Gingerbread cookies, rock climbing, and beauty

 Rock climbing has been a great hit for the kids.

 Lily and Jake and John Paul and I enjoyed a beautiful view while Ryan helped a Brent build a house in Bear Lake.

October

 Esther received a porcelain doll for her birthday. It was quite a blessing. We found it last year for 8 dollars, before finding out we’d lose our job. That was a tender mercy. The girls continue to grow quickly, and the boys too. Jacob on a walk with me... what a cute boy. He has such a vocabulary.

 We got two kittens to help with the mice since our cat Thunder died. Tigger leaves these two alone because he doesn’t like the chicken coop. These two females like their little home and use a litter box.

 Jacob enjoying a horse ride at Uncle Jim’s house.

September

Learning to be still

 This has been an interesting growing experience for us. After nine months of looking diligently for employment, and 5 months of really looking for a job... hundreds of applications and about 30 interviews, still nothing. It has tested our trust in God, but we know He is aware of us and loves us. What does it mean to “be still and know that God is God”? I think one thing I’m learning is it means still praying and fasting and trying and applying, and not forgetting that God cares. In the meantime we have been grateful for those who have shared food storage, or true encouragement. We know better what do to comfort someone else who would experience this. Through all of this I love Ryan all the more.

Adventures

 Earlier in July, we went to take the kids on a field trip. GPS took us on a crazy road that was not fit for even four wheelers. We got to a place where we could turn around and came down after a prayer. We felt grateful for safety, and it made unemployment a much smaller trial by comparison to the scary situation we were in. I’m grateful for my little family. We also took the kids on another trip to Idaho Falls to see the museum. I love being together as a family.

Summer

 The girls will be going to a charter hybrid school, school one day and 4 homeschool days. They are excited for it, and I’m glad for them to be able to socialize with other homeschool families. Monta had her hair cut, because arguing about brushing it was becoming a daily issue. Hopefully by the time it grows out again she’ll brush it herself. We are grateful for God’s blessings to our family. Even though we’ve not found a high enough paying job yet, our resources have not entirely vanished. It’s a bit like the cruise of oil. There’s a job we would love for him to get and have worked hard on the resume. But we leave the rest up to God.

May

We snuggled John Paul, celebrated Lena, took Jake on bike rides, avoided mastitis twice, went to the Temple, prayed, played in the yard, read the Secret Garden with the girls, planted plants, nursed,  watched neat Attenborough movies, and waited on the Lord for Ryan to find a job.