Merry Christmas - our Christmas Letter.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
First I want to thank you all for sending us your lovely Christmas cards last year. I love getting all the friends and family updates. And seeing your cute pictures. Last Christmas was a crazy time for us and I was not up to sending cards. To be truthful, we were at the beginning of one of our greatest trials/blessings. Dec. 1st last year marks the day we found out that our unborn son had Edwards Syndrome. The doctors told us this condition is “not compatible with life”. I found it too hard to focus on well wishing greetings when the biggest and obvious trial was the only thing I could see in my life. One year later however, I am now excited to send out well wishing greetings.

The Lord has truly blessed us in our trials. Our son Zeke Ellis Stanger was born March 26th, 2010 at 11:13 p.m. He lived a moment. He lived just long enough to take a breath and blink at his daddy. This moment was an answer to many prayers and many fasts. As you can guess I am NOT a fan of the words “not compatible with life” as I have found that there are many children with this condition (also called trisomy 18) that do survive their birth and actually live for quite some time. We have experienced many miracles with our Zeke. We know that his challenges and disabilities were all a part of the Lord’s plan for him.

Our testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His church here on the earth have been deepened through our experiences so far. We know our Savior, that he lives, and he loves us. We are so grateful to have had Zeke Ellis Stanger in our lives. Our lives have been forever changed because of our moment with him.

As for the kids, they are doing great and taking everything in stride. Wesley has just turned 8. He was baptized earlier this month. That was a great occasion, and a special “spiritual payday” for mom and dad. He loves to play basketball and is taking piano lessons. He also had a chance this year to wrestle and really enjoyed it. We got just a peek into the world of wrestling. This is a world which was totally new to us. Lily is 5 and has started kindergarten. She loves school, is learning a lot and loving it. Madi is 3 and spoiled rotten ( in a good way). She loves to sing and dances all around the house with Lily in their pretty dresses.

Kip is still elder’s quorum president, and I’m the secretary in the stake young women’s program. I have to admit that this has been one of my favorite callings. I work with awesome women and get to plan and play at girls camp in the summer. It’s so much fun. This is my third year as PTO president, and I’m definitely learning a lot there. This year because of budget cutbacks our school cut their music program, so a friend, and I have volunteered to teach music once a week in the elementary school. We just had our Christmas concert and all went well, the kids sang and Santa came, yeah!!! Life is full, crazy and definitely an adventure.

May the Lord bless you this Christmas season. Lots of Love from the Stangers. Kip, Leejean, Wesley, Lily, Madi, and Zeke

Christmas is in the air!

I love Christmas time!! It's in the air.  People are nicer, Christmas music on the radio, and HO HO HO every where you go.  ok maybe just a giggle or two thinking of how I'm going to try and surprise my husband with a present this year.  What to surprise the kids with.  It's just soo much fun.  Merry Christmas everyone.  lots of love to you all!!!

Happy Birthday Day Wesley!!!

Wow, eight years ago today, I was scared to death waiting to embark on the newest, grandest, and hardest adventure of my life.  I was getting ready to give birth for the first time.  I remember knowing without a doubt that I was going to die, and someone else was going to have to raise my baby.  But as you can read I did not die and my fears gave way to incredible joy as I found myself holding a new purplish little monkey-face that I found absolutely beautiful.  Now he's eight and comes up to my shoulders, can wear my shoes & socks.  He's such a good boy and I'm so proud of him.  I would "die" all over again to have him in my life.  Happy birthday to my first baby.  I love you Wesley!

EASTER

Madison Jean Stanger in her Easter Dress.
Lily Anne Stanger in her Easter dress. What a pretty poser.

Wesley in his Easter Tie. hmm...what a smile.

All three Stanger kids. Ya gotta love em. Ok I do. :)

And here's the whole Family.

HaPpY EaStEr!!!

We had a great Dalton easter reunion. It was so fun to see everyone from mom's family again. We got to hear a story about our great-great granpa. His name was John Peter Erickson. When he was nine years old he lived with his family in Sweden, when a Missionary came to their home from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His family were not members of the church, but The missionary was running for his life. Mobsters were after him and trying to kill him. John's family hide the missionary in their barn, under the turnip greens. John's mom, Emma Christina Norberg Erickson would hide some food for the missionary in the bottom of the grain bucket as she went out to milk the cow. After a while the mobsters quit coming around to look for him and the missionary decided to move on to the next town, but he did not know how to get there. So the Family sent John Peter, 9 years old, with the missionary to the next town, because that was the safest time of day for the missionary to be out. John led him to the next town and came back by himself. It was later in his life, after his father had passed away that John Peter Erickson brought his mother to the United States to be with the saints.

