wacky bunch on the road

Jenai is a sweet 3 year old with a cuddly silly personality. She has a great imagination, and loves at night when the other kids go to bed and she gets to "play toys." She likes dress up and pretend. The current highlight of her life is the cat "Gilbert" (she named him herself after the cat on Caillou.)

Jenai loves babies and is always talking about when the little baby brother will come, and if he will be here for whatever the next big event is.

Evelyn is a 6 year old (almost) girl with a lot of spunk. She loves to giggle, laugh, and play. She is very helpful and always wants to please. She has a great faith in what God can do for her. She loves to sing. She sang her first solo in church at the ripe old age of 4 years 1month! She is usually the first one up when they have a chance to share testimonies at church. She likes to play with dolls, and her little sister and looks forward to being a big sister again. (Maybe because she will no longer be the true middle child!) She is also a good sport about playing along with her brother.

Brokton is a loving 7 year old boy who is happy and loves to have fun. He is so fond of babies that he has a little baby doll that he carries everywhere with him. Like Chantelle, Brokton also has celiac disease which limits him form eating gluten. Brokton is in second grade and loves being home-schooled! He loves to play outside and looks forward to when his "baby brother" will find us.

We are a loving couple and family who have weathered the test of time and trials together. We met in our late teens. We started off as friends and quickly realized that we should be together for time and all eternity. We also knew that our marriage would be more blessed if we served God first by serving missions. So... we both served missions. After being apart for 2 years, 4 months, 4 days (and a few hours):)We were able to pick things up where we left off. We were engaged 17 days later on Memorial Day weekend. We were married just 3 months later on Labor Day weekend. A year after we got married we moved from San Diego to Salt Lake. We had Brokton 6 months later. When Brokton was 10 months old we found out that we were pregnant with Evelyn. We bought our 1st house in Tooele UT when Evelyn was 8 months old. Just before Brokton was 4 we learned that he had some special needs that required frequent visits to the occupational therapist. So after much prayer we decided to move back to the salt lake valley and bought our second house in West Jordan. Jenai was born shortly after our move. About 10 months after we had moved to West Jordan we had strong feelings that we should move to Virginia. We had both always thought of living in Virginia but hadn't really talked about it. Then it just happened within 2 months of having the feelings we should move Steve had gotten a promotion with the company, we had sold our house and we were here. It was a great time to see the Lord's hand in our lives.
Steven		Chantelle
Brothers and Sisters: I am one of 4 rowdy kids Parents: YES, I was truly NOT found under a rock no matter what others may say! States lived in (in order): California, Michigan, California, Utah, Virginia Favorite Holiday: Valentines Day Favorite game: Roll the ball Favorite music: soft rock, blues, country, Jazz Instruments played: Cello, harmonica- Ok so I only attempted it but it's the thought that counts! Best time of day: Family time Spiritual times: Times when I get to go to the temple Best Date: with Chantelle (my wife) Best memory: the day each of my children came home for the first time. Mission: Michigan Favorite pass time: Dating my wife & going on long walks First Car: 1982 Toyota Celica (I crashed it into guardrail going to meet Chantelle on our first date, a little nervous shall we say) First Job: janitor Worst Job: janitor Best/Hardest Job: Serving a Mission Countries visited: Mexico Nationality: German, French, English, Scottish, and Irish Allergies: Dust AHH CHOO, Grass AHH CHOO, spring pollens AHH CHOO!!! Favorite Food: anything (Except Mushrooms!) Favorite Dessert: I don't know; is it sweet? What I want most: An eternal Family		Brothers and Sisters: 5 (including me, I'm in the middle) Parents: Divorced States lived in (in order): Utah, Idaho, California, Idaho, California, New Jersey, California, Utah, Virginia Favorite Holiday: Christmas, it just makes me twinkle inside! Favorite game: Sudoku or Uno with Steven Favorite music: country, Garth Brooks, Sarah McLachlan, Josh Groban Instruments played: Piano, Viola, Flute & I want to learn guitar Best time of day: Morning cuddles with the kids Spiritual times: Devotional and Family time with the kids. They really do say the cutest things Best Date: Seaport Village with Steven Best memory: too many to count probably running around in the backyard having a family water fight. Mission: Yes, New Jersey Favorite pass time: laughing, watching movies. First Car: 1985 Dodge Charger red inside and out. I had to pin up the top with red push pens. Hey, at least they matched. First Job: Captain's Seafood (fast food) Worst Job: toss up between Captain's Seafood and selling the lotions in the mall saying "try this." Best/Hardest Job: Raising kids but also the most fun and rewarding. Countries visited: France, Iraq, and Mexico Nationality: 1/2 Chaldean (Iraqi), 1/2 everything else. Allergies: Gluten (Wheat, barley, rye and oats) I have Celiac Disease Favorite Food: Dolma or Kibbeh, both Middle Eastern foods. Favorite Dessert: Mint Chocolate chip ice cream over brownies with hot fudge **Caution eat sparingly- it tends to stick around a long time:) What I want most: To raise a loving family, and have fun while doing it.

