Ginny has been working in Knoxville the past city old weeks and my Sunday dinners have been much quieter as she typically invites people to join us. I’ve told Aubree to do the same but she’s more reluctant or just doesn’t. 

Will is starting to mature some. His Boyce is changing abc he seems to be a little less temperamental. The other day he was just randomly laying in the yard and as I peaked out the window, I couldn’t help but think how much I love him. 

Jake was able to give the three younger kids Father’s blessing before school this year. He gives the most beautiful blessings. You can feel his love and the love of Heavenly Father when he gives them. I’m still in awe that I’ve been blessed with such a phenomenal husband. I am hoping the school year is better with Will and that he takes more ownership for his work and does it well. I worry greatly for him. I do feel that more regular temple attendance and my asking Heavenly Father to allow my Mamaw and Papaw to be with me have helped me become more patient with him and not raise my voice. However, I do get sad many days thinking I have failed him and hurt his self-confidence. It also makes me sad that I’m not sure he wants to serve a mission or can. I question his desire because he’s been told about his hygiene and doctors have told him how to fix other issues (insulin resistant (just last month) and night issued by multiple doctors) but he seems to brush it off. Sometimes I think he’s trying but when reminded, he still does it goes to fast food and tried to hide it from us. How I wish I was better for him or knew better ways to encourage. 

Slacking

 I am slacking oh so much about staying current. School has started back with Christopher in the tenth grade, Will is in twelfth grade, and Aubree had started nursing school at UTHSC.  The girls have been attending the Young Single Adult branch together. Naturally, I’m biased but I think they are the two best things there.  Aubree began last month working at the temple and loves it. She has began dating this boy but in the process one of her closest friends who liked him started saying untrue things about her to others. It breaks our hearts to see her hurt. We are learning to be kind, even when sometimes you just want to call it out and tell others the gossip being spread is inaccurate  we are really trying to show love. 

The second weekend of August, my sisters, mom, and I met in Nashville for the day. We did a session at the temple, had lunch, and then shopping (we giggled because our shopping choices were Sam’s Club and Costco). 

Home from Georgia

Georgia was nice and we made it home safely. We spent a couple hours one afternoon tubing on the Chatahoochie River.  I think the kids enjoyed it and we all had a few laughs watching one another get stuck.  After Georgia Jake has spent most of his time working on building his shed.  It is getting closer to being done and looks so nice. 

After getting back from our trip, Aubree's closest friend told her she needed space and has been talking ill of here.  This stemmed from a boy liking Aubree a touch more and telling the friend.  Aubree has refrained from saying anything negative about the person, although she has not been treated well by her and others as a result. Aubree is very hurt and will not even defend herself or correct when people tell her what they have hear about her "stealing her best friend's guy".  What people have not been told is they guy asked Aubree twice in front of the friend and the friend asked him after.  Of course, there are other details but they are not as important.   As a momma, it hurts my heart. She came home the other night in tears after a church event because it was obvious she was purposefully excluding Aubree and trying to hurt her.  Aubree had n ill feelings but was more hurt that an eight year friendship could mean so little. In addition to that, the mother is one of my dearest friends and has also shut me out and actively avoids me or activities I am at.  Yesterday, Ginny called the friend and was so very kind.  She expressed that initially she wanted to call and just lay it all out but said a prayer before and tried to check in on her and come from a place of curiosity.   Ginny expressed they did not have to be friends but talking badly of another is not the right approach and that if she he by mad at anyone, it is the guy, not Aubree. She also said that she still loves her and wants to be there because bring in your young adult years is often lonely. She also told her that one day a guy will want her for her and she will be the top choice.  As I listened to her recap the conversation and reflected on how Aubree has handled it, I felt humbled by the example of unconditional love and trying to be peacemakers they were being.  Jake and I have really raised some good kids.

 The boys both attended FSY this year.  Christopher loved it but Will did not enjoy it as much this year.  I want the kids to have opportunities to grow and learn spiritually and connect with people with their same beliefs.  As much as we try to have scripture and prayer daily with them, I do know the influence of friends and peers is great at this age.  Aubree began working in the temple of July 17th and was so happy and Christopher got his patriarchal blessing on July 20th. 

 And it is nuts to think that Jake started back to work today.  I was sad to not being going back with him

 

 

 

 

Helen GA with the family

We are spending 5 days in Helen GA with Jake's parents and his sister Sarah's family.  His parents spent 2 nights with us before the trip so one of the kids could ride to GA with them. It was so nice to have both sets of grandparents at church with our family. 

Thus far evenings have been spent visiting and playing games. Laughter has filled the evenings. It has been nice to pray as a large family and hear Papa share a short message one night. I hope my children always know we tried to have scripture and prayer daily. We walked around town today for a touch. 

Summer has begun

 Summer is in full swing in the Farrell household. Jake has set his eyes on building himself a new shed and it is going to be large, almost 400 square feet.  The only thing he has not done himself (excluding the kids and I) is having the concrete poured for the foundation.  He spends hours each day on it but will be proud of it when it is done.  We took a small break and spent the lake at the weekend with our friends the Paynes. It was enjoyable.  The boys went to Boys camp the following week. I ended up having to meet Jake to get Will because he hurt his knee. With that said, it was nice to spend some time with him. 

