Alexis Li

I have been so excited to write this post!  I have the MOST fun story to tell about our Lexi!  But first of all, let me just go over a few things about Lexi and what she has been up to this year.  For starters, Lexi has always wanted a summer birthday party, but her birthday is at the end of December and of course, she never wants to wait for summer.  This year, we had a very balmy January (at least for Utah's standards) and we decided we would give her the summer party she has always wanted.  So, in the middle of January, we went outside and roasted hot dogs, played all kinds of summer games and then watched one of Lexi's favorites, "Teen Beach Movie."  The kids were fine in jackets and they had a ball.  Lexi was thrilled to finally get her summer party!

Lexi and Sophi are the very best of friends.  Perhaps the fact that they were adopted from the same orphanage on the same day has led in part to their one-of-a-kind bond.  They are mostly inseparable and are just perfect together.  This school year has been fun.  On the first day of school, I asked Lexi what she wanted to wear and she replied, "Whatever Sophi is wearing."  Then I asked Sophi how she wanted her hair fixed and she said, "Like Lexi's."  That started a trend and I am a little amazed to say that thus far, they have worn the same outfits and had the same hairdos for school EVERY SINGLE DAY.  I've snapped a few pics showing their twin-ness and will add them below.  (:

Lexi had a fantastic summer.  She attended the Bell Program for two weeks (a braille day camp) and a  sports camp for the blind/visually impaired.  She loved hanging out with her cousins during our two family reunions and especially enjoyed Lagoon.    I was able to take her on an especially fun Mommy date to see "Into the Woods" performed at the Hale Theater.  Lexi basically has the whole play memorized and was so excited to "see" it live.  When we got there, one of the ushers saw her with her cane and walked right over and asked if she would like a backstage tour.  He took her backstage and let her feel some of the costumes and props-- oh how I love thoughtful people!!!  It made the experience so much more fun for her.  Afterward we were able to meet some of the characters and she thought that was super exciting.  Then we went to have Mexican food and she got a whole dessert to herself.  We don't often take the kids out to eat (expensive!) and if we do, we skimp on things like drinks and dessert, so she thought it was the coolest thing ever to get a whole dessert and kept telling me so!  I sure love that girl.

Lexi is one of the most sensitive, caring, joyous, lovely little human beings on this planet.  Her joy is contagious and pure, which makes it so much fun to do things that make her happy.  That is why this next story is so much fun!  To tell it, I think I'm going to just copy and paste my posts from Facebook.  (:  That way you can get a taste of the excitement that was happening for us and for Lexi on October 1!

1st post:

HELP WANTED!  smile emoticon As anyone close to Lexi knows, she has been a little obsessed with Idina Menzel for the last two years. She listens to her music pretty much every day. She even asks strangers if they know who Idina Menzel is and promptly educates them by singing one of her songs.  smile emoticon The biggest compliment you can give Lexi is to tell her that she sounds like Idina when she sings. Her whole face lights up with the biggest smile and giggle! She has asked me MANY times if I think she will ever get to meet Idina. She has me describe to her what she looks like over and over. Well, we just found out that Idina will be in concert TONIGHT in Orem. Jeremy wants to surprise her and take her on a little date.  smile emoticon But this is our question-- Does anyone have any connections to Lexi Walker or Gentri (both opening for Idina tonight) or to the UCCU center or to Idina Menzel herself or to ANYONE who might know how to make it possible for Lexi to spend a few seconds actually meeting Idina? Any other child who is going to see their favorite star can do so by simply attending the concert-- but with Lexi, she can't "see" Idina without getting a moment to touch her hand or give her a hug. It would seriously be the most incredible gift you could give Lexi!! It would be the highlight of her life.

This post was followed by a TON of comments and shares all over Facebook with people trying to help us make a connection so that she could meet Idina.  I was so over-the-moon happy and grateful and was just sure it was going to happen!

2nd post:

Just told Lexi where Daddy's taking her tonight... Looks like we will have one happy girl even if she doesn't get to meet her in person! 

3rd post:

 I want to give a very special and big THANK YOU to Mary Rice who was extremely generous in giving us the tickets she and her husband had purchased but decided not to use. We were so, so grateful!!! The kindness of strangers continuously blows me away. Jeremy has been texting me from the concert and they are having a great time. He talked to someone there who told him that Idina does not do meet and greets. ): I told him to keep trying, as I am praying my heart out that she can still meet her. It's crazy to have her so CLOSE (they have seats on the floor pretty close to the stage) and not be able to see her when it's been her dream for so long! It's pretty much driving me out of my mind to not be able to pull it off for her! But I know she is still loving her time there and it will be such a great memory. 

