James gets baptized

I am missing some photos for this, so this post will have to be updated later.  James was baptized December 3 with his best buddy Maxwell Porter.  They have been friends since birth, so it was fun to see them both share a baptism day.  The baptism was a memorable service with such a great feeling of love and happiness.  Both grandparents and a few cousins were able to attend which made it all more special.  We are proud of James for his everyday effort in living up to his covenants.  He now has his own scriptures and is reading on his own every night, which is really exciting for him.  We love you James!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was a pretty fun week.  The Barnhursts stayed at grandma's house for one whole week and it was nothing but cousin heaven.  Because the ages and genders of these cousins match up so well, it was nonstop happiness all week long.  One day, the boys all decided to spend the entire day outside, so we packed up lunches and sent them on their way.  When the girls got word of what was happening, they insisted on doing the same thing.  Funny thing is... the girls outlasted the boys... they were very proud of themselves.  I was in charge of the turkey... turned out acceptable but not great.  Still was a memorable feast!  The day after Thanksgiving, Joseph took all the kids out for track and field day.  They were timed on short distance and long distance, long jump, flexibility, etc.  It was pretty fun to see the competitive nature of the kids come out.  Ironically, I think Ruth may be my most competitive.

San Diego Zoo favorites

The San Diego Zoo did not disappoint.  We saw monkeys, zebras, pigmy hippos, giraffes, reptiles, and everything else in between.  I love this zoo because not only are the animals neat, but the landscape is beautiful and the size is enormous.  Our cousin and one of James' best friends, Isaac, was in town for Thanksgiving Break, so he got to come along for the day.

Happy Birthday James!

James has finally joined the ranks of an 8 year old.  This is an exciting birthday, because it signals the beginning of cubscouts and the eligibility to get baptized.  James' one request for months was that we go to the San Diego Zoo for his birthday (which fell on Saturday).  When our friends the Gondas found out that we were headed to San Diego that day, they quickly invited us to dinner and even had candles ready for James.  It was so thoughtful.  We are very grateful for our James.  He is smart, thoughful, creative, and full of hugs.  He is also very easy to please, which makes him a great little guy to hang out with.  I should also mention that he is a passionate BYU football fan, so the helmet and jersey were an exciting gift.  We love you James!!!

Jardines photos

Moving woes

Sometimes life brings unfortunate events, and our family has definitely experienced this over the past months.  Knowing that we would be adding a caboose to our family, we decided to proceed with the search for a new house and the sale of our old one.  Despite knowing that this was the right thing to do, Joseph and I still mourn for our beloved home on Jardines.  We had many wonderful memories in this home and its so weird to drive by it and know that it isn't ours anymore.  For some reason out of our control, we are currently homeless and bunking at my inlaws.  What started as a three month stay has now turned into a ??? as we have yet to find a suitable replacement.  I am trying hard to let my faith carry me through this setback, but the situation is very discouraging.  For those unfamiliar with the California housing market, it is NUTS.  Unless you have your ducks in a row AND get lucky, you simply cannot buy a house.  It is very common for nice homes to get sold in 2 days with 10 offers at once.  Foreign money also brings cash buyers, which blocks out the locals.  I guess we should be grateful that we live in a desirable place!

Life is a blur...

Before I continue with my updates from 2016, I think it is best to begin with the most recent change in our lives.  Miraculously, baby #5 is preparing to come to our family.  I found out that I was expecting on December 24, so I believe that this was God's little Christmas gift to our family.  The due date is around September 3.