Cool story eh? Anyway, then we heard the stories that Mom and her brothers and sisters remembered about Grandma, their mother. That was cool too.

And now for the door prize. I'm guessing it was about 8 years ago, because it was before I was married we signed our names at the reunion to squares of levi with a permanent black marker. Someone helped grandma make these squares into a quilt. Grandma gave this quilt as a door prize. And we got it. I was so excited, I love it. They actually drew Lily's name, but at 4 she's not quite old enough to truley appreciate what we have here. Someday she will. hmm... maybe when i'm gone. he he he.

Happy Birthday Lily

We now have a beautiful four year old Lily. She had a fun birthday and was soooooo excited. It helped me remember the feeling as a kid of being so excited that this was MY special day. Everything that day was for me. And my sweet Lily is just the same. I couldn't help but be so proud of my Wesley as well. He was almost just as excited, running into her room to wake her up and tell her it was her birthday. He wanted to make sure that he got to hand her some of her presents to open. I love my kids. I'd put up the picture but my computer is being cranky.

Merry Christmas 2008 and Happy New Year 2009!

Hello Family and Friends! Wow it’s already been a year. Sometimes I can’t believe it and other times it seems like ages ago. What to say in a page that covers the lives of a family over the course of the entire year. Life is Crazy, life is good, and our year has been just that crazy good.
SOMETIMES
Sometimes there’s ups and sometimes there’s downs. Sometimes you feel like climbing and sometimes you just need a bath. Sometimes we are the big fish in the little pond,

and sometimes our shoes, and mittens feel like they’re just too big. Sometimes you feel like your going over the edge.
Sometimes you feel caught in a tight place,

and sometimes you just need a peak at what’s going on out there. Sometimes you just have to have some patience, and Sometimes… you just want to chill. Sometimes you just need a nap. Sometimes you feel like your digging for treasure, and sometimes ……………you find it! And Sometimes everything just works out. Although life can be crazy, Life is good, and we are living it. Life is an adventure. We hope that all is well with you. And that you and yours can also feel the wonderful love of our Savior. His love is always not just sometimes. Love the Stangers; Kip, Leejean, Wesley, Lily and Madi.

Happy Birthday Wesley!

Wesley turns 6. Wow, he's getting to be such a big boy. Sometimes I just watch him and am amazed that I am his mother. Then I just feel greatful.

This year he wanted a pirate cake. The sails' say "Captain Wesley and 1st Mate Preston" the smaller sail says, "Princess Whitney".

Wesley shares his birthday with two of his cousins Preston turning two, and Whitney turning one. Here he is standing with Preston.

And here is cute little Whitney devouring her one year old cupcake, and using it as a facial mask as well. Maybe frosting on your face really does keep you looking young, he he.

Thanksgiving crafts

I have a friend who loves to do crafts and has many projects. Right now she says she's trying to de-junk and wanted to finish these crafts quickly, so another friend and I went to help, very willingly, I might add. She had started these cute little scarecrows. She already had the head and bodies stuffed, the legs and arms sewn and the shirts made. So we stuffed legs and arms, sewed them on, dressed them, gave them hair, faces, and a hat. They turned out so cute. We did have to get together two different times to finish them but we did 17 of them. It was sooo much fun. Everyone should have such a friend.

She also had lots of little straw hats left and another project, lots of felt feathers and turkey parts. So she gave me the parts and my kids and I put turkeys together. My cute chilluns picked out their own feathers, colors, all parts, and then I hot glued them on.

My cute kindergartener has been learning about patterns and picked great color patterns for his.

Lily just loves pink. We each did two, so that makes 6 all together. So now we have turkeys hanging on walls, from door knobs, and anywhere else they can think of to move them to. The kids really had a fun time and it wasn't that hard.

Happy Halloween!

Here's my cute goblins.

The Hulk, Snow White, and our cute little pegasus.

Thanks Jessica for the costumes.

Madi ran around the house saying wheeehehehe

Check out those muscles!

What a little princess!

We had a blast and got lots of candy. Which we were amazed that when offered the choice of a surprise under their pillows they traded their candy for it. The surprise ( from the halloween witch, which they knew was really daddy) turned out to be their own pack of mints and then some gum the next night. Which they were surprisingly pleased about. Yeahhhh! But we did keep their candy and are giving some back to them a little at a time. So moms happy and their happy. We sure lucked out this time.