Thanksgiving 2020

Thanksgiving looked a lot different this year. We’re in quarantine, so it was just the 7 of us. Originally we were going to pick up food, but Jas knows me well enough that that wasn’t going to fly. Especially since I was starting to feel better AND because Keaton was really excited to have a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Enter Smith’s pickup Wed night. They had everything except the turkey breast😂 Jas & Jude scrambled to Lee’s-only 20 lbs turkeys. Pivoted to ham. Jude, Thad & Jas made scalloped potatoes in the Traegar along w the ham. I made my mom’s rolls, homemade cranberry sauce. Keat made the shrimp cocktail. We had my usual veggie tray, green beans & crackers w Cream cheese & jalapeño jelly. It was perfect & delicious!

2 hours later, T started hurting again😢 He threw up several times. It breaks my heart 

This kid is amazing though. He had a hot shower & was temporarily feeling better. While he was watching a show, the rest of us went hot tubbing. We played games-spoons, Connect 4, Battleship. 

That night in bed, Thad’s stomach was cramping again. I asked how I could help him. If  I could read a story to him or tell some would you rathers. My sweetheart asked if I’d read the scriptures to him. So I did. Ether 12:27-the Lord will make weak things become strong. Thad then said he really liked that scripture. He’s such an example, even in his pain. We ended w some silly Would You Rathers before Jas took the next time. Memorable Thanksgiving indeed. 

Covid 19 positive

Covid has been a nuisance in just about every aspect of our life up to this point without making us sick. Well, that has changed. My perma-headache and missing smell and taste is a good reminder of that. Thad is impacted differently than Jenn and I. He gets nausea at night and he throws up. It’s late now and he’s in the shower again hoping his stomach will stop hurting. I just gave him a blessing. Keat’s stomach was hurting some and he felt the aches and fatigue too. Jude also is impacted in his gut, but for the most part, he’s doing pretty well. Poor baby Ollie!  You can tell his stomach has been really hurting him. He won’t eat or sleep when it does.  That makes for some exhausting nights.  Fortunately he is starting to get long windows of relief now. Jonas is not sick at all. Which isn’t unusual for him. We hope he is at least building antibodies, but a little sickness may do this teenager well.  

When you stop and think about it, it’s a bit surreal. 12 months ago in the Wuhan Province of China some dude got sick from eating a bat he got in a wet market (allegedly). Now, 6700 miles away across the largest ocean on the planet in the little town of Pleasant View, we somehow managed to get that same dudes bat virus.  Looking at this whole cluster through a different lens, it’s really incredible how connected we all are. And to shine more light on the positive, my body just cracked the SARS Covid-19 viral code and I tested positive for antibodies. Looking through that same positive lens, I’m super grateful this virus, although deadly for many, almost universally is not deadly for children.  I’m ok with getting crushed with sickness if my kids get a smaller dose. I cannot even imagine how the parents of the past endured the tragedy of plagues where children were the most vulnerable. Although I wish I had my smell and taste back, I’m really grateful this pandemic behaves how it does. 

Jude 6 years

It’s a big year for Jude-turning 6 & going to Kindergarten! He’s doing so well w reading, becoming a fast bike rider, first time mowing, & finished off his first season of Fall soccer. He’s lightning  fast in the game & starting to connect it all w 3 goals in the last few games!

Ollie 2 months

Oh my! Ollie is 2 months! When he hit 6 weeks, things just clicked-he started to smile much more & laugh to our delight 

Little Red

During coronavirus we got chickens, mostly because I couldn’t get eggs at the store so this seemed like a good idea at the time.  Little did I know how much there is to learn from these miraculous creatures. For example, Fuzzy, our rooster will boldly run out to face any danger to defend his flock, even if it means laying down his life.  He frequently chases our puppy Patzi away. He once even successfully battled a hawk. One of my boys is perceived as such a threat so Fuzzy courageously runs out to meet young Thaddeus to battle. Little Red is one our hens. As inspiring Fuzzy is, she is even more impressive. Little red has a few chicks. When there is trouble, she calls them to safety and the chicks run under her wings. This plays out over and over every day. Even now that her chicks are teenagers she is always vigilant watching them calling them back closer. Unfortunately, there are times that her little teenage chicks roam too far.  Just last week she lost one of her chicks to a hawk that was hunting in our backyard. She doesn’t have the ability to defend like fuzzy does but she will gladly stand in front of her flock and lay down her life if possible. 