During this time, I received a few messages from people who had been trying to pull it off for Lexi but who were unable to do so.  I was SO grateful for their efforts and felt so much joy that they would even try, but I was starting to give up hopes that it would happen.  

4th post:

PEOPLE!!!!!! I am DYING!!!!! I JUST got an email from the director of the UCCU Center. I had emailed him earlier today. He said that if Jeremy would meet him after the concert, he would give him a meet and greet ticket for Lexi. That means she will be meeting Idina Menzel in the next little while!!!!! God is SO GOOD!!!!!!  smile emoticon I prayed seconds before his email popped up and felt His comforting spirit. Thank you everyone else who prayed as well or shared the post or did anything to help!!!! I can't wait to share how it goes!  smile emoticon smile emoticon smile emoticon smile emoticon smile emoticonsmile emoticon

This post was met with so many likes and comments.  It made it all the more fun for me to be able to share this experience with friends and family and even strangers that were just so happy for Lexi.  It's during times like this I just love Facebook and the good it can do.  

5th post:

Oh my goodness, it just keeps getting better. Just got this text from Jeremy: "She is singing her encore. She called up a bunch of little kids to sing 'Let It Go.' Lexi made it up and Idina shook her hand. When she saw Lexi's face, she reached out and caressed her cheek. So sweet." WOW. I'm crying!

6th post:  

I just got off the phone with Lexi. Oh my goodness-- it was the most fun phone call of all time. She was GLOWING (can you glow in your voice?) with excitement. She exuded happiness through the phone. I wish I could have recorded the cuteness of the conversation. It went something like this: "So... guess what! I just met Idina Menzel! (giggle) And she loved my voice. (giggle) And she has really beautiful soft hands and was wearing rings. And she touched my cheek which was so cute! And I just really loved her and she really loved me too!" Seriously, it was the best conversation ever! After talking to her for awhile and hearing her cute perspective on it all, I got on the phone with Jeremy and he filled me in on details. Apparently, as the kids were invited onto the stage, it took awhile for him to get Lexi up there and they had closed the line. There were a bunch of kids that didn't get to go. Jeremy said to the person there something like, "Look at this sweet girl. Do you think you might have room for her?" And they replied with "Absolutely." So she got onto the stage even though the line was closed. Apparently everything happened very fast so he didn't get photos/video, but Idina took her hand, then looked at her face and caressed her cheek, which Jeremy said was the most tender moment ever. Then they sang "Let it Go." Supposedly he has some video of that but because of the way Lexi was turned, it's not very good. I so wish I could see that moment where they met on stage,(I wonder if anyone has video of it?) but I'm still just so happy that it happened!!! After the concert, the director met Jeremy and had ONE meet and greet ticket. He said it was the only one he had and that they had VERY strict guidelines about not letting you backstage without a ticket, so Lexi would have to go without Jeremy. Ha! Apparently, someone else was going to have to escort her. Jeremy texted me this and I was seriously laughing out loud-- so happy that Lexi would at least get to go and yet thinking how absurd it was that he couldn't go with. I told him to at least send his phone with so someone could take pictures. Well, when it was time for her to go back, the guy in charge asked Jeremy if he was coming. Jeremy told him that he didn't have a ticket, to which the guy replied, "Are you with her? Then come on back!" So we were so happy that he looked past the typical rules. Apparently, at this moment everything happened VERY quickly-- people were supposed to get like 3 seconds with Idina and were kind of rushed through and he wasn't able to video or take pictures, but "their people" were taking pictures and are going to email them to us. Idina remembered Lexi from the stage and told her that she had a beautiful voice. That was honestly the BEST thing she could have ever said to Lexi. I know she'll ride high on that one for a very long time. Jeremy said she was very sweet with her even though it was a short moment. Honestly, I just couldn't be more happy right now. Lexi faces such tremendous challenges on a daily basis and does it with such grace and courage!! There isn't another girl in all the world that could find as much joy from meeting Idina as Lexi found tonight. My heart is so full! Thank you so much again, everyone, for your kindness and for finding joy in Lexi's joy!!! I will post pictures when I have them. Believe me, I am as anxious to see them as anyone!  

People were so happy for Lexi.  It was so fun to have such a big group of people to share that joy with!  Thank you, Facebook friends!

7th post:

smile emoticon
And with that

    Just tucked in one very, very happy girl. Her last words to me: "I wish Idina could come to our house and have a sleepover with me since we like each other so much."  

smile emoticon

And with that, I am finally able to share the photos of that night!  They came yesterday in my email and seriously, I got teary all over again.  I think the one of Idina and Lexi is definitely going to have to be blown up and put on her wall, right?  SO cute!  And a reminder that Heavenly Father is aware of Lexi and delights in making her smile.  I know that he accomplishes His work through GOOD, WONDERFUL, CARING people like you-- so again, a big THANK YOU to all who were a part of Lexi's magical night!!! I know that she will never forget it.  (:

Getting ready to leave on the best Daddy date ever!

