Jakers

Jake,

You are my youngest child and age wise, not grade wise, you are also the furthest apart from your next sibling.  You and Riley are 30 months apart and everyone else is between 18 months and 24 months apart.  You may not think that makes much of a difference, I didn't think it would when I planned to have you then (yes, you were planned and perfectly timed) but it does.  Especially because Ben and Riley are so close in age (18 months) so Riley appears to be able to keep up with Ben better than you can keep up with Riley.  I just wanted you to know, that while you are growing, six months - 1 year extra makes all the difference.  It has been hard for you to keep up with Ben and Riley but you are persistent and patient.  You keep trying and trying and trying and so far, in everything that you have kept trying at, you have begun to see some rewards whether it is school or athletics.  Keep on being persistent and patient.

You were born at the end of dental school in Las Vegas, Nevada.  When you came home, we had a crazy week because Jordan, Kenzie, Ben or Riley had flushed a sock down our toilet and clogged up our sewer system.  I will never forget that because literally sewer backed up into our showers...yuck!...and I had to shower at my friend's house.

You were such a happy and easy baby.  That helped me so much because your first five years were full of moves.  We moved a lot during those times.  In fact, we moved a total of 7 times between the time you were born and the time you were 5.    Your sweet nature made those moves easier.

You are so gifted musically.  I know I always tell you that but you truly are.  I hope you use this gift.  It is not something that you are really trying to develop right now and I hope that means you're not done with it.  From the time you were born you could pick up a tune and have it right.  Remember the Death Star March from Star Wars, you would hum it all the time as a little boy.  All the songs we listened to at home you would learn to sing (You've got to have heart).  You play the guitar so well, you were able to pick up the piano easily.  Really, those are not gifts most people have.  Use them.

You like to be funny.  You are probably my child who tries to keep us laughing the most.  This got you into trouble a little bit in 4th grade and even sometimes seems to get you in trouble now because you are learning what is appropriate and what it not.  Keep developing that sense of humor it will take you far in life.

You are sensitive and that is okay.  Definitely my most sensitive child.

You are kind.  You are kind to those younger and those older and those your age.  It makes me proud the way you treat others.

Being the youngest in our family isn't easy.  I think in most families it is because the youngest is always a little spoiled, but in our family, you have to keep up with the others and that has been hard.  It will pay off Jake.  Keep that positive attitude, that sense of humor and that persistence and keep developing your musical talent.  It doesn't have to be my way, but you should develop it. 

I love you.  I'm proud of you.  I'm glad you completed our family.

Love,

Mom

week 4 quarantine

This quarantine has been filled with worry.

Worry for my friend whose husband might lose his job.
Worry for my other friends whose business might go bankrupt.
Worry for my employees who aren't working right now.
Worry for the health of my family in case they contract this sickness, especially my parents.
Worry that we won't contract this sickness and we won't get herd immunity.
Worry about the state of the economy.  Will the restaurants be able to even open back up?  Or the hair dresser?
Worry for what dentistry will look like when we open up.
Worry that maybe, fall and winter sporting events will be cancelled.
Worry that my kids might not be able to attend the University in the fall.

And the list goes on and on and on.

I do feel hope today though.  The attitude seems more positive in the United States lately and I'm hoping to see things open up soon.

I'm sure glad I have my family during this time.  Just so you know we don't get along perfectly, remember the chore chart that got ripped up?  Well, that was just one of thousands of frustrations that have manifested themselves in our family.  Yes, there are moments we have been frustrated at the close quarters we've been forced to endure together.   However, for the most part, there is nothing like spending time with my family.  It makes all my worries melt away.  When I laugh, cry, work and play with them I know we can pull through this together.  Sometimes I look in their eyes and reassure them they are okay and sometimes they look in my eyes and  reassure me too.  It is wonderful.  That is what I think we are all really missing with this social distancing.  None of us are able to look into our neighbors' or friends' eyes and say, "Hey, we're going to get through this.  WE ARE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS."

Here are some things we are doing to get through this together as a family.

Some of what we do has no purpose other than to entertain us.

Yes, we completed another 1000 piece puzzle:

We've played games, watched some movies and have watched a lot of The Office together.  Here's Jordan, Kenzie and I just hanging out together one evening.

Sometimes we go on long drives with the family and then get out of the car and do handstands in the road because we can right now.

Then as always what one brother can do, the other has to do also.

And then one brother's arms fold and Mom gasps as she thinks said brother is going to break his neck.

The young seem to be more agile though than we, the old, think and he rolls right on through neatly.

Most of what we do has a purpose though.  

We've had the kids cook a lot to improve their homemaking skills.

We've been carving our rocks more and are one step closer to having our names carved completely in stone.

We fix our toys and make cools number plates for ourselves.  I guess if you are a motorcross fan you will recognize the significance of the red number plate and the challenge he has made to his older brothers.  

