Amazing Eliza

 At 21 months Eliza can jump on the trampoline. She can do perfect somersaults. She can bounce onto her bottom and back up onto her feet. She can also talk a lot more than most of my kids could at her age. She's right up there with Ruth, Kate, and Rachel who were all talking before 2. She learns a new word everyday. For a while she called all mammals cats and all birds ducks, but now she says neigh for horse, moo for cow, dog, cat, duck, geese, chick, bunny, fish, and most of their sounds. She calls all letters and numbers, "a, e, i, o". She has sort of been potty training. I took her diaper off and she tells us and shows us where she has peed or pooped. She calls poop, "yucks". 2 days ago, she starting using the toilet, so she is beginning to get it. She is the same age that I trained Ruth, Kate, and Rachel at. But anyway, it has been a joy seeing all that she can do at such a young age. Susan, Sam, and Gideon all did not talk much until they were 3, sl it has been fun to have such a little one with so much to say. 

Random April Photos

 

Sam in His Video Game Clothes

Sam said that these are his video game clothes and the day that he wears them is his video game day, all day. 

 

Clouds over Cape Hatteras

 This was about 100 miles NorthEast of where we live. 

One Incredible Lightening Storm

 

We had this incredible lightening storm two weeks ago. I have never seen anything like it before. It went on for 5 plus hours and there weren't pauses between strikes. As you can see in this picture, there were more than one strike at a time. This was taken from our front porch, but it wasn't very close to our house. We never heard any thunder. 

In His Sleep

 In his sleep, Gideon was overheard saying, "I want to fly. Teach me to fly."

Easter 2023

 

We had a bigger than usual Easter because I believe that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are two of the most important events in all of time. I want my kids to understand this, so I am trying to make Easter more memorable. We had scriptures and treats each night before Easter, and then a candy hunt and a big lamb dinner on Resurrection Sunday. And it was better and more enjoyable. Next year, I plan to do a lot more to make it as beautiful as Christmas. Maybe we will even do an Easter tree and lights to make it even better and something more to remember. 

This Easter, Eliza woke up so excited that she squealed with delight and then danced for us. I loved watching my youngest 5 kids excitedly hunting for candy and felt very grateful to partake in their joy. If I had only had 8 children, I would not have this anymore. I am so grateful that I made the choice to have these youngest children of mine, even amidst trials, poverty, and health struggles. There is simply more to life than making sure things are as easy as can be. It would have been easier if I had stopped having kids after Josh. I would have still had a very large family. But I had more with faith and now when I know that I will not be having any more kids, I am so grateful that I have these young ones to enjoy. And that is what I thought of Easter morning.