It Has Been A Really Really Long Time

It Has Been A Really Really Long Time!

I have taken a long break from blogging because I just can't seem to remember to do it. I seem to only manage to write in my journal about every 6 months, but the blog has been much longer! 

It's been almost 2 years since I wrote, and of course lots of things have happened since then. I feel like I should give an update on the girls, since the whole reason I started a blog was to keep up with all of their goings on.

Baylee is 6, but will turn 7 next month. She is finishing 1st grade, and loves to read, play the piano, watch netflix, play with her friends, gymnastics, and loves to cuddle anyone she can get close to.

She had a really hard time adjusting to 1st grade. Her teacher is great, but has a loud voice. Baylee would get startled every time her teacher said anything, and thought she was in trouble all the time because she thought her teacher was yelling at them. She cried many mornings going to school, and would come home a basket case- but never had any break downs at school. She often saw Mrs. Bebeau, her Kindergarten teacher and would steal hugs from her when ever she could. She told me one day she just stands by her locker hoping to see Mrs. Bebeau because she makes her day better, and makes her feel happy. I talked to Mrs. Bebeau and she started giving Baylee books to read, and little notes of encouragement. I also talked to Baylee's teacher and told of the anxiety she was feeling. With the help of both teachers and teaching Baylee that change can be hard- but can be so good, she has had a great year. She loves her teacher and still gets books from Mrs. Bebeau. She loves gymnastics, and has just started going twice a week. I am hesitant to pigeon hole her to one sport right now, she's still young and should try lots of sports. She loves gymnastics and is doing very well in it. She also is super excited to start swimming again this summer.

Carly is 11 and going on 18. She is in 5h grade, her last year of elementary school. She loves gymnastics, hanging out with friends, playing the cello, playing the piano, making musically's, and baking treats. She finished her first season of competitive gymnastics. She had a great first year and loved it. It was fun to watch her progression through the season. She is learning about commitment and hard work to keep that progression going. She was elected for student council and has a lot of fun doing that this year. She is sad that it's her last year of elementary school, and her last year of primary at church- but she is oh so excited to go to middle school and young women next year. She is full of personality and sass, it gets her in trouble sometimes- but that's how she's always been, full of spunk!

Ashlee is 14 and is finishing her Freshman year of high school. She loves soccer, hanging out with friends, playing the viola- and she makes really good cookie dough! This year had been a bit of an adventure. She had been complaining of hip pain for about 2 years. I took her to the chiropractor for a while, then took her to her doctor. they sent us for x rays at the children's hospital, and that's when we found out what was causing the pain. She had a bilateral hip impingement. In all honesty we thought she was just being a little dramatic and whining. Turns out it was pretty bad and she had 2 major tears in her labrum. She had surgery, and missed about 2 weeks of school. She couldn't use her leg for 2 weeks then had to be on crutches for another couple weeks till she could walk well enough. She was so strong and tough through it! She has worked really hard to get her grades back up from missing school, worked hard to earn 1st chair in orchestra, and is working hard in physical therapy to hopefully be able to rejoin her soccer team in a month. 

Lexi is days away from turning 16, and is finishing her Sophomore year in high school. She loves hanging out with her friends, playing softball, sleeping, playing the piano, and singing. This year she has had many highs and lows, pretty normal for a teenage girl. She is so excited to go to Mormon Prom with her friend Caleb, and she's excited to finally get her license. She is trying to decide if she's going to stop playing softball for school. It's very hard to play sports when there's politics, and this high school team is a hot mess. Because she doesn't want to play on Sunday's- she likes to keep it as a holy day- most competitive teams won't let you play. If you don't play on those competitive teams then no matter how good you are, you kind of get left in the dirt. Sadly many girls have quit the team, and many more will quit- it's that bad. The coaching is rough too, it's just not a really fun environment. That being said, she is still incredibly respectful and kind to her coaches and teammates and I know sometimes it's hard. 

Last summer Walmart closed their corporate office up here, and it left Darrell without a job. It was a tad stressful, but by the end of the summer he had a temporary job with EcoLab, which turned into a permanent job in January. It has honestly been amazing how much happier he is with his job. We didn't realize just how much stress and anxiety working for Walmart was, until he wasn't doing it anymore. Darrell is a hard worker and loves his family- he takes great care of us. He loves helping each of the girls in anyway he can, and he is always great to help me. I love this guy, and feel so blessed to have him for almost 17 years and many more after that! 

I started the BYU Idaho Pathway program a year and a half ago. I loved it and finished it and am now taking classes online. I will have to transfer to a college here to get the degree I want, but for now I'm taking what I can online because it's way cheaper! It took me a long time to decide what I wanted to go to school for, and have decided I want to go for ASL. I have always wanted to learn, and one night after watching a deaf woman try to find someone to ask for help I knew that's what I wanted to do. I can't imagine being surrounded by all kinds of people but not be able to communicate with them.

That's a peak into our lives here. We are busy, but we are happy! We love the area we live in, we love the friends we have made and continue to make here. We are Minnesotans, it's so weird to say, but we are. We survive the winters and LOVE the warm weather!