Fall Flashback

Okay, this is so old Claire is wearing a swimsuit, but it's too cute not to share:

Daddy's birthday! 28 years old

Camping conference weekend with friends and family up past Payson, AZ. It was abnormally cold. Like, it got below 30 degrees. We quadruple layered the kids in clothing and blankets and they slept surprisingly fine. It was us who stayed up with whistling wind whipping our tent around. Despite that, it was a fun adventure I'm glad we took.

To Utah for Matt's baptism.

The perfect Utah fall weather that I miss.

My little lion baby. He didn't mind his costume really at all.

Clark got his closest in age cousin Eli to visit for Halloween. It was so fun to have Sarah and Eli, Gammy and Porter/Samuel there for trick or treating.

                               

                               

                                 

                                    

                                 

                             

                            

The lion and the lamb (and the witch)

Porter was the best trick-or-treating buddy. Claire was a very determined candy collector and before the candy would even drop, she'd chrip, "next house?"

The candy load. This girl was in heaven. The most candy she had been exposed to to that point in her life.


Pumpkin Patch up north towards Prescott. We loved it and want to go again next year. Claire was very brave and did a lot of rides all by herself:

Grandpa Furse

 

My grandpa was funny, he loved to laugh and tease. His exuberant, wheezy laugh will forever live on and still rings in my ears. The family videos he took over the years capture his teasing phrases from behind the camera to family members like ,"you little twerp/retard/spaz" (said with a rascally love like only grandpa could). I knew he loved us and as I grew I treasured the affection he showed my grandma too. In his later years he was very affectionate and would kiss me on the cheek and told me he loved me. "You're a sweetheart, you know that?" He told me recently after I had shared that I wanted to learn more about his family history. 

He married my divorced grandma as a recently divorced man himself, taking on her six children and later had one son together. In marrying my grandma he bravely became a father to six children who desperately needed one and has affected generations for good. He served God diligently, setting an example to his children. Thirty-something grandchildren and as many great grandchildren call him grandfather. Thank you grandpa for your life and sacrifices and love. I have felt you near me and know you always will be aware of me and all of your family still in mortality. I find hope in knowing that you will be anxiously engaged in our well-being. I find joy in your reunion with so many of your loved ones and your daughters beyond the veil. So, my heart is filled with sadness for your departure but gratitude for a full life well-lived and for the legacy you leave along with the promise we will be together again.

Grandpa had at least a year to know his kidneys and heart were failing. It allowed him to prepare and he was ready and at peace after he made the decision to go off of dialysis. (See picture above. It was a sweet and very spiritual moment for him and my parents who supported him in that meeting with the doctor).

My heart hurts for my grandma who has to wait on the Lord's timing until she can join her loved ones on the other side. She asked my grandpa if she could go with him (when he died) and when he said he didn't know if that's how it worked she replied, "could you at least ask when you get there?" :)

Matt's Baptism

My littlest brother Matt turned eight on Sept. 19th, 2013. This little brother - who was born during my freshman year in college - is growing up fast and the next eight years will go even faster I think. I was blessed to be able to fly up with the kids (my second time flying solo with them!) to see him on that special day. It also worked out as a tender mercy that I was also able to see my Grandpa Furse while he was in the hospital - my last time in his presence in this life (see an upcoming post for more on that).

I love Mattie - amid his quirks :)

He loves Claire so much and I'm so grateful she has a fun uncle to play with amongst all the grown-ups in their lives.

Brand-new brother - Sept. 2005

With Grandpa Johnson

The fall weather we got to experience was so perfect, crisp, and what I've been missing down in AZ!

A little girl and a little boy

I can't believe how big they're looking! PS...this is how we spent the long hour after dinner while dad was at cub scouts:

The expression game. Happy face!

Sad face:

Scared face!

 She goes from this...

...to this in about two seconds flat when I say we can't watch Clifford until tomorrow. Bedtimes (now that she enjoys spending naptime playing in her room instead of falling asleep) are a little wound-up and exhausting.

 Her face when she tells me a story

My baby boy! Seven months old and crawling like a speedster and pulling himself up on stuff - yikes! Notice how Claire can't keep her hands off Clark in almost every picture. One of the most common phrases around here? "Claire, leave him alone!"

Whoa!

And btw, Clark has a celebrity look-alike, Patrick Wilson:

(Thanks to my friend Kiana for pointing it out - ha!)