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25.12.08

Christmas Letter


Happy Christmas to all my Friends and Family,

Well, really this year has been pretty uneventful. Well, things happened but let's just say I'm glad it's coming to a close. Joe has been deployed all year long. We are anxiously anticipating his return at the beginning of March 2009. Just have to make it through Christmas and a couple of birthdays and then he'll be home. Yippee!!!

Hyrum started first grade at a new school. Due to the fact that his other school not only sucked but there was a kid there that kept beating him up and no one did anything (no I'm not still furious about that), we moved Hyrum to a new charter school here in Ogden. He is very happy to be at Venture Academy, and it really is perfect for him. Hyrum is so smart, blessed with a photographic memory, school has been way too easy for him, and so with Venture's real hands on approach to learning, it has helped him to say actively involved with the learning process. He's aced every test and really is doing exceptionally well. He helps me with the other kids so much with his daddy gone. He really is an amazing young man. He turns 7 in January 2009. I am so happy to have my big helper.

Emma is in joy school with a few of her friends. I teach every third week and so far it's going really well. She loves it at least and doesn't shy away from doing her homework, in fact, she looks forward to it. She loves arts and crafts and memorizing her rhymes so that she can show off for mom. I don't quite know how it happened but in alot of ways, she is such a girl!! She loves dresses so that she can dance and they billow out; she loves princesses and Barbie; and then she loves to take all those things and go out in the dirt and dig away. She loves to have her hair straightened and whenever I do that, she really does look like a little lady. She turns 5 in February 2009. I am so happy to have my little girl.

Porter turned 3 in September and amazingly his Daddy made it home for leave for his birthday. It was so nice to have him there for one of them this year. Porter has always been my quiet one and hasn't really spoken much but this year, he has definitely found his voice and surprises me everyday with the things he's picked up over the years but never really spoken until now. He's also found his stubborn side which seems to be a genetic trait in this family of ours, but it's been wonderful trying to teach him how to share and be his own little man. He's also very loving and helpful with his brothers and sister. I am so happy to have been blessed with this sweet spirit.

Dan the man turned 1 in November. I still can't believe it. He's sort of started walking but finds that crawling still gets him there faster so he'd rather do that. He gets into EVERYTHING!!! He is a talker though. He never stops trying to get a word in edgewise. There are days he runs around all day just yelling at me, and I mean it, all I hear is "MA MA!!!!" Well, I sure do know I am loved. Dan also loves his daddy. When Joe was home in September I was anxious at first but Danny took to his dad right away and would often fall asleep on daddy, something he won't do with mom. He steals my phone and pushes buttons and tells me he's talking to daddy, so I know he misses him too. He just has a very sweet personality. He LOVES to give kisses and even gives a few little girls his age at church a few smacks. It's just too cute. He is such a ladies man. I am so happy to have my little comfort.

I'm still staying at home with the kids, not that I would be able to get out and work with Joe gone but most of the time I really love being here with the kids. I have to admit that this deployment has been hard, because I really haven't been blessed to get a break all that often. Recently, I started going out once a month with some friends but I can tell you that that is not enough. I am really looking forward to Joe being home. I finally have an adult to talk to every day!!! Well, I miss him on so many levels and it will be all around great to have him home. I've spent alot of time reading this year, and couldn't even begin to list everything that has made it into the pile, but I do have to say I am so thankful for my own Dad who instilled in me a great love of reading and the magic that can happen when you truly place yourself in a book. It saves me every deployment and this one being the longest, has been a great blessing. I have to say though, I am very happy with my life and my family. I have been blessed so greatly. There really aren't words in any language to express my gratitude for the blessings I have. I am so thankful for everyone who has touched my life.

Joe is Joe. He has been in Afghanistan since April. Before then he was in training, so he's been gone all year. At first things really sucked. He was in a place and doing things he didn't enjoy. He felt like he was stuck in cage. Thankfully, after he was home on leave in September, they moved him. I really have no idea where he is now other than in Afghanistan. However, I can tell you that he most definitely is happier where he is now. He still wishes he could be home instead but at least I don't have to more about his mental well being anymore. I am so proud of my husband and the sacrifices he makes for his family and his country. We may not always agree with the direction this country is taking but we are proud to stand up and try to make a difference as a family. I am so happy to have such an amazing husband. I am so blessed to have married my best friend, and to love him more with each passing day.

God bless you all.

Happy Christmas.

Merry New Year.



Love,

The Merkley Crew

23.12.08

Let It Snow!

