Primary Graduation

TJ graduated from primary today and walked the red carpet. He is excited to join the deacons quorum.

Giving Machine

We finally made it to the giving machine on Christmas Day. We were so excited that they brought it back to Gilbert . We bought kids books and toys and shoes, boxes of fresh produce, and meals and of course Emmy had to get a sheep.

Christmas

We had another wonderful Christmas where we were all spoiled. Emmy got a phone, TJ got a switch, Addy got a , Evie got an Anna Doll and Rook got the dig it up that he asked for.

Christmas Eve

Annual pajama pictures. This might be the last year that their birth order is the same as their heigth order.

Horton Creek Hike

On the way up to Taylor for Christmas, Emmy begged us to stop and go on a hike at Horton Creek. She had hiked it on their way to girls camp and really wanted to stop so we did. It was a little cold and there were chunks of ice on the creek, but we had a good time.

Willa

My second cousin's kids were swept away when they tried to cross a flooded wash. A couple weeks ago Wyatt messaged me to see if I wanted to go look for their daughter, Willa. I had never met her but wanted to go help. It was a day spent in waiters, walking through the water and mud. Even after several days the water was moving so fast that there were times, I struggled to stay on my feet. It was a day of peace and retrospection and prayer. As I searched, the thought that kept going through my mind was with God all things are possible. I knew that it was possible for Him to show us where that little girl was. I also know that He hears and answers prayers and there were hundreds if not thousands of people praying, we would find her. But I also know that when he answers no or not yet it is always out of love and usually because He has a tender mercy waiting for us. When I heard that she had been found on the day of her funeral it once again reaffirmed that truth to me. We had been using some copper pipes as walking sticks as we looked. Wyatt had dropped his in the water at one point and we lost it. So, he found a big stick that he used the rest of the day as a walking stick. Last night he brought me a pen that he made from that walking stick. It was a sweet reminder to me of a day I go to spend with him looking for one of our cousins we never got to meet. I'm grateful for brothers who are good. I'm grateful for my knowledge that death is not the end. And especially for my knowledge that God is good even when life is hard.

Altitude

Emmy decided to change volleyball clubs this year. She tried out for Club Altitude and made the 13R1 team. Their team name is Rise. They had their first tournament and she played really well.