Last 6 Months in Michigan- part 4: Birthdays

Fall is the time of birthdays for our family! Lillian's 5th, My 34th, Jon's 36th, all happened in September, and then we topped it all off with Tyler's 2nd birthay in October.

Lillian had a "My Little Pony" party with all of her little friends from church and the previous year's pre-school class. Fun, fun, fun little girly things!

Next was my birthday- just a night out to a Mexican Restaurant. Fun, though it was a bit wierd when they brought out the "birthday" treat- a flaming alcholic drink. . . . The waitress was so suprised when I said I didn't drink . . . All in all, I did have a wonderful night with Jon.

Then for Jon's birthday I made a non traditional birthday treat instead of cake (too many birthdays close together!)

He is one loved Daddy!

Tyler's cake was a huge brownie with ice cream in the middle- made to look like a basketball (which he LOVES). Not my best creation - - but it still was good enough for our family. Can't go wrong with brownies. My little guy is getting so big!!

Last 6 Months in Michigan- Part 3: Alicia

I am dedicating this whole post to someone I met at the end of the summer and spent a lot of time with throughout our last fall and winter in Michigan. Alicia is a young single mom of two (little Aleesha and Earnest- who is paralyzed from the waist down due to Spina Bifida), who joined the church just a few months before I met her and we were assigned to be visiting teaching companions. Although we come from completely different backgrounds and I would even say cultures- - she became one of my closest friends who I miss dearly! She inspired me and reminded me how much the Atomement of Jesus Christ can work so effectively in someone's life. She reminded me how much I am blessed to have the beautiful Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. She was a picture of a strong young mother who wanted nothing but the best for her little ones. The first day I met her, we were going to go out on some visiting teaching visits- and when I pulled into her complex I was so nervous. I was in a nieghborhood where, um, I kind of didn't fit racially and I FELT it from the stares I was getting from people. I knew Alicia and I wouldn't have much in common besides being mothers and our church and I hoped she would like me. I picked her up to go on our visits and within just a few minutes of talking together all my worries flew out the window and our spirits connected on a level I can't even describe. We were instant friends! We both inspired one another in so many ways- me being a lifelong member of the Church GENERATIONS back with Pioneer heritage, and a BRAND NEW member with the zeal of wanting to change her life for the better through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One of the first things she asked me was "So, how did you get to know about the Church?" The question caught me off guard and made me realize how sometimes the fact that I have had the church my whole life is taken for granted. It made me remember why I love the Gospel so much- and how I gained my OWN testimony of it's truthfullness, inspired by how I was taught my whole life. What fun conversations we had about everything from raising kids, the Gospel, and just LIFE.

She is the lovely single mother who inherited our old Toyota Previa van when we moved away from Michigan. Another one of our first conversations was how she had just gotten her driver's license and how she knew the Lord would provide for her somehow in the future to have adequate transportation (she didn't have a car of her own). Her young disabled son had many appointments that were difficult to get to- and even the winter before she had gotten frost bite from walking and riding the bus in the bitter cold. I was amazed because just the day before Jon and I had been talking about our old beat up van, and wondering if there was someone we could give it to. It truly was old and rattly- I didn't think anyone would want it and thought it would just end up in the junk yard. So, I mentioned to her that we had an old van we could give her when we moved in February- she was excited! We even let her borrow it on the weekends when Jon wasn't working, so she could run errands. I am so glad someone can benefit from our old, beloved van!

Little Alicia and Lillian:

Another really wonderful friend of ours- Jen has also been a wonderful part of Alicia's life. She is one of the women we visit teach and we all were fast friends. I was already friends with Jen- but then we added Alicia and we had so much fun getting together! We are all so very different and yet the same . . .

Pictures from Alicia's birthday at a Mongolian Grill:

Last 6 months in Michigan- part 2: Fall Fun

Busy and fun, full of sunshine and then fall leaves- Michigan is a wonderful place to be in the early fall. Here are a few of the comings and goings from that time in our life . . . First Day of School . . . including Lillian's first day of full day Kindergarten! Cynthia started 3rd grade and Marcus started 5th grade- at Donald J Yack's Elementary in Harrison Township, Michigan. It is amazing to think back now- since the kids are in a completely new school here in Spokane, including only half-day Kindergarten for Lillian. Yack's Elementary was very good to us and the kids learned and had many wonderful experiences there.

Another fun activity that took up our time during the months of October and November is Upward Football and cheerleading. The kids had so much fun with their friends in this low-key sports setting. I can't say Marcus was overly fond of flag-football itself, but he did enjoy being there with his team and other friends. Cynthia absolutely LOVED cheerleading, especially since she could be on a squad with her best friend from church- Macey. So fun!!

Macey's brother and Marcus' friend Carter and his mom (my friend!) Erin. Posting this reminds me how much I miss them and their family!!

We had fun as a family cheering for them at their games! Best sisters ever . . .

This was taken the same day as the BIG Univ of Michigan and Michigan State game . . . Jon's wearing the green for Michigan State, and Tyler is wearing the amazingly cute Univ. of Michigan Blue and Yellow track suit Jon scored on at the thrift store. It has become our favorite outfit for him to wear! The best is that here in Spokane, Mead High School also uses the same colors and the big M - - I even think their fight song is the same. Cool, huh!

Some random family pictures at stake conference - - Marcus friend Zack is with us too.

A visit from my sister Laura (we had so much fun together always) - - again, something I really miss about living in Michigan- seeing my sister and her family often!!!

More fun outings which were typical this time in our life- walks to the school playground and to "Manilla Jumps"- a little wooded area with a stream that runs through our neighborhood, and to a "pets and people" event at the local college. It is important for me to note the extra boy that is in many of these pictures- this is Christian- Marcus and Cynthia's best friend who lived just around the corner from us. He spent many an afteroon playing with the kids! It about broke my heart when the day we moved he came by with tears in his eyes and goodbye gifts saying "why do you guys HAVE to move?" Every once and awhile Marcus and Christian still talk on the phone and play computer games together over the internet (Roblox mostly).