Happy Birthday Christopher

Christopher is 15! What a blessing he is in our family. He is kind and has a tender heart.  He loves to tell jokes and please his parents. He does his best to serve the Lord and grow his testimony. We are so glad he is in our family. 

Facts about Christopher by Christopher:

I love family time.

My favorite thing to do is play games.

I love learning math.

I currently want to be when you grow up: Palliative Care doctor.

My favorite color is all except barf green

My favorite show is Kpop Demon Hunters.

My favorite game is Clash Royale.

My favorite activity is sports.

My favorite girl is mom.

I am really good at comforting.

My best friend is Scotty Marshall.

I want to vacation to Japan and Paris.

My favorite ice cream is Blue Bell Grooms Cake. 

My wish is to repeat the day I got the wish, so I can change that wish and remember what I wished. 

My hero is mom or Will.

My favorite thing to do with your friends is play games.

My favorite holiday is Christmas.

My favorite person in the whole world is mom and Will.

My favorite song(s) is "Golden" and "Soda Pop".

My favorite restaurant is Dave's Hot Chicken. 

My favorite foods are pulled pork burritos, then chicken. 

If I had $1000 I would pay tithing then invest. 

May 2025 Final Recap (ER and Aubree back)

May ended up being a much busier month than anticipated. On Monday, May 12th, Will got his braces off, which he was happy about.  We let him choose where to have dinner and he chose Texas Roadhouse. That was the beginning of craziness for the month and we had no idea.  The next day, Tuesday Jake woke up sick and I called into work for him. He had been sick through the night.  That afternoon, he felt prompted to go to urgent care and had the thought "gallbladder".  He want and the physician told him it sounded like gallbladder issues or kidney stones and ordered an ultrasound for the following day.  On Wednesday, he felt well enough to go back to work and after school he went for his ultrasound. His stomach was not 100% bet he felt it was probably just filling back up and nothing more. Thursday was a typical day but Friday after lunch, he received a call while at school from the urgent care telling him the ultrasound results show gall bladder issues and he needed to go to the Emergency room and not go through the weekend with it.  Reluctantly, he left work and picked up the ultrasound results to take to our primary care doctor, who also saw the results and said to go the ER to request a CT Scan and will most likely go into surgery for the gall bladder to be removed.  He called me and I took the remainder of the day off work to take him.  Our Friday evening (over 7 hours) was spent in the ER, with about 5.5 of those in the waiting room. But I was able to chat with several people and let people borrow my phone charger since we had anticipated to spend the night, I had a couple.  We were finally called back to a room and a CT Scan ordered. The results came back good and no issues.  

Now, I shared that to lead to this point- God is a God of miracles!  I feel that Jake has extra protection as he serves diligently as bishop. Our family receives blessings. Now when he is released, we may have thyroid and gall-bladder issues, but for now, the Lord sees fit to have him serve and keep him healthy.  We have no explanation as to why the ultrasound showed something entirely different than the CT Scan and why two medical doctors, said go to the ER, except for but GOD. He watches over us and is a God of tender mercies and miracles. 

The month of May began with 5 of us at home and is ending with 6 of us at home. On Saturday, 5/24, I flew out to get Aubree. We left her apartment in Logan about 8:00am Sunday for our 1600 mile trek and arrived in Memphis about 6:15pm on Monday 5/27.  It was a very hard decision for her and she still hopes to get into the Utah State nursing program (she is currently an alternate).  The first weekend of May, she had told us she had decided to stay in Utah and attend Weber State. This decision would require student loans, and attending UTHSC would not, but we let her choose. On Tuesday (4/29) before we boarded the plane for Florida, we went over cost by cost for her between Weber State's nursing program and UTHSC's nursing program.  UTHSC should be debt free but Weber State would be over $10,000 debt was our best guess.  However, on Friday night when she had called to tell us she was staying in Weber and get her ADN, we said okay. However later that night, I looked up and discovered that Weber was an Associates degree, something she had failed to mention.  So Jake called and had a stern conversation with her.  Yes, it is dumb to go into debt for a lesser degree but we were most upset she withheld that information from us.  We were under the impression this entire time, it was a BSN like Utah State and UTHSC. Long story short, the next week she withdrew and on Sunday 5/18, she said we could come get her on 5/25 to come home for the summer (in hopes of the alternate position opening at USU) or to plan to attend school here as she has been accepted. It worked out because my parents were driving back from ID this same week and were able to grab a couple totes as well.  I know it is not ideally what she wants and I hope she does not have hard feelings for us but I almost feel it was a catch 22...she would be upset if we pushed for her to come back home and attend school or in the future upset because we did not push for it if debt was acquired.  Regardless, I am glad she is here for now and hope she finds joy in whatever course her path becomes. 

I like when he sends me photos too.....I'm a blessed lady!