Finally able to make an announcement...Aaron Grant Waite is here

He was a long nine days overdue, but he finally decided to come.  Aaron Grant Waite was born at 6:30 pm, Wednesday, July 27, 2016.  He was 7 pounds 11 ounces and 20 1/4 inches long. He came about half an hour after Sister Lennon got here.  I made the deal with him that if he was so overdue it couldn't be a long labor.  He kept his end and came fast.  He is a well loved and beautiful baby.  He looks to be perfectly healthy.

 An earlier ultrasound showed a cyst in his brain, but it appears to be normal.  We are so grateful  for the power of prayer and fasting for his health. We have prayed to accept the Lord's will and plan for Aaron.

Aaron is named for Neil's Uncle Grant.  Grant was a great example to us.  Family was very important to Grant and he made it a priority.  I am so grateful to have known Uncle Grant.

Happy 24th birthday, Rebecca!

Our sweet Rebecca turned 24 on July 15th.  I can't believe she is 24.  Time has really flown by the past years of life.  We celebrated her birthday at our house even though she was in Utah.  We baked a chocolate cake and a white cake.  We sang to her and blew the candles out for her.  We decided to take the family to the drive in to see a double feature to celebrate her birthday.  We watched Finding Nemo and Finding Dory.  It was very late when we got home, but it was a fun evening to spend together and celebrate  Rebecca's birthday.

Hanging out at the drive in

My wandering sleeper

Lydia is a wandering sleeper at night.  She doesn't like to stay in bed.  Lydia doesn't like to go to bed at night or get up in the morning. She much prefers to sleep with someone than to stay in her bed by herself.  Thankfully, Emma has a king size bed and she is a good sport about letting Lydia sleep with her.  The other night I thought she was sleeping with Emma, but in the morning I found her on the couch sleeping away.

Julia is at the MTC

Julia flew out on Tuesday morning July 19th to enter the MTC on Wednesday.  It was hard to say goodbye and it was emotional for all of us.  Julia and I were both sad that the baby hadn't come yet when she had to leave.  I am just trusting in the Lord's timing for our family.  It might have been even harder if she had to leave the baby. She called when she got to my parents and said she was feeling better about going and doing all right.   My parents sent me a picture from when they dropped her off at the MTC.

We got our first email from Julia on Friday when she had her first p-day.  She said she loves her companion and they have a blast together.  It really did my heart good to hear that.  I had been praying that she would get off to a good start with her companion.  She also said that she saw (Emily) Sister Clark at dinner on Thursday night.  She and Emily have one week over lap while they are both there.  I had been praying that they would see each other because I knew that Julia really wanted to.  Heavenly Father does answer prayers.  Julia will do a great job as a missionary.  We will miss her everyday, but I wouldn't want her to be anywhere else right now.

Operation Bird Rescue

Earlier in the week I was downstairs cleaning up in the playroom.  I kept hearing a fluttering sound coming from the wood stove pipe.  I decided there must be a bird in there somehow.  Neil and the kids went up on the roof to take the covering off the top of the pipe. The kids had lots of fun up on the roof with dad. We thought maybe the bird could find its way out.  Unfortunately, the bird didn't find its way to the light.  I found it dead in the wood stove a few days later.  These pictures aren't the best because the sun was too bright.