You Reap What You Sow...

 This may have been the  NICEST thing any person has ever said to me.  I will not take any credit for any of the events that have taken place over the past year.  All of the wonderful things that we have done have been divinely inspired and aided.  The happiness we feel is based solely on our Heavenly Father's love for us.  We have been blessed over and over this past year.  Raleigh and I wake up every morning and work our tails off to do all we can to ensure that we all have a good life.  Nearly our every thought is for someone other than ourselves.  We are just a little family that is trying to survive and be our very best in a harsh and sometimes unfair world. But the scripture that is taped up on my bedroom mirror says it all...

Fear not to do good, my sons 

for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap.

Therefore, 

If ye sow GOOD, ye shall also reap GOOD for your reward.

Please enjoy our "Year of Reaping".  It was in our opinion our best year yet (ironically) and undoubtedly just the beginning of many, many more to come.

We became an Eternal family.  I was nine weeks pregnant with Ryker on this beautiful day. He was a little untold secret at the time, but he was with us and we could feel his sweet spirit. 

We enjoyed being together in all sorts of combinations every single day of the entire year.  We have had many adventures and did so many fun things that bonded us as a family and brought us closer together.

Brayden is the most loving, kind and sensitive boy there is.  He isn't afraid to be with his family in public.  He is an outstanding example to his younger siblings of how to treat his mother and how to be respectful and helpful.  He has a very strong testimony and has his head on completely straight. Brayden got a job this year.  And works a lot of hours and is making a ton of money.  He bought a really expensive lap top with his first check and I think he will treasure it as his first real purchase.  He chooses the right every single day and is preparing for his mission

Quincey worked really hard and ended 9th grade with some outstanding grades.  She is always well put together and is willing to do our hair and make up at any hour of the day (even 2:00 a.m, when her mother is in labor).  She is light hearted and never serious and knows anything and everything about fashion and entertainment.  She is maintaining her goal not to date before she is 16 even though it's killing her.  She met a couple of boys on her cruise that she is keeping in touch with in hopes they will come a callin' in late September.

Morgan is brilliant and talented and driven to always be the best.  She enrolled herself in tumbling classes and perfected her flips and jumps.  She is on the high honor roll with a 4.0 GPA and is always busy with flying classes, tumbling classes and cheer practice three days a week.  She will never settle for anything but perfection.  She is an old soul and is very mature for her age.  We have very grown up conversations.  She is always truthful and at times brutally honest.

Allison is as athletic and sportsy as ever.  She is always on the go with this friend or that.  She is the kindest person I know.  She would never say an unkind thing about anyone.  She notices the good in every person she is with and she points out everyone's fine qualities.  She is not jealous or mean to any other child ever and she is always forgiving.  She loves going to Maverick on Friday nights to get milkshakes and she LOVES her new bike!!

Peyton amazes us every single day.  She is so smart.  She not only knows her colors, letters and numbers in English but she knows them in Spanish too.  She can hardly say a sentence without interjecting some Espanol.  She is mild mannered and calm like her dad and is usually engaged in some sort of educational activity.  She is an excellent talker and says the sweetest things to us every day.

Kaleigh is darling to look at and is always energetic.  She is very animated and will always perform and dance and show her tricks to anyone who asks.  She is a very good talker.  She has an unbelievable personality which comes out in her eyes that are huge and alive with life.

Our sweet Ryker was brave and strong through all of his health issues.  He spent the first two weeks of his life lying alone in a hospital bed tied down with tubes and wires and painful needles.  He was cared for mostly by strangers with only 3 one hour visits from his mom and dad each day.  But he is the happiest, smiliest and most wonderful baby in the entire world.  He doesn't give us a moment of trouble unless he's hungry and he can sleep through WWIII  (which is how loud it sometimes is in our house)

Raleigh and I LOVE more than anything, just being together.  We are as in love today as the first day we fell in love and so much more. Just when we think we love each other as much as we can, we love each other more the next day.  We love each other unselfishly and literally live to please one another.  I have the knowledge that he would does anything for me.  He treats me like a queen.  And I don't know another couple who are better for each other than us. 

The bottom line is....  We are reaping a pretty great and not to mention extremely productive life.  Some might even call it a "Fantasyland".  And they'd be right.  I really did appreciate these "kind" words a year ago. They caused us to become even closer than we already were and they inspired us to be an even stronger and more united team.  They made us want to work harder to do more and be more.  The hard work and determination and loyalty and kindness and love that we have sown, have helped us to reap bounteous blessings and will continue to do so for years to come.

And I pray that our Heavenly Father will continue to bless us in all of our new adventures