Long Overdue

Joseph (6) - Everlit (4) - Elizabeth - Eva (23 months) - Jopes - Ariana (7 months)

I'm sure everyone's forgotten all about us and this blog since it's been so long since I last posted, but we're still alive and I'm back. I thought I ought to start with an update:

We are happy!

Jopes works hard for us and is great at his job. He's good at what he does and is even better at working with people, both coworkers and customers. He was just released from his church calling in the Elders Quorum presidency and looks forward to the next opportunity he'll have to serve.

I am still in school part-time. It's a slow process, but I'm closer than I've ever been to finishing! For a class project last semester, I wrote a song. It turned out great (with help from my family) and I loved doing it. I look forward to writing more in the future as a new hobby. I am the second counselor in the young women presidency and love my calling. I work with wonderful women and love each of our girls. Most of all, I love being a mother. Having four has been by far the hardest for me and I've struggled trying to figure things out all over again. I just keep trying to be a little better mom every day and I hope I am making progress. I love my family so much!

Joseph is in kindergarten and has absolutely loved it. He has really grown in confidence and it has been so neat to see him learn and read and grow into such an amazing little boy. He's made friends at school, he can read, do math, and has such a clever sense of humor. He's a great help and a fantastic older brother. He loves all things superhero, fishing, camping, outdoors. He rides a 2 wheel bike like a pro.

Everlit can't wait to start school just like her big brother. She also wants to do dance and ballet and play at the park every single day. She has so much energy and enthusiasm. She's my earliest riser in the mornings and loves having her breakfast right away. She doesn't consider breakfast complete without a bowl of cereal, even if we've had something fancier for breakfast that day. She is an incredible helper, especially with the baby. She loves to carry her around, even though she's half her size. She's gotten really good at wearing her glasses and they help her a ton.

Eva is a tough little girl. She thinks she's invincible and does some crazy stunts. She gets hurt a lot because of them, but nothing seems to keep her down for long. She is addicted to her binki, and if hers is lost she has no qualms with stealing the baby's. We can't keep shoes on her for two minutes whether we're outside or inside or on the way somewhere. She has a way of making everyone smile and laugh.

Ariana is adorable. She wants to be mobile so badly but just isn't quite there yet. It makes her so mad. She's a big time momma's girl. I've gotten pretty good at doing most things with one hand since I am holding her constantly throughout the day (and night). I know I "spoil" my babies, but I don't know how else to do it. Ariana has a really cute laugh and a smile that makes both mom and dad do her every bidding. She is always happy to be outside and wants nothing to do with baby food. She must have whatever we're eating.

We were blessed to be in the presence of a bunch of family last weekend in Utah. We even got to go through the Payson Utah Temple open house. It is a beautiful temple and it was wonderful getting to go through with my little ones and explain some of the special parts and blessings of the temple to them. The three oldest were all so excited that they could to go inside. Joseph and Everlit are often asking about when they get to go through the temple when they get older and they always start singing, "I love to see the Temple" whenever we are able to see it as we drive through town. Walking through the open house, Eva insisted on walking almost all of it, even the many flights of stairs we took. She kept saying, "Temple!" in her cute, binki-muffled voice. The above picture shows us all in our booties that we wore through the temple to keep the floors clean. The kids loved them and we all loved the experience. I know that Heavenly Father has given us temples and sacred ordinances so that we might be together as families for eternity, not just life on earth. I know that they are Houses of the Lord, and are truly sacred and dedicated for His purposes. I am grateful to live near one and to have been married and sealed to my family so that we can look forward with joy and confidence to our days as an eternal family so long as we keep the covenants that we have made with the Lord in temple. Families can be together forever!

To learn more about temples, visit https://www.lds.org/church/temples?lang=eng