FEBRUARY ~ FLORIDA

Florida~the land of the gators.  Real ones!  When Esther and Shad lived in Florida while he was getting his degree in tax law, Joel and Stephanie's family visited them and they went to see the alligators.  They could actually walk right up to the water and see them.  Florida also has huge, twisty trees.  In the bottom photo you can see tiny Dad and Marlie standing next to a huge tree in the park near the Brown's home.

I'm glad to say that our birthdays are as interesting as alligators without being ugly or dangerous!  They are all beautiful and precious.  February birthdays are fun because they all share a birthday with someone.

Marlie was 14 on the 4th, a day she shares with Brianna, who turned 11 that day.

Lindsay turned 8, all ready to be baptized, on the 12th, and she shares her day, not only with Abraham Lincoln, but with...

...Alta Jo, Porter's bride, who turned 19 on the 12th.

Brock's birthday is shared with St. Valentine...the 14th.

Jordan turned 8 on the 20th, a day she shares with none other than Charles Barkley!

Parker and George Washington share the 22nd.

Polly turned 17 on the 26th, the same day that...

...Bridger turned 12.

Daynen turned 20 on the 28, the day he usually shares with Hannah, except every 4 years.

And this just happens to be the year that Hannah was going to celebrate her 5th birthday, turning 20, without a birthday companion...until Parley Rudge decided to join her as our second special Leapling.

Yes, that's right.  Our big news this month is the beginning of a new generation of Biggses.  Even if he is an Evans, we claim him as a Biggs.  Dallin and Sara had their beautiful baby boy early in the morning of the 29th, in Virginia.  His name is Parley Rudge and he weighed 8lb.9oz and was 21"long.  Welcome to the family, Parley.

~OUR FEBRUARY~

I am on a mission to reduce the number of pictures in each blog because the blog books cost $150 each, and allow only 1000 pictures per book.  So, 2015 is going to take 3 volumes!  I'm hoping that by consolidating most of the pictures into collages I can actually do 2016 in  one volume.

Dad got a new chair for Valentine's Day.  

My Valentine present was new granite counter tops.  I just love them!  And a new gas stove.  I'm learning to love it too.

Kirtlyn and Brianna both played Jack in the community youth theater's production of Into the Woods.

There were two separate casts, and they, of course, were in different casts, so we went to the play twice.  Good marketing, Penny.  Our girls both had to sing solos and they were so good! It was exciting to watch them perform.

On the night of Lindsay's 8th birthday, Mary and Tyson had a bonfire weenie roast for the family.

Esther and Shad came to be here for Lindsay's baptism on the 13th, so we took the opportunity to get Soren's finger sized for his CTR ring.  His baptism is going to be on March 12.  He wanted Hyrum to come along, and we stopped for ice cream.  It was also hair cutting day.

Lindsay's baptism was very special.  She asked Dad and her Grandpa Richins to be witnesses, her Grandma Richins and me to give talks, Harrison to play the piano 

Dad, having a visit with Lindsay about the Spirit of the Holy Ghost.

The next day was Valentine's Day and it was fun to have the Brown family with us for the day. Flowers from my sweetheart/valentine.

 That night, everyone came over to visit.

On the 18th, Alex smashed his thumb with their window seat lid.  It not only tore the nail off but broke the end of his thumb and he had to have surgery to stitch it back on.  Dr. Bryce did a good job and put him in a cast.  We took the other kids to lunch and then home to watch a movie while Mom and Dad and Alex were at the hospital.

On the 20th, Thomas and his family were lured over to help with the yard with the promise of "Grandpa beans." Mary and her kids came too, because Tyson and Carson were out javelina hunting.  Since she didn't work in the yard, she bought all the French bread to eat with the beans.

On the 23rd, we had a ward dinner party and I talked Dad into going with Jenn and Hyrum and me.  I promised him we would just eat and then leave as we had to work the next day in the Temple.  But it didn't work out that way at all.  Before we could even get on our feet to sneak out, Doreen Ford called us up to the stage to play a "How well do you know your spouse" game.  There was a newly wed couple, a middle-wed couple and us...as the oldly wed couple.  We won, by the way.

The next day, Dad and I attended the funeral/graveside service of one of our Temple workers.  Vernice Jones was from Virden and was the wife of one of our sealers as well as an ordinance worker herself. The service was in Virden and I have to say I was not prepared.  It was simple, as I expected, but I didn't expect to see her not having been embalmed and in a box instead of a coffin.  It was lined and covered with fabric, but it was just a box.  When I told Mary about it later, she said, "Oh, a Virden box. All the people who are buried in Virden are buried in a Virden box.  That is their tradition."