We take family hikes together to see beautiful scenery and take time out to appreciate what God has made for us.

We make pretty things.  Kenzie painted all these...in an afternoon.  One is of our family leaving the Salmon River last summer, one is copied from Calvin and Hobbes and one is her profile.

Finally we do hard things because hard things make us more able to face hard challenges we will have in life.  Sometimes it is doing hill repeats on our bikes, sometimes it is riding longer than we ever have on our bikes, sometimes it is a dirt bike ride and sometimes it is summiting a mountain to ski back down.  It all takes a lot of effort:

But the reward is always worth it.

Catching up and...Easter

We just finished week 3 of social distancing and the 1st stay at home order.  The stay at home order is now extended until April 26th and we don't plan on opening our dental office until the first of May at the earliest.  I'm hoping the first of May to be honest.  I'll admit that some days are good and some days are not so good.  I feel like the lady in this video.  I think we all feel this way.

So, what quarantine activities have we been participating in?

Brad has been moving dirt and making rock cairns and carving initials into rocks and teaching the children to carve their initials into rocks.

 

Why?  Well, because when moving dirt to make our driveway more parking friendly he found this rock:

 

 

 

 And, while this is upside down, we are going to carve our name and initials into the rock and place it on our driveway.

I'm actually pretty impressed with the way it is turning out.

We are going on family hikes to cool places we wouldn't normally be able to go to:

While we're there we pose for pictures:

 

And pretty soon posing turns in to flexing:

Which with 4 boys turns into more flexing:

Which turns into a competition of whose muscles are the biggest:

Which somehow always leads to shirts off.  It's just the way things are.

This is the guys that takes us there and takes most of these pictures.  I love him.

He still makes me laugh:

 

We bike ride and mountain bike ride:

 

 

We do puzzles and watch the office. We moto, back country ski (well, the boys do) and when the boys back country ski or moto Kenzie, Blue and I go on more hikes.

 

 

I'm so grateful it is spring right now and we have good weather during this quarantine.

 

While we are enjoying being together I have to admit that stresses can still be high and there have been more quarrels, arguments and wrestling.  And, sometimes, when our sister pushes us too much about the chore chart, the chore chart gets ripped up....ahem (Ben).

 

 

Today is Easter.  I did get the house decorated...on Thursday.  It was a little late, but it was done.

 

 

The last picture is of some cards my mom sent the kids that she made.  They are so cute.  I'm grateful it was Easter today.  I need the hope of the resurrection to get me through this time.  I need to have faith that things can be restored to how they once were.  I need to know the Savior can heal all things.  I'm sure I've shared this scripture before, but I am going to share it once again today.  I may have even told the following story before in my blogs.  Maybe, maybe not.  If I have and I am repeating myself, I apologize.  One of my favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon is Alma 7:11-12.  It says, "And he ( speaking of Jesus Christ) shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.  And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities."  I love this scripture because when I was in Argentina serving an 18 month mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints I became really ill.  I was so ill I ended up going to the hospital and was diagnosed with pneumonia.  The night I went to the hospital I was at home and I was having difficulty breathing.  I was far away from home, really sick and really scared.  My companion, Hermana Zavala, was trying to calm me and was wiping down my forehead with a cloth trying to cool my temperature.  She read me this scripture that night and immediately, while I was still scared, I felt the power of these words speak to me.  The Savior knew me, he knew exactly what I was going through at that time, he knew how I felt and if I turned to him, he knew how to succor me.  That is the most wonderful thing about the atonement of the Savior, he knows everything we go through because when he was in the Garden of Gethsemane he felt what we feel.  Not only sin, but sickness and sorrow too.  The atonement culminated in his resurrection.  I spoke with my children today, around the breakfast table about the celebration of Easter.  We discussed what Lent was, what Palm Sunday was, what good Friday was and what Easter celebrated.  In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we focus on the resurrection.  We focus on the fact that he lives and saves us.

 

One of my favorite hymns says (by the way music is one of the mediums that makes me feel close to the Savior):

 

I know that my Redeemer lives.

What comfort this sweet sentence gives.

He lives, he lives who once was dead.

He lives my ever living head

He lives to bless me with his love.

He lives to plead for me above.

He lives my hungry soul to feed.

He lives to bless in time of need.

 

He lives to grant me rich supply.

He lives to guide me with his eye.

He lives to comfort me when faint.

He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.

He lives to silence all my fears.

He lives to wipe away my tears.

He lives to calm my troubled heart.

He lives all blessings to impart.

What a wonderful blessing to us that Jesus Christ lives.  On this Easter Day, 2020 let us lift our praise and thanks to him who lives and overcame all things.  I believe in Christ and I am grateful for the opportunity to celebrate his resurrection this day.  I am in need of the hope it offers and am grateful for the renewal it gives.