Okay so I was totally not going to do a tree this year what with Joe being gone and all, I just didn't really want to deal with having to do it all alone. However, I caved, obviously. But this year, I did what I've wanted to do all along, I got a live tree. No more fakes for this house!! It was so hard to put up, alot harder then I thought, most definitely a 2 person job done by me with four kids trying to "help". Anyway, it got up and that's all that matters. I will take more pictures on Christmas Eve when we open presents. The kids have been making the ornaments this year because I didn't want to deal with putting nice ones on the tree and then keeping them out of them, so we just have been making them, and it's been kind of a slow process. Oh well, they enjoy it.
Any way, we've also had a series of pretty decent snow lately and kids will be kids and LOVE to play in it; me I'll stay in a warm house.

Hyrum making snow angels.
Emma making snow angels.
Porter trying to imitate his brother and sister.
All ready to play.
And this is today!! Another big snow for us. It was practically melted last night and this is what it's done all morning, dumping several inches and only a couple of hours. And it's still snowing, although it seems to be dying down for right now. I'm really hoping that the roads will cooperate for me come Christmas. Anyway. I probably won't post until after Christmas so Happy Christmas everyone!!!

18.12.08

Christmas Tag

17.12.08

The Shack


Now I don't usually endorse books here because I truly believe that a book is a very personal thing. What one reads is truly a visual image of a persons desires, needs, and true self. However, this book is wonderful. I don't usually use this particular forum to discuss many things I struggle with, but lately I have struggled with much. I don't feel that this is the forum for it, in alot of ways, because I have many friends who read this, and I don't wish to offend. Not that what I feel should ever offend anyone, but we are people, and people are offended often by things they shouldn't be. Needless to say, I have struggled much with so much of the intolerance that I have seen of late, within the world, but mostly within my own church. The gospel is wonderful, but there are many things that we preach and do not practice. I know that I do it myself, but I truly hate hypocrisy, in myself and others. I guess because I see it as my own personal biggest flaw, I am all the more annoyed by it. However, this book has really helped me to see God himself in a different light. One of my favorite quotes from the book is "You demand independence, but then complain that I actually love you enough to give it to you." This is God talking about us humans. Oh, and it is so true. All my life I was taught that if you ask it then God will give it, as long as it's righteous. However, God gave us a wonderful gift--choice. There's only so much he can do, He will not interfere with that right. Jesus died for that right, He gave us a mighty gift, and no matter what we do with it, it was worth it to Him. I also found it interesting that the word "responsibility" does not appear in the Bible. It is pointed out that the Bible and scriptures in general should be read as a "relationship" not as a list of rules and laws. Try it, it definitely lends an interesting perspective.

Anyway I could probably go on and on, but I won't. Needless to say, you may or may not agree with the perspective in this book. And I will say that there are things that I don't agree with, but mostly I find it very enlightening. The main thing that it really has helped me with is the God in a box syndrome as I will call it. We as humans truly have put Him in a box, but I really believe that that is wrong. God doesn't live in a box and putting him there doesn't make our relationship with him better, it only limits it.

Live outside the box.

14.12.08

Bush Shoe




Okay so this is too funny. I'm sorry, but I really hate Bush so I'm kind of in the corner that he probably could have used one of those shoes actually hitting his head. Maybe then it would knock at least some smarts into the man. . .

9.12.08

Christmas Pictures


I have been trying all week to get this pictures to upload. Stupid blogger. But at last, I am victorious. Anyways. I've never been so good at getting family pictures done, largely because I usually hate the way I look in them. But this year I figured it would be nice for the grandparents and also for Joe being away to have some really nice pictures of us. They turned out GREAT!!! The person who took them is a friend and she really has a magnificent talent. This is her photography blog: http://www.njoyphotography.com/

Dan the man. He loved playing with all the leaves. Porter, so handsome. He actually let her pose him.
Emma, bella. She looks so much like me as a kid.
My grown up boy. Hyrum.

I opted to post the black and whites on these ones because everywhere else I've done them in color. Either way they are all so darn cute. Man I love these kids, even when they drive me to the brink of insanity.

Reid, he's my nephew. He came along so we could get some great shots for Grandma and Grandpa Merkley for Christmas. Plus, his alone shots are for his great parents.
Can you tell they are related?
So I don't like the way that I look without glasses, but the kids are too cute here, so I will put away my pride. My glasses tint in the sunlight so they had to be removed from outside pictures.
Black and white group shot. They were all so cute. A bit crazy but it really turned out great. I am so happy at how well they turned out and so very grateful for Natalie doing them.

Happy Holidays!!

4.12.08

Velociraptor Test

This was just too funny, I had to share. . .

I could survive for 44 seconds chained to a bunk bed with a velociraptor

Created by Bunk Beds.net

1 year appointment


Danny had his well baby appointment yesterday. We are very healthy. He weights 20 lbs 3 ozs, and is 29 inches long. He had to have 6 shots and his blood drawn so he was one very mad little boy, but other than soreness in his legs today we are all doing well. Love this kid!!!