What an Adventure!

Last fall, some big changes took place in our family. And these 2 are the cause of all the excitement. These are my parents. My dad....an Idaho farmer. The kind that has dirt permanently ingrained into his hands. The kind that feels right at home on a tractor or out moving pipe. The kind that can't wait to get back to his farm after leaving on vacation for a few days! My mom....the wife of an Idaho farmer. Which means that she works hard. She's been known to spend more than a little time out in the fields, or in the potato cellar! But she's also my friend. She is a mother, a grandmother, a teacher, a counselor, a listening ear, a doctor....and she's my mom! Many years ago, these crazy kids decided that they had been on the receiving end of so very many blessings. They decided that when the time was right, they would be prepared to give back. So, after raising 8 kids, the time was right! We all knew it wasn't going to be easy, but we also knew that they were right...it was time for them to serve the mission that they had waited for and anticipated for so many years!

So after the long process of paper work, doctors appointments, and a thousand other preparations, the call finally came! I'm not sure who was more excited, them....or us!

And the chosen place.......Marshall Islands! Cool! Sounds warm. Sounds tropical. Coconut. Pineapple. Bananas. Beaches. Sunshine. It's all good, right? It wasn't quite what we thought at first, but it was the place that they were meant to go.
After a few weeks (before they even left), however, the call was changed just a bit. My dad was called to be a counselor to the mission president and serve on Christmas Island (Kiritimati). It was a couple thousand miles away from the mission home, and he would serve over Kiritimati and Fanning Islands. Where there aren't any pineapples or bananas. Where there isn't any mail service. And there isn't any fresh water. No fertile fields (not the farming kind, at least....just the spiritual kind!). No mountains. No cell phones. No stores. Only sporadic electricity. But what an ADVENTURE!!!
After spending the entire summer spending every ounce of time we could together, the time had finally come. We had watched mom 'write her list, and check it twice', and three times, and four times. They needed to decide what to pack in their limited luggage space. There is not really any good way to ship things to them, and they don't have easy access to groceries (or anything else), so there was a lot of prioritizing done. The MTC was short and sweet. It was only a week, but I think we were all ready to get this adventure started! So they left on a happy/sad note. It was so hard to say good-bye. But seriously...could we be more proud of them? And off they went!

The airport wasn't quite what we're used to. But it looks like they had a welcoming committee!

And their new home.....I guess there wouldn't be much time wasted on keeping up on the place!

The chapel next to their house is more like what we're used to, but this is the chapel on Fanning Island, I think. Because of poor healthcare (or lack of healthcare), death seems to be pretty common place. And the simplicity of the burial process is just so different that what we're accustomed to. This is the cemetery.And the fashions are so different. But really, who wouldn't want to wear flip flops on their mission (guys included)?So while they left 8 kids behind, they seem to have adopted another 4 to keep them busy! There are only 1 set of elders and 1 set of sisters on the island, so they're pretty close.

Not to mention all of the beautiful and kind people that they get to spend the next year and a half with!

Sometimes it's funny what we take for granted. For instance....

The bathrooms on Fanning island.......Wow...can you imagine? I'd sure hate to have to go in the middle of the night!But really, isn't this what it's all about??? And so, yes, we're proud. And yes, we miss them so much. And yes, we wish we could go there and visit, but it's very expensive! But....yesterday, we got to call and talk to them. It was so AWESOME! It took me 2 days to finally get a phone card to work, but it was totally worth the wait!

So to my sweet parents....I love you both. You'll never fully know how much we have felt the special blessings on our little family that have come as a result of your service! Thank you so much for your example! And we're more than happy to share you with the sweet people that you're serving!

*In a future post, I'll tell you all about Derrick's parents who are serving a mission at the bishop's store house in Logan (first I need to gather some pictures, because a blog post just isn't the same without them). I LOVE the blessing of food storage, and I LOVE the people who donate their time to help us to follow our prophet!

Finallly

Christmas isn't creeping up on us this year....It's flying towards us at incredible speed, and there's just no stopping it! So I figure I better finally post our Thanksgiving pictures before Christmas pictures take their place.


We spent Thanksgiving with Derrick's family in Smithfield, and we had a great time. The next morning we went out and did a little shopping without the kids (thanks Ira!). And managed to grab a couple good sale items. Although, have you noticed, that everything that was such a great deal on Black Friday, has met the same price several times since then? Only without the crowds, the chaos, and the craziness? So WHY did we drag ourselves out of bed so dang early? Because it's FUN!

So it's picture time....drumroll please.....

Ruth did such a great job at dressing up the ping pong table.

And it made for plenty of elbow room!

Tannon. What a great kid!

(& it looks like he ate all his veggies....or maybe he just didn't take any!)

Desmond was really loving the grub. I think he's a mashed potatoe kind of kid.

Apparently, Shawn is too.

This is Kira. I don't think she ever takes a bad picture. Here's da boys. What a good lookin bunch, hu?
Myah and Abby pose for this same picture every time we're together.

The only thing that changes is the background and the weather.

It's amazing how much taller Kira is. Is Myah really going to be that grown up in 3 years?
Here's Nicole. Talk about growing up fast....

This is the boys with their mom. Michael wasn't able to make it. But I love this picture, because when the guys are with their mom, the teasing and goofing off NEVER stops. S'ometimes I feel tired for her. (does that make any sense????)
And here's a couple of handsome fellas!
Like I was saying....
I love this little girl!

These are all of the kids (minus Josh, Sarah, and Ian).And before heading home, we even got to share a piece of birthday cake with this guy. (this is my nephew, Nathan). Having so much of both sides of the family in Smithfield has it's perks!

Christmas Symbolism

I love all of the sweet symbolism that comes with the Christmas season. I love to look at the star on top of the tree and thinking of the Shepard's traveling to see the baby Jesus, following the guiding star. I love the Christmas tree that stays green year round, that never dies (especially when it's a fake one like mine!!!), just like our Heavenly Father's love goes on forever. I love giving gifts, and remembering the birth of our Savior. I love the music. I love it all. It seems like there is always more symbolism to learn each time the Christmas season rolls around.

This year, I was so happy to catch a little symbolism right at the beginning of the season.

I learned that the cutest little helpers aren't always helping in the way that I envisioned. But I also learned that my Christmas tree may be naked from the waste down, and that's ok. Because after all...naked can be cute!

But yes, our tree is naked from the waste down. The couple of stray ornaments that happened to lay within reach of the littlest helping hands, have since been thrown across the room! They just look too much like balls, and Des has a great time throwing them! So ya, the tree may not be exactly a model tree this year, but we Love it, and we Love him.

Getting To Know Mary.

Myah: Mom, which one of these is Mary?

Myah: Is it this one?Myah: Or is it this one?
Me: It's this one.

Myah: Are you sure?

Me: Yes, I'm sure. See? She's kneeling down looking at her beautiful baby Jesus.

Myah: Hmmm. Are you sure you're sure?

Me: Yes. Why?

Myah: Because Mary is supposed to have a little lamb!
And this one has the little lamb. See?

Me: Oh

Tannon....

Tannon was one of the 'visual arts' winners for a contest they had at school.
And this is his winning entry.

Now it goes on to the district level and possibly the state level. We had to take a picture, since we won't get it back. Really? How hard could it be to send the pictures back to the school that they came from? Whatever.

But GREAT job Tannon!