little ones. 

An absolute highlight of the week is talking to the kids far away. Modern technology is a blessing and a curse. In this instance I'm so thankful for teh opportunity to see my guys. 

And even better to let them see their little brothers. 

Merle adores and misses these guys a lot. They likewise adore the little ones. There's no fighting because there's no common turf just the same place called home. 

Millie is part of the leadership club they did a service activity at the nursing home. They ate lunch with the residents then played a trivia game with them. 

They also dropped off the food the school kids had donated to the local food pantry. 

Life is full of good things and hard things and sunny days and rainy days. I have so enjoyed studying the come follow me lessons this year. The overriding theme of forgiveness and mercy tempered with the need to act according to that trust and gift have seared my heart. Years ago when we studied this and I was wondering what to teach my children the phrase teach them to repent was my answer. I'm not sure that was a success but it made me change my teaching and deepen my searching to understand repentance better. It's not a shame filled avoidance but a gift to start again and renew our connection to Christ. It's about changing our thinking and behaviors. To try again and again and learn how the Lord helps us. In this Christmas season we are remotely following or thinking on the advent or the coming of Christ. This week I have been pondering hope. I love hope it gives energy and life to everything. Without it life is bleak and full of despair. We hope because we are sure that Christ is true to His promises and the words He gave us concerning eternal life are inspiring. The restored gospel is a glorious gift of understanding, love, and peace. For this I am thankful. 
 

First Week

 The first week was spent mostly in this chair. I traded out some of the sitting with this most excited big sister. She is very patient and just sits nicely with him. He is pretty content to just sleep on in her little lap.

This is the largest age gap we have ever had. She is kind and gentle with him just wanting to help however she can. Mostly she and Merle just play together whatever they dream up. They aren't terribly messy or naughty for the most part. When their energy levels get too high we send them outside and they play with the dog or find other adventures to carryout. Everyday they go with Aliza to water and can run and climb at will for 2-4 hours depending on the day. My must have early feeding supplies the bottle for him, water for me, pacifier etc etc. Whatever it takes to make the baby grow. 

I get antsy sitting for days on end and decided to try some time outside. I was dismayed to find the cows also on a run about the neighborhood. I called for help as I watched 200 cows run from a far corner to the open spot in the fence then through a ditch and or running down the lane to invade the neighbors fields. 

Help came and mounted the trusty four-wheelers. Being newer herdsman they had to learn and or be instructed some on proper positioning to gain the desired results of cows back in the pens. The corners, and canal made for challenging obstacles when cows don't understand english and people aren't fluent in moo. 

Aliza helped in her dress and Anna came to offer more support. Finally the cows and people all got together in the same pen and all was well. The fence was finished- some like to leave 10 feet or so wireless this year- and life quieted back down. 

This little cowboy slept through it all and was none the wiser when we got back to our chair. I surely enjoyed the sunshine and fresh air. But not the adrenaline rush of watching helplessly as 800 other legs ran out of bounds, and as 3 four -wheelers worked back and forth trying to coral the herd. Jake and I did hold one side of a line while cows were balking about crossing back into their pen. I'm not as confident with a baby on my tummy when working cows. 

Majority of the time we rested and watched in the first week but there was that half hour of excitement. As I look at this little man and yet my mind is mostly consumed with the older kids in my brood. The ones making big decisions, living out of my reach, the ones that have other problems to address from pronunciation, to talent development the problem with sitting is so much time to think and hands literally tied down from doing much. But I know we are blessed. The conundrum of being the youngest in a big group is there are a lot of examples being set and lives lived to learn from. We shall see what roads this one chooses and continue to pray for all those ahead on their respective journeys. I'm often overwhelmed with the mass of it all. One step and day at a time working to have faith God is in the details of each life. We have been blessed and I'm sure that pattern will continue. Life is good.