Happy 17th Ginny!

 It is that time of year again...the time of year that I am reminded of becoming a mother and how I learn about being a mom from you. Being the oldest, I understand being the oldest and the challenges that accompany it, including trying to teach your parents how to be parents.  I love that you are patient as we are learning.  I love that you are willing to do kind things for others and randomly talk to strangers at stake activities.  I am glad you came first. I love you GinBug!

According to Ginny today:
You currently want to be when you grow up: dental hygienist
Your favorite color is: grey or pink
Your favorite show is: THE OFFICE
Your favorite game is: foosball or not ticket to ride ;)
Your favorite toy or activity is: wiffle ball 
Your favorite boy is: NOAH ORRIS and Paul Harmeir  I guess 
You are really good at: sleeping 
Your best friend is: Stella Seaman 
You want to vacation to: Greece
Your favorite ice cream is: cookies n cream with condensed milk on top and gummy bears
Your wish is to be: I do no know... happy or like retired
Your hero is: probably my mom 
Your favorite thing to do with your friends is: sit and watch movies 
Your favorite holiday is: Halloween
Your favorite person in the whole world is: I like lots of people. I don't necessarily have a favorite
Your favorite song is: Dancing Queen
Your favorite restaurant is: Genghis Grill
Your favorite foods are: candy and cereal
If you had $1000 you would buy: I would give it to my parents cause of the car then with the left over 100 I would go to chic-fil-a

Spring Break-Part One (or the girl's perspective)

It is Spring Break week here in Tennessee and I like it.  Jake and the boys are on a backpacking trip with TW (Jake’s oldest brother), his sons, and a few scouts from TW’s ward.  The initial plan was to backpack in Guadalupe Peak, but the weather called for snow and below freezing temperatures, which lead to a change of plans to Big Bend Park.  The girls and I are chilling at the house.  We considered going to Orlando with Charity, Rebekah, and my mom but it would not really prove to be a break with the littles there and we did not want to spend the money on theme parks (we still have to get my car repaired from Ginny’s accidents).  We spent Saturday birthday shopping for Ginny and ate dinner together.  Sunday, after church we just relaxed and watched a show.  Although we have not done anything spectacular, I am enjoying time with them and the house remaining somewhat clean. It feels good to be able to walk in and the house be in order or to be able to use the downstairs restroom without cleaning it first. Somehow, I managed to remind myself that next year, I will have a child that is considered an “adult”, say what?!?!  Have a taught her the things she needs to know to stay strong in her testimony when hard times come? Am I teaching all of my children to stay in contact with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through the good times and the bad times? Am I teaching them to look for opportunities to help others but not to neglect themselves?  Are they learning to appreciate the process and not necessarily the end result? My mind becomes flooded with questions and wondering what I could have done and should do differently. Where have my deficiencies been as a parent?  Do my words strengthen and show love to my children? Am I giving it my best to love and serve my family and others? At times I see other parents and fall into the trap of comparing myself to them, despite the gentle reminder from Jake that comparison is the thief of joy and have to step back and remember I am comparing my fallacies or weaknesses to their strengths. Above all, I want my children to have a personal relationship with God the Father, be His hands on Earth through serving and loving others, and know of their infinite worth and potential.  My children are a reminder to me of the goodness in the world and the love of God.  Each leaves of footprint of good in the lives of others, a mark in time showing kindness to others, and are a beacon of light to all they come in contact with.   
I loved the week with my girls. We sat up late each night watching movies, shopped, ate out at different places, saw a movie, and Ginny and I got hair cuts. It was great and the house stayed clean. 

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I have the best kids

          I have absolutely no clue how I am so incredible fortunate to have the children I do.
Ginny was asked to the Priest Laurel prom by a guy and was excited but ended up telling him it could not happen after a few days.  He was trying to pressure her in to things that she was not comfortable with, so she told him that she was uncomfortable going with him.  It was hard for her to do but she did it on her own and then told us about it. As sad I was for her that she experienced it, I was so proud that she realized it could potentially lead to an uncomfortable situation, and had the courage to make the best choice.  Ginny also received her Honor Bee in young women's, which is the highest honor one may receive.

          Aubree is so full of life. She is engrossed in her theater and placed 2nd at impromptu competition. She has a way to make people smile and is seldom afraid to do the right thing. We had a stake standards night tonight and she left the stand (she was the conductor) and went and sat by another young lady sitting along. What an example of noticing people and acting upon it.

          Will has found a love in singing. He auditioned for an honors choir and made it.  He was so happy at his performance and did so well.  I can tell that he is maturing some this year and growing into more of a responsible young man. He is eager to participate in youth activities, including those he is not quite old enough to attend but I love to see him wanting to be involved in gospel opportunities.

          Christopher had his first and last blue and gold banquet. He and his dad made a simple yet fun little dessert.  We have been working to bring up his grades and he has been remaining patient as we strive to do it.  He has a crush on a little girl in his class (and has for about five months) and was insistent that we purchase a class photo, so he can have a picture of her.  He also wanted to ask her to be his Valentine and purchase her a special gift but we explained that may scare her to not even be his friend.  He is definitely a lover.

