the ones you live with, laugh with, love

Friday, June 6, 2014

Hmmm.. A little behind...

One of my many goals for this summer is to update my blog.... But until then... Here are just a few quick updates... Kids are growing like crazy! Love every minute of it! Alec is on his mission serving in the Hamilton, New Zealand Mission. He loves it! And we miss him! I started my Photography business... Sweet Papaya Photography by Erin Napier... Long time dream, finally took the plunge and I love it! Oh we are so busy, but we sure wouldn't trade this life for anything!

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Alec's Graduation

It is so hard to believe that my sweet baby is officially graduated from high school! What a treasure and privilege it has been to raise him. I feel like I grew up with him. I was so young when he was born and I feel like he was really a sweet blessing to me to point my life in the right direction. The moment I heard his sweet heart beat I knew he was mine and the amount of love I felt for him was something I could not explain. Then I was like a mama bear protecting her baby after that. He is my everything! (Okay, along with my sweet husband and my precious other 6 kiddos). I will forever be grateful for the honor it has been to be a mom. I have learned more from these sweet kids and learned more about myself as each one has entered my home and my heart. Kind of crazy because when I was pregnant with baby #2 I was so worried that I would not be able to love another baby like I did my first. But then I discovered that precious truth... These babies were meant to be mine from the beginning and my heart already knew them and was just waiting for them.. So when they were born that spot of my heart just welcomed them like they had been with me forever. Pretty amazing!

So proud of this sweet boy! He will be serving a mission for 2 years and then attending BYU Idaho when he returns. We are proud of how hard he works at everything he does and especially for his sweet spirit and calm nature that he bring s to our crazy lives! Congratulations, Alec! Job well done!

The whole gang

Proud mama and papa..

Our precious grandparents... Always make life so special!

Aunt Sarah and 3 of her cute kiddos!

These cousins are the best of friends. We are so lucky to live so close!

Hard to think of breaking these two kiddos up! Abi is sure going to miss her big brother and best friend!
They have been inseparable since they were little.

Monday, July 1, 2013

JOY.....

Lately life has been so busy. Alec is getting ready to graduate, applying to college and we had to get his mission papers ready. And not forgetting all of the elementary school projects and sports. Yes, it is all part of our busy lives, but lately I have only been focusing on all that needs to be done, and not really paying as much attention to all the wonderful little things that happen on a daily basis that bring me so much joy!
So here are a few pictures of the little things that bring me so much JOY! I am truly blessed.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Because I Have Been Given Much!

What a crazy, wonderful, busy, whirlwind year it has been. And I am so blessed to have lived every minute of it. The trials, the joys, the sadness and the blessings. They all make up this wonderful life. It has not always been easy but when I look back I am able to see and understand the purpose for all things and the blessings that have come from them.
In my last post, we told everyone we were pregnant again! We could not have been more surprised. But we were excited to see who Heavenly Father was sending us. Little did we know what a blessing this angel would be for us.
My dad battled cancer for over a year. And finally lost his battle in August 2012. One of my sad, low times of the past year. But the outpouring love and support we received from so many friends and family was truly a gift and a blessing. It did not make us miss our dad less but it did help us remember how dear he was to everyone. I am one that when I have something really special, I like to keep it sacred and to myself. So it sometimes is hard for me to share even those I love with others because of my great love and protection over them. But this was one time I really had to step back and let others remember and love him as well and I was proud to share him with everyone. My dad will forever be missed. But I can imagine what joy there was when he crossed through the veil to the other side, I know his mother and Father and little sister were there waiting for him. And I know they were by his side through his darkest hours there at the end. I long for the day when I get to be reunited with them all. Thank goodness for the plan of salvation. We truly have a very loving Father in Heaven.

And now we know why our sweet Avril came to us... She was a tender mercy from our Father in Heaven to give us peace and happiness in our darkest hours. Avril Erin was born on Sept 5 ( Just a few weeks after my dad passed). She has been and is such a great blessing. What a joy to everyone. We feel so blessed to have each one of our children.

Matt and I marvel at our lives and how we have grown. We can not help but notice Heavenly Father's hand in everything. We are amazed that our oldest, Alec, will be graduating this year. He is getting ready to submit his mission papers. What a blessing for him and us. I feel like he was just born.. I hold my youngest and can't help but hold her just a little tighter because I know how fast she will grow, I know in just a blink of an eye she will be graduating like her older brother and other siblings. I am so grateful for his example to his siblings and us. Again, I feel so blessed. I will miss him so much when he leaves. He has always had such a sweet, calm spirit. And I have always said he was my saving grace. He was a tender mercy from above. He came when I needed him most. My life was forever changed for the better when he came. He will always be my sweet baby.

I feel so blessed for each of my children... Each with such a unique personality and each the perfect piece to our puzzle.This is the one thing that I am most sure about in everything that I do. That I am a wife and mother before everything else. I Love it when I wake up to little ones cuddled beside me in bed, I love watching the clock for the time when my love walks through the door.

I would have never guessed that 19 years ago when we went to Prom together as 16 and 17 year olds that we would be here with seven kiddos. He is truly the love of my life and I am so thankful for him.

And just a few pictures from this past year.....
Avrils Blessing.. We blessed her with my family's other tender mercy, Mary Anne's baby, Jintrie. These two sweeties are only 11 days apart.. Definitely destined to be best friends.