Life in a Northern Town: FAMILY LETTER 09.02.18

Dear Loved Ones,

The past two weeks have been a whirlwind for us…and now we are 8! We got a new German daughter, Kristina, on August 23! School has started and everyone has had at least two full days of school. I am mostly just driving around doing what my phone tells me to do—between calendared events, emergencies, schedule changes, and papers needing signing, I’ve been on the run quite a bit this week. We are hoping everyone will settle into their groove this coming week and I (well, all of us) will be a little more productive.

Since I last wrote after stake conference on 8/19, we spent most of that week preparing for Kristina’s arrival, which was easier said than done. We have used the guest room as a sewing and craft storage room since we moved in. The room was tidy enough, but the closet was jam packed with stuff, which needed to be sorted and relocated. So that project took several days and it’s only mostly done now. But the room is clean and the closet is freed up for Kristina. On 8/22 Richard had to head to Great Falls for an insurance conference (I usually go with him, but it didn’t work this year). I took the kids out to the ranch to pick apple sauce apples. We picked for about an hour and I brought TJay and Lexi home with me and James stayed out with Matthew. TJay and Addie headed for practice and Heidi had plans with friends, so I had hired Jeanette Jones to come and play with the little kids while I finished up preparing for K’s arrival. I cleaned the kitchen and started dinner, then made up K’s bed with a new duvet set and washed down the walls and furniture. Then I focused on the laundry room, storing the supplies I moved and donating a bunch of stuff to the thrift store and making sure the room was still functional for food storage, laundry, and sewing. It was tricky but I think we did it. The kids had a great time with Jeanette and as I was taking my last load to the thrift store, her mom came by to pick her up. While I was gone, Jeanette and Robyn fed the kids dinner and cleaned up my kitchen! It was such a nice surprise. Kelli also came by to switch kids and take Summer to soccer practice and all three of us had a nice visit. It was so sweet and edifying, just what I needed to get me through the last push of back to school and Kristina preparations.

On Thursday 8/23, we had a regular day of chores and lunch and we made welcome posters for Kristina. I took Addie to XC practice and grabbed some Subway sandwiches for the kids, then headed over to the airport to meet up with Richard and pick up Kristina. She arrived around 9:15pm after traveling about 18 hours (it was 5am Germany time). We brought her straight home and gave her a brief tour of the upstairs and put her to bed.

On Friday 8/24 we all went to cheer Addie on at her first XC meet where she shaved 3 or 4 minutes off her original time on the course. We are so proud of her for doing hard things and improving every week! It was a beautiful morning and we had a great time out at the track. Afterward we came home and fed the kids lunch and helped get the girls packed up to go to Youth Conference—a camping and rafting trip in Gardiner. Rich took Kristina to get registered at PHS and gave her a little tour of the town. He also took her to Mark’s for a late lunch burger and shake. I sent the girls off around 3pm and came home and made a pan of enchiladas for our late dinner and we watched “Coco” with Kristina and told her she would actually be getting a two-for-one cultural exchange with us because I identify as part Mexican, lol. We all went to bed early so Rich and Kristina could get up at 7am and head out to meet up with the youth for the white water rafting adventure. Kristina was on the raft with Summer and Heidi and it sounds like they had a blast. Sunday 8/26 was a nice Sabbath day, but also very busy with 3 hours of church, a ranch birthday dinner for Simon, and a Back to School Family night and Father’s blessings for all the kids. We also invited my friend/ sister we minister to, Adair and her son Antonio so Antonio could have a blessing, too. We introduced out theme of “Forget Yourself and Go to Work” with the idea that our challenges—even depression—become so much more manageable when we reach out and help others, and when we allow others to help us when we need it. The kids had great blessings from their dad and we all collapsed into bed ready to tackle back to school week.

Starting school has been really staggered, with Heidi and Kristina going to orientation from noon to 3:30pm on Monday, and Ammon having an orientation day at preschool. Tuesday Addie, Heidi, Kristina, and James went to school . Seminary began at 6:20am and Addie had XC from 4-6 and Hunter Safety class with James form 6-9pm, so last week was all 15-hour days for her! Wednesday all the big kids and Ammon went to school, but Niles just had orientation from noon-2pm, so he came to Bozeman with me to grab some last minute school supplies. We were on the go all day getting everyone situated, papers signed, fees paid, picks ups and drop offs, etc. The youth enjoyed a BBQ that night, but only Heidi and Rich attended because our other big kid were busy. Thursday was finally a “regular” day where all the kids were in school by 8:20am and I got the house cleaned up and the laundry done and even finished up a sewing project when Rich called and invited me to a celebratory lunch at the chop house, after which we promptly began a round of pick-ups. We had a yummy dinner and night of studying for Friday quizzes while James and Addie had their last night of Hunter Safety. Friday Ammon was home with me and we had a chill day of snuggling and watching shows while I sewed and ironed. Addie went straight from XC practice to a team dinner to the first home football game, which turned out to be a real heartbreaker—we tied Belgrade most of the game, but they beat us in the end. Erica Mildenhall and her cousin Bekah came to stay with us over the weekend from Utah. The boys went to bed early and Heidi and Kristina watched a movie. Saturday was range day for Hunter Safety, after which I took Addie, Heidi, and Kristina to Bozeman for a Korean lunch and some thrift shopping. We also stopped at Target and World Market, both of which blew Kristina’s mind. She was happy to find a giant teddy bear and German candy! We got home and had grilled brats for dinner. Addie went with Clara to Shakespeare in the Parks’ Othello and we hung out at home again. Today we had a lovely fast Sunday and post-church nap. We are headed out to the ranch for tortillas and cheese and s’mores with the cousins and the Smiths. We are excited for Kristina to try her first s’more!

Life is sweet! This week Sweet Baby James turns 12 (9/5) and will be ordained a deacon on 9/9. It’s pretty major, and my mama heart is all mixed emotions, but super proud of him. We have also thought of Papa Bill today on the 8^th anniversary of his passing. We miss him so much and are so grateful for his influence that lives on every day of our lives. We love you all and wish you a great week!

Love, Jamie and Rich and Family

PS: Here are a couple of FB posts-

8/22/18: When you come home and find your dearest & her daughter cleaning your kitchen and your heart melts from being ministered to so sweetly...... “individually rising above any mechanical, function-without-feeling routine, to the heartfelt discipleship articulated by the Savior at the conclusion of His earthly ministry. As He prepared to leave His still-innocent and somewhat-confused little band of followers ...He summarized their task in one fundamental commandment: ‘Love one another; as I have loved you. … By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.’ “-Jeffrey R. Holland, April 2018 #dishesaremylovelanguage #sograteful

9/1/18: Today we learned about Kristina’s stuffy obsession when she bought a 5’ bear at the resale shop! After dinner she and Heidi swapped stories of their favorite stuffies and we took a picture of them with said stuffies. Here are my top 3 Kristinaisms from her first week with us:
1) “This high school is exactly—I mean EXACTLY—like all the high schools in American movies we watch!”
2) *I Bluetooth some 80s playlist from my phone while cooking dinner; Peter Schilling’s “Major Tom” comes on* “What?! Why this song? *laughs* This song is SO CRINGEY in Germany” —well it’s what all the cool moms listen to in America, girlfriend!