A HALLOWEEN BIRTHDAY!

TASHA HAS BEEN DOING SOME WRITING AND HAVING IT PUBLISHED IN THE POWER OF MOM'S AND ONE WAS EVEN PUBLISHED IN THE DESERET NEWS.  SHE LOVES BEING A MOM AND HAS A LOT OF GOOD IDEAS THAT SHE SHARES WITH OTHERS.  I ESPECIALLY LOVE THE ONES ABOUT SIMPLIFYING AND LEARNING TO SAY "NO " WHEN YOU HAVE SO MUCH ON YOUR PLATE.

IT SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAY THAT WE HEADED TO CHANDLER, AZ  TO SEE SPENCER FOR THE FIRST TIME.  I GUESS TIME FLIES WHEN YOU ARE BUSY BECAUSE IT IS HARD TO COMPREHEND THAT THEY NOW HAVE 8 CHILDREN.  IT ISN'T AS HARD TO COMPREHEND WHEN WE ARE AT THEIR HOUSE.  BUSY...BUSY...BUSY!

TASHA IS VERY CLOSE TO HER FAMILY.  HER FAMILY HAS ALSO BEEN A BLESSING IN OUR LIVES.  BOTH SETS OF HER GRANDPARENTS ARE SUCH AMAZING PEOPLE.  HER DAD'S PARENTS WENT TO VA. TO HELP WHILE THEY WERE SERVING THERE.  HER MOM'S PARENTS ARE THE KINDEST AND MOST GENUINE PEOPLE.  THEY HAVE BLESSED OUR LIVES.

IT SEEMS LIKE THIS FAMILY PICTURE STAYED UP FOR A LONG TIME.  TASHA HAD A MISCARRIAGE BETWEEN ELLIE AND ELISE SO THERE IS A THREE YEAR TIME PERIOD BETWEEN THEM.  THAT WAS A TIME OF TRIAL FOR THEM AND WE STILL AREN'T ON TOP OF THINGS WITH HYRUM.  I KNOW THAT SHE HANDLES IT MUCH BETTER THAN I DO!

SHE ALWAYS HAS A LITTLE ONE IN HER ARMS.  SHE HAS BEEN BLESSED TO HAVE THAT....BUT THAT ALSO MEANS SHE HAS BEEN PREGNANT A LOT AND I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE HAS COPED WITH THAT.

IT SEEMS THAT SHE HAS HAD MORE HEARTBURN WITH HER LAST FEW PREGNANCIES AND WITH SO MANY OTHER CHILDREN TO TAKE CARE OF....WOW...THAT IS ALL I CAN SAY TO DESCRIBE THAT.  IT IS HARD TO BE SICK AND STILL HAVE SO MANY RESPONSIBILITIES.   THIS SUMMER WHEN THEY WERE HERE AND SHE WAS EXPECTING LYDIA, I REMEMBER THINKING THAT I NEVER COULD HAVE DONE WHAT SHE WAS DOING.
SHE IS SUCH A GOOD WIFE AND MOTHER AND WE ARE VERY BLESSED TO HAVE HER IN OUR FAMILY.  SHE HAS A GREAT ABILITY TO GO WITH THE FLOW AND EVEN THOUGH EVERY MINUTE OF HER DAY IS SCHEDULED, SHE CAN STILL ENJOY THE MOMENTS ALONG THE WAY.
I HAVE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY THAT THEY WISHED THEY HAD ENJOYED THEIR CHILDREN MORE WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG AND AT HOME.  I DON'T THINK THAT TASHA WILL EVER HAVE THAT REGRET BECAUSE SHE DOES ENJOY THEM AND FOCUSES MORE ON THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING....EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE ALSO TRIALS.
LIKE ANDREA......SHE HAS PICKED UP AND MOVED HER FAMILY WHEN OUR SON'S JOBS HAVE TAKEN THEM TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.  I KNOW SHE WOULD LOVE TO LIVE CLOSER TO HOME, BUT SHE MAKES FRIENDS WHEREVER SHE GOES AND AS SHE GETS INVOLVED IN HER CHURCH CALLINGS.....SHE TRULY BECOMES A PART OF THEIR WARD FAMILY.
I KNOW SHE WILL HAVE A CRAZY HALLOWEEN BIRTHDAY....BUT I HOPE THAT SOMETIME IN THE WEEK BEFORE OR AFTER THAT SHE WILL GET TO HAVE SOME TIME TO CELEBRATE AND DO SOMETHING FOR HERSELF.  WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU AS A PART OF OUR FAMILY!  MAYBE WE CAN ALSO HAVE A LATE CELEBRATION FOR YOU WHEN WE COME SOON.
THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A GREAT WIFE AND MOTHER.  WE LOVE YOU AND HOPE YOUR BIRTHDAY CAN BE CELEBRATED ANOTHER DAY BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN THERE ON HALLOWEEN AND IT IS CRAZY!