Our family loves to travel. Since we have moved to the East Coast we have been blessed to see and do a lot more than we had ever imagined. We have been through upstate New York including Palmyra. We have been to Baltimore and had a great time at the Maryland science center. We have been to Washington DC and got to go to the Museums there. We have been to New York City and New Jersey. This past summer we took our family's first trip to Disney World. What a fun time! We have so many pictures I almost don't know what to do with all of them! With all the fun we have while traveling we have even more at home. We play family games (we have a whole closet just for the games!) We camp in the backyard. We take our canoe out on the intercoastal waterway and to the historic Dismal Swamp Canal. We like to camp in our backyard. We like it so much we put in a fire pit this last summer complete with huge stumps to sit on. We like to sing dance and make up silly songs. One of our favorite songs is "Willaby wallaby woo an elephant sat on..." we take turns putting each person's name in it. Among all that we make plenty of time for home school (especially with games), church and most of all family time. Our kid's favorite time of the day is "family time". We get to go over our day, give each other praise, and always remember our family motto "We have a home of safety where love and the spirit can live." We look forward to being able to share all that fun, love and excitement with another child!
Steven		Chantelle
In my spare time I enjoy working in the yard with my kids, when we work; we all work together. When I am not working in the yard, I like to take the Canoe out and enjoy a nice peaceful time out on the water. I enjoy the time that I get to spend with each and everyone of my kids. I enjoy cuddling, working in the yard, playing catch, soccer, fishing, camping, canoeing & anything else that I get to do with my family. I enjoy exploring and discovering new things, I love to travel all over finding things that happened long ago.		I love music. I enjoy singing it, and writing it. I like to work with my hands and make crafty things. I also enjoy being a problem solver. In high school I was the kid who did other peoples math problems just for fun. (Crazy huh?!?) I am also a closet inventor. I spend lots my "spare" time thinking up new and improved ideas. Currently most of my inventing is on new recipes that are allergy free as everyone in our family but Steve has food allergies. Now if I could just find a way to market them! I guess it keeps my mind active. I also like writing short inspirational stories mostly for moms or parents of kids with special needs. Someday when I'm all grown up, and my kids are grown, I hope to open a bed and breakfast. Where all the food is gluten free so other families with food sensitivities can enjoy a getaway!

Dear Hero,

In each of our lives we have defining moments; times when a choice is placed before us that will shape our lives for here and eternity. It is what we choose in those moments that will mold who we become. In your life as you pray and make those choices we know that God will guide you to choose the right thing for you and your child.

Whatever the circumstances in life you may be in, we know that God has a plan for your child and you. We hope that we can become part of that plan. For four years now we have been waiting for a little boy that we felt would come into our family. We have felt his spirit and love, and love him. A year and a half ago it became evident that our boy would not be able to come through us. Around that same time Brokton began talking about “his baby brother.” We had not mentioned anything to him and knew that the only way he could have those feelings was through the spirit. Our family pray everyday for our “little baby brother” to find us. The children are very sweet as they include him, and you in every pray they say.

We hope that if through your process that you feel that your child needs to find us you will be blessed with peace in that decision. We already love the sweet spirit that is looking for us. Our children long to have him here, and we don’t think you could find a more loving home.

Remember you are in many prayers and will be our eternal HERO.

Love,

Steven, Chantelle, Brokton, Evelyn and Jenai


HERO

You may not think that you can do it.
You may not feel you can find the way.

But somehow each time you get on you knees
You feel a growing sense of peace.

A gentle voice can touch you in ways you cannot know,
Little by little you feel your confidence begin to grow.

Yes, there will be sleepless nights, heaps and heaps of tears
But your Heavenly Father can calm all your fears.

So whatever the challenge is don’t hesitate to pray
With Heavenly Father guiding you you’ll find a Hero along the way.

By: Chantelle