Ceilings.  I put these in our section because two of them are from Josh, of course, as he photographs buildings in Omaha that he thinks are worth saving.  But one of them, the one on the left, is from DeWitt.  He took it when he went to Washington DC on a college trip this month.  All of them are amazing!

We went to Mesa on the 28th, to be with Bridger when he was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood. Here are his Grandma Brown and me after the ordination.  We ate a delicious lasagna dinner at their house afterwards.  Rayanne prepared it for us.  Delicious.

That night we dropped by Jeremy and Erika's because it was Daynen's birthday and they were celebrating with some of his favorite foods...including Missouri cookies...Missouri soup, I should say.  That's how they like it!  I guess that's how Daynen likes it.  Hayden made it.

All night, that night, I was wakeful, waiting for the arrival of Dallin and Sara's baby.  I kept texting Rebecca: "Any baby yet?"  "Not yet," she would say.  But she kept me up on her progress.  It was an exciting night, waiting for a new family member to arrive.  I was exhausted, but I think Rebecca was beyond exhausted and operating on adrenalin alone.

The next day, we went by the office where Joel is working on a website for the Hiatt Hideaway.  It has been a Hideaway Headache!  Before we left town we went to lunch with him and Stephanie and Stetson and Lindsay and Jeremy and Shad.  Erika was working and Esther said she had already had lunch.  Stetson and Lindsay had already eaten lunch too, but they came to visit.  It was good to see them.  They still seem happily wed.

What a month February was!

NEWS FROM AROUND THE FAMILY

~NATHAN AND SHAUNA~

Josh the Preservationist buildings...He actually was instrumental in saving one.  You can see him in the bottom photo, in the middle...if you have a magnifying glass.

The Biggs family celebrated Valentine's Day.  I don't know who the girl is, but we won't get excited.  She's probably just a friend.  In the bottom photo, Palmer is posing for a college brochure about the availability of transportation on campus.

~JOEL AND STEPHANIE~

Stetson and Lindsay went to Disneyland to escort a group and had a great time doing it.  He has been accepted to multiple law schools and is now just trying to decide which one he wants to go to.  One of them is even called "Stetson University" in Florida! Also Loyola, St. Johns, and Michigan State to name a few.  Levi has been invited to be a candidate for a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University in England.  Very few students are given that honor.

Joel, hard at work on the Hiatt Hideaway website.

~DANIEL AND CONNIE~

Parker and Shannyn got the chance to fly to WA to visit Devynne and Brock.

They have had sooo much snow in Colorado.  This is Shadrach and his dogs skiing up the hill.  Shadrach, by the way, has received his new mission call...to the same mission!  He will be teaching in Hmong.  He is very happy about it.  He reports on March 16.  The bottom picture is a screen shot of them clearing the snow off their driveway.

Devynne and Brock celebrating Valentine's Day and Brock's birthday with a hockey game.  Brock has been accepted to do his PHD at Duke University and Washington University at St. Louis.  I'm not sure what Porter and Alta are celebrating there :-)  They got a batch of baby ducks but Daniel said they're for "processing" so I hope they are not getting too attached.  In the middle picture, Shadrach and Porter are deliberately ramming the boat into some ice in the river on their wilderness property, presumably to break it up.  More fun, I guess, than just letting springtime take care of it.  The bottom picture is one of Connie's amazing cakes for Alta's birthday.

We have another artist in the family! Alta drew and colored this picture for a project that one of the little girls was doing for school.  It's done in colored pencils.  Beautiful.

On Parker's birthday, the family celebrated with dinner and a movie!

~REBECCA AND SCOTT~

DeWitt went to Washington DC as president of Phi Theta Kappa and met Dallin and Sara there!

He got a new car, to replace the one that got creamed when they were skateboarding last year.  Allison and Taylor are not far behind Dallin and Sara in the baby race.  She is almost ready and I'm expecting to hear from her very soon.  Polly turned 17 without her mom.  Rebecca was in VA, but Polly looks like she has a good attitude.  Seventeen is the perfect teenage year: old enough to be treated as an adult, but young enough not to have adult responsibilities yet.

Ok.  Here he is!!!  Dallin and Sara, Rebecca and Sara, Dallin and Parley.  Isn't he gorgeous?

Happy and emotional mom and Grandma.  I can hardly believe one of my children is a grandparent.  I can believe we are great grandparents, however.  That's easy.  Rebecca and Scott are going to see how wonderful grandparenting is.  It is a true joy in your life. 

To My Grandson

Can I love another’s child

As much as I loved my own?

Can I love again a newborn babe

Now that mine are grown?

I have no nourishment to give

When I hold him to my breast.

It has no more to offer

Than a comfortable place to rest.

And yet, I feel a stirring

Of an old familiar joy;

Oh, yes, I find it easy

To love this baby boy!