          Jake and I are diligently working to maintain balance at home, work, and as students.  While we are not perfect it, it is working.  I strive to have all my assignments submitted by Saturday evening (doing them after I out my kids to bed at night), so I can devote Sundays to my family, while Jake does all of his on Saturday and Sunday.  Recently, I have been so concerned with my sisters and their well being that I am losing sleep over it. I want to "fix" everything and realized my desire to help is a great strength but it is also a weakness. I do not rest, fret that it will be too much for Jake, and want my little crew here to not feel neglected, obligated to help, or any divide in our little family. There are sometimes I need to say "no" or not stress about their disagreements and take care of myself and children.  Tonight at the youth standards night, my heart was full and I felt the Spirit comfort my soul as I listened to, If we love Him (the youth 2019 theme song), felt Will rest his head on my shoulder, and watched my girls.  I know He loves me and I can truly show my love for him by loving others.

My heart has been heavy the last couple days as I have contemplated if I am really giving it my all in helping others and trying to lift their burdens. Do my words strengthen others and show love? Am I giving it my best efforts and what more can I do? I attended sacrament with my little crew and then left to attend the Arlington Ward for their unit conference.  Listening to the talks throughout the day, I felt a sense of urgency that I need to be there more for my sister.  Charity is a single mother and had the realization Friday that she can no longer anticipate help with the kids financially at all.  There was another incident on Friday and her primary focus is the safety of herself and children.  I feel that I need to visit Robert as well because no matter what,  he is a child of God and deserves to feel the love of others too.  My heart aches for he, Charity, and the kids.  I want so bad to do more and be there but I have to guard my crew too and can not let my relationship with my husband or children be effected. I long to do so much more.  I hope that my children learn to serve others and look for the opportunity to help alleviate the burdens of others and find happiness.  Some of the most peaceful moments I feel are in serving others.

Tommie and Lynn Farrell family kind of Christmas

Sang to the tune of “Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, written by TW Farrell Christmas 2018

Farrell kind of Christmas 

-Have yourself a Farrell kind of Christmas

Let your mouths be full

From now on our stomachs will begin to bulge

-Eat some fudge and crackers made by Papa

Sugar cookies by Tommie

Save some room for Chris's smoked and fried turkey!

And have yourself a Farrell kind of Christmas time

-There's always room for a Farrell kind of Christmas

Take another bite

Chicken will be cooked in many different ways

Chicken dumplings made by Jake our brother

Chicken noodles by Blake

Mom can do her famous Chinese chicken take out!

So have yourself a Farrell kind of Christmas time

-Jenny bakes some cookies, chocolate chip cookies so warm

Goes well with her favorite dish, super fancy dish, Fish sticks

-Have yourself a Farrell kind of Christmas

Grammy will make Gumbo

Chris will grill and Megan will make some cake pops.

-Papa will cook you your very own special pancake

Oatmeal cookies from Sarah

Snacks and treats will keep coming from everywhere!

So have yourself a Farrell kind of Christmas time

-Have yourself a Farrell kind of Christmas

Christmas calories don't count

Hickory Farms is part of a heart healthy diet

-It's not like we eat like this all the time

Just when family is nearby

-The fat is there to help keep you warm

Eat pecan pralines One more

-Have yourself a Farrell kind of Christmas

Food makes Christmas bright

Just be careful when approaching any bathroom door!

And have yourself a Farrell kind of Christmas time

Christmas break has come to and we are back in full swing here in the Farrell household. School has started back for the kids and classes are in session for Jake and I as well.  There are times that I feel that I am sacrificing time that I should be spending with my kids when I am doing some of my school work, but hope one day they will look back and see that their dad and I persevered through challenging times and tried to become better. I worry that I am not failing my sweet babies with time but with staying on my game with homework, especially Christopher. He is pulled for speech daily and we know this would require more effort on our part at home, but I feel that I could do better at keeping up with his work and checking his folder. Certainly, there are times that all parents feel of their inadequacies and probably create inadequacies that even do not exist. 

2019...it's going to be a good year

2019 is going to be a good year for our little crew here in Tennessee.  New Year's Eve, the girls and I made it home just in time to ring in the new year as a family.  We toasted in 2019 and then played a game of "Ticket to Ride".  Playing games with my family gives me great joy and I want it to last forever.  New Year's Day, we just hung out together and prepared to leave for Texas on the 3rd for Gerald Farrell's sealing on Saturday, the 5th.  Ginny drove almost five hours of the trip down for practice and that evening we joined Jake's parents, Sarah and David, and Megan and Blake for dinner at Cracker Barrel.  Friday, Lynn and Tommie celebrated 49 years of marital bliss and the whole family (all their children, their spouses, and many of the grandchildren down for the sealing) enjoyed dinner out celebrating them.  What an example of love, they are to us all.  I think my most favorite part of the trip was dancing at the open house Saturday evening with Jake and watching him dance with his daughters, sisters, and mother.  I also loved that Christopher cut in once when Jake and I were dancing to dance with me.  After the dance, he bowed and said "thank you madam".  He is a keeper.

Christopher and his mom

Chris and Jacob Farrell

Jacob and Renee' Farrell family

Top: Sarah Fullmer, Lynn Farrell, Megan Davis, Jenny Langford      Bottom: Lynn Farrell with some of her grand-daughters.

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Will, Ginny, Aubree, and Christopher

Dancing at the Open House: Top Right- Jake and kids, Top Left- Ginny, Megan Davis, and Karen Farrell, Middle photos- Aubree, Oscar, and Nathan Farrell, Bottom Photo- Jake Farrell, Sarah Fullmer, and Tommie (TW) Farrell

Aubree and Papa Farrell