After Christ was crucified, the world suffered significant natural disasters. The cities on this continent were destroyed and the people were in complete darkness and despair for 3 days!  It was in this setting, Christ descended from the clouds and stood in the midst of those survivors,  resurrected, bearing the scars of the act he just fulfilled for all mankind. It was in this dramatic moment that Christ compared himself, to a hen. 3 Nephi 10:5-

 6

Concussion

Been a trial these past few weeks for Keat.  He was so excited to play football, then his ankle got wrecked two games into the season.  When his ankle started to feel good again he went back to soccer practice, where he got a concussion.  Head injuries are tricky.  For Keat it’s been a roller coaster of symptoms followed with frustration.  He wants to play, but just when he thinks he’s ready, a wave of symptoms remind him that his brain is still suffering the effects of the injury.  And in a world where all his classes are heavily dependent on screens, the school stress piles on.  

Dangerous place for a chicken

Today I was walking with Patzi down the road and a hawk flew over my head with our poor white baby chick clutched in its talons. That’s how close it flew past as if to mock me!  It’s a dangerous backyard our chickens live in. Our boys were sad but not so much as the last 3 times. With each chicken event they seem to recover a bit quicker. Hope that little white chick had a good backyard life. 

Things Kids Say

Before I forget, a couple of great one liners from our boys. 

Thad-“Can you have another baby so we can get all this amazing food again?” 😂 In regards to neighbors bringing us good food.

Jude-“Does it hurt when he sick on your nibble?” Asking about nursing. 

The Storm!

Last Monday we were basking in the sun and swimming in the pool at 95 degrees. That night an arctic front pushed in forcing the temps to drop to 40 bringing wind gusts that made a mess of northern Utah. Some gusts were measured at 112 mph!  Needless to say, the big trees in our back yard took a beating. 

Chicks!

We welcomed 6 brand new chicks to the world/backyard on Wednesday. Exactly 21 days from the time I placed those eggs in the coop. Pretty miraculous. 

Thad’s First Soccer Tourney

We’re ambitious/crazy. 2 weeks after Ollie was born, Jas is coaching Thad’s soccer team in their first ever tourney-The Wasatch Cup! Jonas played in it as well. 

Things looked a bit different w/ Covid-masks, spacing etc & w/ a newborn-I only made it to half the games. The whole family (Patzicia & Gma & Gpa) made it to the Final. Thad’s team took second. I was the mom driving around the parking lot w a puppy & baby in tow while the rest of the fam made the medal ceremony. I’m here for it any way. It was memorable. 

Thad has a couple awesome games too! One where he scored 3 times! The last goal was seconds before the end of the game to tie it!

He’s Here!

Our little guy is here. He made it!  All 8lb 10 oz of him. He’s perfect. Really, he’s a miracle!  

We believe his name is Elias Oliver Wright. He came in the night of August 3. Born at 11:16pm. 45 minutes after we arrived!  Jenn floated around in the pool for hours just trying to relax through the contractions. 

When it got later she jumped in the hot tub. 

We have been waiting a long time for his arrival.  This child was no accident. His time is absolutely divinely appointed.  Sure, we would have loved for him to come 4 years ago. We are a bit older and the gap is bit larger between Jude and Ollie.  The Lords timing often looks different than ours.  In that spread between Jude and Eli/Ollie, we wondered if Jenn could get pregnant again. On top of that, we have experienced 2 failed adoptions and 2 failed in-vitro attempts... and then he came. He’s a miracle!