Well it's that time of year again and this year I've decided to email our letter and photo around to those who have email and print them for the very few who don't.
Our family has grown again and we welcomed Baby R Griggs into the family on March 10th 2008. She was 7lbs 15.9 oz and 19 3/4 inches long. Now at 9 months she is a healthy smiley if small girl who loves her siblings and BEAMS with love for every one. Papa and I both think she is our happiest baby yet. She weighs in at a mere 14 lbs and about 25.75 inches tall but is crawling like a pro and cruises along the furniture. She is a little joy to us all and we thank God for her.
E turned 2 on Oct 22 and is also a very small girl. She weighs in at just 21lbs but is a full 33 inches tall. She is our daredevil and climber. With 2 older brothers she has a "if they can do it, or even if they can't. I WILL TRY IT!!" attitude. So far she hasn't broken anything but I suspect she'll be the 1st one in the ER with a broken bone. She has scared us both several times and luckily scared herself as well so maybe she'll settle as she gets older. She is a little mother and cleans up after the boys and herself, loves to help with 'chores' and mothers her 'babies' and protects them from her brothers. E and Baby R seem to have the start of a great relationship and we hope and pray that it continues.
L will be 4 in April and is 32 lbs and 37.75 inches tall. L has turned into a little reader in the last few months. He loves to look at books and make up or tell the story in the book. He still loves his trucks but books are a close second. He is very reserved with people until he gets to know them then he loves them completely. He loves to play simple games like Simon says or round and round the haystack. He loves his brother and the two of them are great friends. L recently found that he likes to draw and he is often at the chalk board drawing families. We've also found that L is very talented with snow. He makes awesome snowmen with ears and everything all by himself.
J will be 5 on Jan 5th and is 45 lbs and 44 inches tall. He is a wonderful willing helper. He enjoys telling hunting stories or singing hunting songs he makes up himself. He often 'reads' books to his younger siblings and has several books completely memorized. He learns quickly and retains almost all of what he learns. He enjoys singing, adding numbers, crafts, reading, pretending and tea parties with E and L. He will not be starting school until 2010 when we will be homeschooling him. We legally have to start then and are planning on taking the next year to research our options.
We had some other big changes this year. Papa has started his commercial transport mechanic apprenticeship as of Oct. So far we all love it. It gives us a lot more time as a family and a regular schedule which is really nice. We eat supper together almost every night and the work is steady and interesting for Papa. He mostly enjoys the challenge of diagnosing problems. The only part that is frustrating for him is that he can only fix what the customer wants fixed, even if it really needs it. To Papa that is leaving it half done and he dislikes leaving anything half done. The hours are nice and the schooling can be done close by which is an answer to prayer.
We also did some changes in our farm this year. We had our 1st calf ever born on the place this spring and had fun with him and another calf that we were given as we tethered them around, figured out several milking problems and tried to keep them and the cow happy. All in all we enjoyed them and are looking forward to the beef. We also hand cleared 2 acres with a chainsaw and lots of hard work. We did leave some trees as a wind break and canopy but we think we took out about 3 log truck loads of trees. Then we limed and seeded it and watched it grow. We are really looking forward to spring and the new patch of grass. We plan on finishing the 1/2 acre that is still down, and taking a few more trees out, and clearing another acre or 2 this spring and summer. We also did 6 pigs for the 1st time ever this year and raised them up on milk. They were summer pigs so we still have them and will probably butcher in the new year.
Our house is on hold as we save money to start the next stage. We did get the trusses built and the next thing we need is tin for the middle roof. We have decided that it can wait until we have what we need. Papa is planning on making several things in the trailer to make our storage problems more manageable. He is going to make the kids bunk beds which will free up a lot of room in their room. We've also turned the back bathroom into a storage room with a toilet which helps.
I keep busy with crafts, farming and reading when I'm not busy with the kids, household stuff, baking, gardening, sewing, and a hundred and one other things that need doing. I enjoy it, for the most part ( I honestly don't know anyone who enjoys toilet training and all the mess that goes with it) and like to keep busy. I also keep up our blog which I really enjoy as I am a writer at heart and writing about our kids and lifestyle suits me wonderfully.
Our family is still attending home church with 3 or 4 other couples in this area. We switch from house to house and instead of Sunday school teach our children verses and read them the Bible nightly. Both the boys have a wonderful clear conceptions of who God is and what He has done for us and what He does do for us. They often floor me with their questions and insights and often supper time is spent teaching them God's ways.
Luke 2:10 and 11. Then the angel said to them. "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born for you this day in the city of David, a savior who is Christ the Lord. "
Merry Christmas!!!
Love
The Griggs Family.
