These kids have grown a couple of feet:
We also have three new models.
We have a tradition in our family, and I don't exactly know why it is a tradition. We do something really BIG for our kids on their 9th birthday.
We finally settled on something that would incorporate his love for speed, adventure, and water: Elitches in Denver. It is a combination amusement park and water park. We woke him up early the morning of his birthday, handed him an MP3 player and told him where I was taking him. Then we hit the road and arrived at the Park when it opened.
The first day we only did the rides, and I splurged and bought the VIP passes. This allowed us to bypass the 90 minute wait signs on some of the rides and go directly to the front of the lines. I'm sure that some people hated us when they saw us walk up and then go on the next ride, but it was most assuredly worth every penny.
Unfortunately, the second ride we went on shook us around more than we expected and Connor's glasses flew off on the last corkscrew. It took him a little while to recover, and I worried that he wouldn't go on any more roller coasters. We found a ride similar to Buzz Lightyear at Disneyland that was called the Ghost Blasters. We went on it 9 times in a row. I'm sure the people in that line really hated us. I am happy to say that I finally achieved the rank of Master Blaster.
After that break Connor worked back up his nerve and we went on every single roller coaster in the park. Some more than once. At the end of the day, Connor wanted to go on one more ride. I really wanted to go with him, but I knew that if I set my foot on any more rides that day, my lunch would end up on the ground. He was pretty understanding, and we headed to our hotel.
He ate candy, chips and crackers for his birthday dinner, and I found that I had no appetite and skipped dinner. The next morning we hit the park early, and went on every water slide in the park. I must say that this was my favorite day. We timed it well, because it was much hotter than the previous day.
Late in the afternoon, when we were tired, we used the GPS to find a movie theater and watched Harry Potter 7 part 2 for the second time in XD. To our delight there was a sushi bar across the street, and we had a fabulous dinner. There was a man sitting next to us at the bar who was openly gaping at Connor and kept commenting that his kids would never touch sushi. Connor LOVED it!
We headed back to the park and went on our favorite rides in the evening. There was a parade and firework show that night that we enjoyed and then we once again crashed at our hotel. The next morning we went on a mix of rides and slides. When things got too crowded we headed for home.
We had a wonderful time and made some great memories. I think that the sweetest part of the trip was hearing him start to talk to his brothers and then remember that they weren't there. He wanted to share his excitement with them. He called home 5 or 6 times and wanted them to know everything he was doing and hear everything they were doing.
Now that we have this established tradition I have found several good aspects of it. Nine is the end of the single digits and in some ways the end of the magical part of childhood. At the same time, they are old enough to appreciate and remember their experience. It is not a very special birthday, so we have found a way to make it special and build a lasting memory.
Back in May we met our friends the Fletchers in Denver and spent a day together at the Science museum. We met through our homeschooling group when when they moved here and became fast friends. We got together several times each week, and they were an inspiration to our family. The boys were best friends, and we learned a lot more about ranching from them. We also learned a lot about hard work, prayer, faith and attitude. It was hard for us when they moved away.
When they moved to Alamosa, Tanya was expecting a baby. The doctors told her from her ultrasound that their baby would be born missing limbs from the elbows and knees on. Tanya and Regin were happy to take their baby, however she came. They were not expecting when she was born to find that she was born without any limbs. She was tiny. I held her Dally when she was first born. She was so little and so fragile with only her left foot having three toes, and a right toe.
We have watched Dally grow up. She is already three, and can feed herself, go up and down stairs, walk, play with toys and even pick her nose. She has a happy nature and is amazingly independent. Her parents don't think she is limited in what she can do....instead they figure out creative solutions to help her do whatever she wants. They are currently in the process of figuring out a way that she can ride horses with the rest of the family. She has a wheelchair that she was able to manipulate in and out of elevators and through the exhibits at the museum.
I know it is because of the faith of her parents and brothers that Dally is leading such a rich and full life. I could write volumes about all the lessons I learn from them. I feel privileged to know their family and am grateful to call them friends.
The first two weeks living in a small town were a shock to my system. There was absolutely no place to shop. We were two hours from civilization. We were two days from family. It was culture shock. I eventually adjusted to the differences. When we came to our first 4th of July I was introduced to a small-town parade.
I often comment that living here in Alamosa is similar to going back in time about 20 years. That is very true for our celebrations. Our parade isn't very long, but it is a lot of fun. The participants throw candy to the children, they shoot guns off,
there are plenty of tractors and horses,
signs on the floats are miss-spelled,
and best of all, you know half of the people in the parade.
Andrew and Connor got to march with the cub scouts in the parade. They had a fun time and still got some candy at the end. One of their scout leaders also happens to be our nurse.
She has given Andrew appoximately 468 shots since we have moved here. We fasted and prayed for her through her chemotherapy and radiation after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has helped us through many illnesses, including Danielle's most recent mosquito bite on her eye.
In small towns, people are there for each other in a way that I hadn't previously experienced.
Speaking of our small town, the City Hall/Library complex is coming right along. It will be beautiful when it is done.
The fire station is nearly done on the end of the current city hall. Once the new building is finished the current city hall will be remodeled into a new Police Station.
This project has been so challenging but will be so good ultimately for our community. Nathan has worked so hard, since we moved here, and I think he does an amazing job.
I went into my pre-practicum experience knowing that it would be intense and emotional, and I was right. I learned so much about myself and my way of being in the world. I bonded with the people in my group. It was interesting to discover that even though we were from a variety of places including Virginia, Pennsylvania, California, Wisconsin and Colorado, we were so much alike. We all have the same basic needs for love, approval, and compassion.
We practiced counseling each other in what they call the "fishbowl" where everyone gives feedback. I thought I would be able to do it, but I was very anxious and unsure. After the first few times I relaxed and it felt very natural for me. I also had my feelings confirmed to me that I absolutely love it! The feedback I got was positive and encouraging. I learned a lot about where I need to learn and grow, and I am apprehensive about all the work the next few years will entail, but I am sure that I am going in the right direction.
My boys went off to Vail with Nathan for his City Managers conference. They had a nice time relaxing. My girls had a harder time with my daily disappearance and were pretty emotional. Thank goodness for good friends and neighbors who made sure they were taken care of and loved. 
The second to last night of my practicum, I got a message from Holly Sandiford Bartlett on Facebook. She was trying to track down the sister missionary who found and taught her. I hadn't seen or heard from her for over 16 years, and I didn't know that she had ever been baptized. She wrote on her page the following:
So much that we feel is impossible to express.
The past two Fridays the endless meetings for Nathan took him away from even this fun evening. This week he's at a work retreat and won't be home till tomorrow night. Brandon was at a party with his friends, so it was just me and the younger four.
If I could personally hand pick the weather, this evening was right on the mark. We barbequed our burgers, and ate on the deck. The birds flew around us and we watched a Canada Goose land on the pond. It was idyllic. The only thing missing was Nathan and Brandon.
Lenaya's life changed drastically tonight as well. She had Kolton James today. He was 6'5". Both are doing well. It's fun to look forward to meeting this new little nephew. We won't be able to make it to Nevada until August, so we'll get to meet two new nephews and a new niece. I'm so excited to hold these little babies. My own baby is getting too big!
