10 Year Relection

Evidently this blog has turned into our family journal.  If you're not interested in posts like the following...just move along. 
Landon was offered and accepted the job of principal at Burton Elementary for the 2013-2014 school year.   We're so happy!  It's a school with 3 classes in each grade, K-4.  There is a pre-school for developmentally delayed children, plus an extensive special services classroom.  It's a challenging school for a new principal, but if anyone is up to the challenge, it's Mr. LeFevre.
10 years ago next month our lives turned upside down when Landon was laid off from his job at Staffing Solutions in Salt Lake.  We endured the trial of our lives as we experienced 11 months of unemployment, followed by several months of under-employment.  It was definitely a life-changing experience to struggle financially to that extent.  Throughout it all we were blessed with help from neighbors, friends and family.  Making the decision to sell everything and start over in Rexburg so Landon could get his degree took a lot of faith, but we knew it was the right decision.  As soon as we stopped fighting with the idea that living in our house in Sandy and living the standard of living we had been used to was the only option, everything fell into place.  Landon went to school full-time, and between financial aid, loans and my on-campus job we were able to support our family, not needing to compromise our priority of keeping the girls out of daycare and providing a nurturing home life for them. 
10 years later, Landon has not only his bachelor's degree, but also his master's degree, has taught school and built a stellar reputation in our community for the past 6 years.  We've endured continuing financial struggles, but not the lack of stability we had known the first 10 years of our marriage.  Our priorities continue to be our marriage, our kids, and our home life.  We have so much love and fun at home and no amount of financial or professional frustrations can rock that foundation.
Emma used to ask me relentlessly, "Mom, where am I going to grow up?"  When we moved to Idaho, I kept hoping this wasn't the place she'd find the answer, but I guess after all this time in Rexburg, I am finally accepting the fact that we're actually staying here and this is where our kids are going to (finish) growing up. 
A quick assessment of what the kids are like right now (according to their mom):
Emma has lots of friends, loves ballroom, yearbook, reading, writing, baking, cooking, gardening, texting, fashion, pop culture, and understanding current events.  She is committed to finishing Personal Progress, has a growing testimony, is curious, very obedient, and very perceptive.  She loves spending time with her family and is the first to jump up and help any of us who seems stressed out at the moment.    
Lauren has lots of friends, loves ballroom, playing her clarinet, playing games, being the life of the party, laughing, making others laugh, riding her bike, babysitting, and taking care of Levi.  She has an amazing memory, is extremely quick to pick up on complicated concepts, gets frustrated when something doesn't come easily to her, is compassionate, empathetic, affectionate and really funny.
Levi is adorable, sweet, gives kisses, makes all kinds of noises with his mouth, is trying to crawl, loves his mom, dad, and sisters (in that order), hates solid food but tries to grab it every chance he gets, wiggly, loud, kinda rough, and loves to put everything in his mouth.  He is curious and enjoys new experiences.  He has a very sensitive stomach like his dad.  He isn't a great sleeper yet, but his dad and I don't mind that he likes sleeping with us at least a couple hours every night.  He's well on his way to being a spoiled kid, but in fairness to him, his sisters were just as spoiled as he is at this age.