Back to School...

Here they are--the six 2012 Ballard school goers.  We have three high schoolers (oh yeah, registration fees, we paid 'em), one in junior high, one in middle school, and a second grader in Hibbard Elementary.  Brigham was very worried at first that he wouldn't know which bus to get on, but he found out it isn't that hard.  Just look for the green frog on the bus window.

 Teagan is in fifth grade now, so he's at the middle school.  He likes it a lot, and is excited to have his first guy teacher for math.  He's going to play the baritone in band.

Keaton really likes high school so far.  He is in mens' choir and they told him he's a bass.  He and Tanner both have a video making class together, and hooray--he thinks he'll do fine in math!

Tanner, the other sophomore, started football this year.  He's taking a engine building class and one of his YM leaders told him if he took his go cart to class and fixed it that he'd let him ride it whenever he wants.  Hmm.

Shandee started junior high this year---where did my young little girl go?  This is the first year she's gotten into school clothes shopping, and boy does she have some cute stuff.  I wish we were the same size and I'd borrow her clothes.

And, last and the oldest kid in the household for a few more days, here is the senior class of 2013 president.  She's wearing her student council outfit, which I think is pretty classy.  Classes this tri are government, economics, anat. & phys. and math.  Whew!  Glad it's not me.

I wish I would have started the tradition years ago that Rebecca and Jeremy's family does with a theme for the school year.  I guess it's not too late.  Have to think about it in between everything else.

 

Arlee's Blessing!

What a sweet feeling little Arlee brings to our family.  There's nothing like seeing your child, that you still remember being a child, and not that long ago, become a parent.  It brings a whole new meaning to having joy in your posterity.  But I'll elaborate more on that in the post on becoming a grandma.

Austin has always given beautiful priesthood blessings.  Seeing him carry his precious little daughter up to worthily use his priesthood and give her a name and a blessing was a sweet experience for me.  Dan, Rich, Jake, Karen's dad Larry, their bishop and a few of Austin's friends were in the circle.It was a wonderful blessing. Arlee laid there without making a peep.  Afterwards we had about 30 people here for a luncheon. 


(sorry Karen, I need a copy of the other picture.  I think you're looking at your mom's camera.)  :)

The beautiful dress was sewn (in a day!) by Great Grandma Bratsman.  She was worried about it being too big, but it wasn't that bad.  Little Arlee is a dainty 8 pounds, but she looked so pretty in it.

It was such a wonderful day.

We are sure going to miss these guys!

 

Wow...it's been a while!

Okay, I'm pretty sure that anyone who's reading this is noticing that it's been OVER TWO YEARS since there's been a post.  Kind of sad really.  So much has happened in our family since May of 2010!  The last post was Austin coming home from his mission, and two weeks from tomorrow (!) Redge will return.  Well, this weekend we were taking Austin, Karen and Arlee to Provo.  No more dropping in at their Rexburg apartment (not that we did that as much as I would have liked), no more getting together every other Sunday or so for dinner after church, celebrating birthdays and going to the kids' concerts together....  Anyway, we as we were driving down, Austin mentioned that a blog would be a good way for us to keep connected.  Things happen every day, at least every week, especially with the big group we have in this house, and he is going to be hearing about that stuff a lot less. So, even though I feel like I have lots to do, I decided to recommitt to this blog.  It's our current family history, after all, and I know how important family history is.  Our family is growing, changing, moving, and I'm hoping that a half hour a week of doing this will help keep us closer, and record important, along with ordinary, happenings.  Definitely a worthy use of my precious time!

I'm thinking about going back and trying to fill in some of the missing two and a half years.  We had major life changes!  The summer after Austin got back, when we were all together for the last time, was SO much fun.  Austin and Karen's courtship, Redge's leaving for Brazil, Austin and Karen's marriage, and then our first grandchild Arlee joining the family, along with all that happened in between, can't be left out.  I really will go back and add that stuff, but for now, I'm going to do a current post for starters.  Here's to my new goal! 

Wendi

HE'S HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey I'm thinking it's about time I posted on here!!  Wow, the big day has come and our Elder Ballard has returned.  He looks so good!  He's the same old Austin but has grown up a lot.  It's so good to have him here, and to have ALL of the Ballard kids under one roof for a few months.  Life is wonderful!

One score and five years ago...

I just had to share a momentous occasion with everyone! TWENTY FIVE years ago, on this very March 16th, I met and began to love, for the first day of the rest of my existence, you guessed it, this cute (and hairy legged, wow) guy named "Danny". Our first interaction was snowmobiling in a field, less than five miles from our home now. Little did I know what that first meeting would blossom into. I definitely had hope it would though.

It was love at first sight for me, to the relief of my parents, (see my life history, page 45) and once I was hooked, I have never been the same.

In my journal the next day, I wrote this:

"I'm excited. All I've done is thought about him.

 Weird, since we didn't even talk that much."

I love you so much Dan! Those dreams I had as a little almost- sixteen-year-old have been far surpassed.

Slow going?...

Remember that line from The Princess Bride?  It always makes me laugh, but I thought it was fitting for us right now even though we are definitely not laughing.

We met with Brig's dad and the others this week, for the second time since he's been out of jail (he got out on Christmas Eve) and it looks like he has ninety days from that meeting, which I figure as May 11, to be ready to be a dad.  He has to have a job, which for anyone is tough, and an apartment by then.  It looks like we will be starting visits before too long, most likely in the next week or two, even though Brigham's therapist, and pretty much everyone else at the meeting, is telling his dad how hard this is going to be on him and how much damage it will do.  He doesn't care at all.  He outright showed us where he stands at the end of the meeting, after Dan's emotional pleadings, when he was asked, "So if the visits don't go well and Kree still doesn't want to be with you at all, will you still take him?"  He said, "yes".

So... we are just hanging in there.  The visits were  hard on me with his mom, almost two years ago, so I'm really gearing up for some emotions.  Except after hearing his attitude, I think the emotion of symphathy for parents who want their child back might be missing this time.  I can't imagine being a parent and putting your child through such a nightmare because of your own choices.  We do have CASA in our court (I would be insane without them, I just know it) and they will ask the judge to stop hearings if it's really going bad. I know I will look back on this and it will just be a memory someday--We really think he will be ours eventually, but this is a scary hoop to jump through.  The hardest part will be not being able to totally comfort him as we do these visits. He asked me last week, out of the blue, "Mom, when I'm five can I stay forever?"  I told him I hoped he wasn't worrying and he said, "I am."   I don't have an answer that will totally calm his fears, because we aren't to that point yet.  He is a tough little guy, and I know the atonement is there even for things like this, so we'll make it through.

Thanks so much for all your prayers and thoughts.  There's always someone worse off--like my friend who just lost her husband in an accident, but I do appreciate knowing you're all there and supporting us through these YEARS for Brigham.

Ballroom Competition

Just yesterday I was able to go to a Ballroom competition in Utah! It was really fun, and here are a few pictures.

Before picture with good friend Emmeli. (pretty hideous I know)

All ready to go.

Not too great of picture, but my team dancing Steppin' Out.

We got 3rd in our dance "Crazy Love" woot!