                                      

Backstage with Idina!!!

Aren't they just darling together?!!

Got home close to midnight and was still so hyper about the whole thing.  Thought it would be hard waking her up for school the next morning, but she woke up on her own at 6:30 a.m. and was out on the couch singing Idina Menzel songs!

Summer birthday party!

Best friends!

Lagoon!

Lexi loved Graci's China Mom

Always twins!

With her special friend Marilyn at the Color Run

Mommy date to see Into the Woods

Loving her Tres Leches

So much fun with my sweet girl!

Walking home from church

Follow up conversation

Tonight at the dinner table, Sophi and Lexi continued their discussion about living together when they grow up.

Sophi;  Ok, let's say we're rich.  And we can choose wherever we want to live.  Do you think we should live in a mansion or a house or an apartment.

Lexi:  I don't know.

Sophi:  You can totally pick.  I'll let you decide.  Mansion, house or apartment?

Lexi:  Well, I guess an apartment.  Because it would be easier to clean.

Sophi:  Yes!  I think you're right.  It should be an apartment so we don't have so many rooms to clean!


Smart girls!!!  (:

Melt my heart

Just overheard a conversation between Lexi and Sophi:

Lexi:  How am I going to be able to cook when I'm a mom?

Sophi:  Blind people can cook.

Lexi:  But it will be hard.  What if I'm not married.  Or what if I'm married to another blind person?

Sophi:  Then you can come live with me and we'll help each other.  I can help you find things and you can help me reach them.

Alexander Philip

Our spunky, thoughtful, creative, helpful, goofball, oh-so-fun Xander is now ten!  We were recently reflecting on his "gotcha day" and remembered how we said, "We're pretty sure this little guy is going to be student body president someday!"  Well, we must have been right on!  At the end of last year, 4th graders were encouraged to run for student body officers for the 2015-16 school year.  Xander, along with 80% of the kids in his grade, decided to run.  First they had to run against the kids in their class. Out of the 25 kids in each class, 3 were voted to move on to the school elections.  Xander was THRILLED to be chosen.  Then we began the work of making posters and practicing the speech he would give to the school.  After a week of campaigning, the 21 kids that had made it that far gave their speeches in front of the whole school.  One of the things he talked about in his speech is how he had been teased about his legs as a kindergartener and knew what it felt like when other kids weren't kind.  He promised to be accepting to everyone and to watch out for others.  Xander did a great job and after the votes were tallied, was one of 7 kids chosen to represent the school as an SBO.  We were so happy for him!

One of my favorite things about Xander is his creativity.   I will often find backpacks or laundry baskets or other containers filled with various items that he has been busy creating/playing with.  He loves legos and k'nex and anything he can build with.  But probably the most fun thing is his creative genius when it comes to cooking.  Almost daily, Xander whips up something in the kitchen.  This morning, it was something with noodles, jalapeños, and hot dog pieces-- lol!  He often has other kids begging him to make one of his delicious omelets or fried rice (always with his unique twist) or meat wraps or salads.  He wants to be a chef and I really think he has the makings to become one.  On school mornings, the kids are typically on their own for breakfast (with the exception of those who can't help themselves.)  Most kids go for the normal cereal, oatmeal, bagel, fruit, etc.  But Xander almost always is at the stovetop cooking something or at least warming up left-overs.  He makes me smile!  (Even if his messes don't!)

Xander is playing fall soccer and had a game last night in which he scored TWO goals!!!!!  One goal a season is what we consider an awesome season around here, so to score two in one night was phenomenal!  We actually missed the first one because we showed up late (it's hard getting our family out the door!)  When we got there, he came tearing down the sideline with the biggest smile on his face letting us know that he had scored a goal.  After congratulating him I told him, "Well, you're just going to have to score a second one now since we missed the first!"  I had no inkling that it would even be possible-- I was just trying to give him some motivation.  So we were ecstatic when he scored a second one later in the game.  His team won 3-2.  So fun!!!

Xander loves ALL his siblings.  He thinks it's the greatest thing in the world to hang out with Parker and Taylor and their friends.  But he also gets along so well with all of the girls and is often a sidekick to one of them.  He shares a room with Conner and has never once complained about helping Conner with whatever he needs help with-- picking out clothes, cleaning, finding the things he needs, etc.  He is such a thoughtful boy.  Of all the kids, Xander is typically the one I like to ask errands/favors of the most because he nearly always says "yes" with a super great attitude.  Oh, and he's incredible with Molly and easily takes on most of the responsibility of having a dog.