~

~JEREMY AND ERIKA~

Erika and a colleague at a "pain" conference.

Reygan's latest masterpiece!  Recognize him?  I remember when she would draw on lined notebook paper and I had to talk her into using a sketch book!  So, I think I can take credit for her incredible work, right?  Otherwise she might still be drawing on lined paper.  What an amazing talent.

~RACHEL AND TONY~

Rachel and Tony's 20th anniversary was the 16th of February.

Some beautiful photos of Isabel.

Top left: Luke, waiting to go on a snow campout.  I remember Daniel going on those and I would freeze in my nice warm house until he got home!  Brynlie's crazy hat day.  Valentine's day with the twins.  Isabel's first day of horseback riding.  She was so sore the next day.

Tony's brother, Jake graduated from FBI operatives school and is now an official agent.  His mom and Dad and siblings all went to DC to be with him.

Science fair projects and the Bridal fair.  Rachel displayed some of her things for wedding receptions with El Charro's catering service and Take 1 displays.

~ESTHER AND SHAD~

Marlie turned 14 with a glow-in-the-dark party

Harrison went to Disneyland with his honor band group.

Miss Esther's All-Stars Preschool

Bridger's birthday post

Harrison's band concert.  He played a long, complicated solo on his trumpet.  He is the one playing while everyone else is listening.  His mom recorded it and I have to say I am very impressed.  He is in two bands.  In the other one he plays the French horn.

Bridger received the Aaronic Priesthood at the hands of his father and grandfathers.

~THOMAS AND JENN~

Kirtlyn went to New Beginnings because she will be turning 12 in April.  She was treated like the princess she is.  Super Bowl Sunday on the right.  Kids helping work in the yard.  Hyrum's Pinewood Derby car, TK1 display, along with Biggs Announcements.

Jenn took Hyrum to the Ward Valentine dinner.  He was such a gentleman, opening doors for his mom.  He is growing up very nicely.

~MARY AND TYSON~

Brianna's birthday, Carson's javelina, Brianna and Lindsay's room, redecorated for their February birthdays.

At Lindsay's baptism.

Hugs from Aunts.

At the ice cream social after the baptism.

Poor Alex!  He kept wanting me to kiss it better.

~Missionaries~

From Daynen in Brazil.  He has just been made zone leader and Connie's niece/Carolyn's grand niece is in his zone.  Can you see the sign he is holding in the bottom picture?  It says "Birthday suit."

From Hannah in Hawaii.  I love the street sign!  Her mom sent her ingredients for juice spaghetti for her birthday.  I guess Jeremy would say she's a real Biggs.

From Lillian in the Philippines.  That food looks pretty good.  In the bottom picture she is taking notes while listening to Elder Russell M. Nelson, who visited their mission.

~SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU SMILE~

You won't be able to use your baby bump to balance your food, any more, Sara! Now you'll have to do everything with one hand: eat, cook, make your bed, do your homework, fix your hair, put on your makeup, etc., etc., ad infinitum.

What a joyful trampoline picture!

Having a cast didn't slow this boy down one little bit.  In fact, he was running around the house and bumped into the same window seat and cut his mouth.  Mary says she's just waiting for CPS to show up at her door.

I hope February has been as good for you as it has been for us.  I know we are not available as much as we used to be and have to miss things we don't want to miss, but we appreciate your understanding and also your covering for us with your children.  Actually, we have really been enjoying our Temple calling.  It is hard, I'll admit, but the rewards are great.  We feel the Lord's sustaining hand, as it says in 1Nephi: "And if it so be that the children of men obey the commandments of God, He doth nourish them and strengthen them and provide a way for them to accomplish the thing which He has commanded them."  We definitely feel nourished and strengthened when we are in the Temple.  I want to encourage all of you to go to the Temple.  Make it a part of your life, of your schedule.  Go more often than you think you have time to go.  I read a study by a therapist at BYU who worked with married students who were stressed and frantic because of their hectic schedules of work, school, family responsibilities and church callings.  She tried a 21-day experiment with them.  They were asked, against all logic, to increase the time they spent in the Temple during that 21 days.  She said, "The results were remarkable.  One sister reported that she not only felt happier, she felt a sense of relief.  'I felt a weight had been taken off my chest.  I found I actually had more time to get other things done.'"  Another student was able to stop taking anxiety medication.  She concluded that although it didn't seem reasonable to ask these busy students who barely felt as if they were surviving, to make a sacrifice of time to the Lord, they proved that it works.  Why? Maybe because when covenant people keep their covenants they have greater access to the power of God.  It nourishes and strengthens them and they feel less stress and more energy and more time and ability to do the things that matter.  Try it.

We love you, love you, love you.  You all are our Valentines.