Xander, can you tell we think you're pretty great?!!!  We sure love you, X-man!

Let's start out with some of his goofy pictures...

Can you tell why this Halloween costume is perfect for him?

Birthday breakfast in bed.

10 years old!

First day of school and wearing his SBO shirt

First time driving with Taylor!

He loves Molly!  Incidentally, this was taken after Molly got spooked by fireworks and ran away.  When she came back, she was covered in foxtails, so we had to shave her.  She's normally super fluffy!

Off to explore!

Oops!

Jeremy and I recently decided to allow adsense ads onto our blog.  Seemed like a very easy way to make a few extra dollars when we were already blogging.  With ten kids, we can easily put it to good use!  Today we noticed the ad on the side of the blog was a dating ad with some mildly provocative photos.  Oops!  I immediately went into our adsense account and hopefully took the steps necessary to ensure that the ads that show up on our blog are appropriate from now on.  If you ever see anything that isn't, please let us know.  A few extra dollars is obviously not worth having anything inappropriate on our blog!  (:

Jessica Anne

Our darling Jessica is growing up way too fast!  Luckily for us, though she is mature, responsible, and definitely having fun with the newfound privileges associated with being 12, she has retained so much of her innocent, girly self.  I adore that she still enjoys barbies and American girl dolls and playing dress up and make believe.  Her childlike nature makes her such a fun sister, and I will often have several sweet girls playing dress up and theater and fun made-up games on Jesi's initiative.  

Jessica is very creative.  I don't know how many of you know this, but we actually have an 11th child living with us.  Her name is "Messy" or "Messy Jesi."  We don't see her very often, but every once in awhile she comes out and makes a short appearance, always at completely random times.   Messy has an abundance of crazy hairdos and outfits that we all find very humorous.  We love having Messy in our family.  (:

Jessica was able to go to Girls Camp this summer for the first time.   In fact, she turned 12 during the camp!  I have never had such a hard time letting one of my children go away.  I think I feel extra protective of Jessica precisely because of that innocence I spoke of.  She is so special.  I was so grateful for a sweet Beehive leader who told me as they were leaving that she was going to especially watch out for Jesi and take extra good care of her.  (:  As it turns out, I had nothing to worry about.  The girls in our ward are wonderful and took Jessica right in.  I was especially grateful for Cali's friend, Kaytlin, who went the extra mile to make Jesi feel important and loved.

If I thought sending her off to Girls Camp was hard, I was in for a treat (ha!) when just a couple of weeks afterward it was time for Jesi to begin jr. high.  I went to back-to-school night with her and found that of her 8 classes, she only had three with friends.  Pretty sure I was more upset about that than she was!  It about killed me to say goodbye to her that first morning, but she came home happy and content and has done great ever since.  One thing that many people don't know about Jessica is that she has Ehler's Danlos Syndrome and another genetic abnormality which affects her in many ways. When Jes was little, she had early intervention services for speech, physical and occupational therapy.  When she began school, she was on an IEP.  Since then, she has come so far!  She works so hard in school and is likely one of the most organized kids there!  Her grades are fantastic and we just couldn't be more happy at the way she is succeeding in school.  I'm also so proud that she has reached out and made some new friends this year-- I know that can be hard to do!

Jessica Anne, you have our heart!  You've had Dad wrapped around your little finger since you were tiny and he is still tightly holding on.  We adore your big, bright smile and unique personality.  We love the sweet, innocent way your amazing brain works.  We smile at the way you have to lay out your next day's outfit (down to the earrings!) and be tucked in before you are able to sleep at night. We appreciate how you are almost always the first one to get your chores done. We think you are gorgeous and smart and driven and talented and courageous and absolutely perfect.  We know you have faced hard challenges in your life and we are so proud of the grace with which you handle them.  We love you, sweet Jesi!

Messy

Again

And another...

Playing one of their creative games

Awww!  Just came across this.  She has always been a Daddy's girl.

Dance recital

Not Jesi's best picture but I loved it of my mom, so I had to add it!

So much fun camping in a teepee

Have you ever tried curling hair with socks?  I tie Jesi's hair in Jeremy's socks the night before and this is what it looks like!  It's so beautiful and only takes a couple of minutes!!

A tea party Jesi made for all the girls

Jesi's best friend Rylie moved from Utah a few years ago but they have always stayed in touch.  This summer, she came to visit and Jessica had SO much fun with her!  

First day of jr. high and does the "Mom, PLEASE don't take a picture of me here!" look perfectly.

At her 12th birthday party.  P.J.'s., pizza, games and the new Cinderella movie with 14 adorable 11 and 12 year-olds.
So fun!